Mind the Track

In today’s world of the mega pass like Epic and Ikon, small independent ski resorts are struggling to survive. But one of the oldest ski resorts in America – in one of the snowiest places on Earth – is thriving. Founded in 1939 by Hannes Schroll and funded by Walt Disney, Sugar Bowl Resort on Donner Summit has welcomed both families and hardcore skiers for generations, offering a friendly, laid back vibe and expert terrain. In Episode 78, we spin yarns with Sugar Bowl CEO, Bridget Legnavsky – a CEO who absolutely shreds on skis – discussing a recent $100 million investment, helping “The Bowl” stay competitive against Epic and Ikon resorts while honoring its blend of European and American traditions. We also chat about why Bridget thinks Sugar Bowl is one of the most unique resorts in the world, the differences between her home country of New Zealand and America, the future sustainability of skiing, why Lake Tahoe isn’t more of an international ski destination, and if Summit Chair will spin more than 3 days this year.  2:30 – Recording from Sugar Bowl Resort.4:30 – Last episode, zero snow. This episode, 10+ feet of snow. Instant winter.7:00 – Dangerous snow conditions – lots of avalanches. Inspecting a slide at Latopie Lake near Sonora Pass with Bridgeport Avalanche Center.11:30 – Fatal snowmobile-triggered avalanche on Castle Peak. Reel the program back.14:25 – Ski Patrol fatality at Mammoth Mountain during the post-Christmas storm.15:20 – Telluride ski patrol went on strike and are still on strike.17:30 – Interviewing Bridget Legnavsky, CEO of Sugar Bowl Resort.19:50 – If you’re a snowmobiler – get educated. Understand the risks of the backcountry.21:40 – New amenities at Sugar Bowl – new deck, locker room, restaurant and Ratskeller area.25:13 – What are some of Bridget’s favorite Kiwi slang words?26:05 – What words do New Zealanders use to describe snow conditions?27:30 – Sugar Bowl community is heavily into performing music.29:20 – Bridget’s first winter was the winter of 2022-23, one of the biggest in Sierra history.30:45 – Working as a ski instructor in Japan, Europe, Breckenridge and Aspen, Colorado.33:50 – What makes Sugar Bowl unique in the ski industry?35:30 – How did Bridget find Sugar Bowl?37:30 – The unique structure of Sugar Bowl – owned by homeowners.43:30 – Replacing the village gondola – a $50 million project.        48:30 – Misconceptions about mountain operations and ski patrol.54:04 – The rising operational cost of running a ski resort.58:20 – Are the Vail Epic Pass and Alterra Ikon Pass the biggest threats to the future of Sugar Bowl?1:05:45 – What’s the difference between Kiwis and Aussies?1:07:45 – How has the family adapted to American life?1:09:00 – Are there things Americans can take from New Zealand culture and vice versa?1:12:30 – Are you a shoveler or a packer?1:14:30 – What is the vision for the future of Sugar Bowl?1:19:00 – Listener questions: What’s up with Summit chair lift?1:21:20 – What is Sugar Bowl doing to keep skiing affordable for families?1:23:30 – Paying more for a season pass but getting a lesser experience.1:25:40 – Why is Lake Tahoe not an international destination ski market?           1:32:00 – Ease of access to skiing in the Tahoe region is second to none.1:35:15 – Where do you see Sugar Bowl in 20 years?1:39:40 – Dope or Derp Sugar Bowl report card.1:48:30 – Why has the season pass purchase turned into a March thing instead of fall?1:50:40 – Does Sugar Bowl have plans to expand mountain bike trails in the summer?1:54:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

After a month of being ridged with displeasure and no snow, a series of atmospheric rivers dumps buckets of rain before changing to snow, finally delivering major dumpage to Tahoe just in time for Christmas. In the final episode of Mind the Track’s third season, in Episode 77 the boys recap a month of inversions, brown pow and Tule Fog, contemplate chasing snow up into Canada, shout out the core lords for their 10th Shredmandment recommendations and DOPE or DERP making sound effects when riding your bike or filling uncomfortable silences. Pow Bot gives a gray wolf update, SKI BORG makes an appearance and the boys ask listeners to send in their questions for an upcoming interview with the CEO of Sugar Bowl resort. 2:10 – SKI BORG vs POW BOT5:00 – No snow in Lake Tahoe with a huge storm a-coming just in time for Christmas chaos.8:50 – On an airplane - window shade open or window shade closed?11:00 – Trail Whisperer still hasn’t bought a ski pass for the season.  13:55 – All the different taglines describing the snow dry spell in Tahoe. 15:20 – Gnarly Tule Fog in the Central Valley of California for the last month. 16:10 – Washington State flooding – Stevens Pass, Crystal Mountain and Mount Baker roads blown out.18:14 – Vail Resorts discounting ski lift tickets and medium range lodge bookings are way down.22:50 – Pow Bot is finally maturing – he isn’t frothed out on chasing pow.25:35 – DOPE or DERP – Do you chase the pow north to Canada right now?27:15 – Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series Opener – Truckee Dirt Union raises $120,000!30:40 – Spotify year-end wrap-up statistics for Mind the Track podcast.32:20 – Shout out to Core Lord listener Stavros on Mount Hough in Quincy!35:20 – HOT TIP: If you have poison oak, don’t scratch it, use the hottest water you can tolerate to flush the histamines.38:10 – DOPE or DERP – Humming or whistling to fill an uncomfortable silence.42:00 – DOPE or DERP – Making sound effects when you ride your bike.46:10 – Listener Feedback – Finders Keepers stories.49:25 – Atlanta, Georgia is the most surveilled city in the World.50:45 – Pow Bot uses his Garmin watch to find his lost smartphone.56:20 – Listener Feedback – Grocery gear baskets.57:30 – Kurt Refsnider mountain bikes the whole Orogenesis Route – 4,275 miles in 135 days. 59:25 – Sugar Bowl asks if Mind the Track would like to interview the CEO of the ski resort.1:01:40 – Listener Feedback on the 10th Shredmandment. Steve says respect the trailhead.1:05:16 – Liz and Cam – Always be learning and avalanche education.1:06:45 – Stu – Be a capable backcountry skiing partner.1:09:30 – Tony from Lee Vining – Observe, consider and decide. 1:12:30 – Alex – Keep your gear tight. Know how to use a first aid kit.1:13:00 – @patagonia_snow Instagram shouts out Mind the Track and the Butt Vest.1:15:55 – Wolf pulls a crab pot out of water with the buoy and rope to eat the bait.1:20:30 – Gray Wolf is de-listed by the Endangered Species Act.1:25:00 – Cam says Snack Man is DOPE. 1:26:30 – Telluride Ski Patrol is threatening strike, could shut the whole season down.1:33:00 – The unsustainable game of buying a season’s pass at a ski resort.

There may be no other person in Northern California more in touch with the behavior of wildlife than the award-winning nature photographer Randy Robbins. Based in Susanville, Robbins’ images of bald eagles, mountain lions, bears, bobcats, foxes, and hundreds of other species have helped both the public, and wildlife biologists, better understand the animals in our own backyards that we never see. Robbins snapped the very first high resolution photo of a Lassen Pack Wolf in 2021 in the ashes of the Dixie Fire, captured the first known image of the rare and endangered Sierra Nevada Red Fox and was the first photographer to ever be awarded by the Natural History Museum of London for an iPhone image. Robbins’ photos have been featured in media outlets worldwide, winning dozens of prestigious awards in only seven years of work. In Episode 76, we chat with Robbins at his Susanville photo gallery – A Thousand Windows –  about his path to being a wildlife photographer, his relationship to God, both as a pastor and an outdoorsman, and the public criticisms he faces from all sides for simply capturing beautiful portraits of animals in the wild. 2:50 – PowBot and Trail Whisperer photograph wildlife.4:50 – Recording from Susanville, California, riding the Bizz Johnson Trail.6:25 – Introducing Randy Robbins, award-winning wildlife photographer and trails advocate for Susanville Area Bicycling Association.8:30 – California Wildlife Photo of the Year Award - Bald Eagle called “Fly Fishing”.10:00 – Natural History Museum of London Wildlife Photographer of the Year – “Full Circle”.10:50 – Getting the very first high resolution photo of the Lassen Pack Wolf.15:00 – 800 Main Street, Susanville, California originally built in 1901, now home to A Thousand Windows – Randy Robbins’ photography gallery.18:50 – A Thousand Windows – a John Muir quote.20:00 – Randy is a former teacher and part-time pastor at a Christian church.21:30 – What’s the difference between finding God in the outdoors and finding it in church?23:25 – How has your photography influenced your faith?25:00 – After 2 years, getting a camera trap image of the Lassen Pack Wolf after the Dixie Fire.26:00 – The patience required to be a good photographer27:10 – Taking 3 years to get a photo of the endangered Sierra Nevada Red Fox.30:00 – Lassen Volcanic National Park as a habitat for wildlife, and getting a permit to photograph in a National Park.32:20 – Social media influencers, YouTubers and filming permits in National Parks.35:30 – How did Randy get into photography?39:25 – The highs and lows of social media, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook in promotion.43:35 – Dealing with the haters on social media.44:50 – Is taking a photograph of an animal compromising the animal’s habitat?48:45 – Do animals like trails?50:10 – Winning a Natural History Museum of London award for taking an iPhone photo, and then being criticized for it.54:05 – Setting up an effective camera trap in the forest.58:00 – Waiting in the woods for hours, days sometimes years before getting the right shot.1:00:00 – Getting the award winning Bald Eagle shot in a kayak on Antelope Lake.1:04:00 – The wolf discussion – Is the reintroduction of wolves in California good or bad?  1:08:25 – The criticisms Randy receives for simply taking a photo of a wolf.1:11:45 – The Beyem Seyo Pack of wolves attacking and killing dozens of cattle in Sierra Valley.1:14:45 – Has Randy ever been a hunter? As a photographer, would he be able to hunt?1:16:30 – What has photography taught you most about animal behavior?1:21:00 – How have the massive wildfires of the last few years impacted wildlife?1:25:50 – Tracking animals and learning the different animal paw prints.1:29:45 – Why isn’t Susanville more popular as a mountain town?1:40:40 – Would John Muir have ridden a mountain bike or a split board? 1:44:00 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?1:49:08 – Get Randy Robbins’ prints – Randyrobbinsphotography.com and athousandwindows.com

