Alpenglow Expeditions — Local services in California

Trying via ferrata had been a dream of mine, and I believe that choosing the 3-hour route was the optimal decision. Two hours would’ve been too short, even for a first time. Next time, I’m going to take the 4-hour route – all the way to the summit.

As for the experience itself: it starts with easier sections where we learn how to clip and unclip ourselves from one cable to another, and this skill gets comfortable fairly quickly. Then the route becomes more challenging, with vertical ascents and descents. It was really fascinating to explore my fear of heights. For example, it took a lot of mental effort to step over a narrow gap (even though I was fully secured), but at the same time, I didn’t feel scared at all climbing vertically or walking along a cliff edge.

This is definitely an activity for people who aren’t paralyzed by heights. My husband has a strong fear of heights, and I think he made the right decision not to come with me.

As for me, I was absolutely thrilled with the experience, gained a lot of new impressions, and I’m already planning to return. It’s also a great physical workout — my heart rate was like during a fast run, partly because of the altitude (I came straight from sea level).

Our guide, Tim, deserves a big thank you for his professionalism, care, and for capturing some amazing shots! He was very attentive to each participant’s abilities and adjusted the pace and route to make sure everyone felt safe and comfortable throughout the experience.

Thank you to the Alpenglow team for such an exceptional opportunity — to enjoy via ferrata in one of the most beautiful places in California,...

I just finished the adrenaline-pumping 4-hour Tahoe via ferrata tour, and it completely blew my mind! As someone who’s always battled a serious fear of heights, I was on edge before diving into this thrilling adventure, but our guide Tristin was a game-changer!

From start to finish, Tristin was absolutely incredible! His patience and enthusiasm made all the difference, and he genuinely cared about making sure everyone felt totally at ease and ready to conquer their fears. He explained all the safety procedures in a way that made them easy to grasp, and his tips for tackling the trickier parts of the route were spot on! Thanks to his expert guidance on technique and body positioning, I was able to overcome challenges I never imagined I could!

What truly amazed me was how secure I felt throughout the entire journey, even with my height anxiety. Tristin's calm presence and remarkable expertise empowered me to confront my fears head-on and fully embrace this exhilarating experience. He found the perfect balance between prioritizing our safety and encouraging us to push our limits.

The 4-hour tour was just the right amount of time—long enough to soak in the excitement of the via ferrata without ever feeling rushed. The breathtaking Tahoe scenery was the cherry on top, and I’m beyond grateful that I didn’t let my fears hold me back from this adventure!

If you’re even considering a via ferrata experience, especially if heights make you a little jittery, I can’t recommend Tristin highly enough! This adventure was truly unforgettable and an...

Can't say enough great things about our experience with Alpenglow and more specifically our guide Dustin. My 16 year old son and I were looking to do our first multi-pitch climb and Alpenglow set us up with a full day experience to include both a learning component and the climb. We wanted not just to be taken on a climb, but to learn so we could pursue multi-pitch climbs on our own in the future. The booking was easy and the Amy, answering the phones, was at hearing what I was looking for and finding the right person. I wanted someone fun and young that my son could relate to, someone who could teach , and then, obviously, someone that would take our safety seriously. We met Dustin at the parking lot by Donner Bridge and I knew right away we had a good match from his smile and enthusiasm as we pulled into the lot. He laid out a bunch of equipment to give us a trad climbing equipment review. He was great about answering questions. My son is a knowledgable climber and I appreciated that he didn't talk down to him, but recognized his strengths. We started climbing and Dustin explained clearly what we would do and how we would progress. And then it was just fun fun fun! He went above and beyond to make sure we felt safe and were safe, that we both felt challenged and fulfilled our goals and that we had a blast. We loved climbing with Dustin and would absolutely...