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To my Alpenglow Expeditions family near and far,

As I sit here during this crisis, doing my tiny part (sheltering in place), I continue to dream of the future mountain adventures that await us. You can probably guess that our entire guide and support staff, both in the U.S. and abroad, are also at home, taking care of family and loved ones while waiting for the “all clear” so they can get back to the work they love.

Our office staff continues to work from home – answering your phone calls and emails, and trying to take this shutdown as…

Dear Alpenglow Expeditions Family,

Never in our 16 year history (short for the planet, long for us) have we faced a situation where shutting down all international and local guiding is the right thing to do. But today, we need to play our part in stemming the threat of Covid-19, and encourage health and prevention practices by our guides, staff and members.

In light of community health advisories from various government agencies, we have made the decision to postpone our Lake Tahoe mountain guiding operations for 2 weeks, at which point we will reassess the situation. This has been a…

Opening day is scheduled for May 16, so what’s new for the Tahoe Via in 2020?

With a low snow February, we’ve already been able to get out on the Tram Face and scout out a plan for a new route. Stay tuned for a release of details. The new route will be a 2.5-hour experience and will allow climbers to reach a special spot on Tram Face which had previously been inaccessible,

We have completely rebuilt the safari truck that we use to shuttle climbers up…

Updated at 12:30 PM, March 14th

With the rapidly developing issues related to the Coronavirus outbreak and the resultant disease COVID-19, we wanted to take a minute and let you know that the Alpenglow Expeditions team is closely monitoring the situation, both domestically and around the world. As always, our first priority is to minimize risk to our guests and employees.

As you may have heard, China has closed the spring Himalayan climbing season in Tibet. This has resulted in the canceling of our 2020 Mt Everest expedition. Additionally, in light of the Level 3…

With a heavy heart, we are announcing the cancelation of our Everest 2020 expedition. Today China announced that it has shut down the Tibet side of Mt. Everest due to fears of Coronavirus hitting base camps, one of the most remote and inhospitable environments in the world.

Adrian Ballinger reports, “While I am saddened for all the hard work our members, guides, Sherpa, local staff, partners and office have put in, and that they and we won’t get to test ourselves on the highest playground in the world this year, I am…

{Read Part 1:  How to Pick Crampons}

Ice Axes and Crampons often go hand in hand, and similarly to picking the right pair of crampons, choosing the proper ice axe will make your day in the mountains all the more successful. With ice axes, the use of the tool dictates the type of tool you need. A technical ice tool isn’t great for self arrest, and neither is a piolet for climbing steep ice. Below are some of our favorite activities,…

Intermediate peaks are a critical component on the Road to Everest. Once a climber has completed the preceding components of taking intro courses and climbing intro peaks, they are ready to consider mountains in the 6000m plus range with increased technical difficulty. The increased difficulty starts with longer approaches, more complex routes, and increased altitude challenges. Intermediate peaks will test climbers both in camp craft and glacier travel, but also in the ability for their body to safely acclimatize.

Walking along a ridge on Huayna Potosi

As a general rule…

Sydney Duncan spends her winters in Tahoe as a ski guide, AIARE Avalanche Course instructor, and Squaw Valley ski patroller. In summer, she migrates north, alpine guiding on Shasta, Rainer, and Baker. This September, she’s gearing up to co-guide a backcountry ski trip to Chile, an adventurous backcountry ski destination that is off the beaten path.

Our newest ski expedition to the volcanic peaks of southern Chile is a great way for intermediate/advanced backcountry skiers to expand on the backcountry skills and experiences they’ve built in their home mountains. In the following interview, Syd gives us the…

On paper, an expedition to the north side of Everest comprises of just 35 days on the Alpenglow Expeditions climbing calendar. That said, the reality for our team is that it’s actually a year-round endeavor. Preparations begin as soon as the last tent is removed from the mountain in the early summer. It takes half a year of logistics planning before boots can even set foot on the flanks of the mountain. Plus, every month of the year we’re training and climbing with clients on peaks across the world while they…

While the use for crampons is all the same, not all crampons are created equally.

Some are made from aluminum, others from steel. Some have 8 points, others 14. In general, crampon selection can be best determined based on the terrain that you’re climbing. What we choose for walking on snow while ski mountaineering will be much different than when we head out to climb vertical waterfall ice. Below are some of our favorite activities, and the crampons we choose for each. Most crampons come with different attachment styles, which are dictated by the boots they’ll adhere…

In our last post, we talked about the team of Justin and Topo on their Aconcagua Rapid Ascent™, taking on the Polish Direct Route. Here’s an update on their progress.

The guys had a final good night of rest in base camp, and in the morning they finalized all packing and sent a few loads of camp gear up the mountains with porters.  The first reports of challenging weather were beginning to trickle in and Topo was seeing a forecast that included a big wind event on the horizon. The plan at this point…

Normally, Alpenglow Expeditions Rapid Ascent™ teams climb the “360 route” on Aconcagua. The 360 route begins in Plaza de Argentina and ascends a less traveled route up the mountain, allowing our teams to move quickly by avoiding the crowds of the more popular Plaza de Mulas side of the peak. After attaining the summit, these teams descend the opposite side of the mountain ending their climb in Plaza de Mulas.

In January of 2020 though, we have a single climber in a 1:1 guide ratio led by Esteban “Topo”…