We've done both the Tahoe Via Ferrata and also done a guided half-day of climbing at Donner Summit with our family of 5 kiddos (ages 8 to 18). Both experiences have provided lifetime memories. The Via Ferrata was a few years ago so I've forgotten our guides' names, but this past week we had the pleasure of being led by Tristan and Carl. If you're looking for an unforgettable adventure with your family that's both thrilling & challenging but also thoughtfully crafted with your unique abilities and safety in mind, I give Alpenglow my most glowing and wholehearted recommendation. read more

My first via ferrata experience! I have seen the ones in EU and have been wanting to go. I had no idea Tahoe had it which is the closest to me. I signed 3 of us up for the 4hours one. It's fairly easy I would say. I thought it was going to be more intense and tougher. I loved the course. Our group paced through it pretty fast. We finished in less than 4hrs and would have finished much sooner if we didn't stop at the top for long. Definitely recommend! read more

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A fun activity with friends or family. We did the 3 hour expedition mid week, so it was not crowded. It takes about an hour of gearing up, waiting, driving, and a short walk--the rest is spent climbing. You are attached to a cable about 95% of the time and there are a ton of hand and foot holds, so it is very safe. It isn't rock climbing and not much strategy or skill is involved, but the scenery is glorious and the entire thing is super fun. We went up to a little over 7,000 feet. Our guide, Sam, was great, too. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Looks scarier than it actually is. - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

We had a beautiful hike along Shirley Canyon instead of snowshoeing due to our Match heatwave. It was a gorgeous trail, gushing streams and waterfalls. Jake was a great guide and took his cue re the pace of the hike from. The group. I would highly recommend Aloe glow Expeditions. They were good communicators and responsive. read more

Excellent, friendly, knowledgeable service. I was looking for 'back-country' boots and ski's and come to find ... I didn't know WTF I was talking about! It seems I was looking for 'Nordic' boots and gear! Backcountry is a whole other animal! I didn't spend a dollar, but I sure learned a lot! read more

This was such an amazing experience! My mom, brother, & I did the two hour climbing session & all of us have never climbed before. Our tour guide Carl was absolutely incredible. He helped us all to feel comfortable and maneuver through the course & even when my mom felt like she was going to pass out, he was prepared and ready to assist. Honestly, I'm terrified of heights but this was amazing. The entire experience was expensive but incredibly organized and well-done. I would 100% do this again and I without a doubt recommend this anyone who is looking into it! read more

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Our via feratta was AMAZING!!! Highly recommend Liam and his team. We were signed up for the 3 hour and ended up doing the 4 - was SO FUN! read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

Was looking to book a private climb in Ecuador just two weeks before our desired departure date. The response and coordination with Griffin was almost instantaneous. Within 2 days he was able to get everything set up and confirmed. The whole trip was unbelievably smooth. Logistics were easy and our guides (Nico and Nacho) were great to work with. Bad weather meant that we could not climb Cotopaxi, but our guides quickly pivoted and we were able to do some other hikes in the area. The most important thing on this trip was that I always felt like our guides placed our safety above all else. A very comforting feeling in the mountains. Overall, a great trip. Nico seemingly knows everyone in Quito and gives solid recommendations on food, coffee and cacao. All around super nice, intelligent and friendly. Nacho is a very patient and kind guide with great judgement. Highly recommend this trip for beginner climbers. read more

Our group had a great experience during the 2 hour Via Ferrata adventure at Squaw Valley. Tim and Mike were our tour guides and they did a phenomenal job explaining how the climbing system works, guiding the group, keeping us safe & hydrated and taking incredible pictures of everyone while they were climbing. These two rocked and beat all my expectations. On the day we did our climb the weather said it was 85 degrees but it definitely felt hotter. The 1 water bottle requirement is definitely necessary if it's hot out and I would highly recommend bringing a camel pack if you have one. I can't wait to go back and do the 4 hour climb. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

