As Season 7 of the podcast comes to an end, this episode is a bit of a smorgasbord of guests. First we hear from Dara Miles who reached out after hearing the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale episode. Dara started the Colorado ATES project and stops by to tell us more about it. We then dive into a conversations with IFMGA guide Gary Kuehn and Ian Snape from Frontline Mind. They are running a "resiliency scan" amongst snow and avalanche professionals to find out more about our profession as a whole in terms of our reactions to stressful and difficult situations. To wrap up the episode, Kevin Grove, Co-Chair of the 2023 ISSW swings by to give us a glimpse as to what to expect at the Bend International Snow Science Workshop coming up in October. It's been a pleasure hosting and producing the podcast this season, and I couldn't have done it with a little help from my friends. Thanks to all the contributing hosts that shared the load with me: Dom Baker, Sean Zimmerman-Wall, Wesley Gregg, Matthias Walcher, and Brooke Edwards! Also a huge shout out for the production help from Wes and Cameron Griffin. The podcast wouldn't be possible without support from companies such as Wyssen Avalanche Control, Athletic Greens, Six Point Engineering, CalTopo, and Backcountry Nav. Links: Colorado ATES Project Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087388533494 Frontline Mind: www.frontlinemind.com TAKE THE RESILIENCY SCAN SURVEY HERE: https://collector.sensemaker-suite.com/collector?projectID=141065e1-09dd-48f5-be2a-10158efd03a7 ISSW2023: https://www.issw2023.com/

In today's episode, we're thrilled to host Melis Coady, who has just triumphantly wrapped up her 7th season as the executive director of the Alaska Avalanche School. With over two decades of experience in the challenging fields of mountaineering and avalanche studies, Melis has since emerged as a prominent figure in outdoor education, bringing her deep knowledge to roles such as a mountaineering instructor, climbing guide, and wilderness medicine instructor. Making her home in Talkeetna, Alaska since the late 90's, Melis first navigated the intricate world of snow and avalanches through daring expeditions in Alaska. These experiences laid the groundwork for her career, leading to her role as a climbing instructor for the renowned NOLS and Alaska Mountaineering School. Her determination and expertise then propelled her to become a high-altitude mountaineering guide, amassing a formidable tally of ascents on Denali, Foraker, and countless other peaks. Melis' adaptability and thirst for new challenges also led her to become a climbing ranger in Denali National Park, where she worked for four summers educating climbers, safeguarding natural resources, and serving as a vital member of a technical rescue team. This adventurous spirit even took her to the South Pole, where was working as an arctic guide for Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions. In this enlightening episode, Brooke and Melis delve into what makes Alaska a uniquely potent and effective classroom for avalanche education. They also explore the intriguing use of the expedition format as a means of teaching formal avalanche courses. With her profound experience and relentless passion for outdoor education, Melis imparts invaluable insights into the world of mountaineering and avalanche safety, making this episode a must-listen. Socials: The Avalanche hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Melis - https://www.instagram.com/akavalancheschool/ Links: Alaska Avalanche School - https://alaskaavalanche.org/ Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ Crew: Host - Brooke Shiny Edwards - https://www.instagram.com/wildworldwanderings/ Executive Producer - Caleb Merrill Producer - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Donate: The Avalanche Hour Podcast - https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate The American Avalanche Association - https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/donate Music: By Ketsa - https://ketsa.uk/ Intro: New Highs Old Lows Music outro: Percussive Melodies 4

