New Venture Guiding - Golden, British Columbia

David R.

In summary, Nino is a badass guide…

If Wolfgang Güllich and Sam Rockwell had a love child, I imagine it would be the enigmatic Nino Guagliano. The owner to New Venture Guiding is only the second guide I have had in the mountains, both times on the Matterhorn. After an unsuccessful bid with another guide in 2023, my mission was to summit in 2024, and Nino took that seriously. He was an expert in all areas of achieving this goal. While not a Swiss guide, he understood that culture and came with a game plan to navigate the local guiding pecking order to maximize our chances for success and minimize the ever-present rockfall hazards. Nino was an outstanding leader on the climb, emphasizing a challenging pace when needed but also coaching me when to relax and recover. His climbing ability inspired confidence and his regular encouragement to keep pushing was undeniably a key element to our success. We didn’t have the normal training day prior to our climb, so Nino took a chance by leading someone with unknown fitness and limited climbing experience. As a result, I got a crash course in some mountaineering essentials and came away with many good lessons and skills. I am grateful to have shared a couple of days with Nino and getting to know his fascinating personality. If you know what you want from a mountain guide and are clear with your expectations, I believe Nino can help get you there.

Patrick F.

As a relatively new climber, definitely still a little rough around the edge, I couldn’t have asked for a better guide than Nino. From the moment we met, he struck the perfect balance between coach, teacher, and teammate. He picked up quickly on what I needed, and somehow managed to teach and push me at the same time without ever making me feel overwhelmed or out of place. His confidence in me gave me the confidence I needed in myself. He has a calm, focused presence in the mountains and is incredibly skilled at reading both the terrain and the climber. His pacing, technical instruction, and encouragement were spot-on, and I walked away from the experience with not just a successful climb, but a real crash course in mountain skills and mindset.

More than anything, I appreciated that Nino met me exactly where I was, and helped elevate me to where I needed to be. If you’re looking for a guide who’s not only technically sharp but also genuinely invested in your growth and success, Nino is the one.

Inigo B.

We climbed Mont Blanc with Nino on July'24, amazing guide and amazing experience!! Nino is an incredibly experienced guide, always client and safety first and super meticulous in his teaching. You really feel he loves what he does! I would 110% recommend Nino and New Venture Guiding to anyone irrespective of their mountaineering level (or recommend even more if you are not as experienced as Nino will take really good care of you). Thanks for the incredible experience!

Mac T.

Nino is a phenomenal guide and person. We spent five days with him trekking through the Monte Rosa region in late August 2024. He got us up multiple 4000m peaks safely, in good humor, and with great skill. I felt completely safe the entire time, while also being sufficiently challenged & building new skill sets. He is also an excellent communicator, and always made sure we understood the objective & what it would take to make it. I am looking forward to another adventure with Nino at some point in the future!

Rebecca M.

Phenomenal guide! I had an amazing time in the Swiss Alps with Nino as my guide. He taught me a lot of climbing and mountaineering skills. He was incredibly accommodating when my original objective turned out to be overly ambitious for this trip. I can't recommend him enough and I look forward to more mountaineering adventures with him.

B A.

I climbed the Matterhorn with Nino yesterday. It was a lifetime experience for me and I was honoured to have shared it with him. He is the best mountain guide I have ever worked with. I felt safe, encouraged and had lots of fun. Looking forward to seeing him next season.

Pedro J. A. F.

I’ve just come back from a Mountblanc hiking trip with other 3 friends. Not only did Nino guide us up and down the summit making us feel always safe but he also taught us all we should be doing when on the mountain (gear choice, usage of crampons and piolet, weather reading…) and the reason for it. On top, he always found the way to motivate us and make the trip a fun adventure, even when our energy was low after a 10h hike. I would recommend him 100%

Kari S.

I’ve travelled to Europe and North America with New Venture Guiding over the past few years, both skiing and climbing. These have been highlights of my outdoor experience and great learning opportunities. I’m looking forward to future trips with Nino and his colleagues!