Highlighting the abysmal start to ski season in the American West, the boys record outdoors at 6,500 feet elevation near the Sierra Crest wearing t-shirts. Even the mountains above Las Vegas have more snow than Tahoe! Episode 75 covers a range of Core Lord Call-Ins including discussion around the rules of Finders Keepers, ASMR and Misophonia, and a shout out to @nick_russelll @slushthemagazine feature on backcountry splitboarding rules and its relation to the 10 Shredmandments from @pow_bot . We do our first live, impromtu phone call with Marc Cosbey’s childhood friend Randy, sharing some Captain Cozmo stories.  There’s also some Mindless Crap like Snack Man and the Pikes Peak Peanut Pusher. And @skyemersontahoe asks is it DOPE or DERP that @erin_ton7 is bagging Colorado 14ers in prom dresses and high heels, so we get a female’s perspective.2:24 – No snow in Tahoe. Recording outside at Tahoe Donner Nordic Center. Mammoth Mountain had a ripping opener. More snow in Las Vegas than Tahoe!8:40 – What are you thankful for in 2025?12:25 – Shout out to Miles at Incline Spirits and Cigars.14:15 – Watching the new Vince Gilligan show Pluribus.15:30 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Dan Kuhns – Doesn’t like Snack Man.18:04 – Misophonia – disorder where specific sounds trigger a strong emotional reaction.19:00 – Auto Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) creeps out Trail Whisperer.21:06 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Keith from Auburn – Kurt Refsnider bikepacking the Orogenesis Trail.26:05 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Gordo has some categorical tips for Finders Keepers.28:30 – Lost and Found – Did you lose an iWatch on the new Boca Ridge trail?32:30 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Your Old Pal Garen Becker formerly of Santa Cruz Bicycles fame.35:10 – CORE LORD CALL-IN – Randy wants us to call him about some Cosbey stories.46:40 – DOPE or DERP from Sky E. - bagging 14ers in Colorado in high heels?50:50 – The Peanut Pusher – Bob Salem – Pushes a peanut to the top of Pikes Peak with his nose. Clickbait?54:00 – Local Line Larry – Appreciates our perspective on the Roadless Rule.55:10 – Josh – 100% done with Red Bull Rampage.56:45 – Shout out to Nick Russell – Slush Magazine – “Russell’s Ridge – Backcountry Basics Part I – The Guiding Principles of Splitboarding.1:06:10 – Reviewing the 10 Shredmandments.1:11:30 – Any adventure plans for Thanksgiving?

As winter takes its time to arrive in Lake Tahoe, the hosts dive into the awkward transition from fall to skiing. They explore the best sports in the region, debate the merits of blue square flow trails, and tackle the escalating risks in extreme sports like Red Bull Rampage. A historic ski descent by Jim Morrison on Everest sparks fascinating discussions, alongside rants about social media's visual clutter. Fitness challenges with aging and excitement for upcoming adventures round out this lively conversation.

In the third installment of the Cosbey Chronicles, the boys sit down with Coz at his caretaker’s quarters on the shore of Gold Lake and dive deep into trails. Raised as a Mormon, by age 12, Coz knew organized religion wasn’t for him. At that same age, he rode a Honda Trail 90 motorcycle for the first time, and it was the beginning of the rest of his life. His religion became exploration on two wheels in the outdoors. Coz talks about the three years he spent laying out and building Mills Peak trail in Graeagle, as well as working on all the trails in Lakes Basin for the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, an organization he co-founded. Coz talks about the future of recreation in rural mountain communities and encourages listeners to escape the negativity of life, losing their minds in the track, being present in the moment. He also encourages those with financial means to contribute their wealth to trails and trail projects, benefiting the public in an age where connection to place is being lost to invasive technology. 6:30 – Podcast – The Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know8:25 – Coast to Coast Radio with Art Bell9:55 – Car Talk with Click and Clack11:50 – Recording at Gold Lake near Graeagle, California with Marc Cosbey18:20 – Living through two winters in Lakes Basin – running naked out into a snowstorm22:20 – Tuning into nature through the sounds of nature25:30 – Being raised Mormon, not digging it, and instead embracing nature and trails as religion30:05 – Riding a motorcycle for the first time in his life at 12 years old – beginning of the rest of his life.34:30 – Trails are a pathway to spirituality – tuning out the world and focusing on the moment in the track.36:15 – Building Mills Peak trail and spending years in the Lakes Basin improving the trails.39:50 – What’s it like to ride a trail you built after 3 years of your life working on it?43:15 – Stew McMorrow – a volunteer who’s had his life changed by the importance of trails.45:15 – Where does Coz see the future of trails and trail organizations?49:45 – Volunteers who have desk jobs that come and volunteer – it can change their life.56:57 – What is the biggest challenge and opportunity for rural mountain communities in securing their future?1:00:31 – What have you learned about yourself, community and public lands in the wake of devastating wildfires over the last 5 years?1:12:30 – What trail is Coz most proud of building over the years?1:13:55 – Building the North Yuba Trail from Downieville to Goodyears Bar and the enjoyment of designing a trail before it’s built.1:18:27 – What was the significance of building Mills Peak Trail in Graeagle?1:21:33 – What advice does Coz have for folks starting their own trails organization?1:29:48 – If your life were a tree, what kind of tree would it be?1:32:47 – What’s an epic ride people have to do in the Lakes Basin? Mount Elwell.1:38:25 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

After a mid-October snowstorm, the hosts celebrate the vibrant fall colors and their latest outdoor adventures. They dive into the thrill of early-season skiing and PowBot's wing foiling journey. The discussion touches on the historic fire lookout trails and Sydney Martinez's new book, 'Finding Nevada Wild,' focusing on Nevada's beauty. A debate ensues over the implications of the rescinded Roadless Rule, balancing access and conservation. Listeners also share quirky trail snack preferences and engage in a spirited exchange about the new Class 3 e-bike features.

In this engaging conversation, Dave Polivy, owner of Tahoe Mountain Sports and former mayor of Truckee, shares his journey to the mountains, arriving on September 11, 2001. He discusses tackling local housing challenges and the impact of seasonal tourism on the community. Dave candidly reflects on the emotional toll of his leadership during COVID, the balance of being an elected official and a business owner, and his ambitious goals for affordable housing and economic resilience in Truckee. His passion for the outdoors and commitment to community shine through!

