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Shirley Canyon Snowshoe Tours

4-hours in Squaw Valley / (Skill level: Any, Introductory)

Price per person

$75 mid-week, $99 weekends
  • Next Available: Mar 26, 2023 -
  • Upcoming: Apr 02, 2023
  • Apr 09, 2023
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About this trip

Join a group snowshoe tour on Sunday mornings at 10:30am! In this 4-hour tour, a professional guide will lead you up the beautiful Shirley Canyon. Tours are suitable for ages 7 and older and all ability levels. Minimum group size of 3 snowshoers. Private snowshoe tours are also available.

Overview

  • skill level

    Any, Introductory

  • Duration

    4-hours

About the Snowshoe Tour

Known as a summer hiking trail, snowshoers can now explore this magical winter wonderland. Traveling past a rushing creek and icy waterfalls, Shirley Canyon is an incredible snowshoe hike not to be missed. This beautiful canyon forms the head of Squaw Valley and the views it provides are stunning.

Four-hour guided tours will leave The Village at Squaw Valley each Saturday and Sunday at 10:30am. The route leads up 2 miles to the Tram Ridge viewpoint, a comfortable plateau that makes for a fantastic lunch venue. Your group will stop for a 20-30 minute break at this highpoint, to enjoy a simple winter picnic and hot drink.

Alpenglow will provide complementary hot chocolate or coffee. Packed sack lunches are available from Wildflour Bakery for $20/person. If you would like Alpenglow to arrange a sack lunch for you or your group, please contact the office with your request (and any dietary concerns) by the Friday before your tour at 10am.

After a quick break, you’ll make your way down the canyon and back to the office.

Important Details:

Group snowshoe tours require a minimum enrollment of 3 people.

Each guide can take 8 snowshoers, for groups larger than 8, you will be assigned an additional guide.

Your tour includes snowshoes, poles and a complementary hot drink (coffee, tea or hot chocolate) served at the group’s highpoint.

What to wear:

Start with a small backpack so you can carry all the necessities plus extra layers. Sunscreen, lip balm, snacks and a 1-Liter water bottle.

We recommend wearing layers so you can easily add or subtract clothing to manage your temperature whether you’re hiking uphill or taking a break. We recommend a non-cotton base layer, a breathable insulating mid-layer, and a waterproof shell jacket.

For pants, plan to wear waterproof snow pants and consider adding a non-cotton base layer, depending on the temps.

Wear warm waterproof winter boots; the snowshoes are adjustable and will fit with any standard boot.

Eye protection is a must, but depending on the weather, you can choose to wear sunglasses or goggles. (Sunglasses are better for not fogging, but goggles can be better if it’s snowing)

A good winter hat or ball-cap, and a neck buff complete the look.

Alpenglow Expeditions operates under a special use permit from the Tahoe, Inyo, and Eldorado National Forests. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

Preparation

  • Fitness and Technical Ability

    There are no requisites to join one of our snowshoe tours.

  • Download Trip Details

    • 10:30am — Meet & Greet - Gear Up

      In the morning you'll meet your guide at the Alpenglow Expeditions offices. Here you'll go over the plan for the tour and get fitted with gear.

    • Snowshoe Tour — Have Fun

      Once in the field, you'll be treated with phenomenal views and the serene beauty of snow covered trails.

  • Download Equipment List

      • Footwear

      • Hiking Shoes

        These light to mid-weight shoes are for every day use. The ideal shoe is comfortable to wear for multiple days and scrambles decently on rock. A Gore-tex lined shoe stays drier when hiking in rain or snow. Recommended: La Sportiva TX Guide

      • Base Camp Boots

        These snow boots are good for wearing around camp and should be comfortable when you slip into them after spending significant time in your mountain boots. Recommended: Sorel Caribou Boots

      • Waterproof Gaiters

        GORE-TEX® or Schoeller® calf- high gaiters, insulated supergaiters recommended. *Gaiters not needed if your pants and/or boots have built-in gaiters. Recommended: Outdoor Research Expedition Crocodile Gaiters (required if your boots do not have integrated gaiters)

