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 centers to garner support in the face of budget cuts
Recreation education restructuring
PRO 2 industry assessment results and changes
Updates from the CAA include:
New president, Wren McElroy
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Opportunities: https://www.avalancheassociation.ca/page/CPD_Opportunities
Spring Conference May 6th-8th in Penticton, BC
Highlights on the CAA Industry Training Program (ITP)
Developments with the InfoEx
CAA is on socials - Instagram & Facebook to stay up to date
Thanks to the sponsors of the show.
Legacy Sponsors:
Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund
Partner Sponsors:
Music: Ketsa
Artwork: Mike Tea
Production: Caleb Merrill, Bob Keating
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 award-winning CBC science podcasts and is now working on climate and science explainer videos for the CBC.
Johanna is a master of explainer video. Check out her YouTube playlist describing everything from the jet stream, to snowpack and trees or how the weather is changing with a changing climate. Planet Wonder is a series about discovering nature and hopefully inspiring people to want to protect it. Her newest project Here's Why, describes the latest in global weather events on a changing planet.
Highlights of the interview:
Thanks to the sponsors of the show.
Legacy Sponsors:
Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund
Partner Sponsors:
Episode Sponsor:
Music: Ketsa
Artwork: Mike Tea
Production: Caleb Merrill, Bob Keating
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 & Boarding AIARE 2 + Avalanche Rescue Trip
When Doing Wrong Feels So Right: Normalization of Deviance
Call us to be featured on the next Slabs n’ Sluff Episode!
What are you doing to prepare for the season ahead? Are you attending SAWs, are you digging out your avalanche gear and practicing? What apps are you using? What long-range forecasts are you believing… We’d love to hear from you, our community, for Slabs and Sluffs 3 dropping Oct 29. Voicemail hotline: 1-541-406-0221
Thanks to the sponsors of the show.
Legacy Sponsors:
Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund
Partner Sponsors:
Music: Ketsa
Artwork: Mike Tea
Production: Caleb Merrill, Bob Keating
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 with Rod Newcomb’s American Avalanche Institute.
In this episode, Jake and Tom talk about:
The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche Accident
Humility in the mountains
Zen and the art of avalanche forecasting
A note from Jake: “More than once we mention Rod Newcomb in this episode. Between sitting down with Tom and the release of this episode, we lost Rod at the ripe old age of 91. Rod was a friend, mentor and pioneer in our industry. He shaped avalanche education in the US and was the first to see the need for pro specific education. His influence on Tom, myself and so many others cannot be overstated. A long life fully lived, thanks for everything Rod.”
Thanks to the sponsors of the show.
Legacy Sponsors:
Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund
Partner Sponsors:
Episode Sponsor:
Music: Ketsa
Artwork: Mike Tea
Production: Caleb Merrill, Bob Keating
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 into the effect of forest fires on extreme avalanche runout and hazard mapping for residential areas. As the chair of the technical committee for the 2026 International Snow Science Workshop, Scott outlines a new strategy – developed by the conference organizers - for merging theory and practice and how they plan to get more practitioners presenting case studies and applied research.
Key Insights
Scott’s graduate research focused on measuring the stress in the snowpack exerted by skiers and snowmobiles, highlighting the relationship between stress levels and triggering of slab avalanches.
Effective communication of avalanche likelihood remains a challenge, with more ratings needed for lower levels of avalanche likelihood. While there is promise for improved validation of likelihood ratings, human triggering – which is very important – will remain more difficult than validating the frequency (and likelihood) of natural avalanches.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to enhance avalanche forecasting by improving data analysis, but Scott feels avalanche practitioners will still be required to verify the forecast.
The International Snow Science Workshop aims to merge theory and practice, encouraging practitioners to share real-world case studies and applied research.
What motivated Scott to pursue a career in snow and avalanches?
Scott’s passion for backcountry skiing and the influence of the ASARC program at the University of Calgary inspired him to apply his engineering background to a variety of topics that currently challenge avalanche practitioners.
