Stories: International
Mountain adventures create the best stories, and we want to share some of ours with you. Dive into Alpenglow Stories to stay up to date on expeditions in the field, read blogs, and get tips and tricks from guides.
The Key to Successful First Descents with Christina Lustenberger and Guillaume Pierrel
Together, Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger and Guillaume “Gee” Pierrel have teamed up for some of the most notable and impressive first descents in recent years. Lusti and Gee join Sam and Adrian to talk about the partnership they’ve developed and the keys to their success in the mountains.
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What Movement Really Looks Like at Altitude
On mountains like Aconcagua, Denali, or the big Himalayan peaks, guides often talk about “mountain pace.” It’s not the kind of rhythm you’d use on a morning run or even a long hike at lower elevation. It’s a rhythm that looks slow to the outside eye, sometimes comically so — one deliberate step, a pause, a breath, then another step.
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When Everything Feels Crazy, Go Climb a Volcano
It feels like the volume of life keeps turning up. News headlines, work demands, social media, and the constant ping of notifications all compete for attention. The result? A mind that feels full but rarely fulfilled.
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Skiing the World: A Look at Our International Ski Expeditions
At Alpenglow, we’ve built our international ski trips around more than just skiing. Each destination offers its own rhythm — from bottomless powder to high-alpine volcanoes, from European valleys to the sharp spires of Patagonia. Here’s how they stack up.
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Climbing Everest with Us: What Sets Our Expeditions Apart
Our Everest approach is built on decades of experience guiding in the Himalaya and on a commitment to making every step safer, healthier, and more rewarding. Here’s how we do it differently.
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Why It Matters to Have an IFMGA-Certified Guide on Aconcagua
Climbing Aconcagua—at 6,962 meters (22,841 feet)—isn’t just about physical strength. It’s about making the right calls in a high-consequence environment where weather, terrain, and altitude can change the game in a matter of hours. The guide you choose directly impacts your safety, your efficiency, and your experience.
That’s where an IFMGA-certified guide makes all the difference.
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Everest North Side 2025: A Season of Patience, Precision, and Perfect Timing
This spring, our Alpenglow Expeditions team returned to the North Side of Mount Everest with a small crew and a big plan. After months of preparation, pre-acclimatization, and weather watching, our Everest expedition 2025 culminated in an incredibly rare summit day—blue skies, no wind, and a quiet mountain.
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Climb Cho Oyu Before Climbing Everest
When it comes to climbing Everest, experience matters. Not just general mountain experience, but specific, targeted exposure to what it actually feels like to live and perform above 7,000 meters. That’s why Adrian Ballinger—founder of Alpenglow Expeditions and veteran of 14 Everest seasons—encourages nearly every aspiring Everest climber to summit an 8,000-meter peak first.
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Adrian Ballinger Argues for Sweeping Change on Everest: Nepal-Side Summits Are Becoming ‘Unethical’
Every year, more climbers die trying to reach Mount Everest’s summit via the southern route through Nepal. A prominent alpinist says China’s northern side offers more safety.
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Climbing Everest doesn’t start in the Himalaya. It starts with basic skills, local mountains, and building experience one step at a time. If you’re asking how to climb Everest the right way — safely, successfully, and confidently — this is the path we recommend.
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