All bar and giveaway purchases, along with Donor Party donations, directly support nonprofit beneficiary Truckee Dirt Union
On Friday, December 5th, the Alpenglow Sports 20th annual Winter Speaker Series presented by the North Tahoe Chamber begins with pioneering, big wall climber, Emily Harrington and her presentation of “Yosemite and Beyond”. Attend the event in person at the Palisades Tahoe Olympic Village Event Center, or tune in via the livestream on Alpenglow Sports’ Youtube channel. Either way the show is FREE and all ages are encouraged to participate. Doors open at 6pm for bar purchases, dinner from MOGROG Rotisserie, and raffle tickets, and the show starts promptly at 7pm. The nonprofit beneficiary of the evening is Truckee Dirt Union.
The Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series, presented by the North Tahoe Chamber, is an eagerly anticipated winter tradition for North Tahoe’s adventure community. With over 3,000 attendees annually, as well as a dynamic and global live stream component, the 20-year-old Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series has become one of the premier North American forums for adventure storytelling and community gathering.
To kick off the 20th season, Emily Harrington will return to the Winter Speaker Series stage to present “Yosemite and Beyond”. Through her show she will provide an exclusive, behind the scenes look into the themes highlighted in her newly released, IMAX feature film, *Girl Climber, while also going one step further to ask, or maybe even answer, “what comes next?” Her film chronicles her career-defining journey to become the first female to free climb the Golden Gate route on El Capitan in under 24 hours. But even more, it demonstrates her experience pushing up against the male dominated climbing culture in Yosemite to cement herself as one of the best climbers, period. 
As she shared with the team at Alpenglow Sports, “Girl Climber wasn’t the end of my climbing life – only the end of a chapter in my story. From Baffin Island to the Himalaya, I continue my journey of learning how to adventure and find challenges amongst the backdrop of motherhood”.
The 25/26 season continues with rad artist, filmmaker, and skier, Chris Benchetler (1/2/26), skiing icon Mike Hattrup (1/23/26), big mountain skier and paraglider Caite Zeliff (2/13/26) and cornerstone of the series, local mountain guide Dave Nettle (3/6/26).
Each show is dedicated to a different nonprofit that has been selected through a rigorous application process, and to date, the Winter Speaker Series has raised nearly $2,500,000 for local organizations. Giveaway and bar proceeds, in conjunction with anonymous donations by the Donor Party, raise up to $100,000+ per show for a local nonprofit organization. Additionally, for the 25/26 season, the Tahoe Fund has generously committed to match up to $20,000 of all in person funds raised at the events, 100% of which will be distributed to the five nonprofit beneficiaries!
The nonprofit beneficiary of Emily’s show is Truckee Dirt Union, an organization committed to creating a sustainable future for the mountain bike experience through a three-tiered collaborative approach involving: community activation and cultivation, stewardship and education, and access and outreach advocacy.
At the event, there will be many opportunities for attendees to engage with show sponsor The North Face through lively and exclusive activations. Additionally, dinner will be available for purchase from MOGROG Rotisserie, the bar will be stocked with beer from Alibi Ale Works, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages, and there will be TWO epic giveaways, thanks to both the event and Emily’s sponsors.
The in-person raffle will be for all attendees who purchase tickets at the event, while the online giveaway is for all tuning in from afar and anyone who purchases online tickets. The prizes for each are different and you can enter BOTH! All in-person winners and the top three online winners will be drawn right before the show. The remaining four online winners will be drawn and displayed right after the event. All online winners will be contacted via email the Monday following the event.
Enjoy the event in-person at the Palisades Tahoe Olympic Village Events Center on Friday, 12/5 at 6pm or livestream from home at 7pm! All event details can be found at Alpenglow Sports’ website.
About Alpenglow Sports:
Alpenglow Sports is an original California Mountain Shop that has been providing locals and visitors with inspiration, local knowledge and the best gear to enjoy the great outdoors since 1973. Based in Tahoe City, we take pride in being community, socially and environmentally responsible to ensure Lake Tahoe stays one of the best places to play, visit, and live in California.
About the Winter Speaker Series:
The Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series, presented by the North Tahoe Chamber, is an eagerly anticipated winter tradition for North Tahoe’s adventure community. With over 3,000 attendees annually, as well as a dynamic and global live stream component, the 20-year-old Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series has become one of the premier North American forums for adventure storytelling and community gathering.
The Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series blends two goals: 1) to inspire and motivate mountain athletes to pursue their own outdoor dreams and 2) to educate about, and raise funds for, non-profit organizations making a tangible difference in the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee community.
Five times per winter, a premier outdoor athlete presents an inspirational tale of adventure, creating a forum for motivation, inspiration and education. Past speakers of the Winter Speaker Series include Lynn Hill, Hilaree Nelson, Jeremy Jones, Emily Harrington, Cody Townsend, Alex Honnold, Adrian Ballinger, and more. The series runs from December through March at the Olympic Village Events Center at Palisades Tahoe. Every show is FREE to the public and all ages are encouraged to attend.
Each show is dedicated to a different nonprofit that has been selected through a rigorous application process, and to date, the Winter Speaker Series has raised nearly $2,500,000 for local organizations. Giveaway and bar proceeds, in conjunction with anonymous donations by the Donor Party, raise up to $100,000+ per show for a local nonprofit organization.
About the Donor Party:
The Donor Party arose in 2017 when Winter Speaker Series founder, Brendan Madigan, was approached by a community member who wanted to show his support by anonymously donating $2,500 to each of the five nonprofits represented that season. Since then, The Donor Party has grown to over 125 engaged locals responsible for a massive community philanthropic effort. The result is a collective, game-changing impact that has made a difference in the fabric of the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee communities. To date, the Donor Party, in combination with the Winter Speaker Series, has raised nearly $2,500,000 for local organizations.
Interested in donating? 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. Email info@alpenglowsports.com to learn more.
About the North Tahoe Chamber:
The North Tahoe Chamber’s purpose is to cultivate collaborative partnerships, serve as an engaging catalyst, and drive economic impact. Since 1954, the Chamber has supported a vibrant business community and enhanced the quality of life for North Lake Tahoe residents and visitors. Our priorities are realized through robust member benefits including, but not limited to access to business resources and regional information, networking opportunities, events, marketing and accounting support, workforce acquisition and training, and the formation of partnerships for talent development.
About the Truckee Dirt Union:
With sustainability, community involvement, and economic vitality at its core, Truckee Dirt Union (TDU) is working to harness the momentous growth within the outdoor space to create positive outcomes for mountain biking and the environment that holds it.
TDU is focused on creating a sustainable future for the mountain bike experience through a three-tiered collaborative approach involving: community activation and cultivation, stewardship and education, and access and outreach advocacy.
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Photo credit: Emily Harrington in Girl Climber; PC Glassberg
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