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After months of endurance training, weeks of logistics planning, and days of travel, Alpenglow’s Cho Oyu Rapid Ascent expedition has begun their climb. The team is lead by guides Chad Peele and Esteban Topo Mena.

The team successfully made the trek from their respective hometowns to Chengdu and then on to Lhasa, with all bags in tow. This is the first victory of the trip, and always a good omen. After 2 days of driving across the Tibetian Plateau, the team arrived in Base Camp to settle in.…

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 

The Everest Lightning Ascent: Two Weeks to the Top and Back with Alpenglow Expeditions – words by Roxanne Vogel

Moving up from base camp on the north side of Mt Everest

When I nervously called Adrian Ballinger in the autumn of 2017, I had no idea I’d eventually be working with his company, Alpenglow Expeditions, on the first ever 14-day summit of Mount Everest. Long before the whirlwind trip that occurred in May of this year, I had reached out to him about a different rapid ascent, a climb of the world’s highest volcano—…

Tahoe Via Ferrata Guide Will Sperry

As guides, we are often asked the question, “Is this safe?” And, if we were to give you the short answer, it would be “NOPE!” because pretty much everything fun is at least a little dangerous.

Entering into any mountainous environment involves inherent risk. Acknowledging that fact, here’s what we do at the Tahoe Via Ferrata to manage danger as effectively as possible. In the following interview with guide Will Sperry, we list out some of the hazards that you may…

Alpenglow Expeditions is an accredited American Mountain Guides business. In the following interview, Alpenglow’s Lead Guide and Operations Director Logan Talbott breaks down what that means and why it’s important.

“The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) is a 501(c)(3) educational non‐profit that is dedicated to supporting the American mountain guiding and climbing instructor community. The AMGA is the only training and certification organization in the United States for all disciplines of mountain guiding (rock climbing, alpine climbing and…

As soon as Adrian returned from his successful #K2no02 mission, we caught up with him for an interview. We asked him all about pre-acclimatizing with Hypoxico and how the Rapid Ascent program plays into his climbing career.

Adrian: “The Hypoxico system allows us to pre-acclimatize at home which is an essential part of our Rapid Ascent and Lightning Ascent systems for climbing big mountains faster than we used to be able to.

Essentially you’re in a tent and the system takes oxygen out of the air and replaces…

Tim Mincey Shares a Couple of his Favorites

Tim Mincey

The High Sierra, also called the “East Side,” is an absolute gem of California. A jagged mountainous wonderland, it is the ultimate playground for alpinists, rock climbers, backcountry skiers and hot spring enthusiasts.

Right now, it’s prime season for alpine climbing in the High Sierra! Alpenglow guide Tim Mincey has spent A TON of time in the region this spring and summer. Between guiding, exploring and playing in these mountains, Tim has come to know the region intimately. We caught up with him for a quick…

Mount Everest: 29,035 feet/8,850 meters

“Alone, high above the world, responsible for myself and my teammates, and they responsible for me.”

There is a lot of hype in the mainstream news about overcrowding and dangerously inexperienced climbers on Everest this season. There is some truth to these narratives and the recent deaths are an undeniable tragedy, but there is also more to the story. The recent post by Adrian {below} addresses some of the current issues and solutions on Everest.

“As I and my teammates sit for interview after interview about the…

Photo: Logan Talbott. Morning alpenglow in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. Halfway up the mighty fluted face of Alpamayo.

Q: What’s it like to climb in the Cordillera Blanca? Describe the variety of terrain and range of skill level of the climbs.

Logan: Imagine walking along a small footpath winding through a huge green valley, with crystal clear water flowing down the middle and wildflowers here and there. Above you and surrounding you are immense, towering snow-capped peaks that rise almost 10,000 feet above. This is the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. The stunning scenery is among the most…

Pro-skier & ski-mountaineer Caroline Gleich joins Alpenglow Expeditions for a day of backcountry skiing in Squaw Valley’s renowned “Nat Geo Bowl.” Join us!

$235
Book online by clicking here or please call the office to reserve your spot: 1-877-873-5376

Level: Advanced (experienced backcountry skiers/riders only)

About Caroline Gleich: Caroline Gleich is a professional ski mountaineer and adventurer based in Salt Lake City, UT. When she’s not on snow, she loves trail running, alpine climbing, ridge scrambling, biking and dreaming about her next human-powered adventure. In October, Caroline successfully climbed and skied Cho Oyu. You may have…