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My 24 year older son and I did the three day frog lake hut trip. From Sarah in the front office to our fantastic guides, Tim and Ally, everything went smoothly and professionally. The trip was an amazing experience as we learned so much and everyone was so friendly. They even brought our garbage and extra gear out for us!! I highly recommend Alpenglow Expeditions for professionalism, safety and accommodations. read more

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This is a must do!!! You definitely have to be in shape enough to handle climbing for extended periods of time. There are plenty of places along the way to take water breaks and to catch your breath. All of the crew was incredible, you feel very safe and the views are stunning! We did the two hour tour and my family all agreed that this was their favorite part of our Tahoe trip. Thank you to Andrew for capturing great photos along the way and being a wonderful guide. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Via Ferrata Tahoe - 2 hour route - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

I took the 2 hour excursion on the Via Ferrata, and had a great time! The guides made us all feel confident and comfortable, and they led us with skill and humor! read more

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The Tahoe Via Ferrata was a highlight of our trip. The team at Alpineglow Glow expeditions is top notch, and a special shout-out to our guide Isaac! He was very attentive to our parties needs, our group of six had people from age 8 to 66 years old and Issac made sure everyone was comfortable and having a good time. My only regret is only booking the 2hr tour, next time we are definitely doing the 4hr trip. The route itself is well maintained and fun for people that have never climbed, to the experienced climber. I highly recommended Tahoe Via Ferrata at Palisades Tahoe for a fun family outing! read more

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Alpenglow has poor customer service. You are treated as a number and check. Other companies are a better deal, more accommodating, flexible, and far less snobby. If you plan to do Alpenglow's education programs and something comes up, you are out of luck with them. They don't care about repeat customers, so don't make the mistake of becoming one. read more

We had the best time with our guide Andrew on the three hour tour! I've never rock climbed before and the Tahoe Via Ferrata was so much fun. It's a tiny workout but you can go at whatever pace you need/want depending on your preference. Nearly anyone can do this - you just need to be up for an adventure and beautiful views. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - View from the halfway point - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

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My husband and I did the Private Half Day of Rock Climbing for 2 guests which lasted 4 hours (1pm-5pm). Our guide communicated with my husband the day before to ask about our expectations, what our goals were, and went over logistics on where to meet. We are experienced sport climbers, but wanted to get into trad climbing. My husband told our guide that we really wanted to learn about the fundamentals of trad climbing, build confidence, work on building anchors, and just feel more comfortable overall with trad climbing. The guide said we would spent a lot of time going over gear, building anchors, and then finish out the day with a multi pitch or some type of trad climb. The day went smoothly with meeting up at the correct place in Donner and our guide was on time. He had a wealth of climbing knowledge and was able to provide so much information and answer our questions. He also gave great recommendations on books and social media accounts for us to follow to learn more about trad climbing techniques. We spent a lot of time going over the basics of trad climbing, got to learn about all the gear, practice placing cams and nuts, learned about different types of anchors, and got to practice building the anchors as well (all of this was from the ground). The session did achieve what we wanted in that it really helped build our confidence for trad climbing and made us feel much more comfortable with everything. However, we did not get around to actually getting to rock climb despite this being a rock climbing course. Our guide had so much information to share, but he was not the most organized and linear in his presentation of all the education. There were times when he would get off track and be a little scattered in his teaching. We feel like if he had a better teaching style that included presenting material in a more focused/less distracted way, we probably would have had enough time to fit in a climb at the end. We did finish up around 4:45pm, so if it was even 30-45 mins faster we could've probably gotten at least one route in. The climbing was not a huge priority for us since we do already climb, but it would've been a nice way to cap off the day and apply new things we had learned. read more

My son and I did "The Whole Enchilada" with Sam on the Via Ferrata at Squaw Valley (Palisades... whatever). This means we took the longest route to the top. Sam was great, so interesting to talk to along the way. He takes a genuine interest in his guests, making the experience really special. Fall season is a GREAT time to do the Via Ferrata. The weather is perfect and we were the only ones on the rock face. The views are incredible and I really enjoying taking many pictures and the pictures that Sam took and gave us. Thank you Alpenglow! Thank you Sam! First class, and so personal too! read more

