Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series: Conrad Anker & Malki Martin

The Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series is an eagerly anticipated winter tradition for North Tahoe’s adventure community. With over 4,000 attendees annually, the 16-year-old event has become one of the premier North American forums for adventure storytelling. For the 2021-22 season, each show will be presented in-person AND online in a virtual capacity.

Conrad Anker has been pushing the limits of mountaineering for the last 30 plus years. The Bozeman, Montana-based father of three is one a prolific explorer and mountaineer. Equally at home in Antarctica, the Himalaya or his home ice in Hyalite Canyon in southwestern Montana, Conrad continues a deep appreciation for wild places that was passed on from his father and grandfather who hailed from Big Oak Flat, California, just outside Yosemite National Park.

Throughout his career, Conrad has pioneered difficult new routes in the most remote places on earth and been a mentor to many, including Johnathan “Malik” Martin, a rock climber and Memphis native who has spent the last 5 years being dedicated to telling the different stories from his community. 

Malik Martin is the social media manager and photographer for Memphis Rox, a state of the art climbing gym that has transcended the classic model of business. With a “pay what you can” approach, Memphis Rox is more than a gym, and bigger than climbing. It’s a glimpse into the future where a climbing gym can become a crucible for diversity, inclusivity and community.

Anker and Martin met during the filming of the documentary “Black Ice,” which follows a crew of aspiring ice climbers from the Memphis Rox gym who travel to the frozen wilds of Montana, where Manoah Ainuu, Conrad Anker and Fred Campbell share their love of winter adventure in the mountains. The two will be discussing the documentary as well as bringing inclusivity to the outdoors.

As an innovator in youth development, Gateway Mountain Center’s mission is to positively transform the lives of youth. By connecting to self, nature, and community, youth of all backgrounds learn, heal and thrive. Through high-impact nature-based learning, wellness adventures, and innovative, non-traditional therapeutic approaches to mental health and wellness, Gateway Mountain Center has served over 25,000 youth of all backgrounds.

The Donor Party, the anonymous philanthropic arm of the Winter Speaker Series, will supplement the funds raised.

For the 16th annual season, we are excited to welcome the community back to in-person shows at Olympic Village Lodge, but in a limited capacity with Covid-19 safety precautions in place.

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. The Winter Speaker Series is the largest free community speaker series in the country that hosts the biggest names in the outdoor industry. Past speakers include Alex Honnold, Lynn Hill, Jeremy Jones, Glen Plake, Emily Harrington, Adrian Ballinger and more.

This five-show series runs from November through February at Olympic Valley Lodge at Palisades Tahoe and is entirely FREE. Each speaker is paired with a local non-profit that has been selected through a rigorous application process.

Covid-19 Safety Protocols

For those who cannot make the shows at Palisades Tahoe, we will continue to present each show in a virtual capacity.

Giveaway and bar proceeds, in conjunction with anonymous donations, raise more than $75,000 per show for local North Lake Tahoe non-profit organizations. At the culmination of the 16th annual Winter Speaker Series, the community will have collectively broken the $1 million raised mark.