Alpenglow Sports

What Alpenglow Sports does

Alpenglow Sports is a privately held specialty outdoor gear retailer founded approximately 50 years ago and continuously operating from a single flagship storefront at 415 North Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, California. The business curates and sells technical gear across six core product categories — Footwear, Running Gear, Apparel, Hike & Camp, Climbing, and Snow Sports — featuring premium brands such as Hoka, Salomon, La Sportiva, Patagonia, Arc'teryx, Black Diamond, Garmin, ACG, 7mesh, and Darn Tough Vermont. Beyond SKU-by-SKU retail, Alpenglow sells curated Apparel Kits, operates a year-round Booqable-powered Demo Gear rental program (backpacking, snow sports, avalanche safety), and runs a $25 lifetime Alpenglow Card loyalty membership offering 10% off orders.

Underlying technology is minimal and consumer-facing only: a Shopify storefront at alpenglowsports.com with in-store pickup integration and a Booqable rental booking site. The company has no proprietary software, no API or SDK surface, and no mobile app. The business makes money primarily through one-time retail transactions (footwear $155-$260, technical outerwear $130-$549, ski boots and backcountry gear exceeding $1,000), supplemented by demo gear rentals, the lifetime membership program, and sponsorship-driven event economics (Broken Arrow Skyrace presenting sponsor ACG and tier partners Garmin, LEKI, Julbo, Tailwind, Black Diamond, Darn Tough, and Sidas).

The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by the Mountain Running Club (free weekly group runs June-October with Strava integration), the annual Winter Speaker Series featuring elite athletes, the Afterglow podcast, and ownership of the Broken Arrow Skyrace at Palisades Tahoe. The customer base is a horizontal segment of Lake Tahoe and broader Sierra Nevada outdoor recreation enthusiasts — runners, climbers, backcountry skiers, splitboarders, hikers, and backpackers — served through both in-person expert advice and direct-to-consumer e-commerce shipping across the U.S. Brendan Madigan is the founder and owner.

Name

Alpenglow Sports

Legal name

Alpenglow Sports

Website

https://alpenglowsports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alpenglow Sports is a specialty outdoor gear retailer founded ~50 years ago in Tahoe City, California, selling curated technical footwear, apparel, and equipment for trail running, backcountry skiing, climbing, and camping through a single flagship store and Shopify e-commerce site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Outdoor Gear Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail (CRAMABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Travel Gear (Duffels, Packs, Dry Bags) Retail (CRAMAAAI), Ski & Snowboard Equipment Retail (Skis, Boards, Boots, Bindings, Poles) (CRAMAJAA), Ski & Snowboard Protective Gear Retail (Helmets, Goggles, Pads, Back Protectors) (CRAMAJAC)

Keywords

• Outdoor gear retail
• Specialty sporting goods
• Backcountry equipment
• Trail running apparel
• Camping and climbing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tahoe City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Revenue is generated through direct sales of outdoor gear and apparel at the physical Tahoe City store and via the alpenglowsports.com e-commerce site. Products span footwear, apparel, climbing, running, backcountry skiing, splitboarding, and camping categories. The store also sells demo gear and offers an 'Alpenglow Card' lifetime membership for recurring customer engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alpenglow Sports is a specialty outdoor gear retailer operating a single flagship store in Tahoe City, California and an integrated e-commerce storefront. It sells curated footwear, running gear, apparel, hike and camp, climbing, and snow sports equipment from trusted brands, supplemented by demo gear rental services, curated apparel kits, a paid lifetime loyalty membership, and signature community events including the Mountain Running Club, Winter Speaker Series, and the Broken Arrow Skyrace.

