Jillian Raymond finds her happy place, backcountry skiing in Lake Tahoe.

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Welcome to the first installment of a three part series meant to dial you in on this one-of-a-kind, two-week winter festival celebrating human-powered outdoor recreation in Lake Tahoe.

Over the course of two weeks, from February 14th-March 2nd, clinics, presentations, films and more will take place in North Lake Tahoe exploring some of the best activities our world class region has to offer. Participants will have the opportunity to Nordic ski, backcountry ski, snowshoe and enjoy natural history excursions. In that spirit, the festival has been designed to inspire participants to enjoy and explore North Lake Tahoe’s unique playground with friends and family celebrating the Sierra mountain lifestyle.

The Alpenglow Mountain Festival is geared toward beginner and intermediate winter recreation enthusiasts, but offers a range of activities for all interests and ability levels. While the majority of events are free, space is limited, and participants are encouraged to register online in advance to reserve a spot, as well as for the opportunity to win spectacular giveaways.

Since there are so many festival highlights, for this edition we’ll focus on three offerings in the guided snowshoe, backcountry and Nordic ski tours, cross country skills and waxing clinics, and finally the AIARE certified field and classroom avalanche safety skills clinics. A full events schedule, a map and additional details can easily be found online at AlpenglowSports.com.

Jillian Raymond finds her happy place, backcountry skiing in Lake Tahoe.
Jillian Raymond finds her happy place, backcountry skiing in Lake Tahoe.

Guided Tours Have you ever wanted to go backcountry skiing, snowshoeing or Nordic skiing in the greater Tahoe area, but felt you needed a little guidance? Maybe you’re just looking for more partners in the community? In either case, check out the opportunities below for linking up with local community professionals on one of the several guided tours that will be taking place during the festival.

Snowshoe Tours There are three snowshoe excursions taking place during the festival. The first is a “Sweetheart Sunset Tour” on Valentine’s Day (5-7pm). The next two will take place on Sunday, February 16th and the following Sunday, February 23rd from 8-11am. These latter two tours will be “Natural History” events led by Will Richardson.

Backcountry Ski Tours There are five guided backcountry ski tours taking place during the festival, including a full moon ski tour on February 14th from 7-10pm. The five guided tour dates are staggered throughout the two weeks of the festival in hopes that folks who want to head out on a tour will be able to make at least one of the dates work. Tours will be fun, half-day outings from 9am-1pm and the location will be determined once the dates get closer. I’m honored to be leading one of the tours with my Alaskan co-guide, Jeff Dostie on February 16th. Come on out and ski with us!

Nordic Ski Tours If you’re into Nordic skiing, or ever wanted to get into it, then this festival is for you! There will be community Nordic tours of February 24th, 25th, and 27th from 9-10am, with a women’s only tour on February 28th. A community night ski event will be held on February 26th from 8-9pm. Tours will take place at the Tahoe Cross Country facility or the Tahoe City Winter Sports Park. Please check the festival schedule for further details.

Learning how to properly wax your skis is an important skill that you can learn at this years festival.
Learning how to properly wax your skis is an important skill that you can learn by attending this years festival. Photo: gizmag.com

Cross Country Skills and Waxing Clinics On Sunday, February 16th there’ll be a women’s only wax, wine and fun clinic from 7-9pm at Alpenglow Sports, with a women’s only Nordic ski skills clinic on Friday, February 28th. On Monday, February 24th there’ll be another wax clinic at Alpenglow Sports from 7-9pm detailing how to prepare your skis for the Great Ski Race on March 2nd.   In terms of skills, there will be four clinics held leading up to the Great Ski race on March 2nd. From introducing the basic concepts of skate skiing, to just getting out there with other like-minded skiers, these clinics are meant to sharpen your skill sets for more enjoyable Nordic skiing adventures. Please check the festival schedule for further details.

Learn the intricacies of backcountry travel and avalanche risk mitigation at this years festival. Photo: stateofthebackcountry.com
Learn the intricacies of backcountry travel and avalanche risk mitigation at this years festival. Photo: stateofthebackcountry.com

AIARE Level I Certification Clinic If you want to ski in the backcountry, you need to acquire a knowledge base that will allow you to better understand the hazards associated with spending time in the field. Join Triple Point Expeditions for a three day clinic (February 14th-16th, 9am-5pm) where you can gain your AIARE Level I certification. This is an exciting opportunity to learn from some of the best practitioners in the business, and your in the field and classroom work will culminate in a recognized certification if you attend all three days of the clinic.

Avalanche Safety Events On Monday, February 17th there will be two introduction to avalanche clinics held from 9am-12pm, and 7pm-9pm. Throughout the festival there will be four more avalanche safety clinics offered. These clinics will range from beacon practice and risk mitigation, to how to skin properly and initiate a companion rescue. While these events are offered in individual sessions, think about attending as many as you can for a full experience from some of the best teachers out there.

We’re only a third of the way through all the happenings from the festival! I’ll be back next week to highlight more events such as the many presentations taking place, the winter film series, and of course everyone’s favorite, the Dynafit Nachtspektakel! Remember that a full events schedule, a map and additional details can easily be found online by visiting AlpenglowSports.com.

Established in 1979, Alpenglow Sports is Tahoe City’s original mountain shop. Specializing in Backcountry and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, trail running, backpacking, hiking, camping, and the mountain lifestyle apparel, Alpenglow is always psyched to offer premier user-based customer service.

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