      • Apparel

      • Hard Shell Jacket

        A lightweight, waterproof and breathable jacket WITH A HOOD that can withstand extreme weather conditions. Make sure you have pit-zips and if you are using an old jacket, re-waterproof it. Recommended: Eddie Bauer BC Freshline Jacket

      • Hard Shell Pants

        Your waterproof bottom layer for extreme weather days. Make sure you have water-resistant zippers, crampon patches + good pockets. Recommended:Eddie Bauer BC Duraweave Alpine Pants

      • Lightweight Top

        Ultra-light base layer that effectively wicks moisture away from your body and is breathable. Quick-dry is important as well. One light colored shirt is recommended for extremely sunny days. The new wool blends are also an option. Recommended: Eddie Bauer Resolution Short-Sleeve T-Shirt

      • Synthetic Top

        A simple, lightweight synthetic jacket. This item is good for layering systems and the Primaloft keeps you warm when wet. Recommended: Eddie Bauer IgniteLite Stretch Reversible

      • Base Layer Bottoms

        Fitted and quick drying. This piece will be a base-layer that will get you through a wide range of temperatures. Recommended: SmartwoolMen's Intraknit™ Merino 250 Thermal Bottom

      • Long Sleeve Base Layer

        A poly-pro mid-layer that you will never take off. Fitted, light- weight and quick drying. Make sure it is long enough to tuck-in and we recommend zipper collars for more ventilation. Recommended: Eddie Bauer Midweight FreeDry® Merino Hybrid Baselayer 1/4-Zip

      • Warm Layer

        A polarguard or fleece jacket. This is your mid layer that will be worn over your baselayer most of the trip. Recommended: Eddie Bauer Cloud Layer Pro 1/4 Zip or Patagonia R1 Jacket

      • Midweight Gloves

        These gloves should be full GORE-TEX®, and insulated. These will be your main glove for the trip until summit days, or when it gets especially cold. Recommended: Eddie Bauer Guide Glove

      • Warm Socks

        A wool synthetic blend. Pure rag wool socks are not nearly as effective in wicking moisture or retaining their shape and reducing blisters. NO COTTON. Recommended: Smartwool Mountaineering Extra Heavy Crew Socks

      • Accessories

      • Sunglasses

        Must have dark lenses. Minimal light should come in below, above, or around the sides of the lenses.“Wrap” style is best. Ventilation is important and a retainer strap is very useful (Chums or Croakies). Recommended: Julbo Shield

      • Hat

        Bring your favorite baseball hat for shelter from the sun. No white under the brim - the reflection off of it from the sun is blinding. Recommended: Alpenglow 5-Panel

        $25.00

      • Beanie

        A comfortable, warm well-fitting hat that covers your ears. Make sure that one of your hats fits under a helmet. Recommended: Eddie Bauer First Slouch Beanie

      • Two 1L Nalgene Bottles

        Two 1 Liter Wide Mouth Nalgene bottles. Recommended: Nalgene 1 L wide mouth

      • Backpack 25-35L

        Internal frame pack that is between 25 and 35 liters. Either purchase a matching pack cover, or use garbage bags as liners to protect from precipitation. Make sure the pack is fitted to YOUR body. Recommended: Black Diamond Dawn Patrol 25L Pack or Black Diamond Mission 35L Pack

  • Download Trip Details

    • What is your cancellation policy?

      Please click here to review our domestic cancellation policy

    • What should I wear?

      Small backpack

      • Sunscreen, lip balm, snacks and a 1-Liter water bottle.

      Layers!

      • non-cotton base layer
      • breathable insulating mid-layer
      • waterproof shell jacket
      • waterproof snow pants

      Winter boots

      Eye protection

      • sunglasses or goggles. (Sunglasses are better for not fogging, but goggles can be better if it’s snowing)

      Winter hat and a neck buff

    • What if my group is larger than 8?

