Advertise on podcast: Salt Lake Snowcast

Send us Fan Mail During some downtime before the upcoming Season, I wanted to take some time to talk with Tyson Bradley. Tyson is the Head Guide and Director of Operations at Utah Mountain Adventures. He is also the author of the guidebook Backcountry Skiing in Utah. He has been a year round mountain guide since the early 90’s and his career has included everything from first descents in faraway mountain ranges to teaching countless students in Avalanche courses in his backyard. This will be a two part episode since Tyson has so much knowledge to share. My goal in sitting down with Tyson was to basically cover all things backcountry skiing in Utah starting over 100 years ago, leading us to the present day. We’ll learn about history of the area as well as some present day topics including what it takes to get into backcountry skiing and some common mistakes we see novices and experts alike make in the mountains.

Send us Fan Mail I’ve been talking with my friend Zack throughout this Winter about what I might be missing on the podcast. He’s done a few episodes with me about preparedness in the mountains and we realized that last year, when we did an episode on gear, we kind of missed the bigger topic of knowing how to use all that gear. So, I invited him back on the Snowcast to chat about the importance of education. We'll chat about medical knowledge and avalanche training. A mentor of mine always used to tell me that the best way to get invited on ski trips, expeditions, and a day out in the mountains was to be the best ski partner possible. This means showing up on time, ready to go, and with a solid skill set.  Major appreciation to SkiMo Co. for supporting the podcast this year. With warm temps in the forecacst, I recommend you stop by for a spring wax. The last thing you want is to get gloppy out there!

Send us Fan Mail This might not be the episode you want to hear, but I think it's the episode that some people might need to hear. Sometimes, you don't need to go backcountry skiing. It's ok to take a break. It's ok to sleep in, go to the resort, or go lap Patsy Trees. If you do decide to go into the backcountry, take pause and recognize the risk you're taking. Ask yourself why you decided to engage with an activity that has significant risk to you and other people. Today's episode is filled with honesty, vulnerability, and some hard truths. Thanks to everyone who continues to support the Salt Lake Snowcast. I appreciate every message, download, stream, and thumbs up. Extra shout out to SkiMo Co for being by my side on this roller coaster of a Winter that we're having.

Send us Fan Mail Happy Valentine's Day to the Wasatch! On today's episode, I'll interview Derek Cragun, a mental health therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and avid backcountry skier about one of the more interesting topics I've covered on the Salt Lake Snowcast. Skiing with the person you love can be amazing...and also challenging at times. Derek and I will talk about tips and tricks for improving the backcountry experience between you and your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, significant other, ski partner who you have a crush on, etc. I've heard a lot of people make some jokes about this topic over the years and it was refreshing to hear from a professional about why this is actually such an important topic. It's an episode that's relevant to everyone and you don't want to miss it! There's a lot to be excited about if you look at the weather forecast. With the door wide open for snow, it feels like Winter has finally decided to make an appearance. With changing conditions comes uncertainty so be cautious heading into the next active period of weather.  Shoutout to SkiMo Co. for being an amazing partner this Winter. They just helped the Snowcast and Wasatch Backcountry Alliance put on the first Close Calls Forum and were fantastic hosts to a well attended event. We hope to see you at the next one!

Send us Fan Mail Jack Stauss is back on the Salt Lake Snowcast today to talk about all things transportation related to Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. There have been some pretty huge updates since the last time we covered this topic and I hope people tune in to become informed about this crucial local issue. Don't forget about the Close Calls Forum happening on Thursday, Feb 12 at 6:30pm. The event will be hosted at SkiMo Co who have been so supportive of the Snowcast this year, stepping in as presenting sponsor for all of our episodes. I hope to see you there, I'll even have stickers!

Send us Fan Mail On today’s episode, I’ll be talking with local skier Fern Hardin about an avalanche accident she was involved in last year in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada while skiing Terminal Cancer Couloir. We’ll talk about what went wrong, what she learned, and how she approaches things differently after the accident. I won’t say too much more as I want Fern to tell the story. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for an exciting announcement about an upcoming event I’ll be hosting this Winter! I sincerely appreciate Fern’s willingness to speak about this accident in a public setting. Hopefully, her insight and reflection can help keep others safe and encourage more people in our amazing community to share their own learnings.  Thanks to SkiMo Co for supporting the Snowcast this season! Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to hear stories like the one from Fern. Be sure to stop by the shop and grab a Salt Lake Snowcast sticker the next time you’re in the area!

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Season 3 of the Salt Lake Snowcast! I couldn't be more excited to get this show on the road (or skintrack!) for this Winter. I have some great things lined up for the pod this year. One of my favorite things about running the Snowcast is that I can keep things topical and relevant. So, looking at the calendar, realizing we were more than halfway through December and I hadn’t published an episode yet, I began to think about motivation. It’s been an interesting start to the Winter in the Salt Lake area mountains and it seems like everyone I talk to is struggling, in one way or another, with motivating to go out and ski.  So, I thought it was about time to record an episode on motivation and what to do with yourself when you just can’t get in the car and drive to the trailhead. Joining me to talk about this is AMGA Ski Guide and owner/operator of the Mountain Training Center Will McKay. I also want to officially announce that SkiMo Co is now the presenting sponsor of the Salt Lake Snowcast. I am so thrilled to be partnering with them this Winter. I'll try to keep the checkout area at the shop stocked with stickers, so be sure to stop in and tell them thanks for supporting the show. Will has also given listeners a discount code for the Mountain Training Center: SNOWCAST

Send us Fan Mail When most Wasatch skiers were starting to put their skis away for the Season, local crusher Mali Noyes set out on one of the most challenging efforts I've seen in the Wasatch in recent memory: skiing all Chuting Gallery lines as fast as possible. Accomplishing her goal of all 93 lines in just 47 days, Mali not only pushed herself, but also pushed the limits of what's capable in our beloved local mountains. I'll catch up with Mali in this episode to talk about the project and hear what it's like to handle so much steep skiing, exposure, and risk in such a short amount of time. I’m not sure how many more episodes I’ll publish before the start of next Winter. So thanks everyone for all the listens, streams, downloads, follows, and most importantly the supporters on the Buy Me a Coffee website. The user supported model for small creative projects like this one is a great way to support your local community. The Salt Lake Snowcast is also supported by Alpha Coffee. If you visit Alpha, make sure you mention the Salt Lake Snowcast and you’ll get a free sticker! Don't forget to send this episode to your friends and hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for the love and we'll be back soon!

Send us Fan Mail The Salt Lake Snowcast is back this weekend with an interview with Sam Kapacinksas. Sam will be sharing a story with us from an avalanche in 2016 that he was caught and carried in, and then walked away from mostly unscathed. We'll talk about how that day has influenced his trajectory as a backcountry skier. It’s honestly been one of my favorite interviews I’ve done on the Salt Lake Snowcast. Before we jump into that, I’ll give a quick update on backcountry conditions and avalanche hazard. A big storm is on deck for this later week so enjoy the sunshine while we have it. March is always my favorite month of the year so don't give up on Winter yet! UAC report from the Birthday Chutes Avalanche. Salt Lake Tribune article Avalanche Hour podcast Part 1 Avalanche Hour podcast Part 2 The Salt Lake Snowcast is supported by Alpha Coffee. If you visit Alpha, make sure you mention the Salt Lake Snowcast and you’ll get a free sticker! Another way to support the show is to become a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back soon!

Send us Fan Mail After short break last week, the Snowcast is back today to talk about current conditions. I'm joined on the show by my friend, local guide, and avalanche forecaster Cody Hughes. Talking with Cody last week, we both had the same gut feeling about our snowpack: it's dangerous, complex, and makes us both uncomfortable. Our goal with this weekend's episode is to share some knowledge and do our part to help the community understand what's going on in the snow. Tune in for a passionate and vulnerable conversation. Have a safe weekend everybody. The Salt Lake Snowcast is supported by Alpha Coffee. If you visit Alpha, make sure you mention the Salt Lake Snowcast and you’ll get a free sticker! Another way to support the show is to become a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back soon!

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode, I'm joined by Utah Avalanche Center Forecaster Craig Gordon. As one of the more recognizable people in Utah's backcountry scene, I've been looking forward to chatting with Craig ever since I started the podcast. We'll talk about Craig's backstory and how he came to be an avy forecaster before a discussion on our current snowpack. You can stop by Ecker Middle School next Tuesday, February 11th at 6:30pm for a more in depth State of the Snowpack conversation with Craig. Learn more about Craig's story here.  The Salt Lake Snowcast is supported by Alpha Coffee. I regularly stop by both their shops—at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and downtown at 111 S Main Street. Alpha offers a great breakfast and lunch, as well as wine and beer, making it my favorite stop both before or after ski tours. If you visit Alpha, make sure you mention the Salt Lake Snowcast and you’ll get a free sticker! Another way to support the show is to become a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back soon!

Send us Fan Mail Another week, another Salt Lake Snowcast. With some noteworthy conditions in the backcountry I’ll take a few minutes today to talk about weather and avalanches before an interview with local snow professional Tarah O’Connor. Tarah and I will talk about her two decade career working in the snow and get some opinions and hot takes from her on avalanche education and the state of the ski industry. I appreciate that Tarah doesn’t hold back and so willing to share her time and her opinions. I also want to welcome Alpha Coffee as the first sponsor of the Snowcast. I love their coffee and regularly stop by both their shops—at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and downtown at 111 S Main Street. Besides coffee they offer a great breakfast and lunch, as well as wine and beer making it my favorite stop both before or after ski tours. If you visit Alpha, make sure you mention the Salt Lake Snowcast and you’ll get a free sticker! Another way to support the show is to become a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. I took a deeper dive this week into my thoughts on the current snowpack and all subscribers can read my blog posts AND get a Salt Lake Snowcast Sticker! You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back next week! Tarah's ISSW Paper

Send us Fan Mail The Snowcast is back this week for an important conversation about uphill travel. Joining me on the show is local guide and avalanche professional Colby Stetson. We'll chat about everything from the etiquette of skin tracks, backcountry travel dos and don'ts, and some common uptracks for accessing Wasatch Classics. Colby and I certainly aren’t the authority on this topic, in fact nobody is, but what we tried to do in this episode is discuss some standards, expectations, and like with any episode of the Salt Lake Snowcast, encourage some critical thinking. I’m always open to hearing from listeners, so don’t be shy! If you'd like to support the show, consider becoming a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back next week! Articles we mention in the show... Normalization of Deviance by Drew Hardesty Perception of Risk in Avalanche Terrain by Krister Kristensen, Manuel Genswein, and Werner Munter

Send us Fan Mail On today's show, I'll start with a brief summary of our backcountry conditions. Our snowpack setup in the Central Wasatch requires vigilance and patience. We’ve seen large avalanches in the past week that are well-connected, running full track, and crossing popular skin tracks. With four fatalities in the past few weeks across the intermountain West, it’s time to give the terrain a break and respect the power of the mountains.  Also in this episode, Jack Stauss and I tackle one of the more contentious issues in the Wasatch and backcountry skiing in general: gatekeeping. We'll read a negative review someone shared about the podcast and address our own viewpoints on this topic. Should you hide all your Strava maps? Is it ok to ask for a conditions report? Where is the line between encouraging people to do their own work, but also encouraging access to the backcountry? I'd love to hear your thoughts.  If you'd like to support the show, consider becoming a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back next week!

Send us Fan Mail This was a tough week in the Wasatch. I had something planned for the Snowcast, but it just didn’t seem appropriate to publish it given the current events. We’ve had two fatalities in the backcountry this week. And that’s heart wrenching. At a minimum, we need to acknowledge these events and talk about them. It doesn’t feel like enough to me to just take a business as usual approach to the podcast or my personal backcountry skiing. "The show must go on" doesn't really apply here. So, I've decided to do something different. I'm sharing something I've been working on for the past few years. It's an essay about grief, loss, and the danger of backcountry skiing. It's personal. I've never known when would be a good time to share this, but now seems appropriate. We have dangerous conditions in the backcountry right now. Please be safe. Consider giving the terrain a break, taking a deep breath, and just going for a nice walk in the woods with your friends. Here are links to the two articles I discuss in the podcast: Perception of Risk in Avalanche Terrain by Krister Kristensen, Manuel Genswein, and Werner Munter I am Dangerous by Drew Hardesty For mental health resources... Wasatch Backcountry Alliance resource list American Avalanche Association resource list I also want to give a special thanks this week to the friends and ski partners who gave this a listen in advance and helped me produce the episode.   If you'd like to support the show, consider becoming a member via buymeacoffee.com/saltlakesnowcast. You can also share the podcast with your friends and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for the love and we'll be back next week!