The Avalanche Hour Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Annes St. Claire. Anne is a researcher and practitioner who works as an avalanche forecaster and educator. She has a foot on either side of the US/Canadian border so to speak as she is from the states but has continued her higher education in Canada as well as works as an avalanche forecaster in Revelstoke. We chat about her development as an avalanche professiona...

In this episode of the Third Thursday Wes Gregg sits down with Kim Vinet who is a CSGA Ski Guide, Professional Skier and Earth Scientist. Freeride skiing launched Kim into the world of backcountry skiing and education back in 2010. After a brief introduction to ski guiding professionally, Kim was involved in an avalanche fatality that changed the course of all 3 of her careers. 7 years later, afte...

At the beginning of 2021, two incidents occurred in the eastern part of the European Alps where mountain rescuers were caught by hangfire avalanches during ongoing rescue operations. In this episode, Matthias Walcher interviews two people directly involved, who shed light on the circumstances of the accidents and share the lessons learned: Matthias Schilchegger is a mountain rescue leader in Obert...

In his first guest host session, Sean Zimmerman-Wall sits down with a member of Snowbird's Snow Safety Team, Chris Bremer, to talk about operational and personal risk tolerance, the state of avalanche education in North America, and how to not fall off ladders while using chainsaws or hanging Christmas lights. Music by Ketsa. www.ketsa.uk WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-4SZB7P Do note that if y...

At 5:52 PM on Tuesday, March 31st 2020, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake shook central Idaho and the surrounding area. The quake's epicenter was in the SAC Banner Summit zone, about 20 miles northwest of the town of Stanley. The earthquake occurred at the end of a major spring snowstorm that dropped 2-3 feet of new snow in the mountains adjacent to the earthquake. The avalanche danger was rated as HIGH...

In this episode, Kelly McNeil sits down with Duncan Lee. Duncan is a Lake Tahoe native, film maker, professional snowmobiler and avalanche educator. We talk about Duncan’s journey into the world of motorized avalanche education, group management techniques, strategies to address human factors, as well as, many other important topics! Music by Chris Kaplinski

Meet Kelly McNeil. Kelly's roots run deep in motorized winter recreation. She talks about her background, some parallels between her education and avalanche outreach efforts, and lets us know what she has on tap for her upcoming interviews. Thanks Kelly for your efforts in contributing to the podcast! Excited to hear your interviews to follow!

In this installment of The Avalanche Hour’s Third Thursday; I sit down on a Zoom call with James Minifie, owner/operator of Skookum Backcountry based out of the Yukon. He is also the lead field technician for the region with Avalanche Canada. Born and raised in the Rockies, James has lived in the mountains his entire life. His passion for the outdoors is infectious. He is a fully certified Associa...

In this episode, we sit down with former nordic olympic ski racer turned avalanche forecaster- Wendy Wagner. Wendy is the director of the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center in Girdwood Alaska. She talks about some of the intricacies of the forecast center, its strengths, strategies, and goals. Music by Chris Kaplinski. Enjoy. WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-4SZB7P Do note that...

In this bonus episode, I chat with Greg Johnson. Greg has a diverse background in the world of snow and avalanches from guiding, to public forecasting, to structural engineering and project management. Greg started 6 point engineering- based out of Nelson, BC. His focus is on avalanche hazard management amongst industry within BC, and it sounds like he stays busy! Music by Chris Kaplinski. WNDR Al...

On February 28, 2014, an avalanche was triggered on Mt. Jumbo- above the Rattlesnake neighborhood in Missoula, Montana. It destroyed a house, and buried 2 adults and a child. This episode is the perspective of three of the many first responders on the scene of this rescue. Music is written and performed by Chris Kaplinski. This episode was produced by Wes Gregg. WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-...

In episode 5.17 Part 2 of The Avalanche Hour’s Third Thursday; Dom Baker continues his Zoom call with Grant Helgeson. Grant is a Senior Forecaster and Project Manager for Avalanche Canada who makes good decisions 99% of the time. If he’s not at work or playing in the hills, he’s probably lusting after fancy bikes or Google Earth skiing your favourite lines. Dom and Grant discuss his path into Aval...

In episode 5.17 Part 1 of The Avalanche Hour’s Third Thursday; Dom Baker sits down for a Zoom call with Grant Helgeson. Grant is a Senior Forecaster and Project Manager for Avalanche Canada who makes good decisions 99% of the time. If he’s not at work or playing in the hills, he’s probably lusting after fancy bikes or Google Earth skiing your favourite lines. Dom and Grant discuss his path into Av...

