Ski season is nearly upon us so it’s time to start thinking about dialing in your backcountry skills again. We caught up with AIARE instructor Ben Weaver and asked him a couple of questions about this season’s avalanche training program at Alpenglow Expeditions.

Can you start by introducing yourself? What’s your background? What drew you to teaching AIARE courses?

I am ski guide and avalanche course instructor at Alpenglow Expeditions.  I am in my third season at Alpenglow and loving it.  I was a professional ski patroller at Mt. Hood Meadows in Oregon for 5 years. …

We had a chance to go climbing with guide Ray Hughes in Red Rocks this week. Ray is preparing for his final AMGA rock guide exam and trying not to get burnt to a crisp in the desert heat. 

If you haven’t had a chance to see Red Rocks for yourself, let us tell you, the climbing is SWEET! The red sandstone cliffs offer plenty of moderate multipitch routes and some tough sport climbing as well.

 Now, onto the interview. 

Q: Ray, can you give us a rundown of what you’re up to? Can…

An interview with Dave Nettle: Where to ski in Tahoe

We caught up with legendary ski/rock guide Dave Nettle in between a climbing trip in the Bugaboos and hosting a gondola evacuation training at the Oakland Zoo.

Q: Hey Dave, what’s one of your favorite places in Lake Tahoe to ski guide?

Dave: For me the Silver Peak – Pole Creek area is definitely a personal favorite.

Q: What’s the terrain like?

Dave: The terrain has many exposures, slope angles and forested or open bowl choices to pick from… I can…

Text: Ben Weaver

“There are new updates to AIARE Avalanche education and training in the United States. Beginning in the 2017-2018 season, formal Avalanche education and training will have changes to the current courses offered and have additional courses available. A majority of the changes are on the “Professional” track of education, but there are changes to the “Recreational” path as well. In fact, the creation of proper “recreational” and “professional” tracks is a cornerstone of the new model. I encourage anyone consider a course of any kind to checkout the American Institute for Avalanche Rescue and Education, or…

Join us this season for some avalanche education. In addition to the Level 1 course, we are offering two new courses, the AIARE 2 and also a 1-day Avalanche Rescue course (which is a pre-requisite for the AIARE 2). See below for a brief description of all three AIARE courses we offer with Alpenglow.

AIARE 1 – This is a comprehensive, entry level avalanche course designed for those with basic ski / snowboard touring experience. There are no other prerequisites. This is a great course to take before heading out into the backcountry. This one day course will introduce you to the fundamentals…

Squaw Valley Ski Resort (our home ski resort) reported 13 inches of new snow on the upper mountain after the last round of storms. We’re gonna go ahead and call that a great start! Forecasts for the month of November are calling for a few more storms to swing through our region and by December we should be set and ready for a fantastic season of skiing and riding in the backcountry around Lake Tahoe and Truckee.

Whats New for the 2017/18 Winter Season at Alpenglow Expeditions

A skier harvesting fresh powder in the Tram Ridge zone of Squaw Valley’s backcountry.

Text: Ben Weaver | Photos: Logan Talbott

Why take an Intro to Backcountry Skiing course with Alpenglow Expeditions? The bottom line, to enter in to the backcountry as a traveler is about creating one’s own experience. Where do I go up? Where do I have lunch? Where do I go down? No boundaries set by ropelines or lift tickets required. You will be choosing terrain based on ambition, fitness, equipment, and ability. For some it is an opportunity just to go for a walk in the woods. For others, they may be traveling for multiple days from one location to another.…

When Adrian Ballinger moved the headquarters of Alpenglow Expeditions to North Lake Tahoe in California, it was because he believed that the area’s rugged mountains, expansive beauty and community full of world-class athletes offered the motivation and terrain needed for training and prepping for big mountain climbing and skiing expeditions.

Why not work where you train, and vice versa?

True to Adrian’s personal vision we are now able to extend to you the same training options in the mesmerizing terrain of Tahoe and Truckee. With copious amounts of Sierra snow already falling we’re now able to provide excellent guided…

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…