8,000m Peaks

The Alpenglow Difference

Best In Class Guides and Logistics on 8,000m Peaks

All of Alpenglow’s 8,000-meter peak expeditions are organized and led by IFMGA guide, Adrian Ballinger. Adrian is one of the most recognized guides in the Himalaya, with an impeccable safety record and 18 summits of 8,000 meter peaks. Each of our guides are IFMGA licensed or aspirants working towards finishing their certification. They’ve dedicated their careers to facilitating mountain experiences at the highest level, and our 1:4 guide to climber ratio, (the lowest member to guide ratio in the Himalaya), ensures that every team member gets the attention necessary from our guides to find success.

When it comes to climbing in the Himalaya, quality logistics = success. Thats why we leave no stone left unturned while planning the logistics for each of our expeditions. We utilize helicopters where we can to save time and keep teams healthy, and use our Rapid Ascent™ approach to minimize the time spent traveling across the Tibetan Plateau; Our transport is efficient and intentional. We provide a clean, beautiful base camp so that we can recover in style in between time spent on the mountain. Our chef is professionally trained, and we have fresh food flown in weekly so we can be sure that we’re eating fresh, healthy food. Comfort is key in the big mountains, and our logistics are unparalleled.

Experienced Sherpa on 8,000m Peaks

We’ve been climbing with the same Sherpa team for over a decade, building trust, strength, and experience climbing as a team to the summit of the tallest mountains on the planet. Our Sherpa team is one of the most experienced teams in the Himalaya, and are a key part of our success on every mountain.

Rapid Ascent™ Approach

First developed by Adrian Ballinger, Rapid Ascent™ is a unique approach to climbing big mountains across the world. This innovative program combines hypoxic training at home with precise logistics and small team sizes to reduce the overall time spent away from home, all while greatly increasing the chance of success on your international climbing expedition.

By pre-acclimatizing before each expedition, we’re able to reduce the overall expedition time by 30% – 50%. Our goal with Rapid Ascent™ itineraries is to keep all the necessary acclimatization, training, and mountain preparation, while minimizing the unnecessary waiting and down time of traditional expeditions. Use of the best technology available (including weather forecasting, efficient oxygen systems, and pre-acclimatization in hypoxic tents) and our team’s experience (and their early arrival and late departure to pre-set and clean the mountain’s camps and ropes), allows our team to minimize their time approaching the mountains, while maximizing their chances of success.

Small, Experienced Teams

Alpenglow offers an exceptional level of competency, safety, and comfort to 8000m expeditions. Our teams will be limited to 12 members, with certified guides and the best Sherpa and cooks available (staff we have been working with for more than a decade). Our small group size allows us to adapt to changing conditions and weather far more easily than many commercial teams, which have become so large over the last five years that they have become difficult to manage. Each of our team members has been vetted by the office team, ensuring that everyone on our 8000m Team is qualified. This gives our team the best chance of success.

Expedition Doctor on Call

Dr. Monica Piris, has been on fourteen 8,000-meter peak expeditions. She is in daily communication with our teams during the entirety of the expedition and is available for client consultation at any time.

Swiss Weather Forecasting

Having a quality forecast maximizes both our safety and our summit success. These weather forecasts were originally developed for aircraft traveling at the altitudes that we climb at.