We did the 2.5 hour climb with Dustin, who was energetic, helpful and made the whole experience fun and relaxing. We had 2 tweens with us who loved the challenge and had no problem with the climb or the gear. It's not a walk in the park, and requires some mettle and recognition of heights. But even with a fear of heights, I felt safe and challenged. Quite a thrill! Can't wait to try the larger climb to the summit next time! All Covid precautions were taken and we were masked and gloved any time we were near each other. We were not masked while climbing so you may want to make reservations within your own circle. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

Perfect in every single way way. HIGHLY recommended. Carl is World Class. Professionally designed, maintained and applied. We have done VIA in several different spots, including a massive effort in Peru, and none were better than this. Don't hesitate even if you are a novice, the 2 hour event is straightforward and they will take excellent care of you. Via Ferrata is climbing for non climbers; go be above the birds. And the jaw dropping views. When you get home you will recommend this experience to at least 5 friends. read more

They took us out on the via-ferrata at Palisades when there was obviously going to be a major thunderstorm and then had us bail 1/3 the way through due to lightning. Gave us 50% back in store credit (but everything is too expensive to use this without spending more money). Felt scammed. read more

We did a 2-hour Via Ferrata tour in Tahoe with our 2 kiddos (ages 7+9) and it was fantastic! Our guide Mic did an amazing job helping & accommodating our kids. It was a highlight of our Tahoe vacation & the perfect amount of "epic". Highly recommend a trip with Alpenglow! read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Our first Via Ferrata (Tahoe) - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

This was an amazing experience. I am not sure I agree with anyone can participate. we did the 2 hour tour and it was pretty tough at points...especially with the altitude. But it was so much fun. Everyone was friendly and helpful, both in person and on the phone, and we will definitely do this again. read more

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Great staff and ample precautions taken both for the COVID and safety during the climb. The guides love their job and are fun and knowledgeable. Ali was very friendly and took time to make sure we all knew what to do safely and kept the distance for us to feel the adventure. A wonderful experience and trip. We did the 4 hrs which was a good way to spend a large part of the day with a nice return hike. read more

I've been trying to escape the indoor rock climbing gym and climb outdoors for a couple of years. After one half day session with Nolan, from Alpenglow Expeditions, near Donner Summit I've leveled-up in a big way and had a blast in the process. After booking my session online I was called by Sean within an hour to confirm my booking and learn a little more about my climbing level - responsive and friendly, we were off to the right start. The next day I met Nolan near Donner Summit. He came prepared with all the gear and did a thorough safety check of the gear I brought with me. After getting to know more about my goals for the session, we hit the trail. Within 30 minutes we were on our first route of the day. Nolan was great about making sure we kept things safe, without it being a chore. His climbing tips were spot on and probably saved me a few years of hard lessons learned. I got to cut my teeth on crack climbing and was introduced to some classic Tahoe granite slab climbing. And hey, the view from Donner ain't half bad either! All in all, this was an awesome experience, and I couldn't recommend Alpenglow Expeditions (and Nolan) more. read more

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My partner and I did the 4-hour Via Ferrata adventure at Squaw Valley and it was incredible. We felt 100% safe the entire time and really enjoyed our guide. It was definitely accessible to everyone on our trip, but also exhilarating and not for the faint of heart. I do wish that I would have been told ahead of time to bring gloves, or even better, that gloves would have been provided. My hands got a bit scratched up and none of the guides we ran into had bandaids (seems like a bit of an oversight...). Also, no one checked our safety before we started climbing and one of our group members spent like a third of the climb without his helmet buckled. Nothing happened, but also seems like a bit of an oversight. Regardless, we had an amazing time and would still recommend going to everyone who is interested. read more

