Blog

Last year during Alpenglow’s annual International Guides Meeting, we asked the guides what their favorite expedition of the year was. Topo’s answer? Gasherbrum II. We asked him to share a few reasons why he was excited to return to Pakistan this year to climb Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum I. 

“I think there are many positive things that have come with the popularization of high altitude climbing; getting to help facilitate powerful mountain experiences is one of my favorite parts of guiding. But, with climbing’s rise in popularity has undeniably come…

At Alpenglow Expeditions, we firmly believe that the continued expansion of the outdoor community will inevitably lead to positive social, economic, and environmental change. In an ongoing effort to contribute to inclusive and accessible backcountry ski opportunities in Lake Tahoe, Alpenglow Expeditions is excited to announce that we will be hosting a heavily discounted Locals’ Days in the Palisades Tahoe backcountry on March 8th, 2023. This is a chance for Lake Tahoe locals to ski and ride with professional Alpenglow Expeditions backcountry ski guides in some of the area’s most coveted terrain: Tram…

On January 23rd, 2023, Alpenglow Guide Roberto ‘Tico’ Morales summited Aconcagua (22,837′/6,961m) with clients Nate and Ryan. Despite challenging conditions thus far in the season, Tico and the team were able to acclimatize properly and wait for the perfect weather window. When their opportunity presented itself, they rose to the challenge and reached the summit of South America’s tallest peak.

Thanks to Tico, we’ve got a detailed day-to-day recap of our most recent success on Aconcagua.

The clients landed in Mendoza and were picked up…

After heavy snows followed by scouring East winds, check out our state of the snowpack from Alpenglow Ski Guide Peter Terwilliger.

Right now, the snowpack is ranging from 1 to 3.5 meters deep. About 100 cm down, we have a substantial rain crust from recent storm cycles. On North-facing slopes, the skiing is still very good. Recently, we had gale force upslope winds coming from the N, NE, and E facing slopes. The avalanche danger has moved away from these general areas, however, and the wind slabs are variable and wide-ranging.

With cold nights, clear skies, and low winds,…

The 2023 climbing season on Aconcagua has been nothing short of challenging. High winds, heavy snows, and bitter cold have hindered many summit attempts on the mountain throughout the season, a reminder that it is ultimately the mountain that decides whether or not we reach the top. Nonetheless, Alpenglow owner and founder Adrian Ballinger has often reflected on his most challenging expeditions, and even his failures, as his most enriching experiences in the mountains. While a journey into the mountains offers no guarantee of success, it remains an opportunity for growth and mindful reflection. This was the case for…

Alpenglow Expeditions Ski Guide Peter Terwilliger answer the question: What’s In My Ski Pack?

With so much outdoor gear on the scene, it can be hard to know what you need to carry for a day of ski touring and what you don’t. While learning through trial and error can be beneficial in finding out what works, below are the basics of what I carry for a day of skiing as a ski guide, as well as a few things I might bring for a multi-day outing. I like to think about what I carry into the backcountry as…

Alpenglow Expeditions Ski Guide Peter Terwilliger shares what he carries in his backcountry repair kit. 

A repair kit is an often overlooked piece of equipment that we should always carry on backcountry skiing and riding adventures. Imagine you are several miles out into the backcountry and your splitboard binding rattles a screw loose, or a toe piece rips off on your tech binding. A simple and specific ski touring repair kit can help you get back to the car before nightfall and, if you’re lucky, continue having fun on the way.

The Basics

Multi-Tool
Having a multi-tool with a…

Is your teen interested in getting into the backcountry? As a parent, it can be worrisome to think about sending your child out beyond the boundaries of the resort. As many of us are parents ourselves, at Alpenglow Expeditions we understand completely. Therefore, we strive to create winter learning environments that not only equip our clients with the knowledge and skills necessary to be safe and efficient in the backcountry, but do so in a way that they can reflect on these learning experiences positively and are thus encouraged to continue to grow their skillset. 

Our…

Alpenglow Expeditions strives to facilitate unique, exhilarating, educational, and responsible ski experiences for locals and visitors alike in the Lake Tahoe area. As such, we offer a diverse variety of programs and customizable excursions to accommodate virtually any skill level. Whether you’re brand new to the exciting world of backcountry ski and ride or you’ve long been dreaming of crafting a custom mission to earn the perfect turns, our world-class team of professionally-trained instructors are ready to help you realize your full potential.

We are incredibly stoked to be able to enjoy such an extensive variety of terrain at our…

Written by Sam Kieckhefer

Oh what a sierra storm can do! In less than 7 days, the Tahoe area has received nearly 5 feet of new snow at the upper elevations and the coverage is awesome. The skiing has been incredible, and it’s only December 6! We’re still sticking to low angle slopes as there’s lots of uncertainty in our snowpack, but it is time to get out there and move those legs uphill and down.

After a couple days of storm skiing and putting in some vertical gain, we opted to give our legs a rest and re-visit the…

Alpenglow Guide Peter Terwilliger provides an update on the current snowpack conditions.

We toured into some of our local Truckee/Tahoe terrain today to assess how our much-anticipated new snow was interacting with our existing snowpack. The day started off brisk: temperatures hovered in the teens at Palisades Base, with clear skies and light winds. We set a skin track out Shirley Canyon, observing a few small point releases along the way, but found no significant signs of natural slab avalanche activity. Along our tour, however, the most consistent sign of something happening was the constant whumpfing sound…

Written by Sam Kieckhefer, Alpenglow Guide

When did you take your last avalanche course? Has it been a few years? Just like the snowpack, weather, and conditions are constantly changing, so is avalanche education. As a result, Alpenglow Expeditions has developed an Avalanche 1 Refresher course. Whether you’re fresh off your first level 1 course last season and are excited to practice new skills, or you’re a 20+ year veteran backcountry skier eager for an update, this refresher course is for you. Offered in both North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe, Alpenglow’s Avalanche 1 Refresher course is…