Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series: Elyse Saugstad

That's right - January 17th Speaker Series is on a Wednesday this week with freeskier Elyse Saugstad: Where There's a Will, There's a Way, benefitting The Courage Project. 

On Wednesday, January 17th, the 18th annual Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series, presented by Tahoe Mountain Realty, continues with local freeskier and film producer Elyse Saugstad. 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. Despite winning the Freeride World Tour in 2008, being named Freeskiing Magazine’s Skier of the Year in 2018, and winning the Powder Video Awards Best Female Performance (twice), Saugstad has found herself on the outside of the ski industry, looking in. While hurdles throughout her ski life have been omnipresent, Saugstad has chiseled out a highly successful career through determination and grit. 

Be a part of the audience at the Palisades Tahoe Olympic Village Events Center or livestream the event from the comfort of your home via Alpenglow Sports’ YouTube channel. Both shows are FREE to the public and all ages are encouraged to attend. Doors open at 6pm with food also available for purchase from Mogrog Rotisserie. The show starts promptly at 7pm. Saugstad’s show is dedicated to the non-profit beneficiary of the evening, the Courage Project. 

With over 3,000 attendees annually, as well as a dynamic and global live stream component, the 18-year-old Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series has become one of the premier North American forums for adventure storytelling, community gathering and mountain town philanthropy. 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 November through March at the Olympic Village Events Center at Palisades Tahoe. 

Each show is dedicated to a different non-profit that has been selected through a rigorous application process, and to date, the Winter Speaker Series has raised over $1,350,000 for local organizations, not including the 2023-24 season. Giveaway and bar proceeds, plus a percentage of food sales, in conjunction with anonymous donations by the Donor Party, raise up to $75,000 per show for the selected non-profit organization. 

For the third Winter Speaker Series show of the 23-24 season, Saugstad will share how her 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. On Wednesday, January 17th, 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. Please note that this Wednesday show is an outlier and different from our traditional Thursdays. 

Through the generosity of Elyse's sponsors, including Arcade Belts, Hestra, Le Bent, Mammut, Orage, Tecnica/Blizzard, and Scott, there will be well over $15,000 in prizes given away. 

Food will be available for purchase from MOGROG Rotisserie, with 10% of proceeds benefiting the Courage Project, along with all bar proceeds from the event. Through mindful engagement in inspiring outdoor experiences, education, and training, The Courage Project seeks to enhance the lives of children who experience anxiety and depression, while disseminating evidence-informed behavioral healthcare throughout the North Lake Tahoe region. The Courage Project aims to increase access, reduce stigma, and establish a positive foundation for our community’s future mental health.