Alpenglow Mountain Festival Begins February 18th
The holiday weekend has begun! Mountain sports enthusiasts will be flooding the area, as well as those who come just to enjoy the beauty and other activities of the Lake Tahoe area. More inclement weather will make travel challenging but bring more snow to add to a record year.
The Alpenglow Mountain Festival will kick off Saturday, February 18th, with free and ticketed events. This 9 day celebration includes racing events, backcountry tours, Nordic instruction, yoga, film, and numerous other human-powered mountain sports events. This weekends festivities are too numerous to list, but here is a brief highlight of a couple events on Saturday to inspire you to check out the rest of the festival.
From 8am-2pm there will be a 1/2 day beginners backcountry tour. This outing is intended to introduce the stunning landscape of Lake Tahoe's backcountry to relative beginners. However it is not for the faint of heart. You will need to be in excellent physical condition, have your own equipment, be able to handle black diamond ski resort terrain, and hike 2000 vertical feet. This event is designed for enthusiasts who have completed less than 10 touring miles. More information is available from Alpenglow Sports at 530-583-6917.
Yoga in the Yurt at Tahoe Cross Country will be held from 9-10 am. This class will allow you to stretch and rejuvenate to prepare for a fun-filled day in the snow. This will be a relaxed vinyasa class focused on pre- and post-ski flexibility.
The Tahoe Rim Trail Association will be leading a snowshoe hike on Mt. Rose from 9am-4pm. The picture below shows some of the dramatic scenery visible from the trail. Once again, good physical condition is required, and this hike is designed for adults with snowshoe experience. The hike starts at the Mt. Rose Trailhead, which is at 8900', and takes you through spectacular scenery with views of the lake and meadows below. The trail then climbs through the forest, with an amazing variety of snow covered trees. After 3 miles you will arrive at Frog Pond at 9380'. Also known as Snow Pond, it ices over so you can stand on it and admire the still beauty of nature.
There are many other events and outings Saturday and Sunday, and the Festival continues until February 22nd. You can see a detailed schedule with information on each session at http://www.alpenglowsports.com/mountainfestivalcalendar
Saturday ends with Mountainfilm at the Olympic Village Lodge at Squaw Valley. This fun evening is great for people of all skill levels, from the heartiest mountain adventurer to those who simply enjoy seeing beautiful scenery and examples of people out in the world living their dreams. Films from the annual festival in Telluride, Colorado are featured as Mountainfilm travels the globe to bring these adventures to life. The doors open at 6:15 and the film begins at 7pm. The cost is $12. Food vendors will be on hand, drinks will be available at the OVL bar, and festival sponsors will have equipment demos.
This is just a small sampling of many fun and exciting things offered over the course of the festival. So go out and enjoy! You can get additional information on other local events, concerts, and festivals at https://www.visitrenotahoe.com/reno-tahoe/what-to-do/events/north-lake-tahoe
