Guided Mountaineering Expeditions

Non-8,000m: A trip is confirmed 70 days before the start of an expedition. This doesn’t happen often, but if a trip is not meeting the enrollment minimums at the 70-day mark, Alpenglow will need to cancel the expedition or team members will need to pay a greenlight rate.

8,000m Peaks: A trip is confirmed 100 days before the start of an expedition. This doesn’t happen often, but if a trip is not meeting the enrollment minimums at the 100-day mark, Alpenglow will need to cancel the expedition or team members will need to pay a greenlight rate.

If Alpenglow cancels due to low enrollment, a full credit or refund can be issued.

We would recommend buying flights 60 days prior to the start of the expedition, when the trip is confirmed. We would also recommend opting into the option to change flights with a minimum fee, in case we summit early and you have the chance to get you home a few days earlier than expected.

Aside from the technical gear that we are often able to provide on Introductory Courses (harness, helmet, ice ax, crampons), we strongly recommend bringing everything on the Equipment List. These kits have been dialed and tested by our guides for over 20 years; while you may not end up using everything you bring, weather variability in the mountains demands that we’re ready to dress for any and all conditions!

Yes, all of our hotel arrangements are double occupancy. In the hotel portions of each trip, we do not room members with the opposite sex unless couple/family status is indicated in your Client Portal. Single Room Supplements are usually available for an additional cost (please inquire).

All team members participating on a Rapid Ascent™ expedition must have previously climbed to or been over 16,000′ (5,000m). If you have yet to reach those altitudes, reach out to our team to see how we can best get you qualified for the Rapid Ascent Program.

THE COST OF YOUR TRIP INCLUDES YOUR LAND COSTS (EXCLUDING IN-TOWN MEALS). THIS INCLUDES:
All lodging according to itinerary, including double occupancy lodging while in town and group lodging in mountain huts.
Breakfasts in town, all meals while on the mountain
Group camping and climbing equipment
All park/climbing permits
Scheduled in-country transportation
Airport transfers
Certified guides

THE COST OF YOUR TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Flights to/from the city where the expedition begins.
Additional nights in hotel outside of the itinerary
Airport taxes
Visas
In-town dinners
Immunizations
Tips for guides or local staff
Travel, rescue, or any other type of insurance
Hospitalization or evacuation costs
Single supplement charges
Excess baggage charges
Alcohol
Other personal expenses
Antigen/PCR Covid test cost
The costs of delays or changes to itinerary that are beyond the control of Alpenglow Expeditions or its agents are not included.

When an expedition is more than 90 days out, we require a 20% deposit to guarantee your reservation. Within 90 days we require full payment.

We always consider customs. Custom trips make up more than 50% of our groups. Please reach out to learn more!

Rapid Ascent™ is a unique program developed by Alpenglow Expeditions that combines the relatively new application of hypoxic training with precise logistics and small team sizes to greatly increase the chances of success while reducing the overall time spent away from home on an international expedition. Learn more about our Rapid Ascent approach HERE.

Yes. The rental Hypoxico unit is included in the cost for the duration that is necessary for the expedition. We’ll arrange the rental for you and have it shipped right to your door. If you want/need to rent the unit longer, or have a separate unit rented due to travel etc, please reach out to our team and we’ll help work through the logistics with you.

While no outdoor adventure can be completely free of risk without losing the essence of the activity, hiring a professional guide is a fantastic way to manage and mitigate this risk. Activities like skiing and climbing have what we call “inherent risk”, which can be defined as a risk that cannot be completely mitigated by a professional. That is part of playing in the mountains. We encourage you to reach out to the office if you would like to discuss this in more detail.

Yes. An eight-week rental of the Hypoxico Altitude Training Systems is included in the expedition price, and use of the system (or equivalent pre-acclimatization) is a requirement for joining our Rapid Ascent™ expeditions.

We require Rescue Insurance on all of our international expeditions. Rescue insurance will help cover costs in the event that you need to be rescued off the mountain (Ex: Helicopter/medical evacuation). Travel Insurance (which we strongly recommend) can cover issues that would cause you to cancel your trip in advance, like illness. We do recommend Global Rescue who does offer a Comprehensive Travel Protection option to your required Rescue (Evacuation) Insurance.

Yes. Please reach out to our team with the details of your dietary restrictions and we’ll set you up for success.

Imported and local foods of the highest quality, combined with a Western-trained cook staff. Alpenglow has the best food on the mountain, ensuring your strength and health throughout the expedition.

Climbers must be in excellent physical shape to join this expedition. This is perhaps the most important aspect of high-altitude climbing, and cannot be stressed enough. Regular, challenging exercise for many months in advance of departure is the only way to gain the necessary level of fitness that is needed on big peaks. We highly recommend a structured training regime with a gym or personal trainer to assist you in preparing for climbing at altitude. Please contact us for more information on physical training.

We use a Swiss weather forecasting company. Having a quality forecast for our 8,000m peaks maximizes both our safety and our summit success.

Expedition doctor, Monica Piris, has been on fourteen 8,000-meter peak expeditions. While Dr. Piris does not travel with our team on all expeditions, she is in 24 communication with our expedition leaders. Dr. Piris also works with each member on his or her pre-acclimatization program.

Please click here to review our international cancellation policy.

Alpenglow Expeditions is an IFMGA-certified mountain guide service founded in 2004 and based in North Lake Tahoe, California. We lead 60+ international expeditions each year — including guided climbs of Everest, the Seven Summits, and 8,000-meter peaks — plus backcountry skiing, rock climbing, and avalanche education in the Lake Tahoe region.

Rapid Ascent™ is Alpenglow’s proprietary expedition methodology combining hypoxic training before departure, precise acclimatization scheduling, and small team sizes. The result is an expedition that’s 30–50% shorter than traditional approaches — reducing time away from home while significantly improving summit success rates. It is exclusive to Alpenglow and available on select 8,000-meter peaks. Read More About Rapid Ascent™

All Alpenglow lead guides hold AMGA or IFMGA certification — the highest guiding standard in the world. Fewer than 200 guides in the United States hold IFMGA certification. Alpenglow was also one of the first guide services in the US to require this standard across its full team, and remains one of the few AMGA-accredited companies in the country.

At Alpenglow, we have only the highest standards of safety and guide qualifications. All of our rock climbing trips are led by AMGA certified SPI’s (single pitch instructors), certified rock instructors or certified rock guides. Our guides have extensive experience and knowledge with technical climbing equipment and risk management to ensure a safe day in the mountains! Furthermore, every Alpenglow program is supervised by an internationally licensed mountain guide (IFMGA/UIAGM). Alpenglow Expeditions is the only guide service in the region with such high standards, your family’s safety is our our top priority.