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Via Ferrata March 2023 Operations Update

Rock Climbing the Tahoe Via Ferrata with views of Squaw Valley

As you may have heard, Lake Tahoe has had a record breaking winter according to the Central Sierra Snow Lab. This makes the 2022/2023 winter season the second snowiest winter in Lake Tahoe in over 77 years! Historically cold temperatures have allowed the snowpack to avoid much melting, and NOAA reported that there is still 220 inches of snow (almost 19 feet) on the ground at 8,000ft as of March 26th, 2023.

Needless to say, this historic winter will affect our early-season Via Ferrata operations at Palisades Tahoe. Although we typically open the Tahoe Via Ferrata in mid-May, our…

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Locals’ Day Recap on the Tahoe Via

Written by Robert Kyte

On October 7th, in celebration of the 5th Anniversary of the Tahoe Via Ferrata, Alpenglow hosted a Locals’ Day on the Via, offering free climbing excursions all the way to Tower 1 atop Tram Face here in Palisades Tahoe. With over 100 climbers ascending the route, we were thrilled at this opportunity to give back to our local community and allow everyone to experience the joy of the Tahoe Via. 

Seven years ago, we had a question: how can we provide accessible climbing experiences to the local community, as well as…

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Why Fall is the Best Time to Climb the Tahoe Via

Written by Robert Kyte

Now in our fifth season, the Tahoe Via Ferrata has quickly become a must-do adventure in the greater Lake Tahoe area. We’re incredibly proud to say that we are steadily attracting thousands of climbers from all over the world eager to add the Tahoe Via to their tick list. But here’s the thing: most of those climbers are making their ascent on Tram Face during the summer months, when kids are out of school and families can more easily take off work to make the journey. Plus, it’s no secret…

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First North American Via Ferrata to be Featured in World Class Trail Running Event

Yesterday, the Broken Arrow Skyrace made a formal announcement for a new distance race in their annual event this summer, to include the Tahoe Via Ferrata.  It has been quite a while in the making, and we are SO STOKED to see it come to fruition this year!

The first trail running event in North America to feature a via ferrata, the Iron Face Challenge will be a unique test for participants, allowing access to complex terrain that would normally be very challenging to safely ascend, with our Continuous Lifeline System. 

The Iron Face Challenge will be…

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5 Reasons the Tahoe Via is a Great Family Activity

summit, family, rock climbing, squaw valley,

Written by Isaac Laredo

Are you looking for a new way to experience the Tahoe area with your family?

The Tahoe VIA provides the perfect opportunity to experience one of the region’s most iconic pieces of granite with friends and family.

 

Family Bonding and Team Building

The Tahoe Via Provides the perfect opportunity to provide long-lasting family memories and bring the family closer together due to its terrain variety. There are unique and scenic flat sections for great conversation and Airy bridges where families often cheer each other on and support one another throughout the experience. It’s sure…

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Who Can Climb the Via?

Written by Isaac Laredo

You can climb the Tahoe Via! Whether you are a seasoned multi-pitch rock climber or a family of four, the Tahoe Via is designed to provide you with a memorable and enjoyable experience. The friendly nature of the climbing and diverse tour offerings make the Tahoe VIA one of the most accessible climbing experiences in California.

 

What is Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata is Italian for “Iron Way”. What is now a quickly growing recreational style of climbing originated during the World Wars as a way to move troops across the technical terrain and high peaks…

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Modifications to Tahoe Via Guiding Operations

Via Ferrata Alpenglow Expeditions

Alpenglow Expeditions is committed to doing our part in the mitigation of COVID-19, as well as complying with local and state guidelines. Our reopening plan includes many modifications to how we’ll be conducting guiding operations on the Tahoe Via Ferrata in Squaw Valley. Modifications to how we guide rock climbing on Donner Summit, Lovers Leap, and the High Sierra will be very similar to the actions taken below, however here we’ll focus on what we’re doing to get back to climbing the Tahoe Via Ferrata.

Side Note: Our local operations on the Tahoe National…

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Tahoe Via is OPEN

Happy Opening Day: May 26, 2020!

Come climb with us!

We are so proud to announce that the Tahoe Via Ferrata is OPEN! With COVID-19 precautions in place, we are now running private 2.5-hr and 4-hr Via Ferrata tours at Squaw Valley in addition to private rock climbing sessions at Donner Summit. We can’t wait to climb with you!

Book a private 4-hr tour

Tahoe Via Pricing

Part of our COVID-19 re-opening plan is to limit our offerings to private climbs only, with no open-enrollment group options available. We slashed rates on private 2.5-hour and private 4-hour…

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What Does Travis Ganong Think About the Tahoe Via Ferrata?

Travis Ganong Climbs the Tahoe Via Ferrata

Travis Ganong ventured up Lake Tahoe’s new Via Ferrata with his family in fall 2019. After an epic day out, he sat down with us to discuss his Tahoe Via family adventure.

Travis Ganong, born and raised in Truckee, CA, is an American World Cup alpine ski racer. His girlfriend, Marie-Michele Gagnon, is also a professional skier for the Canadian alpine ski team. Travis, Marie-Michele, and Travis’ parents all came to climb the Tahoe Via Ferrata for a fun day out with the family. Here’s what Travis’ had to say:

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What is that Rock Climbing Thing at Squaw Valley?

squaw valley, family activity, climbing, summit

The Tahoe Via Ferrata is Alpenglow Expeditions’ newest outdoor adventure. Tahoe’s Via Ferrata is located on the iconic Tram Face and serves as an epic Squaw Valley summer activity. The name Via Ferrata comes from Italian, meaning “Iron Road” and represents the path of permanent steel anchors and cables along a protected climbing route.

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