I had an amazing time in Ecuador doing the Ecuador Climbing School with Alpenglow. It was an unforgettable experience, and I am super stoked to climb with Alpenglow again in the future! All of the guides and clients on this trip were extremely supportive and kind. Tim Mincey and Jaime Avila, but especially Tim, did a great job teaching us crampon technique, crevasse rescue, and self-arrest. I felt like I learned so much from both of them that will help me on future climbs. I am not super comfortable with rock climbing/scrambling and Tim was very encouraging and helpful in this aspect on Rucu Pichincha and Cayambe. I always felt very prepared for our climbs, and safety and good climbing and crampon techniques were heavily emphasized. On Cayambe we faced very harsh weather conditions on our descent that were intimidating to most members of our group including myself. The guides did a great job keeping cool in the face of stressed-out climbers and got us off the mountain safely and efficiently. A lot of us were very intimidated by the experience on Cayambe, especially as we were relatively beginner climbers and it was our first big mountain on this trip. Many felt overwhelmed afterwards but Tim and Jaime especially did a great job debriefing afterwards and talking us all through the experience so we came out feeling much more confident. Despite not being able to get to Chimborazo and some other logistical problems due to civil unrest in Ecuador, our lead guide Jaime did an amazing job keeping us occupied. When the group suggested we climb Cotopaxi a second time after hearing we wouldn't be able to make it to Chimborazo, Jaime immediately agreed, and Nacho and Santi (our other guides) came back to Tambopaxi lodge to join us on our second climb. I really want to stress how smoothly Jaime and the other guides as well as the coordinator Nico handled the changes to our itinerary due to the protests and how they kept the trip low stress and fun despite all of the challenges. Even when we were not climbing, we did shorter hikes exploring the areas we were staying in, visited markets, or explored Quito. Every day of the trip was exciting. The professionalism of all of the guides and the amazing group of clients will definitely ensure I book trips with Alpenglow in the future. I like that Alpenglow emphasizes fitness and preparedness so much, we consistently found that we were the strongest or one of the strongest teams on the mountains. Our group was always the only one on the mountain to get all climbers on the team to the summit. Several of the other groups that we ran into on the mountains commented on how strong our group was. I think this is because of the emphasis on fitness, but also because of the amazing guides and encouragement from both guides and other clients. We really functioned as a cohesive team and supported one another unlike some of the other groups on the mountain, and this resulted in us having a much better experience than many of the other groups. I will definitely be booking more climbing trips with Alpenglow in the future! read more

Booked a couple days with alpenglow for some backcountry touring and to get acquainted with my new splitboard setup. Pat got us into some great terrain and deep pow. The Alpenglow team provided world class guide services. The entire experience exceeded my expectation. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

I highly recommend Alpenglow Expeditions for backcountry ski tours if you are a well versed skier looking for a physical challenge and fresh snow away from the resort. I didn't really know what to expect as this was my first time in the backcountry but all of the staff and my awesome guide Dave N. made me feel comfortable from the start. In my case Dave was an exceptional guide with a mountaineering and backcountry ski resume several pages long. His coaching was clear and confident inspiring that made even the most challenging parts of our tour seem doable. I enjoyed my first tour with Dave so much that I booked another tour a few days later and plan on booking another one before end of season. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but the Via Ferrata was extremely exciting! Tim was helpful and a fantastic guide. Would recommend this experience to anyone who wants to see the mountain in a completely new way. read more

I've taken two courses with Alpenglow at Palisades Tahoe: AIARE 1 and the Avalanche Rescue Course. Both were great experiences, educational, high impact and well run and put together. I enjoyed the experience and will take followup classes with Alpenglow in the future. read more

Best-in-class education for AIARE programs, exceptional (!!) operations staff, and guides (shout out to Syd!). Expeditions themselves are run with equal parts fun and safety. Look no further for your backcountry education! read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

I've wanted to take an AIARE 1 avalanche safety course for a while now but was finally convinced this winter when I learned that Alpenglow was offering the course at Squaw. I was really impressed, not just with the instructors (who were all legit mountain guides, backcountry skiers and safety experts), but also with the overall organization of the class. We received plenty of communication about what equipment to bring, the daily schedule and who to contact ahead of time, and during each day the classes and time in the field were well organized and interesting. Overall, highly recommended (plus, you get to be right in the village at Squaw, so you can't beat the location). I've also got to ski and rock climb with a handful of Alpenglow's guides and have to say that, in addition to technically knowing their stuff, they're all talented athletes and fun to spend time in the outdoors with. read more