Please welcome Dominic Baker to The Avalanche Hour Podcast Guest Host rotation. Dom is from Nelson, BC. He has worked as a ski patroller and forecaster for Whitewater Ski Resort. He has taught the Canadian Avalanche Association Operations Level 1 courses, and he currently works for the BC Ministry of Transportation. He brings a wealth and diversity of experience to the team, and we are glad he is...

In this first contribution from our European correspondent, Matthias Walcher interviews JT Fischer and Chris Mitterer, who are the President and Vice President of the ÖGSL or the Austrian Association for Snow and Avalanches- an organization that was founded during the Innsbruck ISSW in 2018. They educate us to the purpose and goals of their organization. We appreciate your contribution, and look f...

In this episode, we hear from Alex Ibbotson- owner of Canada Backcountry Services. We talk about Alex's background and her hopes to integrate into (and change the narrative about) the dominant culture of the avalanche world as a female motorized professional. This is a great episode. Enjoy. Music by Chris Kaplinski. www.tobeouterwear.com www.bcufoundation.org WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-4SZ...

In this episode, we chat with Tom Murphy. Tom was one of the people to start AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education). Tom talks about his early days of backcountry skiing and exploration in Alaska. We chat about how AIARE came to be, and how it has evolved over time. Music by Chris Kaplinski. Avalanche Forecast Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSce3p0Pnk...

In this installment of The Avalanche Hour’s Third Thursday; I sit down on a Zoom call with one of the authors of the Avalanche Skills Training Handbook, Keith Robine. This handbook is utilized by Avalanche Canada course providers for the AST 1 & 2 Courses. Keith has been teaching avalanche education for the better part of 30 years. The owner/operator of Kootanayavalanchecourses.com, Keith has just...

Caleb sits down with John Mletschnig in this episode. John has a wealth of experience having been a ski patroller in Utah and New Zealand, a heli ski guide in Alaska and Utah, and now an AMGA certified Rock and Ski Guide owning Bakcountry Pros- a guiding outfit operating in the High Uinta, Wasatch, and Oquirrh Mountains of Utah. We talk about avalanche education, the state of the guiding industry...

In Episode 5.11, we sit down with Matt Primomo. Matt talks about his journey as a snow and avalanche professional- within the various roles of forecasting, guiding, and educating. His humble approach to working with and learning from snowy mountains lends lessons to all of us. Enjoy. Music by Ketsa. WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-4SZB7P Do note that if you order bindings with their skis, there...

Gabrielle Antonioli is featured on this episode. Gabrielle is a native Montanan, who decided to move to Bozeman for an undergraduate degree, had many great days skiing in Hyalite Canyon, and decided to dive into a Master's degree in snow science with a research question centered around Understanding Spatial Variability of Snowfall in a Mountain Catchment. Gabrielle tells us about her field work as...

In this instalment of The Avalanche Hour’s Third Thursday, I sit down on a Zoom call with an iconic couple out of Prince George, BC. Craig Evanoff and Bonnie Hooge the owner operators of Dezaiko lodge; a beautiful rustic lodge based in the northern Rockies. They have been backcountry adventuring for 30 years and recently Craig released a book with Brett St. Clair called ‘Tips for Beginning Backcou...

Dave Richards runs the avalanche office at Alta Ski Area in Little Cottonwood Canyon of Northern Utah. His father was a ski patroller at Alta. He grew up there and has a deep sense of connection to the place. He shares some of the collective wisdom that has been cultivated in the snow and avalanche community of LCC since the 1930’s. Dave talks about tools in the toolbox for managing the avalanche...

Here's a bonus episode to help wind down the craziest year! I sat down with Chip Arenchild in the spring and discussed risk in several different contexts. I share this conversation in this episode. Music by Ketsa: Dusty Hills and Funky Fortune. WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-4SZB7P Do note that if you order bindings with their skis, there's an automatic 10% ski & binding bundle discount that g...

I have always thought Margaret Wheeler could introduce herself as “I’m Margaret Wheeler and you may remember me from such eduational videos as “ Track Setting- Improving the skin track” or “Sled Rescue Drill” Think Troy McClure from the Simpsons…https://youtu.be/Y6jSKetRBU0. Or perhaps you recognize her name as one of the authors of Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering...