Blog

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 AIARE 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 AIARE 1 Refresher course is…

Written by Peter Terwilliger, Alpenglow Guide

We went out for a tour today to inspect conditions along the Andesite ridge and around the Castle Peak area of Donner Pass. Quickly upon entering the trees and protected north / northeast facing terrain we observed some pretty spectacular surface hoar that has been growing despite our warm daytime temperatures. These crystals will be found in protected areas from wind and solar exposure – the largest surface hoar crystals I could find were upwards of 20mm in size.

We continued our tour up towards Castle Pass and followed the ridge north toward…

Written by Robert Kyte

Through November 1st, 2022, Alpenglow is excited to offer 15% off all AIARE courses with the code Spooky22. We recognize the potential for adventure to be had beyond the boundaries of Lake Tahoe’s many ski resorts, and we are here to ensure that skiers and splitboarders are getting the avalanche education they need to stay safe in the backcountry. This promotion is valid for all our AIARE programs in North and South Lake Tahoe. See below for a list of our available AIARE courses and determine which one is right…

As we transition into the spring skiing month’s here in Tahoe (with a few intermittent powder dumps, we hope!),  a few words of wisdom from a local legend and one of our favorite ski guides will surely enhance your day out touring!

Don’t know much about Glen? Learn a little about him in his bio on our Alpenglow Guides page! (I stress ‘little’- Glen is an elusive character with enough epic stories to last a lifetime of campfire sessions)

Gear Requirements: First off, your gear…

Looking for an opportunity in the outdoor industry?

Alpenglow Expeditions is looking to expand its office team this winter season! We are looking for someone who is hardworking and passionate about the outdoors. Joining our team means being surrounded with people who love the outdoors and want to share their passion with others. Whether you’re chatting about our avalanche courses or discussing how to stay safe in the backcountry, our goal is to provide a unique and excellent experience for each client who desires to explore mountains across the world. Our expeditions and treks were created to combine our…

Written by Isaac Laredo

Friends don’t let friends teach each other how to backcountry ski because it’s an environment that can be unforgiving to the school of Knox style. We believe formal education is essential to build a responsible and safer backcountry community. One of our AMGA-trained guides is eager to teach you the necessary skills to prepare, plan, and execute a backcountry tour. These skills are taught in our Backcountry Series Courses and will set you up for memorable days in the backcountry while managing risk.

The Backcountry Series includes 3 courses Backcountry 1.0, Backcountry 2.0, and…

We may love skiing pow at Alpenglow, but we LOVE backcountry safety even more. We asked our guide team to give us one of their favorite backcountry safety tips, check it out:

“When planning a backcountry tour first decide where not to go – that means figure out where the avalanche problems are, “close” that terrain and agree to not go there. THEN decide on where to go, and “open up” that terrain.” – Logan Talbott

“Don’t just blindly follow a skin track – make sure it goes exactly where…

The time has come. You’re ready to leave the boundaries of the resort and venture out into the world of backcountry ski touring. We couldn’t be more stoked for you! Before you head out, you should make sure you’ve got the right bindings for an epic time touring. I hate to break it to you, but your downhill alpine bindings won’t cut in the backcountry. Below we’ll go through and explain alpine touring bindings and give you recommendations on what we use here at Alpenglow Expeditions in North Lake Tahoe, CA.

The…

So you’re wanting to start backcountry skiing? Before you click into your skis and head out, you should go over what equipment you’ll need to make sure you’re properly set up for a great day in the backcountry. The ski boots that you use for backcountry touring are different from the boots you use while you’re lapping groomers at the resort, so it’s important to know what you should be looking for in a ski touring boot. When it comes to backcountry touring boots, it’s a bit more complicated than “If the shoe fits, wear it”. Below are…

COVID-19 Brings Changes to AIARE Avalanche Courses

We are pleased to announce a new format for teaching AIARE 1 & AIARE 2 avalanche courses effective upcoming 20/21 winter season. While the majority of time in our winter program is spent in small groups outside, the classroom component of our avalanche courses is a notable exception. With the current state of affairs in regards to COVID-19, as well as the significant uncertainty we face in making plans for the winter, we have decided to alter our avalanche education program to remove the in-person classroom component and move these important…