Alpenglow Expeditions - AIARE 1 avalanche course - field time - Rock Climbing Near Me - Olympic Valley, California

Recently completed a mid-week AIRE 1 course with Ben and a small group. The experience was exceptional. Ben brought deep expertise and patience to the class, and though is also a ski guide, has us work through back country decision as an exercise. Found some great turns, learned a lot, had fun and made friends. Professional and respectful learning environment dialed into the students in the class. Highly recommend! read more

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Amazing guides! We had Jared and Timothy and they both were so skilled, kind and enthusiastic. Our group of 8 had very different skill levels and they were able to accommodate all of us. Highly recommend! Great time for groups and anyone looking try something new. read more

Wow. Wow. Wow. My wife and I thought an Alpenglow Nat Geo trip would be a great January birthday present for our son-in-law and daughter (and I would join them). Only problem? It stopped snowing. So we had to wait until after the 2/22/22 storm. We booked the trip on line and got to enjoy the backcountry with our guide Isaac 2/26/22. The outing was well organized by Alpenglow and Isaac tailored the the day to meet our goals, then paced our movement so we could enjoy each other's company, the descents and the ascents. Isaac was enthusiastic from "bell to bell"and what a great teacher! He kept sharing his approach to reading the terrain and what aspect would yield the best conditions. We will definitely book with Alpenglow again!! read more

These guys were awesome. Tim, Ben, and Isaac did a great job teaching us systematic ways to break down avalanche problems and reduce our risk when venturing out into the backcountry while still keeping it fun. The rescue drills are a great start, and have encouraged my girlfriend and I to continue our education after we get a few simple tours under our belts. Despite it not being a good snow year in Tahoe, the class was still able to pick up a lot of great skills and get some time skiing in the backcountry. We would recommend Alpenglow's AIARE 1 class to anyone looking to spend *any* time in the mountains during the winter months. read more

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I had my second international trip with Alpen Glow expedition, to Acuncagua, Argentina! after being around lots of expedition teams in different base camps, by far Alpen Glow expedition team was the best. the reason is: their entire goal is, for you to be successful, and they do everything to make that happen in the most professional way, with the the best and friendliest guides and staff locally and international. thanks again read more

My daughter and I and a girlfriend did the 3-hr via Ferrata Palisades climb with a guide. The experience was awesome. Our guide, Tristan, was wonderful and he made sure my daughter, who was nervous, was guided well and felt comfortable. We're planning on doing a4-he climb next time. Highly recommend this adventure. read more

Fantastic time adventuring in the Cordillera Blancas with very knowledgeable guides. Jaime, Nacho and Ray did an incredible job both from providing an exceptional experience and navigating all the punches nature threw at us. We were part of the 2021 Alpamayo / Quitaraju expedition. While unexpected weather stymied our summit bid from high camp, I appreciated the guides' conservative decision making, prioritizing group safety above all else. After a successful descent we were able to regroup and summit another peak nearby to Huaraz: Huarapasca. Surprised this isn't a destination in it's own right: great approach, snow and ice climbing leading to a panoramic summit at nearly 18K ft. Trip was capped with traditional Peruvian celebratory Pachamanca (bbq overflowing with meats and pisco). While I didn't get to shout 'cumbre' on the initial objectives, I'm more than satisfied with experience and highly recommend the fun, safe, and talented team that made the trip possible. read more

I took an intro to splitboarding class and it was well worth the money! My guides were Dave, Andrew, and Tailer. All super nice, patient, and knowledgeable. Taking new people into the backcountry has got to be stressful and they were all cool as a cucumber. The experience kicked my ass but I learned a ton and an super glad i did it. I've registered with Alpenglow for my avy course as well which I'm stoked for. I loved Tailer so much I am hoping to join the women's splitboard clinic coming up as well. Good people, good vibes, all smiles. read more