alpine county chamber of commerce

What alpine county chamber of commerce does

The Alpine County Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership organization serving Alpine County, California — the least populous county in the state with approximately 1,141 residents and 739 square miles of which 96% is publicly owned land. The Chamber functions as the central coordinating body for the county's tourism-dependent economy, operating the Markleeville Visitors Center at 3 Webster St. and maintaining the alpinecounty.com destination marketing website that promotes three sub-regions: Bear Valley/Lake Alpine, Kirkwood/Caples Lake/Hope Valley, and Markleeville/Woodfords. Its core activities are visitor information dissemination, local business support, community event promotion, and disaster resilience coordination with Alpine County government.

The Chamber's product set spans three membership tiers — Community Partner at $100/year, Small Business & Non-Profit Partner at $250/year, and Brick & Mortar Business Partner at $500/year — alongside the free monthly Alpine County Compass community newspaper, the annual Death Ride cycling event (103 miles, 5 mountain passes, 14,000 feet of elevation), and a portfolio of cultural event listings including the Bear Valley Music Festival and Wollystar Music Festival. It does not operate a proprietary technology platform; the website is hosted on Squarespace, payments flow through Square and PayPal, event submissions use Google Forms, and donation intake uses PayPal and GoFundMe.

The organization is funded through a combination of recurring membership dues, event registration fees (principally the Death Ride), tax-deductible donations, and a dedicated Business & Community Resilience Fund established after the 2022 flash flooding. It is governed by a small board (Clint Celio as Board President, John Briggum as Vice President/Treasurer, Nicolette Anderson as Board Member) and operated by an Executive Director (Becky DeForest) and a Volunteer Coordinator, with cross-promotional partnerships extending to six neighboring chambers, the California Tourism Commission, and federal/state land management agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and California State Parks.

Name

alpine county chamber of commerce

Legal name

Alpine County Chamber of Commerce

Website

https://alpinecounty.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Alpine County Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership organization serving California's least populous county, supporting local businesses and nonprofits through tiered annual memberships ($100–$500), tourism information, and community events including the annual Death Ride cycling event.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Markleeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Chamber generates revenue through three annual membership tiers: Community Partner ($100/year), Small Business & Non-Profit Partner ($250/year), and Brick & Mortar Business Partner ($500/year). Each tier unlocks progressively more benefits including workshops, bulk mailing access, website and social media listings, event calendar presence, pop-up use of the Visitors Center, ad space in The Alpine County Compass, and business spotlight features.
2. Donations and Resilience Fund Contributions: The Chamber accepts tax-deductible donations through PayPal and GoFundMe, including a dedicated Business & Community Resilience Fund established after the 2022 flash flooding and mudslide that cut off Highway 89 access to Markleeville. Donations support business recovery and community infrastructure.
3. Event Revenue (Death Ride): The Chamber hosts the annual Death Ride – Tour of the California Alps, a 103-mile cycling event with 14,000 feet of elevation gain crossing 5 mountain passes, typically held each July. Event registration fees contribute to Chamber revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Alpine County Chamber of Commerce operates a destination marketing and business-support organization for Alpine County, California. It sells tiered annual memberships to local businesses, nonprofits, and residents (Community Partner at $100/year, Small Business & Non-Profit Partner at $250/year, and Brick & Mortar Business Partner at $500/year) that unlock progressive benefits including website and social media listings, event calendar promotion, bulk mailing permit access, Visitors Center pop-up use, advertising in the monthly Alpine County Compass newspaper, and business spotlight features. It also operates the Markleeville Visitors Center, publishes the Alpine County Compass newsletter, and hosts the annual Death Ride – Tour of the California Alps cycling event.

Product overview

The Alpine County Chamber of Commerce operates a tourism-focused informational website and visitor services platform promoting California's least populous county between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. The platform consists of the AlpineCounty.com website providing comprehensive visitor information, the Alpine County Compass monthly community newspaper, and a three-tiered membership program (Community Partner at $100/year, Small Business & Non-Profit Partner at $250/year, and Brick & Mortar Business Partner at $500/year). The Chamber also hosts the annual Death Ride cycling event and maintains the Markleeville Visitors Center. The website covers recreation in three main regions: Bear Valley/Lake Alpine, Kirkwood/Caples Lake/Hope Valley, and Markleeville/Woodfords, featuring hiking trails, fishing waters, ski resorts, water sports rentals, camping, dining, and lodging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Partner Membership Entry-level membership tier at $100/year providing waste access in Markleeville, up to 4 Chamber workshops per year, the Alpine County Compass delivered by email, Chamber updates and announcements, and voting rights in Chamber Board elections. Designed for individual community supporters and entry-level members.
• Small Business & Non-Profit Partner Membership Mid-tier membership at $250/year including all Community Partner benefits plus access to the Chamber bulk mailing permit, listing on AlpineCounty.com, event listings on the community calendar, pop-up use of the Markleeville Visitors Center, event promotion and support, and (for non-profits) recurring calendar presence at The Beacon arranged by the Volunteer Coordinator.
• Brick & Mortar Business Partner Membership Premium membership at $500/year including all lower-tier benefits plus promotional listing on the Alpine County Map at 9–12 kiosks across the county, a minimum of 2 social media posts per year on @VisitAlpineCounty (3,700 followers), website and social media review with feedback on request, up to 3 ads per year in The Alpine County Compass, and a minimum of 1 business spotlight feature.
• Alpine County Compass Free monthly community newspaper created to keep Alpine County residents and visitors informed, connected, and inspired, with business spotlights, community news, events, and advertising space. Published 12 times per year, with past editions available on the Chamber website. Brick & Mortar members receive up to 3 ads per year included.
• Death Ride – Tour of the California Alps Annual 103-mile cycling event hosted by the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce featuring 5 mountain passes and 14,000 feet of elevation gain, scheduled for July 11th, 2026. Serves as the Chamber's flagship brand awareness and visitor attraction event, with registration fees contributing to Chamber revenue.
• Markleeville Visitors Center Physical visitors center located at 3 Webster St., Markleeville, CA 96120, open Friday–Monday 11:00 am–3:00 pm (summer hours) and 9:30 am–3:30 pm (per contact page). Provides maps, trail information, campfire permits, fishing licenses, and in-person membership enrollment. Also serves as a pop-up venue for Brick & Mortar members.
• Visitor Information Services Provides comprehensive free tourism information for Alpine County, including recreation activities (hiking, fishing, cycling, skiing, water sports), lodging, restaurants, campgrounds, local guides, and gear rentals across three regions: Bear Valley/Lake Alpine, Kirkwood/Caples Lake/Hope Valley, and Markleeville/Woodfords. Served through the AlpineCounty.com website.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

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Has API

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Core technology

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Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bureau of Land ManagementminorOthersBLM manages lands within Alpine County (including Indian Creek Recreation Area) and is listed as a partner resource on the Chamber's website under 'Alpine County Forests & Parks.'
• California Department of Fish and WildlifeminorOthersListed as a resource partner under forests and parks. The Chamber works with the department on fishing license sales and fish stocking activities throughout the county's rivers and lakes.
• El Dorado National ForestminorOthersPortions of Alpine County fall within El Dorado National Forest boundaries. Listed as a resource partner on the Chamber's forests and parks page.
• Stanislaus National ForestminorOthersStanislaus National Forest manages significant lands within Alpine County, including Lake Alpine and Bear Valley areas. Listed as a resource partner.
• Humboldt-Toiyabe National ForestminorOthersHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest manages portions of Alpine County and issues wilderness and Christmas tree permits. Listed as a resource partner.
• California State Parks (Grover Hot Springs State Park)minorOthersGrover Hot Springs State Park is a major attraction promoted through the Chamber. State Parks issues permits and manages the park within Alpine County.
• Amador County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a neighboring chamber and visitors information center on the Chamber's Partners & Resources page. Cross-promotional relationship driving regional tourism.
• Calaveras County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a neighboring chamber on the Partners & Resources page, serving as a cross-promotional tourism referral partner.
• Carson City Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCarson City is a key feeder market for Alpine County visitors. Listed as a neighboring visitors information center on the Partners & Resources page.
• Carson Valley Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCarson Valley's strong ties to Markleeville and Woodfords make it a key cross-promotional partner. Listed on the Partners & Resources page.
• North Lake Tahoe Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorth Lake Tahoe is a major feeder market for Alpine County tourism. Listed as a neighboring chamber on the Partners & Resources page.
• California Tourism CommissionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a resource partner, driving broader statewide tourism referral traffic to Alpine County.
• Reno Sparks Convention & Visitors AuthorityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWestern Nevada is a significant feeder market for Alpine County. Listed on the Partners & Resources page.
• Alpine County Fish and Game CommissionminorOthersThe Chamber co-funds fish stocking in Alpine County rivers through grants with the County of Alpine and this commission.
• Alpine County (County Government)coreOthersThe Chamber works closely with Alpine County government on economic development initiatives, the Business & Community Resilience Fund, and joint advocacy. County Economic Development Director JT Chevallier is quoted supporting the Chamber's resilience fund efforts. The county and Chamber jointly called for action to support businesses after the 2022 flood.
• Alpine County Resource Conservation DistrictminorOthersListed as a resource partner on the Chamber's Partners & Resources page under 'Resources' section.
• Bear Valley Music FestivalminorOthersThe longest-running cultural event in Alpine County, held each summer in July and August. The Chamber promotes the festival through its channels as a key tourism driver for the Bear Valley region.
• Wollystar Music FestivalminorOthersAnnual music festival in Alpine County (July 18–August 3, 2025). Promoted through the Chamber's event listings and partner channels.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau: Mother Lode/Sierra Nevada destination marketing organization. Similar mountain county tourism mandate with comparable visitor information and event hosting functions.
• Inyo County Tourism Commission: Small Eastern Sierra destination marketing body covering Death Valley and high Sierra. Comparable rural tourism mandate and small-population service area.
• Plumas County Visitors Bureau: A small Northern California mountain county destination marketing organization. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and rural tourism-economy focus to the Alpine County Chamber.
• Mono County Tourism (Visit Mammoth Lakes): Eastern Sierra destination marketing organization operating in a similarly remote, mountain-dependent tourism economy adjacent to Alpine County. Comparable in mountain tourism promotion and outdoor recreation focus.
• Mariposa County Tourism Bureau: Small California mountain county DMO serving Yosemite's western gateway. Comparable in promoting a rural, recreation-driven economy with a small population base.
• Sierra County Chamber of Commerce: Tiny Sierra Nevada mountain county chamber. Highly comparable scale and structure to Alpine County, both serving California mountain communities with limited commercial infrastructure.

Regional players

• Amador County Chamber of Commerce: Neighboring California foothill county chamber and active Alpine County cross-promotion partner. Comparable chamber membership model and small-town tourism mandate.
• Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce: Neighboring Mother Lode county chamber with formal cross-promotion relationship to Alpine County. Similar small-county membership business model.
• Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce: Western Nevada chamber with strong ties to Markleeville and Woodfords. Active Alpine County partner with comparable rural/mountain chamber mandate.

Broad incumbents

• North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce: Larger Lake Tahoe area chamber that serves as Alpine County's primary feeder market. Broader scope and scale but functions as a comparable business membership and visitor information organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CaltransDistrict10

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 →

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