Alpenglow Guided Backcountry Tours
Lift-accessed tours of Palisades Tahoe's incredible backcountry.
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| Ability | Intermediate Advanced/Expert |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ski Snowboard |
| Age | 12+ |
| Lesson Type | Privates/Guides |
Alpenglow Guided Backcountry Tour
Lift-Accessed tours of Palisades Tahoe's incredible backcountry terrain.
Benefits of Alpenglow Guided Backcountry Tours
Guided Backcountry Tour Rates
*Season pass holders will receive 20% off midweek.
Reserve Online
Rates Include
Pass Holder Discount
Palisades Tahoe pass holders can experience the unique backcountry terrain of National Geographic bowl, outside the boundary of Granite Chief midweek with a 20% discount!
Other Details
Lift-Accessed tours of Palisades Tahoe's incredible backcountry terrain.
Benefits of Alpenglow Guided Backcountry Tours
- Lift-access means you can quickly access incredible terrain and get more skiing and riding in
- Unique access to rarely skied nooks and crannies
- Each group is private with own qualified guide
- Build your backcountry skills: guides can focus your day on uphill skills, avalanche safety skills, and more
Guided Backcountry Tour Rates
| Full-Day Rate* | |
|---|---|
| Single Person | $645 |
| Group of 2 | $375/person ($750) |
| Group of 3 | $285/person ($855) |
| Group of 4 | $235/person ($940) |
| Group of 5 | $235/person ($1,175) |
| Group of 6 | $235/person ($1,410) |
Reserve Online
Rates Include
- A private full day of skiing or riding with a professional mountain guide trained by the American Mountain Guides Association.
- Exclusive privileges to ski backcountry terrain outside of Paslisades Tahoe's closed boundaries.
- Access to some of Tahoe's best backcountry terrain.
- Apres Happy Hour in the Alpenglow Office after skiing.
Pass Holder Discount
Palisades Tahoe pass holders can experience the unique backcountry terrain of National Geographic bowl, outside the boundary of Granite Chief midweek with a 20% discount!
- Valid for midweek reservations only
- Offer valid only to Palisades Tahoe pass holders. All members of a reservation need to be valid 2019-20 pass holders.
- Offer valid to all Palisades Tahoe employees
- Offer not valid in conjunction with other ongoing promotions
- 20% discount applies to all rental equipment
Other Details
- Intermediate and Advanced skiers or riders only. Skiers and riders must be competent in a variety of terrain and snow conditions. Skiers and riders must be able to link turns on ungroomed runs while maintaining control - this is comparable to skiing ungroomed black diamond terrain confidently.
- Ages 12 and over. Skiers 12-15 years may join with a parent.
Locations
Locations
Olympic Valley: Guided tours will have access to the zone called “Tram Ridge”. This awesome north-facing terrain that can be seen from the parking lot of Olympic Valley. Accessed from Broken Arrow this zone is made up of glades, gullies, and ridgelines. e can ski multiple laps in this zone, returning to the ski area to bump up the lifts, or utilizing our AT skis or split boards to “skin” uphill. Skiing out of the boundary line on Tram Ridge has long been a dream of many a long-time Palisades Tahoe skier, and now it is a reality, exclusively with these guided tours
Nat Geo: Located outside the boundary lines of Granite Chief at Olympic Valley, the Nat Geo bowl and adjacent peaks have been long admired for their beauty, remoteness, and quality of terrain. Crossing the boundary at Palisades Tahoe with your guide, you step into a true backcountry experience with quiet solitude and playful terrain. There are many options for ski descents and once you reach the bottom you'll transition to uphill mode and gain the ridge that connects Olympic Valley to the Tahoe National Forest boundary. Some groups do multiple laps in Nat Geo, and some continue on to Tram Ridge.
Alpine Meadows: At Alpine Meadows tours access the popular backcountry zone known as “Munchkins” off Scott Peak. Munchkins is a large zone, with everything from mellow open bowls to perfectly spaced trees to steep technical lines. The zone’s diversity makes Munchkins the perfect place for the new backcountry skier or rider looking to build skills, and ideal for many laps for the experienced off-piste rider.
Please note: We don’t decide which zone we will ski until the morning of the tour, to allow guides to pick the best ski tour based on current conditions. Regardless of where the day takes you, you can be sure it will be a memorable backcountry outing.
