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Following the shut down of our entire international program in March of 2020, Ecuador will be the first country outside of the U.S. that Alpenglow Expeditions will venture back to. Understandably, there are a lot of questions from both our guide team and our clients regarding the unique challenges that COVID-19 poses to an international mountain climbing trip.

In an effort to create the best circumstances for health, safety and success we’ve put together a specific COVID plan for our expeditions in Ecuador. We’ll be creating similar plans for each country that we subsequently travel to as they open.

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{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,…

Climbing in Ecuador has a lot to offer. We haven’t found the same combination of factors in any other high altitude climbing locations around the world. If you’ve climbed Rainier, Baker, or Shasta in the United States, look no further for your next climbing objective. From world-class climbing guides to unparalleled access to the mountains, and excellent cultural experiences, climbing in Ecuador is hands down our favorite place to test ourselves against high altitude.

Ecuador is the first trip our founder and CEO, Adrian Ballinger went to altitude on (1994) and the first high…

Mountain guides may be the most shoe-obsessed people on the planet. From rock shoes to 8,000m boots, every shoe has an ultra-specific purpose. In this interview, Adrian walks us through his favorite La Sportiva footwear for each climbing discipline. Have you ever wanted to take a peek inside Adrian’s closet? This is your chance!

“There are two reasons I really like this shoe for the 

How does one couple balance their two distinct climbing careers? We asked Emily how she and Adrian manage to make it work and how their new YouTube series, DangerStik TV, plays into the mix.

Q: You and Adrian are both working on some pretty big projects. Can you give us a rundown of what you are both working towards?

“Adrian has guided Everest every spring for the past 12 seasons. He’s there now, as an expedition leader for 40 people- basically a small village. His personal goal is to climb K2 this summer without supplemental…

On their recent Ring of Fire Expedition, ski mountaineers Emily Harrington and Michelle Parker combined the hard work of climbing with the most efficient form of descent (that isn’t flying) and skied down Cotopaxi! Check out these beautiful photos by Michelle from the trip.

Emily and Michelle attempted to ski Cotopaxi a few years back but were turned around in marginal conditions – you can read all about it here. This year it looks like conditions were much better, congratulations on the summit ladies!

To the hut! Hosteria Tambopaxi. Climbing tomorrow.   …

Dawn found us high on the mountain. The last several hours had been filled with the rhythmic crunching of crampons, interspersed with stories of past adventures and thoughts of the route to come. The angle of the ice and snow demands good crampon technique, and my team is showing me that they were paying attention during the training the day before.

By the time the sun hits us, we were at the base of the summit headwall. The morning light rejuvenated the team, along with some hot tea and snacks. The challenge…

With ski season wrapped up and the sun shining in Lake Tahoe, it was hard to imagine packing my bags to go climb volcanoes in Ecuador. I started off with a meticulous packing list and got to work getting gear in order, doctors visits, and a list of things that I might need like Diamox. What is Diamox? I had never heard of this drug, probably because I have never been to altitude. My ski career, up until this point, has been shaped around finding the perfect snow conditions to ski aesthetic lines in big mountains, but not…

The Alpenglow team is enjoying some down time at Papallacta, a hot springs retreat high in the Ecuadorian Andes.  It’s in a cloud forest at 11,500 feet of elevation, with lush green foliage, colorful flowers, and a damp cold mist that constantly rolls through the valley.  We spent the evening soaking in the natural hot pool 5 steps from our rustic bungalow rooms, embracing the blend of hot steam and freezing fog.  It’s yet another mind-blowingly gorgeous place we’ve visited on this trip, each one even more special than the previous.…

Ever wonder what it’s like to ski a few thousand feet of untouched pow? We did. And we tried it and loved it!

After skiing all this fresh powder ourselves, we thought about big mountain skiing so much that we decided that we needed to share these ski experiences with everyone. Skiing is many of our team members’ first love, with our climbing obsession going hand in hand, of course. As we’ve learned, skiing is a progression. Most of us began by darting down hills at resorts while parents hollered at us to slow down. After we explored most of the…