Were We Lucky, or Were We Good?

In this episode, Tom Vogl shares a harrowing story of an enormous avalanche that narrowly missed his group of backcountry skiers in the North Cascades. In this humble and vulnerable account, Tom reflects on how the events of the day unfolded, how plans changed, and the mindset they were in that may have contributed to the near-miss. As we explore the event, he moves on to how he has since learned...

In this episode, Tom Vogl shares a harrowing story of an enormous avalanche that narrowly missed his group of backcountry skiers in the North Cascades. In this humble and vulnerable account, Tom reflects on how the events of the day unfolded, how plans changed, and the mindset they were in that may have contributed to the near-miss. As we explore the event, he moves on to how he has since learned...

In the world of outdoor education, success often teeters on the edge of luck and skill. What happens when we experience a near miss? How do we learn from those moments that could have ended in disaster? In this episode, we'll explore a compelling story shared by risk management consultant and coach, Stuart Slay. This account highlights the critical lessons learned from incidents in outdoor program...

Part II of our two part series with Kate Koons, talking about lessons learned from risk management in Antarctica and beyond. What has Kate learned from outdoor education, avalanche education, mental health training, and wilderness risk management that she has successfully adapted and applied to her field safety work in Antarctica? We also return to her story of a snowmobile incident from Part I an...

Guest : Kate Koons In this episode, Kate Koons shares her risk management leadership experiences from Antarctica and beyond, highlighting the importance of psychological safety, planning, and communication in extreme environments. Chapters 00:00 Kate's Journey as a Learner and Mentor 02:44 Incident in Antarctica: A Case Study 10:10 Response and Recovery: What Went Well 17:34 Graceful Extensibility...

Guest : Chris Bartram Outdoor Educator, Mountain Guide and Risk Management Consultant Chris Bartram revisits a challenging experience from early in his outdoor education career, struggling with group dynamics and threatening, disruptive behavior from a student. In revisiting the story, the conversation shifts from a simple story of blame, to a more complex story of organizational, administrative,...

Episode 8 - The Costs, and Gifts, of Outdoor Incidents (Tracy Rekart) Guest : Tracy Rekart Tracy Rekart shares a powerful story of a climbing incident, lessons learned about risk, communication, and resilience. This episode explores how to handle failure, recognize biases, and pursue recovery after a critical incident occurs. Her story is filled with insights, clarity, courage, and vulnerability,...

Welcome to our first mini-episode, live from the lighthouse at Mukilteo, Washington State! In this brief conversation, Matt Baker-White , an early adopter of our "Lucky or Good" approach, explains the difference between focusing on outcomes versus focusing on effective processes in his work at the Wild Rockies Field Institute .

How Vulnerability and Listening to Weak Signals Can Save Lives : A Conversation with Gareth Lock  In this episode, Gareth Lock (from the Human Diver) shares a powerful personal story about a near-fatal cardiac event and explores how vulnerability, systems thinking, and recognizing weak signals can improve safety in outdoor and diving environments. Key Topics: Gareth’s personal experience with a cr...

In the world of adaptive outdoor education, the balance between safety and adventure is tenuous. One common challenge that many organizations face is the fear of failure among staff, especially in high-consequence situations. In this post, we’ll explore insights shared by Jaime Overmeyer of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center on how to transform the stigma of failure into a powerful tool for...

SUMMARY  This episode explores the impact of climate change on outdoor and experiential education, emphasizing proactive risk management and organizational resilience. Guest Shana Tarter shares insights on adapting to climate threats, rethinking risk assessment, and implementing strategic planning to proactively manage risk and promote mission continuity. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast...

Guest: Dan Veenhuizen What happens when highly trained avalanche professionals get caught in an avalanche of their own?   What were the factors that set them up to fail, and what were the good habits and practices that helped to mitigate the impact?  ​ Join us for a curious, humble examination of the lessons learned from this incident - and how we might apply these lessons in other aspects of our...

What happens when a seemingly benign activity, one that has been done many times before, drifts into riskier terrain than usual? And how do some decisions and factors that occurred earlier on the program amplify the impact of this unexpected event? Join outdoor risk consultant and author Deb Ajango, who shares the story of an incident she was brought in to review with a school that experienced a s...

In this episode, Norm Eckman shares his evolution in outdoor education, emphasizing the importance of focusing on what instructors can control—structure, presence, supervision, and involvement—to evaluate course success and prevent burnout. The discussion explores safety models, organizational learning, and the continuous pursuit of improvement in outdoor programs. See other episodes and share you...

Guest: Tamara Walker A climber's terrifying solo climb down steep ice, and what she learned from this experience. Discover a deeply personal story of mountain climbing that explores the interplay of luck, skill, and psychological resilience. This episode offers valuable insights into managing fear, decision-making under pressure, and how past experiences shape our responses in high-stakes environm...