In this episode, we explore the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES). We speak to Grant Statham, who developed ATES while working for Parks Canada. Grant discusses its development, creation of ATES ratings maps, and its evolution. Next, we talk to John Sykes, an avalanche forecaster, about his work creating automated ATES maps. Auto ATES significantly reduces the time needed for creating human-generated maps, allowing for further fine-tuning with local knowledge. Lastly, we chat with Andy Sovick about Beacon Guidebooks. Andy and his guidebook authors have incorporated ATES into their products, which aids in backcountry tour planning. Grant Statham: Grant Statham is a mountain guide, climber, and avalanche forecaster based in Canmore, Alberta. He works for Parks Canada with a team of mountain guides that handle avalanche forecasting and search and rescue in Banff, Yoho, & Kootenay National Parks. He develops risk-based systems, is an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University, and an Arcteryx Ambassador for 25 years. John Sykes: John began his career as an avalanche professional in 2011. After completing an MSc at the Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, he has been working on a PhD with the Simon Fraser University Avalanche Research Program. John is a member of the board of directors of the Alaska Avalanche School and a professional member of the American Avalanche Association. Andy Sovick: Andy, originally from Fort Collins, moved to Durango and graduated from Fort Lewis College. In 2005, he and his wife Gail moved to Crested Butte. While working as a timber-framer, Andy created the "Off-Piste Ski Atlas" for the Crested Butte area in 2013 and the Silverton zone in 2014. In 2015, he founded his publishing company. Socials: The Avalanche Hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Grant Statham - Links: WySAW talk - https://vimeo.com/769917679 Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ Crew: Host - Caleb Merrill Producer - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Donate: The Avalanche Hour Podcast - https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate The American Avalanche Association - https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/donate

EPISODE 7.20 Chic Scott is a renowned mountain adventurer, guide, and author who has been exploring high places for over 50 years. Born in Calgary in 1945, Chic is a fourth-generation Albertan and a third-generation Calgarian with a family history of organizing amateur sports. He represented Alberta at the Canadian Junior Golf Championship in 1961 but took up mountain climbing and skiing the following year and has been passionate about these pursuits ever since. Chic has climbed and skied in many locations around the world, including the Canadian Rockies, the European Alps, and the Himalayas. He has organized clubs and foundations, written books, and worked as a mountain guide. Some of his notable achievements include the first winter ascent of Mount Assiniboine in 1967, the first successful completion of the Jasper to Lake Louise High-Level Ski Traverse, and the first Himalayan summit reached by a Canadian, Myagdi Matha, in 1973. Chic Scott is an epic writer with over 150 articles or journal contributions and 17 books as writer or co-writer, including "Summits and Icefields: Alpine Ski Tours in the Canadian Rockies", "Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering", "Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies", "Powder Pioneers: Ski Stories from the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains", and "Deep Powder and Steep Rock: The Life of Mountain Guide Hans Gmoser". Chic's guidebook, "Summits and Icefields," is considered a classic of the genre, while "Pushing the Limits, the Story of Canadian Mountaineering," is considered the authority on the subject. He has received honorary memberships in the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, the Calgary Mountain Club, The Alpine Club of Canada, and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. In 2000, Chic received the Bill March Summit of Excellence Award at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, and in 2018, he received the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Chic currently resides in Banff, Alberta, where he writes books and magazine articles, gives presentations on mountain topics, and enjoys hiking, skiing, and climbing in the nearby Rocky Mountains. Dom: Intro Chic: From golf to skiing and mountaineering 4:35 Dom: Talks about the changes and prep 7:35 Chic: Illustrates the mountains melting 11:40 Chic: Weather and going into the unknown 15:59 Dom: Ques up the Banff film festival origins 25:05 Chic: Age is a number 31:12 Chic: Explains his love for literature 35:00 Chic: You thought your move was bad 40:00 Chic: Rappelling lesson learned 56:55 Dom: Outro Socials: The Avalanche Hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Guest - https://www.instagram.com/ Links: Chic Scott’s Website - https://chicscott.com/index.htm Whyte Museum Fireside chats - https://www.whyte.org/digitalvault/categories/fireside-chats Whyte Museum Pushing the Limits Legacy interview series https://www.whyte.org/pushing-limits-legacy Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ Crew: Host - Dom Baker - https://instagram.com/dom_baken/ Producer - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Donate: The Avalanche Hour Podcast - https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate The American Avalanche Association - https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/donate Music: Gravy - https://soundcloud.com/gravy Devil’s Punchbowl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0I2zpUuy1U