How does stress in snowpacks relate to avalanche likelihood?
Thumlert’s research demonstrated that the stress exerted by skiers and snowmobiles increases with the penetration depth of the skis or snowmobile. He explains how snowpack tests like the Extended Column Test are more indicative of the stress under skiers and snowmobiles when the upper snowpack is soft than when it is hard.
What role does artificial intelligence play in avalanche forecasting?
AI can enhance forecasting capabilities by analyzing large datasets and improving predictive models, but Scott doubts it will replace the need for field work to verify the forecast.
How can practitioners contribute to the International Snow Science Workshop?
Practitioners are encouraged to share their experiences through presentations or posters, with support available to help them prepare and present their case studies and findings effectively.
Legacy Level:
Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund
Partner Level:
Episode Sponsor:
Music: Ketsa
Art: Mike Tea
Production: Bob Keating, Caleb Merrill
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.
Thanks to the sponsors of the show:
Legacy Level Sponsors:
Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund
Partner Level Sponsors:
Episode Sponsor:
Music: Ketsa
Artwork: Mike Tea
Production: Bob Keating
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 Editor continues, she tells us what she’d like that person to know: “Stand on my shoulders—I’ll help.”
If you want to hear more about Lynne’s illustrious career in addition to her work on The Avalanche Review, go back to Season 2, Episode 11 of the podcast when Lynne came on the show for the first time.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
• The Avalanche Hour Podcast 2.11: Lynne Wolfe
• Seeking Impeccability with Lynne Wolfe: Episode of The High Route Podcast
Crew:
• Host: Brooke Maushund (@brookemaush)
• Guest: (The one and only) Lynne Wolfe
• Producer: Caleb Merrill (@theavalanchehourpodcast)
Sponsors:
• Gordini
• PeakVisor (click here for a discount!)
• OpenSnow
🎶 Music by Ketsa: See Us, Sun Cometh
🎧 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, humor, and real-life experience matter more than PowerPoint slides
Mark also shares a recent near-miss avalanche incident in Canada and reflects on the decision-making traps that even seasoned professionals encounter.
Learn more about Mark’s courses at Mountain Sense
Follow Mark Smiley on Instagram: @smileysproject
Ready to become the partner you seek? Visit Mountain Sense to explore online masterclasses on avalanche safety, ski mountaineering, crevasse rescue, alpine climbing, and more.
Sponsors for this episode:
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 remaining curiosities about avalanche mechanics, where she sees the industry going next…but most importantly, she tells us how she kept her sense of wonder about the snow over the years: always, always taking care of others.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
• Avalanche Education for All, High Country News Article
• USFS National Avalanche Center
• American Avalanche Association Resilience Project
Crew:
• Host: Brooke Maushund (@brookemaush)
• Guest: Janet Kellam
• Producer: Caleb Merrill (@theavalanchehourpodcast)
Sponsors:
🎶 Music by Ketsa: Get Me Out, Snowing in Spring, Reach the End
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:
Impossible Dreams: Remote paragliding and climbing in Canada!
Todd Conklin “The 5 Principles of Human Performance”
Daniel Kahneman “Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment”
Amy Edmondson “ Emotional Intelligence: Psychological Safety”
Annie Duke “Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All The Facts”
Crew:
• Host: Dom Baker (@dom_baken)
• Guest: Will Gadd (@realwillgadd)
• Producer: Caleb Merrill (@theavalanchehourpodcast)
Sponsors:
• Gordini
• OpenSnow
• Peak Visor ***Special Offer***
🎶 Music by Gravy @gravy.tunes
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 Lombardia, ÖBB Infrastruktur AG, and Lawinenwarndienst Tirol. His expertise spans avalanche hazard mapping, remote sensing with satellite imagery, environmental data analysis, and machine learning applications to snow and avalanche risk management.
Currently, Fabiano serves as the lead avalanche forecaster for the Municipality of Livigno, managing risk assessments for both recreational backcountry activities and managed ski areas. He is passionate about advancing avalanche safety through research, education, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
https://www.instagram.com/alpsolut.eu/
Crew:
• Host: Matthias Walcher/Christoph Mitterer
• Guest: Fabiano Monti
• Producer: Caleb Merrill (@theavalanchehourpodcast)
Sponsors:
🎶 Music by Gravy. Mid Roll Ad Music by Ketsa.
https://www.instagram.com/alpsolut.eu/
Website
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:
• Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center
• Eastern Oregon University Motorized User Survey
• AIARE Transceiver Terminology Survey
• Boilen/McCammon Human Factor 2.0 Initial Survey:
Crew:
• Host: Brooke Maushund
• Guest: Nina Marienthal (@nina_marienthal)
• Producer: Caleb Merrill (@theavalanchehourpodcast)
Sponsors:
• Gordini
• OpenSnow
🎶 Music by Ketsa: My Sunny Lounge, Sandstone
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 as both an educational experience and an intimate exploration of Internal Family Systems (IFS)therapy, trauma recovery, and the power of self-compassion in high-risk environments.
Key Discussion Points:
• How outdoor trauma manifests in the nervous system
• Understanding the IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy model
• The “warrior mentality” in outdoor culture and why it can be harmful
• Differentiating healthy vs. destructive coping mechanisms after accidents or loss
• Tools for navigating fear, grief, and trauma in the backcountry
• The stress continuum and recognizing the warning signs of mental health struggles
• The work of SOAR (Survivors of Outdoor Adventures in Recovery) in helping trauma survivors heal
Guest Bio & Background:
Jenny Fiebig is a licensed professional counselor in Montana and Colorado, specializing in trauma therapy for outdoor-related accidents. She has a background in outdoor education and guiding, which informs her work in helping individuals heal from experiences of loss, grief, and PTSD related to the backcountry.
Jenny pursued a graduate degree in mental health counseling at Montana State University and became a specialist in IFS therapy, now working as a global trainer with the IFS Institute. She is also deeply involved in SOAR (Survivors of Outdoor Adventures in Recovery), where she helps provide therapy, community, and resources for those struggling with outdoor-related trauma.
Links & Resources Mentioned:
• SOAR (Survivors of Outdoor Adventures in Recovery): https://www.soar4life.org/
• Responder Alliance Stress Continuum: https://www.responderalliance.com/stress-continuum
• Redside Foundation: https://www.redsidefoundation.org/
• IFS Institute: https://ifs-institute.com/
• Jenny Fiebig’s Website: https://www.jennyfiebig.com/
• Eduardo Duran – Healing the Soul Wound
Sponsor & Partner Mentions:
Presented by:
• Wyssen Avalanche Control – www.wyssen.com
Additional sustaining support from:
• Gordini – www.gordini.com
• OpenSnow – www.opensnow.com
• Compare 10-day snow forecasts, read expert analysis, and track storms
• Use promo code AVALANCHE50 for 50% off OpenSnow Premium: www.opensnow.com/buy
• RAIDE Research – www.raideresearch.com
• Use code AVHOUR for 10% off your order
Music Credits:
• Intro Music: Believing – Ketsa
• Outro Music: Touching Moments (Remastered) – Ketsa
Where to Listen & Subscribe:
• Website: The Avalanche Hour Podcast
• Spotify: The Avalanche Hour on Spotify
• Apple Podcasts: The Avalanche Hour on Apple Podcasts
Producer Credits:
• Caleb Merrill
• Cameron Griffin
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.
