The Avalanche Hour Podcast

Nikola and Stele are Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) members. The HGSS has been operating for over 75 years, primarily tending to cave rescues, ocean rescue, rock rescue, and more recently, avalanche rescue. It is a nationwide rescue organization with over 2500 members. The alpine terrain in the country is minimal, but the country is an exporter of avalanche victims. Including a prolific accident that killed a member of the organization and injured several others in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina. Nikola and Stele have been involved with HGSS since they were young adults and serve as lead trainers, organizing international workshops for their organization's avalanche commission. HGSS has gained status as an ICAR delegate organization, and as of 2019 they regularly bring US avalanche instructors over to teach their team the emerging standards of North America. Working with these two on several custom programs, I have gotten to know their team and admire the commitment they place on advanced alpine…

Tune in for a great evening of live storytelling from ISSW 2026. Sara and Dom brought the Slabs 'n Sluff vibe to the Whistler audience and were joined by an amazing crew 8 of professionals from the snow and avalanche community. The theme of ISSW is “A Merging of Theory and Practice” so we let our storytellers loose with a request to “tell us a 5-7min story of a time when theory met practice in your career.” The stories: Erich Peitzsch - “Mistakes were made but we continued learning…Right?!” Erin Talor - “When practice precedes their: turning an unexpected situation into a learning opportunity” Chris Kaipio - “The memory factor and risk taking.” Helene Steiner - “Retreat!” Jordy Shepherd - “To heliski or not to heliski: managing a significant buried persistent weak layer while running a relatively new heli-ski operation.” Eeva Latosua - “There must be a rule for this.” Drew Hardesty - “Backcountry avalanche forecasting: from theory to practice.” Penny Goddard - “When theory doesn’t explain practice.” Thanks…

Season 11 is just around the corner, kicking off October 1st. Join us for a shout out to one of our sponsors - Austin Powder, a major manufacturer of explosive products for the avalanche industry. Hear a bit about the history of the company, a time when the North American avalanche industry was close to starting a winter season without an explosive supplier, and stay tuned until the end to hear some observations and insights on cornice blasting and case charging. Learn about the history of the Avalauncher, and how mining rock blasting and avalanche control blasting are more similar than it might seem. Host Dom is joined by Braden Schmidt, Austin Powder Avalanche Global President and Michael Blancher, Austin Powder Technical Manager. Both Braden and Michael have decades of experience in the avalanche industry and bring their expertise to their role supporting avalanche operations with technical blasting challenges. Braden Schmidt has worked in Explosives Avalanche Control Operations since 2004. He is a…

Setting the Track Juliana Garcia grew up climbing the volcanoes of Ecuador and became an international mountain guide—but skiing was the piece of the puzzle she still wanted to solve. In this episode, Brooke Maushund sits down with Juliana Garcia. Juliana takes us through her journey from climbing Cotopaxi as a teenager to becoming an IFMGA guide, learning snow and avalanche science as an adult, and bringing that knowledge back to the Andes. We talk about breaking into the guiding world as the first woman in several of her training programs, the mentors who helped shape her career, the evolution of avalanche education in Ecuador, and her work supporting the next generation of mountain guides. From Ecuador to Colorado, Alaska, and beyond, Juliana's story is about persistence, curiosity, mentorship, and finding a way to keep learning—no matter how long the journey takes. In this episode: Ecuador • Andes • Ski Guiding • Avalanche Education • IFMGA • Women in Guiding • Mentorship • Snow Science Thank you to the…

Unlike a lot of snow and avalanche professionals, Jerry Roberts spent a fair amount of time hanging out around San Francisco, soaking up the Buddhist-infused literary scene of the '60s. He developed a deep affection for some very old school snow enthusiasts: Basho, Issa, Buson, and other 18th-century Japanese poets. He went on to a lengthy career forecasting for the Colorado Avalance Information Center, the Colorado Department of Transportation, even Quentin Tarantino. Along the way, he's written a number of his own wintry haiku. He joins us to share stories and wisdom from a lifetime in the snowy mountains, as well as a few poems. Jerry passed away in September of 2023. Drew's writing for Jerry: Summer's End The Assistant Spiritual Director Gets a Promotion

Summer Series #3 We continue our summer series with a cross-air of one of our favorite podcasts, ⁠Delivering Adventure⁠. Why is it so important to imagine the worst-case scenario? What happens when we don’t? In this episode of Delivering Adventure, Chris and Jordy share a few examples from their adventure industry careers to illustrate the importance of considering the worst-case scenario. They also talk about some of the factors that can compromise our ability to foresee what can happen if things don’t go to plan and how we can avoid falling into these traps. Chris Kaipio has been working in the adventure guiding industry as a guide, instructor, trainer, manager and content developer since 1991. Jordy Shepard is an internationally certified ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide, guide trainer, an avalanche educator, rescue specialist, and a former park warden. Key Takeaways How we can imagine the wort-case scenario: Consider What can Reasonably Happen: This involves asking ourselves what all the possible negative…