On today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Kate Koons, a highly respected professional in the Avalanche industry. Kate is a resident of Victor, Idaho, and holds several critical positions in the field. She is a pro instructor for the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), was the past A3 (American Avalanche Association) pro training coordinator, and currently serves on the A3 board of directors. Kate shares with us her fascinating journey, from her NOLS experience to her current work supporting the crew in Antarctica at McMurdo Station. She delves into the immense pressure that comes with such a role and shares with us valuable insights on self-care and the importance of taking much-needed breaks. As a leader in the industry, Kate sets an example by taking time to rest and unwind, all while remaining an active participant in the world around her. While she enjoys spending time with her furry companions, she is also passionate about immersing herself in diverse experiences, such as exploring Muslim culture in Pakistan. Socials: The Avalanche hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Guest - Kate Koons - https://www.instagram.com/kkoons/?hl=en Crew: Host - Sean Zimmerman-Wall Sound Editor - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ 6 Point Engineering - https://6pointeng.com/ Donate: https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate Music- Ketsa- Can’t Stop We, Boppin

On today's show, we're joined by Iain Stewart-Patterson. He is a Professor Emeritus and was one of the founding members of the Adventure Studies Department at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops BC. From his start as an Outward Bound instructor through his certification as an ACMG/IFMGA guide, Iain has led expeditions around the world and has facilitated many dream ski vacations whether accessing the terrain by heli or on foot. Iain has been guiding and instructing snow, rock, and ice adventures for over 42 years. Blending theory and practice, he earned a PhD, in which he investigated the decision processes used by expert heli and snowcat guides in avalanche terrain. Iain will share insights from his path to becoming an IFMGA guide, his entry into motorized travel in the mountains, the development of a motorized guide curriculum, and relevant research around the role intuition plays within expert decision making. With such a wealth of knowledge and experience, Iain is the perfect guest to discuss the complexities of decision-making in the mountains. Episode Breakdown: - Intro - Caleb: Introduction of Iain Stewart-Patterson (2:40) - Iain: Introduction to his beginnings (3:44) - Iain: Talking about building an Apprentice Guide Resume (8:24) - Iain: Explains the Adventure Studies Program at Thompson River - - ---- University (9:56) - Iain: Goes into his journey toward the motorized community (16:22) - Iain: Digging into avalanche motorized education (20:46) - Iain: Discusses the differences between ski and motorized travel (27:06) - Iain: Clarifies the process of creating an education curriculum (39:34) - Iain: Helps us understand snowpack penetration results with motorized travel (49:16) - Iain: Educates us about the expert halo and how to consider risk (58:20) - Iain: Incidence of over exposure (1:14:00) Outro (1:20:00) Socials: The Avalanche Hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Iain Stewart-Patterson - https://www.instagram.com/iainstewartpatterson/ Links: Thompson River University - https://www.tru.ca/adventure-studies.html Bruce Jamieson and Iain - https://vimeo.com/551688410 Stress Measurement Study - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165232X14002079 Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ Crew: Host - Caleb Merrill Producer - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Donate: The Avalanche Hour Podacast - https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate The American Avalanche Association - https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/donate

Join guest host, Brooke “Shiny” Edwards in an intimate conversation exploring the literacy of loss through the different lenses of nervous system regulation and incident support as she takes a deep dive into the mental wellness toolbox with professional counselor and avalanche educator, Sydney Badger and Mountain Muskox board member and ski guide, Kim Vinet. Sydney shares the importance of adventure-informed therapy and Kim asserts that our ski professional community needs to become literate in stress injuries, trauma, and loss. Many resources are shared in our show notes for this episode and the conversation is a celebration of togetherness in community as we rally together to overcome the stigmas associated with mental health. Sydney Badger is a registered clinical counselor who runs her virtual private practice, Back to Earth Counseling. She started her career in counseling after identifying a need to support recreationists and professionals who experience trauma incidents. Sydney is passionate about adventure-informed therapy and is currently undergoing trauma training as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Before working as a counselor, Sydney worked in the outdoor industry as a ski coach, river guide, and backcountry chef. She remains active in the ski industry by coaching women on snow, teaching virtual workshops, and offering avalanche education through a nervous system lens. Sydney's unique background and experiences enable her to connect with clients on a deeper level, particularly those who have experienced trauma in the context of adventure sports. She believes in the healing power of nature and encourages her clients to incorporate outdoor activities into their therapeutic journeys. Kim Vinet returns for another interview on The Avalanche Hour with this conversation. If you haven't heard it, check out her previous episode, 5.26. Kim 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. Kim is a board member of Mountain Muskox, an organization that provides safe, supportive, professional and peer-facilitated, group circles for anyone who has experienced loss or trauma in the mountains. Kim is also the founder of Affirmative Sustainability; a consulting company dedicated to reducing your corporate footprint and creating sustainable products. Music: "I Dig You" and "Manwell" by Ketsa Links: https://www.mountainmuskox.com/ https://www.responderalliance.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2hc2FLOdhI