      Each guide can take 8 snowshoers, for groups larger than 8, you will be assigned an additional guide.

    • What is included in the price?

      The price includes a professional guide for 4-hours, a snowshoe rental, a hot drink (coffee, tea or hot chocolate). The price does not include lunch or gratuity for your guide.

    • How do I arrange lunch for my group of snowshoers? What if we have special dietary restrictions?

      Alpenglow will provide complementary hot chocolate or coffee. Packed sack lunches are available from Wildflour Bakery for $20/person. If you would like Alpenglow to arrange a sack lunch for you or your group, please contact the office with your request (and any dietary concerns) by the Friday before your tour at 10am. (For example, if your tour is on February 15 or 16th, your lunch order is due before Friday the 14th at 10am.

      If you have dietary restrictions, please communicate them to us! We will do our best to accommodate with our restaurant partner.

    • When and where do we meet?

      At 10:30am on Saturday or Sunday, you’ll meet your guide at the Alpenglow Expeditions offices. Here you’ll go over the plan for the tour and receive your snowshoe gear.

      Our office is located in The Village at Squaw Valley,  located in the breezeway between Starbucks and Fireside, facing the parking lot.

      Please arrive right at your scheduled time, you do not need to arrive early. The address for the office is 1985 Squaw Valley Rd, Olympic Valley, CA 96146, and we are unit #23.

       

Meet your guides

Tim Dobbins

Tim Dobbins

With notable first descents in the Alps, Tim Dobbins represents Alpenglow’s cutting edge guiding philosophy providing only the best guides for every trip and expedition.

Growing up in Oregon, Tim started out skiing at the young age of 4 years old. Tim grew up ski racing for 9 years before he moved on to backcountry skiing in Aspen, Colorado. He spent 4 years working as ski patrol at Snowmass Ski Resort.

Tim moved to Chamonix in the mid-’90s where he spent 6 seasons skiing and climbing while studying French. Tim says that Chamonix is where he really started learning how to ski tour, rock climb, ice climb and eventually began skiing the steepest lines he could find.

Examples of those steep lines were the North-East face of Les Courtes, Couloir Barbey from Aiguille D’Argentiere, Couloir Couturier from L’Aiguille Verte, Couloir du Diable on Mont Blanc du Tacul, East face of the Matterhorn and many, many others.

Tim has spent the last 10 years guiding and instructing in rock, ice, alpine, and skiing. He is an AMGA/IFMGA mountain guide, and lives on Donner Lake in Truckee with his wife Gisele, sweet daughter Manue and son Matisse.

Guide Certifications
  • AMGA - American Mountain Guide
  • IVBV IFMGA UIAGM - Mountain Guide
Ali Agee

Ali Agee

Growing up just outside Lake Tahoe in Reno, skiing has been keeping Ali motivated her whole life. As she grew older and gained more appreciation for moving through the mountains, whether it be on skis or via long alpine rock routes, the journey toward becoming a ski guide has only been a natural progression.

On this journey, she’s had the opportunity to ski and rock climb in multiple venues including the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Tetons, Japan, Canada, and beyond.

Ali has experienced firsthand the transformative powers that guided trips can have on someone looking to break through comfort zone barriers. She is passionate about sharing similar soul-filling, life-changing experiences with others.

Ali is currently an AMGA Assistant Ski Guide, Apprentice Alpine Guide, Certified Single Pitch Instructor, AIARE Avalanche Instructor, Pro 2 Avalanche Professional, Wilderness First Responder, mountain biker, and type-two fun seeker living in Truckee, CA.

Patrick English

Patrick English

Patrick started climbing on the steep sandstone of the South East. After a trip to the Sawtooths in Idaho, he was hooked. He left his job as a firefighter/medic and packed whatever fit into his Jeep to head west, finding his happy place in the Sierra Nevada. With a background as a technical rescue operator, big wall climbing came pretty naturally to Patrick. Now, hunting down classic alpine rock climbs and multipitching at Lovers Leap are where Patrick spends his summers. In winter, you’ll find him scoping out couloirs and alpine faces to carve up on his splitboard.

Patrick is an AMGA Apprentice Rock and Apprentice Ski Guide.

Will Sperry

Will Sperry

After Will’s first ever outdoor rock climb in Slovenia, he was hooked and knew he wanted to pursue a profession in the Mountains. In the subsequent years he worked on honing his craft on rock and enjoyed the places and adventures climbing brought him. Will has traveled to many mountains all around the world since his first taste of climbing, but always seems to call the Sierra his favorite place on earth… so far.

Will has seen the transformative power of the mountains first hand and works to provide experiences to his clients that will challenge their comfort zone and their perception of possibility. Whether this comfort zone is going for a long hike, or spending 5 nights on the side of a mountain, the power of stepping out is undeniable and in Will’s point of view essential for a well lived life.

Will spends his summers guiding on Mt. Shasta, Tahoe, and the Sierra and when winter comes around you can find Will on his splitboard practicing shinrin-yoku in the trees and alpine zones of Lake tahoe and Japan. Will also considers himself a nerd for snow science and will be happy to explain temperature gradients and avalanche problem types to those ready to learn.

Will is currently an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide and an Apprentice Ski Guide.

Dave Nettle

Dave Nettle

Dave’s love for outdoor challenge, adventure and fun began early in his life with Boy Scout backpacking and mountaineering trips in the Pacific Northwest.

In 1972 he started his lifelong pursuit and joy of rock climbing with his first climbs deep in the Sierra Nevada backcountry, which remains his favorite mountain range to share and enjoy.

In 1975, at age 17 he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail solo from Mexico to Canada and the following year hiked the Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico, sealing his passion for grand adventure and determination to accomplish what he sets out to do.

Dave’s underlying philosophy of living life fully and approaching the world of adventure travel and alpinism with “confident uncertainty” has led him to the mountain ranges of the world where his climbing accomplishments are just a part of what he values.  At the heart and soul of it all is the experience of interacting with, and learning from, the people, places and cultures along the way and sharing the challenge and beauty of wilderness with friends.

In addition to five decades of rock and alpine climbing which have included new routes and significant ascents throughout North America, South America, Africa, Europe and Asia, Dave is an accomplished ski mountaineer who hangs up his climbing shoes each winter in favor of backcountry alpine ski touring and hut to hut ski tours in the European Alps.

Dave brings 15 years of technical Rope Access and Rescue Training experience to the team.  He has helped pioneer the use of Rope Access methods to complement traditional mountaineering based techniques to improve the safety and efficiency of ski lift, gondola, high angle and crevasse rescue procedures.  He has been a SPRAT certified Rope Access Level 3 Technician since 2002.

His blend of outdoor skills, professionalism and sense of humor make for memorable trips, not to mention epic slide show presentations which he loves to share with others. Dave is the founder of a free community slideshow series in the Tahoe area that has been ongoing since 1988 and continues to inform, entertain and inspire everyone to seek out and accomplish their dreams and goals. You can learn more about the Alpenglow Winter Film Series here.

Guide Certifications
  • IRATA
Sam Kieckhefer

Sam Kieckhefer

Born and raised in Northern California, Sam began exploring the Sierra and developed a love for the mountains at a young age. He started backcountry skiing in 2010, and found his way up Mt. Shasta on only his second ski tour ever. After years of gaining experience, he started guiding in 2019 and hasn’t looked back. Sam guides full time in the winter around Tahoe as he continues to work towards his AMGA Ski Guide certification. Sam also teaches both recreational and professional avalanche courses with the American Avalanche Institute in the Tetons.

Sam is an AMGA Apprentice Ski and Alpine Guide, and AIARE Avalanche Course Instructor. He lives on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe with his partner Susie.

