Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series

The Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series presented by Tahoe Mountain Realty is the largest free community speaker series in the country. We host the biggest names in the outdoor industry who share stories about outdoor adventure. We have two simple goals: 1) to inspire and motivate mountain athletes to pursue their outdoor dreams and 2) to raise funds for nonprofit organizations making a tangible difference in the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee community.

Stories told by legends

Get inspired by listening to your heroes tell amazing stories about outdoor achievement. We curate the speakers and stories you need to hear to more deeply connect with your outdoor pursuits and your local community.

Connect with likeminded community

Imagine a room full of people that love the mountains just as much as you do. The stories we hear, and the people we enjoy them with, make life in the mountains so much more rich. Come to an event this season and witness it for yourself.

Win incredible gear

Athlete and event sponsors generously donate products that you can win. We usually see more than $20,000 in gear and prizes for each event.

$1.3 Million Raised

We raise +$75,000 for each non-profit beneficiary. With five non-profits this season and giving on the rise, we intend to raise close to $500,000 this year.

100,000 Views

With thousands of attendees at each event and a huge online audience, we estimate that 100,000 people have watched the Winter Speaker Series.

18 Years Running

We started in the back room of a small restaurant and bar in Tahoe City. 18 years later, we pack the house at the biggest venue in the area.

"The Winter Speaker Series is about community. Bringing people, family and friends to a slide show is beautiful. People gather to share stories, reminiscing about past exploits while planning the next adventure. One leaves inspired by the dynamism and the quality of the speakers. I look forward to my next mid winter adventure with the fine folks at Alpenglow Sports."

- Conrad Anker

I have had the opportunity to speak at events around the world and nothing compares to the Alpenglow events. It brings out the whole community from kids to elders to celebrate adventure and life. A small town feel with big city audio/visuals that will have you laughing, cheering, and at times teared up. Couple all this with raising significant money for local non profits and you understand why it sets the benchmark for speaker series around the world. 

- Jeremy Jones

The Winter Speaker Series is so embedded in our community that is has become our culture. I look forward to attending these events and when the opportunity arises to present, I feel like it is the greatest honor. To my knowledge, there is nothing like this steadfast event in the outdoor community that takes place year after year. The art of story telling and adventure is alive and well through the WSS

- Michelle Parker

Telling stories is at the root of human social existence and the Winter Speaker Series is an incredible gathering point to celebrate mountain culture, support our community, and come together as one.

- Cody Townsend

I have been involved in the Alpenglow Sports Winter Speakers Series as a co-founder and presenter since its inception in 2005 and it has been such a rewarding personal experience for me to see how it has grown and flourished as a fundraising event for local non-profit groups while staying true to its roots: To bring folks together for a fun evening of sharing stories and images that inform, entertain and inspire us to seek out our own challenges and adventures.

- Dave Nettle

The Winter Speaker Series in Tahoe is unlike any other slideshow event I’ve participated in. It’s a free event that draws huge crowds of passionate outdoor recreationalists, in person and online, to raise money for local non profits and watch powerful storytelling. Every time I’ve spoken, I’m blown away by the energy and stoke of the crowd - for my talk and for the community that gathers. Every season is filled with world class athletes and story tellers. The WSS is not to be missed!

- Adrian Ballinger

November 30, 2023 @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Michelle Parker’s A New Perspective

One of freeskiing’s most recognizable and in-demand talents, Michelle Parker feels most at home when tackling big mountain terrain. 2022 marked the 20th season of Michelle Parker’s professional skiing career, and year after year, a desire to learn and evolve has seen the popular freeskier push the ceiling of the sport. 

In her show A Shift In Perspective, Parker will take us on an emotional journey that showed her how time spent with her father was life’s biggest gift yet, and how this new perspective helped her succeed on a recent big mountain, Alaskan ski expedition.

Michelle's nonprofit beneficiary The Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA)

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January 4, 2024 @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Jim & John Morrison’s Skiing the High Sierra and Beyond

In Skiing the High Sierra and Beyond, you’ll join Jim & John on a walk & ski through iconic peaks and destinations, including Lake Tahoe, the High Sierra, and the remote mountain regions of the world.

From the old growth trees of Rubicon Peak to the steeps of Red Slate couloir, from the ruggedness of the Matterhorn, to the intensity of the Messner, from sunrises in Emerald Bay to sunsets over Mt. Everest, the Morrison brothers eptiomize how the ski dream is meant to be chased.

Jim & John's nonprofit beneficiary is The Send It Foundation.

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January 17, 2024 @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Elyse Saugstad’s If There’s a Will, There’s a Way

For freeskier Elyse Saugstad, if there’s a will there’s a way. In her years as an outdoorswoman, Elyse has brushed against death, faced mind-numbing fear, and won the respect of her peers in a male-dominated field.

Saugstad’s experiences have given her a unique perspective that is valuable not only to athletes but to anyone who wants to develop their mountain and life instincts, learn how to conquer and use fear to find success, and achieve their goals. Join Saugstad for a funny, honest and down-to-earth presentation about what it means to be a successful woman and mother in the ski industry.