Product overview

Alpenglow Sports is a specialty outdoor gear retail store located lakeside in Tahoe City, California. The company operates as a multi-category retail platform offering footwear, apparel, and equipment across five core product lines: Footwear (trail running, hiking, winter boots, sandals), Running Gear (packs, poles, hydration), Apparel (baselayers, softshells, technical outerwear), Hike & Camp (tents, sleeping gear, cookware), Climbing (shoes, harnesses, hardware), and Snow Sports (backcountry skis, splitboards, avalanche safety). Beyond retail, Alpenglow offers curated Apparel Kits (pre-bundled gear packages), a Demo Gear Services program (equipment testing), and community programs including the Mountain Running Club and Winter Speaker Series. The company also organizes the Broken Arrow Skyrace event and curates Race Ready Items for competitive trail runners. All products are available through their Shopify e-commerce platform with year-round and seasonal demo programs powered by Booqable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Footwear Retail footwear category offering trail running, hiking, gravel, road running, winter boots, and sandals for men and women, featuring brands like Hoka, Salomon, La Sportiva, and Norda.
• Running Gear Retail running gear category offering packs, poles, hydration systems, and accessories for trail and mountain running, including Salomon, Leki, and Hydrapak products.
• Apparel Retail technical outdoor apparel category including baselayers, running kits, backpacking kits, softshell kits, and storm day apparel from brands like Patagonia, Arc'teryx, 7mesh, and ACG.
• Hike & Camp Retail hike and camp category offering backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, pads, camp kitchen, hydration, lighting, and safety gear for multi-day backpacking and camping.
• Climbing Retail climbing category offering climbing shoes, harnesses, ropes, hardware, chalk, crash pads, and climbing accessories for gym and outdoor climbing.
• Snow Sports Retail snow sports category offering backcountry skiing, splitboarding, telemark, cross country skiing equipment and accessories, plus avalanche safety gear, snowshoes, and mountaineering equipment.
• Health & Nutrition Retail health and nutrition category offering recovery products, snacks, energy food, sport drinks, and supplements for athletic performance and endurance.
• Demo Gear Services Year-round equipment demo program allowing customers to rent and test backpacking gear (tents, sleeping pads, backpacks), winter sports equipment (skis, boots, splitboards), and avalanche safety gear before committing to a purchase.
• Apparel Kits Pre-curated outdoor apparel bundles including Running Kits (men's and women's), Backpacking Kits, Breathable Softshell Kit, Hybrid Softshell Kit, Storm Day Kit, and Spring Skiing Kit, designed to provide complete, staff-validated outfits for specific activities.
• Race Ready Items Hand-picked trail running gear collection including shoes, poles, nutrition, sunglasses, headlamps, hydration, and sun protection specifically selected for Broken Arrow Skyrace performance, with sponsor brand exclusivity and limited-edition drops.
• Alpenglow Card Membership Paid $25 lifetime loyalty membership providing a 10% discount on orders (excluding select exclusive and limited-edition products and Garmin items) and access to Alpenglow Sports events and exclusive offerings.
• Broken Arrow Skyrace Event Four-day, 10-distance skyrace event at Palisades Tahoe featuring technical mountain running with exposure, scrambling, and altitude challenges, with Alpenglow Sports serving as the exclusive retail partner offering Race Ready gear and exclusive discounts to participants.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• ACG (All Conditions Gear)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026ACG is the presenting sponsor of the Broken Arrow Skyrace. Alpenglow Sports, owned by Brendan Madigan who is also co-race director, is the exclusive retail partner for the Broken Arrow Skyrace. The partnership features the 'Race Ready' curated gear collection and exclusive ACG product drops only available at the race.
• Broken Arrow SkyraceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpenglow Sports is the exclusive retail partner for the Broken Arrow Skyrace, a four-day, 10-distance event at Palisades Tahoe (June 18-21, 2026). Owner Brendan Madigan is co-race director. The shop offers Broken Arrow runners exclusive discounts on cutting-edge products and curated Race Ready items.
• Darn Tough VermontcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor. Darn Tough supplies premium performance socks featured in Race Ready Essentials. The brand is prominently featured in apparel and socks sections of the store.
• LEKIcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor and supplier of running poles. LEKI Ultratrail FX.One Superlite is the official Race Ready pole of the Broken Arrow Skyrace.
• GarmincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor providing GPS watches (Fenix 8 series, inReach Mini 3 Plus) for the Broken Arrow Skyrace. Garmin products are featured in Race Ready Tech section.
• JulbocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor and supplier of performance eyewear for the Broken Arrow Skyrace, featuring the Kilian Jornet signature eyewear collection.
• Tailwind NutritioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor providing endurance fuel and hydration products featured in Race Ready Nutrition section.
• Black DiamondcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor providing headlamps (Storm 450, Spot 400, Cosmo 350) for the event.
• Sidas / 3FeetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor providing insoles (3Feet Trail V2, Run Protect Mid, Run Sense Mid) for the Broken Arrow Skyrace.
• NeversecondminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor providing energy gels and fuel bars (C30 Energy Gel, C30 Fuel Bar) for the event.
• NomadixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRace Ready sponsor providing original towels and changing ponchos for the Broken Arrow Skyrace.
• StravaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMountain Running Club uses Strava as its platform for tracking runs and community engagement, with an official Alpenglow Sports Mountain Running Club Strava group.
• Mountainfilm on TourminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlpenglow Sports hosts Mountainfilm on Tour events, bringing documentary films and storytelling to the Lake Tahoe community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Backcountry: Backcountry.com is a leading online specialty retailer of outdoor and active lifestyle gear spanning footwear, apparel, backcountry ski/snowboard, climbing, camping, and running — directly comparable to Alpenglow Sports' multi-category outdoor assortment targeting enthusiast consumers. Both compete for the same outdoor-recreation wallet and curate premium-brand selection (Patagonia, Arc'teryx, Hoka, Salomon).
• Evo: Evo is a specialty action-sports and outdoor retailer with a flagship experience store (Seattle), strong e-commerce presence, and deep community/event programming around skiing, snowboarding, and mountain culture. It is highly comparable to Alpenglow Sports in combining curated premium gear, expert staff, and event-led brand-building for a similar customer persona.
• Moosejaw: Moosejaw is an outdoor specialty retailer (online-led, with store presence) carrying apparel, footwear, climbing, camping, and snow-sports gear targeted at enthusiast consumers. Its assortment, customer segment, and brand mix overlap substantially with Alpenglow Sports' categories and brands.
• Sun & Ski Sports: Sun & Ski Sports is a multi-store specialty outdoor and action-sports retailer selling footwear, apparel, ski/snowboard, camping, and running gear from premium brands. Its category mix, premium-brand positioning, and enthusiast target customer make it a comparable specialty retailer to Alpenglow Sports.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op: REI is the dominant U.S. outdoor co-op retailer operating a national chain of stores plus a large e-commerce platform, carrying the same footwear, apparel, camping, climbing, and snow-sports categories as Alpenglow Sports. While vastly larger and broader in assortment, REI is the reference competitor for community-driven specialty outdoor retail that Alpenglow competes with at the local Tahoe level.
• Public Lands: Public Lands is a specialty outdoor retail chain launched by Dick's Sporting Goods carrying premium apparel, footwear, camping, climbing, and snow gear from brands similar to those carried by Alpenglow. It competes for the same outdoor enthusiast shopper at greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Others

• Patagonia: Patagonia is a leading outdoor apparel and gear brand that Alpenglow Sports carries in its apparel assortment, with its own growing direct-to-consumer retail and outlet footprint. It is relevant as both a key supplier and an indirect competitor as the brand invests in DTC and its own experiential retail.

Regional players

• Mammoth Mountain Sporting Goods: Mammoth Mountain-area retailers in the Eastern Sierra serve a similar mountain-town outdoor enthusiast customer base with overlapping assortments of ski, snowboard, trail running, and camping gear. They are comparable as fellow California mountain-resort specialty retailers but operate in a different geography from Alpenglow's North Lake Tahoe footprint.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alpenglowsports
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlpenglowSports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alpenglow-sports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alpenglow Sports