In this instalment of The Avalanche Hour Podcast; Dom Baker interviews the legendary Dr. Bruce Jaimeson. Bruce has been working with avalanches for over 40 years, and providing training since 1985. Bruce headed the ASARC (Applied Snow and Avalanche Research) Program at the University of Calgary Department of Civil Engineering from 1998 to 2013. Bruce Jaimeson taught professional level avalanche courses for the CAA from 1992 to 2019, as well as recreational avalanche courses through the 80s and 90s. Bruce continues to provide specialized avalanche workshops , CPD and webinars for avalanche practitioners and industry. He is a retired Avalanche Professional with the Canadian Avalanche Association and a life member (non-practicing) of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. Links: https://www.brucejamieson.ca/ Music in this episode is used with permission of the artist, Gravy Artwork by Mike Tea, miketea.com Episode produced by Wes Gregg

In this episode, Caleb sits down with Dallas Glass, Deputy Director of the Northwest Avalanche Center. Somebody get him a badge! Dallas talks about his progression as a skier, patroller, mountain guide, educator, and avalanche forecaster. He describes the history of the NWAC, explains some of the inner working details that help to drive consistency across many different forecast zones and forecasters, and recounts some memorable avalanche cycles during his time there. We hope you enjoy it. NWAC - https://nwac.us/ Caleb: Intro (1:04) Caleb: Introduction of Dallas Glass (2:26) Dallas: About his beginnings (7:15) Dallas Life Lessons (10:02) Life Outside (10:18) Tight Team (11:28) People to Serve (12:30) People to Mentor (13:10) Needs a badge (14:09) The history of NWAC (NorthWest Avalanche Center) (14:56) https://nwac.us/about/about-us/ The organizational impact of NWAC (16:33) Hiring Forecasters: What it takes (20:20) The Forest Service & public involvement (22:50) Public observastions: help share data (25:50) Weather forecasting the future(32:24) Field Days and Forecasting (40:31) Target observations(44:40) About the danger levels (48:25) Near miss (54:29) Trip plan for the day (1:00:38) Partner Pairing (1:02:26) Minimize Unknowns (1:05:39) Life and death reality (1:07:30) Outro (1:12:55) Socials: The Avalanche hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Dallas Glass - https://www.instagram.com/dallaswglass/ NWAC - https://www.instagram.com/nwacus/ Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ 6 Point Engineering: https://6pointeng.com/ Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/avalanchehour Crew: Host - Caleb Merrill Producer - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Donate: https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate

In this installment of The Avalanche Hour Podcast; Wes Gregg interviews Erin Tierney the President of the CSGA as the second installment of the 'Who is the ACMG? Who is the CSGA? Erin has worked in the avalanche industry since 1997 mainly as a heli ski guide and instructor for the CSGI. Lately she has enjoyed exploring the different arms of the avalanche industry as a forecaster, avalanche tech and now as an instructor for the CAA ITP program. Erin lives in Mount Currie, BC with her family. Find out more about the CSGA/CSGI: canskiguide.com Facebook: Canadian Ski Guide Association president@canskiguide.com Music in this episode is used with permission of the artist, Age Diamante - Chakra Tonic Artwork by Mike Tea, miketea.com Episode produced by Wes Gregg