Adrian Ballinger’s Favorite Mountains to Ski and Climb

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Adrian Ballinger. Photo by Jeremy Zero on Unsplash

Brought to you by Alpenglow Expeditions

In the most recent SnowBrains podcast, Miles chatted to Adrian Ballinger, badass mountaineer, climber, skier, and founder of Squaw Valley, CA-based Alpenglow Expeditions. During the conversation, Adrian & Miles discuss extreme skiing at extreme altitude, the best stories from Adrian’s insane high mountain guiding and climbing career, summiting Everest without oxygen, summiting K2 without oxygen, avalanches, getting the IFMGA full certification in only 3 years, Alpenglow Expeditions, and much more.

Miles also managed to tease out Adrian’s favorite mountains to ski and climb. As someone who has skied and climbed some of the gnarliest descents and rocks around the world, it’s fascinating to hear about the ones that have left a lasting impression.

Favorite Place to Ski

Tahoe

I could live anywhere in the world and run my business, and I chose Tahoe. One of the reasons is because it’s not the most rowdy place on the planet.

Miles slashing deep above Lake Tahoe, CA. image: snowbrains

Chamonix

Ripping down “Chamonix North” on Reuschfellet mountain. image: snowbrains

La Grave

La Grave, France. photo: Le Grand Adventure Tours
The big terrain of La Grave, France. photo: Le Grand Adventure Tours

Favorite Mountain Ranges

Karakoram, Pakistan

I fell in love with the rowdiness, size, and technical nature of it.

The Karakoram Range in Pakistan.

The Andes, specifically Peru

…so jagged, not at all like rounded volcanoes, they are technical rock.

19,800-foot Tocllaraju in Peru's Cordillera Blanca.
19,800-foot Tocllaraju in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca.

Sierra Nevada, CA

…jagged and rowdy, a lot of rock as well as snow and I love both!

The Sierra Nevada, CA from the air. image: the new york times

Favorite Place to Climb

Himalaya

…Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan. The big stuff.

The Himalaya. Photo by Jeremy Zero on Unsplash

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