The Avalanche Hour Podcast

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

In this episode, Wes Gregg has a chat with ACMG Technical Director, Mike Adolph. This conversation is based on the concept of providing listeners an opportunity to hear directly from the source how the Technical Assessment Program works and the history of the ACMG. Mike Adolph is a ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide and also the current ACMG Technical Director. He's currently residing in Alberta splitting his time between Red Deer, his kids attend a Spanish school there and Nordegg. Mike tries to maintain a diverse winter guiding background that includes some mechanized skiing, ski touring, ice and alpine climbing as well as working as instructing in the ACMG training and assessment programs winter courses. He has been working as a guide for 25 years and completed his mountain guide certification in 2007. Skiing with his wife and two kids takes up a lot of free weekends during the winter months and is pleased to say that he's had several opportunities to ski first tracks at the local hill in Red Deer. ACMG Mission Statement: The ACMG's mission is to protect the public interest in mountain travel and climbing instruction by: Developing and administering rigorous standards for certification and professional conduct; Aiding the professionalism of its members through public advocacy and program delivery; and, Training and assessing future guides and instructors to the highest standards of risk management. web links: www.acmg.ca Association of Canadian Mountain Guides About the group. Courses and certification programs offered. Technical tips. List of certified guides. (professional association of trained and certified guides and instructors) www.acmg.ca ACMG training and assessment program - Movement screening dates and locations can be found here ACMG Course Dates and Fees (tapacmg.ca) ACMG Course Dates and Fees - tap@acmg.ca People can also find Mike at: www.viaferratacanada.com (He's built 2 ferratas in his local range) Alberta Via Ferratas | Via Ferrata Canada Via ferrata climbing for everyone in the David Thompson Rocky Mountains. Get info and guides for the Nordegg area Via Ferratas. www.viaferratacanada.com COE.ca - Rock & Ice Climbing Guiding and Courses, Youth Programs, and Retreats in the Canadian Rockies. Courses and Guiding for rock, ice and alpine climbing as well as kayaking and caving. www.coe.ca 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

Simon Trautman grew up running around in hay fields outside of Lander, Wyoming. Following a stint as a US Navy Corpsman, he earned a BS in Geology at Western Washington University and an MS in Earth Science from Montana State University. His research focused on wet snow avalanche phenomena. He has worked as an avalanche forecaster for the Moonlight Basin Ski Patrol, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, and the Sawtooth Avalanche Center (where he served as the Director from 2012-2014). Simon joined the National Avalanche Center in the summer of 2014. Simon is the current acting director of the National Avalanche Center. In this episode, we chat about the history of US avalanche centers, the role of the NAC in guiding US avalanche centers in a common direction, and some of the recent developments of the Avalanche Center Dashboard. Simon explains what goes into writing an avalanche forecast, and the best way for the public to use the forecast. Music by Ketsa www.avalanche.org Backcountry Avalanche Forecasts Explained: https://youtu.be/UJTynkEwllY An Introduction to the North American Danger Scale: https://youtu.be/r_-KpOu7tbA Avalanche Problems Explained: https://youtu.be/DkbnT_9-cHU Braille Mountain Initiative Climbathon: https://www.braillemountaininitiative.com/climb-a-thon