Guide Certifications
  • AIARE instructor
Tailer Spinney

Tailer Spinney

Tailer is a young aspiring mountain guide, with her focus on becoming one of the first few certified female splitboard guides. Tailer started as an intern with Alpenglow Expeditions during the 2017-18 winter and is on the path of AMGA education. She has “tailed” many groups with the Alpenglow team, and also helped out around various aspects of the business. During spring and early summer, she guides on Mount Shasta, teaching clients mountaineering skills, and she returns to Tahoe for the summer rock season. She loves sharing the outdoors with others through snow sports as well as rock climbing. Nothing charges up her spirit more than showing people how much fun you can have in the mountains; all while maintaining safety and incorporating leave no trace ethics.

Tailer is an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and Apprentice Ski Guide.

Guide Certifications
  • AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor
Glen Poulsen

Glen Poulsen

A member of Squaw Valley’s pioneering founding family, Glen first ventured into the side and backcountry terrain surrounding Squaw Valley at the age of ten and has never looked back.  His forays into more remote parts of the Sierra Nevada led to numerous first descents and pioneering ski traverses throughout the range. After exploring mountains from Antarctica to the North Pole, Greenland and Spitsbergen,  Africa,  to the Andes, The Alps to Scandinavia,  Russia and China, The Himalaya, Central Asia, and Oceania, Glen always returns with a greater appreciation for his home in the “Range of Light”.  Whether its descents on skis or climbing alpine rock Glen has an intimate knowledge of the entire range. Whether It’s a local side country jaunt, a Sierra East side adventure, a hut tour in the alps or exploring new first descents in Greenland or Antarctica, Africa or the Andes, he can take you there. He has an AIARE Level 3 Avalanche and Wilderness First Responder certifications and has been an active Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team member.

Nolan Van Herk

Nolan Van Herk

Nolan embodies the spirit, history, and progression of climbing, crimping and jamming his way through over a decade of experience on the rocks. Whether he’s scaling Sierra spires, wiggling up walls or cramming his crack-addicted (and never taped) hands into Tahoe splitters, Nolan’s enthusiasm and knowledge is contagious. Cutting his teeth on the rough granite monzonite of Joshua Tree and the polished proving grounds of Tahquitz, Nolan’s climbing developed amidst the proud ethics and traditions established by the Stonemasters. Ascents of the Rainbow Wall in Red Rock, Sierra gems such as Bastille Buttress, the Incredible Hulk, and Mt. Whitney as well as numerous Needles classics solidify Nolan’s traditional climbing resume and hint at his passion for big adventure. Nolan’s love for the mountains and appreciation for wild places cannot be contained solely by climbing; his backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering resume includes a descent from the third highest mountain in North America, Mexico’s Pico de Orizaba, as well as numerous corn-cruising missions on Mt. Shasta. Nolan is no stranger to those huge, soul-feeding days in the alpine and enjoys sharing outdoor experiences large and small with those around him. Nolan currently holds the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and Wilderness First Responder certification, and is an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide. 

Guide Certifications
  • AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

What others are saying about this trip

  • Our Guide Made All the Difference

    We had a fabulous experience yesterday. It was a great day for the entire family. And especially Chris made all the difference. He was such a nice and knowledgeable guide to make us all appreciate the outdoor day! Thanks to the team and especially Chris for a memorable day!

    Martin Risau

  • We will certainly be back...

    The Alpenglow Backcountry team are extremely professional and run an excellent operation. The equipment is new, the guides are very experienced and knowledgeable about the local Squaw/Alpine terrain. I would highly recommend any to use Alpenglow and we will certainly be back.

    Tim Threlkeld

    Expedition Inquiry Form

    • Have questions about this trip?

      Shirley Canyon Snowshoe Tours

    Shirley Canyon Snowshoe Tours

    Join a group snowshoe tour on Sunday mornings at 10:30am! In this 4-hour tour, a professional guide will lead you up the beautiful Shirley Canyon. Tours are suitable for ages 7 and older and all ability levels. Minimum group size of 3 snowshoers. Private snowshoe tours are also available.

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