In Part II of the Cosbey Chronicles, Uncle Coz recounts more boat adventures, working for Raul Gardini – the richest man in Italy – and his Americas Cup team, building the very first carbon composite racing boats, and after a brief stint working in Japan, returning to the US to work on the AmericaOne team. We dive into Marc’s love for music, seeing iconic bands in the 1970s like Zeppelin, Marley, The Who, Van Halen, The Doors, Pink Floyd and, of course, the Grateful Dead. Cosbey’s most memorable show? Midnight Oil in Australia. Tom and Coz discover they were at the same Dead shows together, and Coz opens up about relationships, living simple and free on his terms, riding on the backs of manta rays deep in the Pacific Ocean and almost drowning while bodysurfing The Wedge in Newport Beach. 3:00 – Wrong number call-in to the Core Lord hotline regarding religious exemption.7:45 – Introducing Part II of the Downieville interview with Marc Cosbey.13:30 – Working for Raul Gardini, the richest man in Italy on his boat racing team, the first carbon composite Americas Cup boats for racing San Diego in 1991.23:35 – Got hired onto a Japanese Americas Cup team in 1995 and taught them the craft.24:25 – Discovering a caretaker’s job at Gold Lake in the Lakes Basin of Plumas County.27:38 – Going back to an American team out of San Francisco – America One.31:00 – If you could live in a different country, where would you live? New Zealand.33:50 – All about music. Seeing live bands all over the world – Zeppelin, Marley, The Who, Van Halen, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead.37:40 – Calling a drug hotline high on drugs to ask if he should go see Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.39:58 – What was the most memorable show you’ve ever seen? Midnight Oil in Australia.42:10 – What’s the difference between Australians and New Zealanders?43:49 – Second most memorable show he’s ever seen – Carlos Santana at a bull ring in Tijuana.44:45 – Some Grateful Dead show stories – Coz and Tom discover they were at the same show.50:00 – Cosbey’s love life, never getting married and not having pets – flying solo and keeping things simple.52:20 – Trail Whisperer’s story about chasing a loose dog running on the highway.54:48 – Cosbey thinks time is going faster, the planet is accelerating. How do you slow time down?57:30 – Almost drowning at The Wedge in Newport Beach in the early 1970s.1:01:47 – Do you feel like you still need to chase adventure or do you feel content?1:04:00 – Helping a friend learn to build a boat, then sailing the Sea of Cortez, Baja Mexico.1:06:40 – Sailing to seamounts in the Pacific, an underwater volcano that comes within 100 feet of the sea surface. A refuge for aquatic life.1:09:00 – Riding on the back of a massive manta ray.1:11:25 – If you were an animal, what would you be?

For the third August in a row, heavy rain has blessed the northern Sierra Nevada. Amidst the best brown pow cycle of the summer, on episode 69, Pow Bot and Trail Whisperer froth over the fresh rainfall while burners out on the playa get mud plugged and hit with haboobs. TW also froths over his new Ibis Ripley and PB over his recent progress on the wing foil. Other topics include Old Farmer’s Almanac predictions on winter, differing opinions on vacationing in Santa Cruz, the expense of bike racks, and on a musical note, The Scientist’s dub reggae, St. Vincent and seeing Collie Buddz live at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe. The boys also Dope or Derp Mariachi bands, wearing a shammy and tailgate pads while DOUBLE DOPEing ski straps and plastic grocery baskets as gear carriers. 3:00 – Best riding conditions of the summer in Lake Tahoe are happening right now in late August. Third year in a row of rain in August. BROWN POW!4:00 – Burning Man woes – windstorms, epic mud, 10-hour wait line on the playa to get in.8:20 – Dirk Hobskin calls in with Channel 69 news special brown pow report.11:25 – Trail Whisperer celebrates New Bike Day – Ibis Ripley.16:40 – What do you think about Santa Cruz?23:30 – Pow Bot has been frothing on wing foiling on Washoe Lake.31:00 – Ice Cream Man is still harassing Trail Whisperer.32:45 – Old Farmer’s Almanac makes its predictions for Winter 2025-26. Do you think Farmer’s Almanac is an accurate tool for seasonal forecasting?37:15 – Update on the rope swing at DL Bliss State Park getting cut down.40:25 – We sold out! Thanks to all our listeners for buying a Mind the Track hat.41:40 – On a Musical Note – The Scientist (Hopeton Overton Brown), Trail Whisperer saw Collie Buddz at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe, St. Vincent (Annie Clark).53:00 – Pow Bot recommends watching Florida Man before going on vacation to Florida.55:40 – DOPE or DERP – Mariachi bands.57:20 – DOPE or DERP – Wearing a shammy.1:03:25 – DOPE or DERP – Tailgate Pads.1:14:25 – DOUBLE DOPE – Singing the praises of the Voile ski strap.1:16:55 – DOUBLE DOPE x2 – using a plastic grocery basket as a gear carrier.1:21:40 – Part II of the Cosbey Chronicles will be on episode 70.1:24:00 – Trail Whisperer going on a cross-country adventure driving a car from Boston to Reno.1:28:50 – Pow Bot’s story of sleeping on the side of the highway and being woken at 4:30AM.1:33:30 – The dilemma of inheriting family furniture and the cost of shipping it cross country.1:38:45 – The Mountains to Meadows Enduro Festival at Plumas County Fairgrounds on September 12-14. The return of Grinduro!