Elyse's nonprofit beneficiary is The Courage Project

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February 15, 2024 @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Ingrid Backstrom's Searching for the Answer

On Thursday, February 15th at 7pm the Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series, presented by Tahoe Mountain Realty, continues with big mountain skier and industry icon, Ingrid Backstrom. In Searching for the Answer, Backstrom reflects on her professional ski career, a journey that starts inwardly and ends with an ultimate, and close to home, personal challenge.

Before having a family, Backstrom focused relentlessly on chasing the best snow on the planet. However, after several life changing events, including pregnancies, raising a family, and a “wake-up call” crash in Alaska in 2022, Backstrom found herself questioning her relationship with skiing for the first time. Rather than pull back, Backstrom’s hunch was to go all in and ski one hundred consecutive days. The results are physically, mentally, logistically, and hilariously challenging. 

Ingrid's nonprofit beneficiary is The Scotty Lapp Foundation.

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March 7, 2024 @ 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Dave Nettle’s Ski Touring The Tyrol

Spanning the borders of southern Austria and Northern Italy, the Tyrol region is a place of magnificent alpine beauty that includes some of the most dramatic peaks and valleys in the Alps as well as the iconic Dolomites.

Join Dave Nettle for a lively and humorous tour through the Tyrol in images and stories of some of his favorite adventures during his 25 year love affair with this magical region famous for climbing, skiing, via ferrata, friendly locals and outstanding food and wine. The evening will wrap up with a short select presentation of backcountry ski touring images from the blockbuster 2022-23 winter and spring season in the Sierra Nevada and beyond.

Dave's nonprofit beneficiary is Slow Food Lake Tahoe.

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Thanks to our Title Sponsor

Learn More

Thanks to our High Camp Sponsors

Stoked for our Basecamp Sponsors

Media Partners and Drink Sponsors

How to get involved

Come to a show

In-person attendees do not need to register or buy a ticket, merely show up and join the fun. Bring some cash for giveaway tickets, food, and drinks. See you there!

Join from Mammoth Lakes

For the first time, our sister mountain community, Mammoth Lakes, is hosting in-person events! Our friends in Mammoth will livestream the same talks at the same time.

Watch the livestream

Every show is live streamed on Alpenglow Sport’s YouTube channel. Register for the livestream and receive a free entry in the online giveaway

All about the giveaway

The Winter Speaker Series famously has two giveaways. In-person attendees can buy tickets at the door and win prizes from our athlete and event sponsors.

There are different prizes available for our online audience, who enjoy a separate giveaway with tickets sold online. Visit the event pages for links to the online giveaways. You can participate in both raffles!

100%

of proceeds to non-profit beneficiaries

Support the Winter Speaker Series

01

Recommend non-profit beneficiaries

The best way to support the Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series is to come to an event and hug a friend. The next best way is to support our non-profit organizations. Please encourage your favorite local non-profits to apply for Winter Speaker Series sponsorship during our application window. The application window for the upcoming 2023-24 season is from June 1st to June 30th. Email us at info@alpenglowsports.com for an application form.

02

Sponsor the Winter Speaker Series

If you or your company are looking to supercharge your community contributions, please consider sponsoring the Winter Speaker Series. Title sponsors, key sponsors, and event sponsors help keep the Winter Speaker Series free and accessible to all. Our sponsors help us reach more people by supporting our livestream and video creation efforts.

03

Join the Donor Party

If you are looking for a way to give back and don't know where to start, consider joining the Donor Party. The Donor Party is an anonymous group of families and philanthropists who make a per-season contribution for the Winter Speaker Series nonprofit beneficiaries. Each beneficiary receives 100% of the Donor Party contributions; there is no management fee or overhead that cuts into your giving and all contributions are tax deductible. No amount is too small. For donor party inquiries, please reach out to us at info@alpenglowsports.com

01

Recommend non-profit beneficiaries

The best way to support the Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series is to come to an event and hug a friend. The next best way is to support our non-profit organizations. Please encourage your favorite local non-profits to apply for Winter Speaker Series sponsorship during our application window. The application window for the upcoming 2023-24 season is from June 1st to June 30th. Email us at info@alpenglowsports.com for an application form.

02

Sponsor the Winter Speaker Series

If you or your company are looking to supercharge your community contributions, please consider sponsoring the Winter Speaker Series. Title sponsors, key sponsors, and event sponsors help keep the Winter Speaker Series free and accessible to all. Our sponsors help us reach more people by supporting our livestream and video creation efforts.

03

Join the Donor Party

If you are looking for a way to give back and don't know where to start, consider joining the Donor Party. The Donor Party is an anonymous group of families and philanthropists who make a per-season contribution for the Winter Speaker Series nonprofit beneficiaries. Each beneficiary receives 100% of the Donor Party contributions; there is no management fee or overhead that cuts into your giving and all contributions are tax deductible. No amount is too small. For donor party inquiries, please reach out to us at info@alpenglowsports.com

FAQs

We are so stoked to share the Winter Speaker Series with you. Here are some FAQs to help you have the best experience possible.

Still need help? Email us at info@alpenglowsports.com