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Stories: Everest

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.

Comparing Acclimatization Approaches in the Andes, Himalaya, and Pamirs: How Alpenglow Expeditions Tailors Its Programs for Success

When it comes to climbing high-altitude peaks around the world, how you acclimatize can make or break an expedition. The Andes, Himalaya, and Pamir ranges each present unique challenges based on altitude, terrain, and logistics — and acclimatizing properly to these environments requires an approach that fits the mountain, not a one-size-fits-all plan.
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Travel Weekly – Report: Nepal hikes the cost to climb Mount Everest

The permit fees from climbers are an important revenue source for Nepal. The steep price increase marks the first time in about a decade that Nepal raised the cost to climb Everest.
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Episode 13 with David Morton: A Life Beyond Everest

In Episode 13, Adrian and Sam sit down with David Morton. Dave is a freelance climbing and expedition guide, photographer/videographer, filmmaker, speaker-presenter, and founder of The Juniper Fund. In this episode, Dave talks about his life as a mountain guide on the worlds tallest peaks, including 10 Mt Everest Expeditions. He also shares information on his foundation, The Juniper Fund, which supports and empowers families and communities impacted by the loss of Himalayan high-altitude workers. Join us for our conversation with Dave.
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Alpenglow Expeditions 2024 Everest team standing on the summit.

Adrian Ballinger on Everest, Ethics, & Unexplored Places (Ep.313)

Mt. Everest: for some people, it still represents the holy grail of adventure. For others, it conjures up images of long queues, lots of trash, and a tourism industry that has gotten out of hand. So what is the truth about Everest, and why does it generate such strong feelings for so many of us? Our guest today is Adrian Ballinger, a climber, skier, mountain guide, and the founder and CEO of Alpenglow Expeditions. In this conversation, Adrian does an outstanding job of explaining the multiple sides of Everest, and the many different ways to approach it.
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Graham Cooper standing on the summit of Mount Everest in 2024 with Alpenglow Expeditions team.

Episode 05: Adrian Ballinger – Everest Season Recap

After full team success on Mt. Everest for the Alpenglow Expeditions crew, Adrian and Sam connect in person to recap the season.
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Guide Carla Perez and client Matt Greving standing on the summit of Mount Everest in 2024

Mt. Everest North Side 2024 Update: ABC to Summit!

Follow the 2024 Everest North Side Expedition team as they climb from Advanced Base Camp to the Summit.
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Adrian Ballinger on the Duffel Shuffle Podcast at Everest Base Camp on the North Side

Episode 04: Adrian Ballinger – Live from Everest Base Camp

Episode 4 comes to you straight from Everest Base Camp! Sam and Adrian catch up and discuss what has been 4-years in the making: Alpenglow Expeditions’ return to the north side of Mt. Everest since the closure as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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California climbers train for Mt. Everest from the comfort of their own beds

Ballinger is also pioneering a technique he calls “rapid ascent,” which cuts the duration of the expedition roughly in half: from about two months to about one. That suits his clients, who usually have more spare money than time. And it buys Ballinger more time to spend at home with his wife and newborn son.
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Tents at Camp 1 on Everest's North Side during an expedition with Alpenglow Expeditions.

Everest North Side: A Climbers’ Guide

After four years of COVID closures, the north side of Everest is finally open this season to foreign expeditions. Among the limited number of teams granted a climbing permit is Alpenglow Expeditions, led by American climber and skier Adrian Ballinger, who couldn’t be happier to be back on what he considers the safest side of Everest by far.
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China reopens Mount Everest access to foreigners

China reopens Mount Everest access to foreigners

For the first time since the pandemic, China is allowing foreign climbers to access Mount Everest via Tibet. Adrian Ballinger, who has summited Everest eight times, is one of the Western guides who prefers the Tibet route to the top of the world’s tallest mountain (from the north), as opposed to the more well-known Nepal route (from the south). This year, he will lead a group of climbers through his company, Alpenglow Expeditions.
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