Support for this Episode is provided by:
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, established in 1926 in Hood River, Oregon, USA. He is medical director for four search and rescue teams: Hood River Crag Rats, Pacific Northwest SAR, Clackamas County SAR and Portland Mountain Rescue. He serves as Public Health Officer in Oregon for Hood River County. He serves as Medical Examiner for Hood River, Gilliam, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler Counties in Oregon. Dr. Van Tilburg has been honored three times by the Wilderness Medical Society. He received Dian Simpkins Award for Service, the Haiti Humanitarian Research Award, and the Ice Axe Award for Service. His book ''Mountain Rescue Doctor: Wilderness Medicine in the Extremes of Nature'' was shortlisted for Banff Festival of Mountain Books and Oregon Book Awards in 2007 and was Readers Digest Editor’s Pick for November 2007. His book ''Adrenaline Junkie’s Bucket List: 100 Extreme Adventures to Do Before You Die'' received the Far West Ski Association Bill Berry Award for outstanding printed media in 2014Van Tilburg was the lead author for ''Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Avalanche and Nonavalanche Snow Burial Accidents,'' a multinational effort published in 2017 and updated in 2024.
We discuss some of the salient points of CVT's research, lessons delivered through many SAR calls, and current best practices for avalanche victim post-extrication care.
We hope you enjoy.
Music: Ketsa
Artwork: Mike Tea
Sean Zimmerman-Wall steps in front of the mic to bring you another great interview with Rebecca “Becs” Hodgetts. Becs began ski patrolling in the mid-1990s on Mt Ruapehu, a volcano in the central plateau of New Zealand’s North Island. She went on to work at other resorts in New Zealand, Canada, and the US. She worked 12 years at Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, first as an avalanche technician and later as Assistant Ski Patrol Director. She joined the Colorado Avalanche Information Center in 2013 and worked first as a Backcountry, then as a Highway Forecaster, and finally as a Regional Lead Forecaster for southern Colorado. In July 2024, she took a new role with the US Forest Service's National Avalanche Center (NAC). In this role, she will support the NAC's mission to improve backcountry and ski area safety by reducing avalanche risk on and around National Forests. This mission includes training and transferring information and technology to the field, managing the Artillery for Avalanche Mitigation Program, and coordinating US avalanche centers through the National Avalanche Forecast Platform.
Show Notes:
March 2019 Historic Avalanche Cycle Video produced by CAIC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlkH-Mnzddc
Interview with CAIC Director Ethan Greene produced by The Powder Cloud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YolFA80sP5Y
National Avalanche Center and Avalanche.org
https://avalanche.org/national-avalanche-center/
The Starting Zone by Karl Birkeland
Thanks to the sponsors of this episode:
Music by Age Diamante
Art by Mike Tea
Ian McCammon, often considered the godfather of human factors in avalanche education, has a unique background with a foot in scientific research and another in backcountry exploration. With formal training in physics, materials science, and engineering, Ian started in R&D before becoming deeply involved in avalanche education in the 1990s. Following the loss of his friend Steve Carruthers in an avalanche, he was driven to study how experienced individuals make fatal decisions despite knowing better. His work has since shaped modern avalanche education and risk management strategies.
Ian developed the FACETS acronym:
Familiarity: We feel safer in places we've been before, even when conditions change.
Acceptance: The desire to fit in can push individuals to take unnecessary risks.
Commitment/Consistency: The drive to follow through on a plan despite new information.
Expert Halo: Over-reliance on an individual perceived as an expert.
Tracks/Scarcity: The fear of missing out on first tracks can cloud judgment.
Social Proof: Seeing others on a slope can create a false sense of security.
His research suggests that merely teaching these factors isn’t enough to change behavior—awareness must be coupled with tools for self-evaluation.
PDFs help individuals identify their personal biases and recurring decision-making flaws. By reflecting on past experiences and recognizing patterns in our own choices, we can slow down and make more objective decisions in the field.
Ian also created ALPTRUTh, an easy-to-remember checklist that has been proven effective in evaluating avalanche risk. More than 90% of avalanche accidents occur when three or more of these factors are present:
A: Avalanches in the past 48 hours.
L: Recent loading from snow, wind, or rain.
P: Obvious avalanche path present.
T: Terrain trap below.
R: Avalanche danger rating of "considerable" or higher.
U: Signs of unstable snow (cracking, collapsing, whoomping).
TH: Thawing or rapid warming conditions.
McCammon introduced the Stability Wheel, a simplified model explaining the three conditions necessary for an avalanche:
Strength: The ability of the snowpack to resist force.
Structure: Weak layers and slab formations.
Energy Release: The capacity for a fracture to propagate.
Ian explains how propagation propensity, friction, and fracture toughness are now being studied in more depth to improve predictive tools like the Extended Column Test (ECT) and Propagation Saw Test (PST).
One of Ian’s strongest messages in the episode is the importance of margins—the space we create between ourselves and dangerous terrain to account for uncertainty. He emphasizes that uncertainty is often underestimated and that decision-makers must continually assess whether they are acting on knowledge or assumptions.
Ian discusses a study that found significant human and device error in slope angle measurements, with a margin of error between 3-6 degrees. This has implications for decision-making, especially when relying on digital elevation models and inclinometer apps.
Ian highlights the need for new research in decision-making tools, material-based snowpack models, and practical field applications of computational advancements. He also discusses the role of technology in avalanche education, including digital versions of his Snow & Avalanche Fieldbook and new methods for risk communication.
“Every time you get on a slope, you have to look at it as if you're seeing it for the first time.” – Ian McCammon
• Host: Jake Hutchinson
• Guest: Ian McCammon
• Producer: Cameron Griffin
• Wyssen:www.wyssen.com
• OpenSnow:www.opensnow.com
• Gordini:www.gordini.com
• Arva:https://us.arva-equipment.com/
Music by Ketsa• Campfire
Jen Reddy is a total low-key badass who sat down with Caleb for a great conversation about her work with Teton County Search and Rescue and the American Avalanche Association. Jen is tasked with overseeing the guidance of the professional training program amongst participating providers within the US. Jen and Caleb talk about her early years of backcountry skiing, a close call, and some influences that urged her to get involved as a volunteer with Teton County Search and Rescue. They discuss some of her work at A3 and what has been going on behind the scenes to elevate the level of professional training in the US. Tune in to hear more.
Music: Ketsa
Art: Mike Tea
Resources:
Episode Overview
In this second part of their conversation, Chris Stethem and Grant Statham dig deeper into the evolving world of avalanche safety, focusing on how decision-making frameworks and advanced communication practices have reshaped the industry. They begin by exploring the development of InfoEx, reflecting on how the system has grown over time and identifying areas for potential improvement. This discussion naturally segues into Chris’s early days as an avalanche consultant, laying the groundwork for the professionalization of avalanche research and the formation of new training programs.
As the episode progresses, Chris and Grant share insights on how the CAA Level 3 Course came into being, noting the considerable skill set and qualifications now required to enroll in higher-level avalanche education. They highlight the rising standards for certification in various avalanche-related jobs, emphasizing how worker safety has driven regulatory changes and communication strategies designed to put people in safer positions on the mountain.
Bringing their vast experience to bear, Chris and Grant examine spatial variability in different types of terrain, describing how certain slopes may foster specific avalanche problems. They delve into the tension between scientific assessments, practical experience, and the uncertainties that can influence life-and-death decisions in avalanche terrain. Their stories illustrate how collaboration, mentorship, and continually evolving best practices have shaped modern avalanche safety and will continue to do so.
Key Topics Covered
• InfoEx Evolution – The origins, growth, and potential improvements of this critical data-sharing tool
• Early Avalanche Consultancy – How initial consulting efforts opened doors for professional research
• Birth of the CAA Level 3 Course – The skill set, accomplishments, and certification pathways crucial for advanced avalanche work
• Raising the Bar for Worker Safety – How advocacy, regulation, and improved communication led to better safety policies
• Spatial Variability & Avalanche Types – Linking different slopes to specific avalanche risks and managing uncertainty in dynamic conditions
Crew
• Host: Dom Baker
• Guests: Chris Stethem and Grant Statham
• Producer: Cameron Griffin
Sponsors
• Wyssen: www.wyssen.com
• OpenSnow: www.opensnow.com
• Gordini: www.gordini.com
• Raide Reaserch: www.raideresearch.com
Music by Gravy
• Lost My Voice