The Avalanche Hour Podcast

In this episode of the Avalanche Hour Podcast, host Dr. Sara Boilen interviews Larry Goldie.  Larry is an IFMGA licensed mountain guide and co-owner/lead guide for North Cascades Mountain Guides.  He has been the snow safety director and heli ski guide for North Cascades Heli since 2005.  Larry works on the AMGA instructor team, and teaches pro and recreational avalanche courses.  Sara and Larry discuss the challenges women face in the guiding and avalanche education fields, the importance of effective communication in guiding, and share personal experiences and lessons delivered in the arena.   Larry emphasizes the need for clear, concise communication and the value of maintaining options in decision-making while navigating the complexities of the backcountry. In this conversation, Larry shares a harrowing personal experience of surviving an avalanche, emphasizing the critical importance of clear communication and the dangers of mitigated speech in high-risk situations. He discusses the psychological factors that lead to downplaying risks and the need for honest assessments of danger in backcountry skiing. The conversation also highlights the value of debriefing to learn from experiences and improve decision-making in uncertain environments. ⁠⁠⁠Fill out our Listener Survey for the chance to win a gift card from Gordini and a pack from Arva! Support for this episode was provided by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wyssen Avalanche Control⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Gordini⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OpenSnow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: use code avalanche50 for 50% off of your all-access subscription IPA Collective

This episode features an interview with Karin Pocock. Karin Pocock shares her journey in the avalanche industry, discussing her experiences in both Canada and the U.S. She reflects on a pivotal avalanche incident that shaped her career and emphasizes the importance of education and training in avalanche safety. Karin also highlights the unique culture at the Silverton Avalanche School and addresses the challenges of being a female leader in a male-dominated field, advocating for inclusivity and support for future generations. In this conversation, Karin Pocock discusses the importance of hiring based on skill rather than gender, the challenges of navigating confidence and competence in high-risk avalanche work, and the significance of managing stress in demanding environments. She shares her experiences discovering the value of pushing personal limits through bike pack racing, and the necessity of fostering healthy conflict within teams. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of education in avalanche science and the need for a supportive and empowering workplace culture. ⁠⁠Fill out our Listener Survey for the chance to win a gift card from Gordini and a pack from Arva!⁠ Music: ⁠Ketsa⁠ Art: ⁠Mike Tea⁠ Support for this episode was provided by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Wyssen Avalanche Control⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Gordini⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠OpenSnow⁠⁠⁠⁠: use code avalanche50 for 50% off of your all-access subscription Arva Equipment: use code AVALANCHEHOUR25 for a discount on your next purchase or canister refill

In this episode of the Avalanche Hour podcast, Caleb speaks with meteorologist Joel Gratz- founder of Open Snow, about the importance of weather forecasting for skiing and how it pertains to avalanche conditions. They unpack how much to weigh El Nino and La Nina on winter weather predictions, and Joel walks us through what goes into a forecast from OpenSnow. Joel shares insights into the features of Open Snow and discusses the intricacies of weather forecasting, particularly in relation to snow prediction. He explains the importance of the five-day window for making accurate forecasts and delves into the development and functionality of various weather models. Gratz highlights the significance of resolution in forecasting accuracy and introduces the role of AI in enhancing predictions. He also emphasizes the value of using multiple models for better accuracy and provides resources for those interested in learning more about weather and forecasting. Resources: Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth: Weather, Climate Change, and Finding Deep Powder in Utah's Wasatch Mountains and around the World By Jim Steenburgh ⁠Fill out our Listener Survey for the chance to win a gift card from Gordini and a pack from Arva! Music: Ketsa Art: Mike Tea Support for this episode was provided by: ⁠⁠⁠Wyssen Avalanche Control⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Gordini⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠OpenSnow⁠⁠⁠: use code avalanche50 for 50% off of your all-access subscription

Ken Wylie is a Human Hazard Management innovator, formerly an IFMGA guide, and author of the book Buried.  Ken’s company, Archetypal, provides high-resolution self-awareness tools for people who work in High Potential Consequence (HPC) environments across several industries.  In this conversation, Guest host Brooke Shiny Edwards takes a deeper dive into the heart of Ken Wylie and the vision he has for (HPC) Avalanche Workers and the adventure industry.  We recommend reminding yourself of Ken’s background by re-visiting last year’s episode 8.1 when Caleb has Ken take the audience through the infamous 2003 tragedy of La Traviata.  In this episode, Shiny and Wylie explore more of the insights to be harvested from that tragedy: the archetypes of disaster and safety,  avenues of self-growth that can inform our decision making and how to embrace our shadow and light within, which may indeed be the greatest opportunity yet to embody our highest selves and manage the human factor castle.    So grab a cup of tea, a blanket and snuggle up by the fire for a deep and open hearted philosophical journey that hopefully guides you to integral moments of self-reflection that might help you stay safe this season. Fill out our Listener Survey Music: Ketsa Art: Mike Tea Resources: The Evolving Self: A Psychology for the Third Millennium. Milhaly Csikszentmihalyi Robert Kegan Stages in Adult Development: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhRNMj6UNYY The Evolving Self: Robert Kegan. Human Journey Card Decks Archetypal Open Enrollment Courses Archetypal Workplace Courses Support for this episode was provided by: ⁠⁠Wyssen Avalanche Control⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Gordini⁠⁠ ⁠⁠OpenSnow⁠⁠: use code avalanche50 for 50% off of your all-access subscription ⁠Beacon Guidebooks: use code AVSAR to save 25% off the popular Avalanche Search and Rescue: A Backcountry Field Guide