2026 Summer Series #2 On 22 April 2023, a group of three were caught in an avalanche in the Godmother Couloir in Lyngen, in Northern Norway. Two of them were severely injured and had to be airlifted out for life-saving treatment. It was a matter of life and death… One managed to get out on his own and rushed to the hospital. Niels Sole Semb and Victor Rizzardi speak openly and honestly about their experience from the day of the accident—what went wrong, and what lessons can be learned. We are grateful to be able to share this story with the listeners of The Avalanche Hour and hope that you will learn something from this excellent episode originally recorded, produced, and released by Skredpodden. You can find a video of a presentation Niels gave about this incident here. Thank you to our current season long sponsors: Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund Drone Amplified Austin Powder PeakVisor We are currently looking for sponsors and underwriting to continue production. See availability and…

What do we actually mean when we call something a deep persistent slab? Does the name help—or does it create confusion? In this episode, Caleb sits down with Grant Statham, Bruce Jamieson, and Mark Staples for a thoughtful discussion sparked by a letter Grant wrote after listening to a previous episode. The conversation explores whether avalanches failing near the ground deserve their own distinct classification, how terminology shapes terrain decisions, and the challenge of communicating complex snowpack problems to both professionals and the public. From heli-ski run lists to avalanche forecasting, this is a conversation about language, uncertainty, and the evolving way we think about avalanche problems. The Nine Avalanche Problems Through the Lens of Crayola Crayons, by Dallas Glass Season 11 Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities are available. Click here to find out more. Thanks to Angie Lake for Production Support Thanks to Cameron Griffin for Website support Logo Artwork: Mike Tea

Join us for our seventh installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with your hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker, joined by Caleb Merrill! The crew discuss spring adventures, summer skiing, and cows raiding Caleb’s food cache at an Andes basecamp! They also review recent episodes from April and May and preview a few exciting things coming up on the Avalanche Hour Podcast. Tune in to hear from Scott Thumlert and Simon Horton of the ISSW 2026 technical committee to learn more about the process of getting 100s of abstracts ready presenting next fall in Whistler. Avalanche Hour Podcast hosts Brooke Shiny Edwards, Sean Zimmerman-Wall and Joe Stock leave messages for the crew to shout out learning moments and moments of gratitude from their seasons. Episode Summary: Sara, Caleb and Dom discuss spring adventures, summer skiing and the challenges of keeping a food cache away from a herd of hungry cows. Review of the last month of programming, highlighting interviews that captured the hosts imagination or got us thinking The joys of…

Episode Summary: - A conversation with AVSS introduces PAMS, a Precision Avalanche Management System, designed to reliably drop explosives from a drone platform. - The episode explores the prior experience AVSS brings to the avalanche industry from remote drone operations in logistics and military contexts. - The conversation looks at the development process and field testing with Jasper National Park. - A glimpse at the next 12 months of testing through an early-adopter program. In this episode of The Avalanche Hour Podcast, hosts Caleb Merrill and Dom Baker sit down with the team at AVSS for a conversation about the development process of creating a drone based avalanche control system from the ground up. You will hear how this technology aims to create opportunities for greater worker safety, reliability of avalanche hazard management and the evolving list of use cases. The episode also examines how these tools could fit into existing avalanche mitigation strategies and what their growing presence signals…

In this episode of The Avalanche Hour Podcast, host Brooke “Shiny” Edwards talks with Izzy Davis, a first-year avalanche forecaster at the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center. Izzy shares her path into the ski industry, from growing up in Western Colorado to working as a ski patroller, and eventually moving into public avalanche forecasting. The conversation also touches on a significant personal event: the sudden loss of her partner, Willy Bartlett, while they were skiing together. Izzy reflects on what it was like to be present during the incident and how that experience has influenced both her personal life and her professional direction. Izzy discusses how she has navigated grief while continuing her work in the mountain environment, and how that process has shaped her outlook over time. She speaks about the importance of recognizing the fragility of life, finding moments of gratitude, and continuing to engage meaningfully with her work. The episode offers a thoughtful look at how personal experiences can…

Tune in for candid stories and a humorous take on the roots of Canadian avalanche work. Bruce Jamieson is joined by Larry Stanier to interview Roddy McGowan. Roddy McGowan is a veteran Canadian mountain guide and avalanche professional who carved out his career the hard way, starting as a ski bum in Whistler in the late 1970s before working his way onto ski patrol at Lake Louise and into the renowned avalanche program at Rogers Pass. Known for his persistence, he failed multiple guiding courses before eventually earning his credentials and going on to guide, and complete major ski traverses across western Canada. Over decades in the mountains, he combined hands-on experience while collecting a lifetime of stories—from early dirtbag winters to serious close calls that shaped his perspective on risk and decision-making. Now retired from guiding and living in Japan, Roddy stays connected to the mountains, still observing snow and reflecting - often with wit - on a career in the mountains. Larry has worked in…

Episode Summary: - A conversation with Drone Amplified, the team introduces Montis, a drone-based system designed to deliver explosives remotely with greater precision and safety. - The episode traces the history of avalanche mitigation, from early explosive use in 1939 to modern tools aimed at reducing human exposure. - Technology evolved from wildland firefighting and what makes its electronic ignition system a significant advancement. - A forward-looking perspective on how emerging technologies like drones may reshape the industry in the years ahead In this episode of The Avalanche Hour Podcast, host Caleb Merrill sits down with the team at Drone Amplified for a conversation rooted around a single question: how can the avalanche industry continue to use effective avalanche mitigation strategies while reducing the significant hazard exposure for avalanche workers? They explore the evolution of avalanche control technology and introduce Montis, a drone-based system designed to deliver explosives remotely…

In this episode of The Avalanche Hour, Caleb Merrill makes another appearance to sit down with Mark Staples, director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, and avalanche researcher/educator Bruce Jamieson. The group discuss heavyweight topics in the avalanche industry such as snow-surface energy exchange, near-surface faceting, and communicating avalanche hazard. Staples recounts his path from powder skiing to avalanche work, his research on snow-surface energy balance, and his experience connecting with varied user groups. Jamieson describes collaborating with Staples on educational videos and credits Karl Birkeland’s 1998 papers for focusing attention on near-surface faceting. Staples also contrasts surface hoar (vapor deposition) with near-surface facets (metamorphism of existing snow grains), and they cover conditions that promote growth, including cooling to a clear sky and relative humidity. The conversation also explores simplifying avalanche problem types, terrain-based risk management,…

Join us for our sixth installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with your hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker! Sara and Dom discuss the joy of powder turns in low hazard terrain, slope tests on small features and the upcoming spring skiing season. They also review recent episodes from March and take a look at what is coming up for April on the Avalanche Hour Podcast. Tune in to hear from the ISSW 2026 organizing committee about everything to look forward to from Whistler next fall. Sara Boilen holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver (2011). Professionally, she works with individuals who have had interactions with the justice system often in the spirit of helping to make sense of behavior and context. She has taken her professional interests and merged it with her recreational interests to contribute to the field of avalanche sciences in her free time. She is specifically interested in human-related problems and solutions. Dr. Boilen has presented at seven Snow and Avalanche Workshops and at…

Summary of the Conversation: -Exploring the societal pressures as human factor on professional athletes -Sasha shares how she balances decision making in the backcountry with a very mindful approach inclusive of her nervous system -Sasha cracks the code on the best Human Factor Hack; creating mindful presence in a meditative, naturalist inquisitive approach to the mountains. -Sasha talks about the preventative nature of choosing backcountry partners by engaging in conversations that share each others unique stress signatures and what each partner needs in high risk scenarios. Sasha is a professional skier and meditation teacher, and the founder and director of Mountain Mind Project. She has spent her lifetime training her mind and body. Sasha has competed at the highest level of skiing and mountain biking, winning the Freeskiing World Tour and competing on the Freeride World Tour and Enduro World Series. In high school, she was invited to travel with the National Development System and race internationally…

Join us in giving a warm welcome to Lynne Wolfe for her first official episode as a host with the Avalanche Hour Podcast as she shares a thoughtful and reflective conversation with Eric Trenbeath and Brad Meiklejohn. A lot has changed about the avalanche industry in 34 years, but one thing we will never lose is the presence of uncertainty when we make decisions in avalanche terrain. On February 12th, 1992, ⁠an avalanche occurred in the Talking Mountain Cirque of Upper Gold Basin ⁠in the La Sal Mountains of SE Utah. This accident involved six expert-level backcountry skiers and tragically claimed the lives of four: Mark Yates (contacted UAC Forecaster), Maribel Loveridge, Jeremy Hopkins, and Bill Turk. The group reflects on the terrain, snowpack, and heuristic factors that contributed to this incident, expanding these ideas to similar trends they see continuing in our community today and offering these lessons as learning opportunities for us all to bring into the mountains. The biggest takeaway: maintain a…

Science and experience-built intuition are a composite - they are stronger together than they are separate, especially when we start to see things that we have never seen before. Join Gabrielle Antonioli and Karl Birkeland for an expansive conversation on the critical factors we weigh each day: uncertainty, decision-making scales, and a reflective discussion on how we are strongest when we embrace both sides of the avalanche industry. A snow scientist might not make the best guide if they only stay in the lab but field practitioners need a cross-referenced resource to better face & understand an increasingly dynamic and variable snowpack/climate where outliers are increasingly becoming the new normal. These thoughts are what prompted Karl to write The Starting Zone Book for practitioners, scientists, and everyone in between. Conversation Highlights: - There is uncertainty in all of our assessments, but as we better understand the science behind avalanche mechanics, we can better understand the uncertainty…

Join us for our fifth installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with Sara Boilen and the return of co-host, Dom Baker! Sara and Dom discuss hazard forecasting and the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale. They also review February and take a look at what is coming up for March on the Avalanche Hour Podcast. Sara Boilen holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver (2011). Professionally, she works with individuals who have had interactions with the justice system often in the spirit of helping to make sense of behavior and context. She has taken her professional interests and merged it with her recreational interests to contribute to the field of avalanche sciences in her free time. She is specifically interested in human-related problems and solutions. Dr. Boilen has presented at seven Snow and Avalanche Workshops and at ISSW in Norway. She has written articles for The Avalanche Review and was a co-author on the recently proposed conceptual framework for human factors in avalanche…

Caleb Merrill is back to interview Dan Abrams for a reflective conversation on a tragic avalanche accident. Tune in for a conversation that stems from the soul…. soul skiing that is, and the endless search for those perfect powder turns that brings our small community of soul skiers & riders together. Dan and Caleb center the conversation’s focus on recounting the Tunnel Creek avalanche accident that Dan was involved with back in 2012. This accident was followed by significant media coverage and quickly drew attention across the country. The New York Times eventually produced a Pulitzer Prize-winning multimedia feature called Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek about the accident, produced by reporter John Branch. Dan reflects on the lessons he learned from this event and how it has shaped his life today. He highlights that we should put greater focus on our motivations or expectations for a backcountry touring day and how we should change our plans to better align with those goals. We should also make…

Our next episode is out! Joe Stock sits down with Mik Dalpes for a conversation centered around leadership and culture in the avalanche industry. Mik grew up in Minnesota where she formed a passion for skiing. Her career includes spending time as a ski patroller, Outward Bound Instructor, Park Ranger, avalanche educator, and Avalanche Forecaster for the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center. Mik had 2 children along the way and has become very interested in what types of leaders and cultures make people thrive in the avalanche industry. Interview Highlights: - Good leaders build a culture that is healthy, which includes treating people the same, handling mistakes well, and having a good balance of confidence and humility - Women should be treated the same as any other person who has a medical condition when they are pregnant and breastfeeding - A wide variety of skills are needed to be an avalanche professional and equal value should be placed on all of these skills including emotional and social skills.…

Be More Selective, Not More Careful: Hot Takes from the Avalanche Industry Interview Highlights: - A terrain-first avalanche education reset: clear language, fewer false certainties, better decision framing. - Real-world mentorship you can actually build: “friendtorship” structures, debrief prompts, and partner feedback that scales from rec to pro. - Inclusion that’s operational, not performative: how All In Ice Fest trains guides and changes who feels welcome (and safer) in mountain spaces. Jason Antin sits down with Kristin Arnold and Sheldon Kerr of Moxie for a candid, wide-ranging conversation that starts at All In Ice Fest at the Ouray Ice Park—and quickly moves into some very real hot takes on the snow and avalanche industry. Tune in to hear Kristin and Sheldon pull no punches as they share experience-backed perspectives on avalanche education, decision-making, and the systems we’ve built around them. Along the way, they unpack how All In has grown into a major gathering designed for BIPOC, adaptive,…

Interview Highlights: - Coming home each day is always the goal, and debriefing seems to be a helpful tool in adding expertise to our experience. - Debriefing can look many different ways. It can happen in real time during an outing, known as a rolling debrief, or it can happen at the end of the day, and even at a later time. - Ian and Sara posit that our debriefing skills are in need of attention, and that different personal and environmental factors impact how well we perform this critical task. - While professionals participating in a debrief often have a defined leader, recreational users benefit from peer leadership. About our guests: Sara Boilen holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver (2011). Professionally, she works with individuals who have had interactions with the justice system often in the spirit of helping to make sense of behavior and context. She has taken her professional interests and merged it with her recreational interests to contribute to the field of…

Join us for our fourth installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with Sara Boilen and guest co-host, Sean Zimmerman-Wall! Sara and Sean review January and take a look at what is coming up for February in the Avalanche Hour Podcast. We also hear an update from Dom. Sara Boilen holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver (2011). Professionally, she works with individuals who have had interactions with the justice system often in the spirit of helping to make sense of behavior and context. She has taken her professional interests and merged it with her recreational interests to contribute to the field of avalanche sciences in her free time. She is specifically interested in human-related problems and solutions. Dr. Boilen has presented at seven Snow and Avalanche Workshops and at ISSW in Norway. She has written articles for The Avalanche Review and was a co-author on the recently proposed conceptual framework for human factors in avalanche terrain. She lives in Northwest Montana and will carry…

Pascal Haegeli’s career path is anything but conventional. After completing his Master’s degree in Switzerland, he moved to Canada in the mid-1990s – where he found the opportunity of a lifetime. There he built an academic career and became a very influential researcher in avalanche risk management, shaping safety practices across North America and beyond. Today, Pascal is an Associate Professor and Director of the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and leads the SFU Avalanche Research Group (SARP). His team’s work spans everything from avalanche forecasting, snowpack and hazard modelling to operational decision-making practices and risk communication. This spring, Pascal begins an exciting new chapter: returning to Switzerland as Head of Avalanche Research and Prevention at the SLF in Davos. He brings decades of international experience back to where his journey began - strengthening collaboration across the Atlantic. Interview Highlights: - How chance,…

Joe Stock and Luc Mehl have been on many adventures together. Join them for a great conversation about risk management in wild places. In Joe's words: Luc Mehl is one of Alaska’s foremost adventurers, filling the gap between Roman Dial and Dick Griffith. He’s been at the forefront of ski traversing, packrafting, wild ice skating and now wilderness risk management. Luc grew up in rural Alaska and has traveled over 10,000 miles of the state by foot, ski, pedal, paddle, and ice skate. Luc's work has earned several national awards, two for The Packraft Handbook, and others for public service in boating safety and leadership in wilderness risk management. Luc's business, Triple Point Training, provides wilderness risk management and rescue training. Luc’s Triple Point Training: https://triplepointtraining.com Luc’s Podcast and blog: https://thingstolucat.com/ Interview highlights Luc grew up in rural Alaska and it shaped his life ahead. Luc shares the story of a few of his big mountain ski trips including road to…

“Science is What We Do to Keep from Lying to Ourselves” ~ Richard Feynman. In this conversation, Bruce Jamieson is back to interview Dr. Karl Birkeland and Joe Stock for a deep dive into snow science. Jamieson brings us with him on a snow science journey alongside two of the industry’s top authors and experts on snow avalanches. Their conversations comment on the importance of the science side of the industry as “understanding how things work allows us to anticipate conditions that are outside of our experience.” Interview Highlights: - Stopping to dig a snow pit or review & interpret observations helps groups engage with the snowpack, fosters curiosity, and encourages collaborative decision-making - Long-term practitioners often become humble and curious due to encountering surprises and unknowns in avalanche work - The amount of science needed depends on the individual and their goals; more knowledge can help practitioners and recreationists make better decisions, especially in unfamiliar conditions -…

Morgan Dinsdale is a professional ski guide, writer, holistic nutritionist and the Founder and Executive Director of the State of the Snowpack, a public safety non-profit dedicated to connecting avalanche professionals with their local communities across the mountain communities of Canada. A Canadian Ski Guide Association (CSGA) Level 2 Ski Guide and the first Level 2 ever elected to the CSGA Board of Directors, Morgan spends her winters guiding for Whistler Heli-Skiing and Selkirk Snowcat Skiing. Her career blends her deep love for skiing with heartfelt storytelling, mentorship, and a passion for creating more connection, compassion, playfulness and transparency in the backcountry. Outside of guiding, Morgan is a devoted long-distance thru-hiker, having walked thousands of miles around the world, from New Zealand's Te Araroa to the Continental Divide Trail. She feels most herself in truly wild places, often with her beloved dog, Teddy Bear, by her side. In a profession often defined by grit and bravado,…

In this episode, Matthias Walcher sits down with Jürg Schweizer for a deep dive on a career focused on snow science. Jürg Schweizer studied environmental physics at ETH Zurich and joined SLF, at that time still up on the Weissfluhjoch, after completing his PhD. He spent a formative year conducting research at Rogers Pass in Canada. He rose from researcher to head of the world’s most renowned institute in the field, leading pioneering work that shaped modern avalanche science. Along the way, he mentored dozens of young scientists who now advance our understanding of snow and avalanches worldwide. Interview highlights: - How avalanche research has changed over the decades. - What it takes to build a career in avalanche science. - Why 4,000 feet of snow pits still hold surprises. - The importance of good mentorship. Resources cited in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/whiteriskslf/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/slfdavos/?hl=en Links to many of his publications can be found here:…

In memory of Judson Wright, this is a special re-airing of a Season 6 interview with him. Judson was a father and a husband first, and the founder and lead guide of Kootenay Backcountry Guides. He was the co-founder of State of the Snowpack, and lead guide of White Grizzly Snowcat Skiing. He was also the most enthusiastic crossing guard you ever met. Judson guided with the principle that if you are doing it for yourself then you are no longer guiding. He loved to share the joy of powder skiing and seeing people light up as they fall in love with it. We’re going to miss you Jud. Rest in Powder. Summary of the Episode: - Wisdom shared from years of guiding and moving through the mountains - Philosophies on good guiding and instruction - At the end of the day, it’s just skiing. We all need to come home to our families. The Judson Wright Legacy Fund was established by Judson’s wife Kelly. This fund will support initiatives that reflect Judson’s values, including backcountry awareness and education. Find the fund…

This panel discussion was part of the Bend Snow & Avalanche Workshop (BendSAW), hosted by the Central Oregon Avalanche Center and originally recorded on November 8th, 2025. The panel brought together Margaret Wheeler, Liz King, Jason Boone and Kevin Grove, moderated by Sara Boilen. Dr. Sara Boilen is a psychologist based in Northwest Montana and a familiar voice from Slabs and Sluffs. In this episode, she shares the BendSAW panel on grief and loss in the mountain community that she facilitated. Having known grief from a young age, Sara has built her professional (and personal) life around the hard conversations most people avoid. As part of this community, she aims to move the needle toward greater honesty about the risks we take, deeper connection with our partners in the mountains, and even laughter amidst the pain. We want to extend a huge thank you to the panelists and everyone who attended BendSAW for bringing and allowing for vulnerability in this great community of ours. About the panelists: -…

Episode Highlights: - A wide ranging conversation touching on community, connection, loss, grief and decision making. - Field updates from Snow and Avalanche Workshops from Utah ProSAW, South Central AK SAW and Bend SAW - Highlights from episodes from November and upcoming episodes in December - Current community events - No more AI art! This is a sneak preview of our new Season 10 artwork - stay tuned for an exciting announcement! In the third installment of our monthly Slabs ‘n Sluff series, hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker sit down for a dynamic conversation covering the themes of building community through shared experiences, mentorship, decision-making, and loss. They discuss highlights from podcast episodes from November and look ahead to upcoming episodes in December. The conversation highlights the significance of building connections & supporting one another, especially in light of recent losses in the avalanche community. Hear from voices in our community as they prepare for the upcoming winter…

Do all heroes really wear capes? No, and the professionals who specialize in avalanche rescue never would - although they often wear red...sans tights - but they deserve a heartfelt thank you. This episode is a special opportunity to hear directly from those who show up when we need them most. We hope to never have to call them, but should listen closely to what they have to share with us. In this episode, Michael Ackerman, Dave Richards, Chrissie Oken, John Reller, and Jeremy Jolley bring you the Season 10 Rescue Roundup. There’s something for everyone in here - whether you are a seasoned patroller or a recreational skier hoping to never need to be rescued. Episode Highlights: - New GPS-enabled emerging technology for more powerful transceiver searching capabilities. Flux lines a thing of the past? PRO transceiver tests? - How do you shave seconds or minutes during a rescue? - Train constantly and accurately, but during a rescue, slow down. There are no excuses not to train with your transceiver. - How to…

In loving memory of a legend from our community, we dedicate this episode to you, Wendy. From Wendy's family: '“I don’t get tired, I go hard!” Are the words six year old Wendy said to her uncle when on a hike. That was the way Wendy lived her life and achieved her dreams. The rest of us felt so lucky to scramble, climb, pedal, ski, or snow machine behind her, trying to keep up on another Wendy adventure. Wendy was born on October 31, 1973 in Salt Lake City, Utah and she touched the sky on November 6, 2025 in Park City, Utah under a super moon, giving us a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains. Wendy accomplished so much in her life. An incomplete list: 2002 and 2006 Olympic Winter Games athlete in cross country skiing, 4 World Championships participation, 6 National Championship wins, a coach at the University of Utah XC ski team 2006-2008, an intern for the Utah Avalanche Center, a master’s degree in atmospheric science from University of Utah leading to a career in avalanche forecasting, the Director of…

Our November episode special is out now! Caleb Merrill sits down with Jayne Thompson Nolan with the American Avalanche Association (‘The A3’) and Dom Baker is back to chat with Joe Obad from the Canadian Avalanche Association (‘CAA’) Our avalanche associations are the web that holds us all together. If you are a current or aspiring professional, or a member of the avalanche community, please consider supporting with a donation or becoming a member at: A3 Membership: https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/membership-levels CAA Membership: https://www.avalancheassociation.ca/page/Member_Categories Updates from the A3 include: A3 Upcoming Events: https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/events A3 Supported Resilience Project & Grants Women’s Avalanche Network - Webinar Dec 3rd, to register for the Substack channel for updates visit here: https://womensavalanchenetwork.substack.com/ Welcoming new A3 staff and board members Advocacy and partnership efforts between the A3 and public backcountry avalanche…

In Episode 10.4, Kim Vinet sits down with Johanna Wagstaffe for a conversation about the weather! Tune in for a great episode as two friends get together to talk about weather forecasting and assessing risk in the mountains. Kim and Johanna attended university together and studied earth and atmospheric sciences. Johanna went on to work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as an on-air weather personality. Johanna is an expert science communicator and gives tips on using storytelling to unravel complex weather information to the public. There’s something for everyone in this episode as they unpack technical terms in easy-to-understand language and even hint at what climate change means for the future of avalanche forecasting. Johanna is a meteorologist, seismologist and science reporter for CBC News. With a background in seismology and earth science, she has covered national and international weather stories, including major earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires. She has also hosted several…

In the second installment of our monthly Slabs & Sluff series, hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker dig into some particularly striking nuggets from this past month’s episodes and look forward to the season ahead. Slabs and Sluffs is a monthly round up of all things related to The Avalanche Hour podcast and our community more broadly. October is the month of getting ready for the winter season. Join Sara and Dom as they dig into some of the gems from October’s episodes and talk about getting mind and body ready for the upcoming winter season. Some highlights from the conversation: Normalization of Deviance - risk normalization and how it affects decision making. Possible and Probably - how words hold (or don’t hold) well-defined meaning. October episode recap and highlighting of upcoming episodes for November. Physical preparation tips from Physio Lori Anne Donald of @mountainsportsclinic Resources & links mentioned in the episode: Lori Anne suggested exercise, single leg pallof press on YouTube Skeena Cat Skiing…

In Episode 10.3, Jake Hutchinson sits down with Tom Kimbrough to bring us our first Bio of a Legend this season. Roshi is the Japanese word for “zen master” or “old master.” For a generation or two of Wasatch avalanche hunters, Tom is both the old master and the zen master. His holistic approach to assessing risk in snow covered mountains is a culmination of a life as a curious avalanche hunter, public forecaster, climbing ranger and avalanche educator. Tom’s career spans work on the Alpine Meadows and Alta Ski Patrols, a Jenny Lake Climbing Ranger, forecaster at the Utah Avalanche Center and instructor for the American Avalanche Institute. One of the first things Kimbrough learned about climbing was that climbers tended to be skiers in the winter. After a season on the lift crew at Badger Pass in Yosemite he graduated to the ski patrol. Soon he was patrolling at Alpine Meadows in Tahoe. Alta was next on his list and in 1987 he began working for the Utah Avalanche Center. He finished his avalanche career…

Bruce Jamieson’s interview with Scott Thumlert revolves around Scott’s career in avalanche research, guiding, as well as planning and engineering. Scott recounts anecdotes during his graduate studies of the stress in the snowpack under skiers and snowmobiles, and implications for tests like the extended column test. He discusses a more recent interest in improving the communication of avalanche likelihood and identifies some challenges in developing a new rating system. One of the challenges is validating the frequency of human-triggered avalanches. Specifically, when human-triggered avalanches are more likely, avalanche practitioners and winter recreationists avoid more avalanche terrain, so the number of avalanches available for validating may not increase as predicted. Scott also outlines the potential role of artificial intelligence in improving avalanche forecasting, but feels manual field work will continue to be needed. With colleagues, Scott is working on hazard mapping projects and related research…

In the first episode of Season 10, Dom Baker sits down with Kirk Mauthner. Kirk shares his journey from a childhood in the Columbia Valley to becoming an accomplished mountain guide and rescue expert. He discusses the influences that shaped his passion for mountaineering, the challenges he faced in his career, and the importance of safety and communication in rescue operations. Kirk also reflects on his innovative contributions to rescue equipment and shares memorable adventures in remote locations, including the Wall of Walls project with Will Gadd. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the significance of learning from experiences and the joy of exploring the mountains. Kirk grew up in the mountains and learned about risk and consequence at a young age, under the tutelage of his neighbour, the legendary Arnor Larson. A lifetime spent working with SAR groups on technical rope and mountain rescue, combined with a design sense and engineering background, led Kirk to develop many of the tools and…

Tune in to hear what we have in store for Season 10 of The Avalanche Hour Podcast . This podcast is made possible through industry support: Thank you to the Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund, AVSS, Drone Amplified, CIL Avalanche, Safeback, and onX Backcountry.

The story goes that a young Lynne Wolfe persuaded Blase Reardon to get involved as The Avalanche Review's Assistant Editor many years ago. Lynne would go on to be the Editor of TAR for decades to come, bringing the publication and our community forward towards professional collaboration. In this episode, Brooke Maushund chats with Lynne as she celebrates publishing her final issue as TAR Editor and gets ready to pass the baton. In addition to being a longtime avalanche educator and Exum guide, Lynne is a charismatic connector in our industry: bringing people, ideas, and curiosities together. With the job listing up at the time of this recording, we dive into Lynne’s time working behind the scenes on A3’s flagship publication. From changes to the nuts and bolts behind TAR, to lessons learned along the way, Lynne gives us an inside scoop on what it’s been like to put out a staple that can be found on every snow pro’s desk, coffee table, or…yes, even on the back of their toilets. As the search for the new TAR…

🎧 Episode Summary: Spring is here, and with the avy-ed season wrapped up in Colorado, Jason sits down with renowned mountain guide and educator Mark Smiley to talk about his journey from the Midwest to the highest peaks, and his efforts to reshape mountain education. Mark shares how his early experiences with Boy Scouts and road trips planted the seed for a lifetime of mountain exploration, and how a lack of mentorship early on drove him to build Mountain Sense—a platform designed to break down the barriers to learning essential mountain skills. Together, they dive into: Mark’s path to becoming an IFMGA guide (including passing his ski exam before ever being paid to guide on skis!) Why he created Mountain Sense and what it means to “become the partner you seek” The cultural differences between ski touring and climbing communities around risk and education How online learning can supplement in-person avalanche education Human factors, mentorship, and building trust in backcountry teams Why storytelling,…

In this knowledge-packed episode, Brooke Maushund sits down with Janet Kellam, who received the American Avalanche Association Bernie Kingery Award for lifetime achievement at ISSW in 2023 after serving as the former Director of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, President of the American Avalanche Association's board, and being involved in the early days of the USFS National Avalanche Center. She was also the first woman licensed ski guide in Idaho, the first woman president of A3, and the first woman director of an avalanche center. Janet doesn’t just have decades of experience—she gained expertise in niche corners of the snow industry across the globe. From work as a winter specialist on a 1990 documentary film sailing to and spending 6 weeks skiing on the rarely visited Antarctica peninsula, to being a licensed backcountry and heli ski guide, Janet didn’t leave much idle time in her career. In this episode, Janet shares nuggets of knowledge from her more than 36 year career in the avalanche industry, her…

In this episode, Dom Baker sits down with the legendary mountain athlete Will Gadd, a pioneering ice climber, paddler and paraglider. Will has established some of the hardest mixed ice climbing lines in the world, set the world distance record for paragliding, and then beaten it, kayaked down dozens of first descents across North America, not to mention soloed the first one- day ascent of Canada’s Mt.Robson. Will has rigorously prepared for and completed high complexity adventures all over the world and in the process has developed a thoughtful perspective on risk, writing and talking about risk for years, including in a 2016 Ted Talk. In this episode Will discusses his perspectives on exposure, consequence and how the public avalanche bulletin might not quite apply to ice climbing routes. Resources, Books & Links Mentioned: www.willgadd.com Tedx Talk Video Dunning-Kruger effect Impossible Dreams: Remote paragliding and climbing in Canada! Todd Conklin “The 5 Principles of Human Performance” Daniel Kahneman…

European Hosts Matthias Walcher and Christoph Mitterer bring you a conversation with Fabiano Monti. Fabi is an Avalanche Forecaster, Ski Instructor, and Environmental Scientist based in Livigno, Italy. He holds a Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Insubria, with specialized research conducted at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) in Switzerland. His doctoral research focused on modeling snowpack stability for avalanche forecasting. In 2013, Fabiano founded Alpsolut Srl, an innovative company dedicated to providing scientific solutions for managing snow-related risks. Under his leadership, Alpsolut has developed operational snow cover simulations using the SNOWPACK model, widely adopted by European avalanche centers for regional and site-specific forecasting. Fabiano has extensive international experience, having participated in two Italian Antarctic expeditions (2012, 2015-2016), and collaborates with various agencies across Europe, including ARPA…

Episode Overview: In this compelling episode, Brooke sits down with Nina Marienthal, Lead Guide at Beartooth Powder Guides (BPG) in Cooke City, Montana, where she landed after starting her career heli-guiding in Alaska. After growing up the daughter of a heli-ski guide and ski instructor—doing her homework at the helibase every spring in Alaska while her parents were out in the snow—it only makes sense that Nina went on to become one of the youngest people to be an AMGA Certified Ski Guide. Currently the lead guide at BPG and an Educator at the American Avalanche Institute, Nina dives into her beginnings working her way up from being an apprentice at Black Ops Valdez in Alaska, to her draw to pursue more human-powered guiding as she progressed in her career and desires for her work. Nina shares unique perspectives on the pace of mechanized vs. human-powered guiding, navigating the industry as a woman, and most importantly how the ascending spiral of mentorship develops over time. Resources & Links Mentioned:…

Therapy for the Soul: A Beginner’s Toolbox into Navigating Grief, Trauma, and Loss Guest: Jenny Fiebig – Licensed Professional Counselor, IFS Trainer, Outdoor Trauma Specialist Host: Brooke “Shiny” Edwards Recording Date: December 4th, 2024 Episode Summary: In this deeply insightful episode of The Avalanche Hour Podcast, host Brooke “Shiny” Edwards sits down with Jenny Fiebig, a licensed professional counselor specializing in trauma related to outdoor accidents. Jenny shares her journey from outdoor educator and guide to becoming a trauma therapist, blending her love for the wilderness with mental health counseling. They explore how trauma impacts the nervous system, how to process grief and loss in outdoor communities, and how professionals and recreationalists alike can navigate their emotions without suppressing them. Jenny also walks Brooke through real-time nervous system regulation techniques, providing valuable tools for listeners struggling with anxiety or fear in the mountains. This episode serves…

In this episode, Sara Boilen interviews Andrea Manberg. Andrea is an economist and researcher who spends her time thinking about human behavior, decision-making, and risk in avalanche terrain. Having survived a pretty brutal avalanche herself, Andrea is passionate about understanding what motivates us toward risk and how we position ourselves to enjoy our pursuits while staying as safe as we want to. She presented at ISSW on her paper, Is it a man’s world? Gendered professional experiences in snow and avalanche safety and came on the podcast to talk to Sara about the reality faced by males, females, and non binary folks in an industry long-dominated by men. The conversation delves into various topics including what makes a good snow and avalanche professional, mentorship, and menstruation. Join us as we deconstruct the myth that it is, and needs to be, a man’s world. Website for CARE (where Andrea Works): https://en.uit.no/ansatte/andrea.mannberg There, you can find out more about Andrea and what the good…

In this episode, Caleb sits down with Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg of Hood River, Oregon. Van Tilburg is an American physician and author specializing in emergency, wilderness, travel, environmental, occupational, and public health medicine. He is author of 11 books on outdoor recreation, wilderness medicine, and international travel, including three memoirs on mountain rescue, including Crisis on Mount Hood: Stories from 100 years of Mountain Rescue, forthcoming May 2025Van Tilburg is on staff at Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital in Hood River, Oregon, USA where he works at Occupational and Travel Medicine, in the Emergency Department, and at the Providence Mountain Clinic at Mount Hood Meadows Ski Resort. In addition, he works as a physician on expeditions around the world, on cruise ships, on humanitarian medical relief programs, and as an expert witness on wilderness medicine. He is also a mountain rescue doctor with Hood River Crag Rats, the oldest mountain rescue team in the United States,…