Olympic Valley: Guided tours will have access to the zone called “Tram Ridge”. This awesome north-facing terrain that can be seen from the parking lot of Olympic Valley. Accessed from Broken Arrow this zone is made up of glades, gullies, and ridgelines. e can ski multiple laps in this zone, returning to the ski area to bump up the lifts, or utilizing our AT skis or split boards to “skin” uphill. Skiing out of the boundary line on Tram Ridge has long been a dream of many a long-time Palisades Tahoe skier, and now it is a reality, exclusively with these guided tours
Nat Geo: Located outside the boundary lines of Granite Chief at Olympic Valley, the Nat Geo bowl and adjacent peaks have been long admired for their beauty, remoteness, and quality of terrain. Crossing the boundary at Palisades Tahoe with your guide, you step into a true backcountry experience with quiet solitude and playful terrain. There are many options for ski descents and once you reach the bottom you'll transition to uphill mode and gain the ridge that connects Olympic Valley to the Tahoe National Forest boundary. Some groups do multiple laps in Nat Geo, and some continue on to Tram Ridge.
Alpine Meadows: At Alpine Meadows tours access the popular backcountry zone known as “Munchkins” off Scott Peak. Munchkins is a large zone, with everything from mellow open bowls to perfectly spaced trees to steep technical lines. The zone’s diversity makes Munchkins the perfect place for the new backcountry skier or rider looking to build skills, and ideal for many laps for the experienced off-piste rider.
Please note: We don’t decide which zone we will ski until the morning of the tour, to allow guides to pick the best ski tour based on current conditions. Regardless of where the day takes you, you can be sure it will be a memorable backcountry outing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of experience is required for this trip?
Skiers must be confident on a variety of terrain, including black diamond-caliber descents. Prior ski touring experience is not required, although excellent physical fitness is important. If you can get down the mountain- we can get you up!
Can I rent equipment?
Yes, Alpenglow rents backcountry ski gear as well as avalanche safety gear. Gear includes all-new 2020 Blizzard Skis, Tecnica Boots and Jones Snowboards Splitboards, for rent. This is on a first-come, first-served basis so please reserve your gear early! All equipment is of high quality and a complete package (including touring boots, skis with skins, backcountry poles, and an avalanche kit with beacon, shovel, and probe) is available at $80/day.
What level skier/rider do I need to be to sign up?
Skiers and riders should be experienced and comfortable skiing advanced terrain. Skiers/riders must be competent in a variety of terrain and snow conditions. If you would like to discuss your suitability for this program further, please contact the Alpenglow Expeditions office at 877-873-5376.
I don’t have any avalanche gear- can I still sign up?
Avalanche gear is required for all of our skiing programs. If you don’t already own a beacon, probe, and shovel, Alpenglow has gear available for rent.
How much hiking will we do?
The amount of hiking during the day varies somewhat on the zone and motivation of the group. The shortest day you can expect contains about 1 hour of skinning, and the longer days may have upwards of 3 hours of skinning.
What sort of experience is required for this trip?
Skiers must be confident on a variety of terrain, including black diamond-caliber descents. Prior ski touring experience is not required, although excellent physical fitness is important. If you can get down the mountain- we can get you up!
Can I rent equipment?
Yes, Alpenglow rents backcountry ski gear as well as avalanche safety gear. Gear includes all-new 2020 Blizzard Skis, Tecnica Boots and Jones Snowboards Splitboards, for rent. This is on a first-come, first-served basis so please reserve your gear early! All equipment is of high quality and a complete package (including touring boots, skis with skins, backcountry poles, and an avalanche kit with beacon, shovel, and probe) is available at $80/day.
What level skier/rider do I need to be to sign up?
Skiers and riders should be experienced and comfortable skiing advanced terrain. Skiers/riders must be competent in a variety of terrain and snow conditions. If you would like to discuss your suitability for this program further, please contact the Alpenglow Expeditions office at 877-873-5376.
I don’t have any avalanche gear- can I still sign up?
Avalanche gear is required for all of our skiing programs. If you don’t already own a beacon, probe, and shovel, Alpenglow has gear available for rent.
How much hiking will we do?
The amount of hiking during the day varies somewhat on the zone and motivation of the group. The shortest day you can expect contains about 1 hour of skinning, and the longer days may have upwards of 3 hours of skinning.
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