Salt Lake Snowcast

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This might not be the episode you want to hear, but I think it's the episode that some people might need to hear. Sometimes, you don't need to go backcountry skiing. It's ok to take a break. It's ok to sleep in, go to the resort, or go lap Patsy Trees. If you do decide to go into the backcountry, take pause and recognize the risk you're taking. Ask yourself why you decided to engage with an activity that has significant risk to you and other people. Today's episode is filled with honesty, vulnerability...

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Happy Valentine's Day to the Wasatch! On today's episode, I'll interview Derek Cragun, a mental health therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and avid backcountry skier about one of the more interesting topics I've covered on the Salt Lake Snowcast. Skiing with the person you love can be amazing...and also challenging at times. Derek and I will talk about tips and tricks for improving the backcountry experience between you and your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, significant other, ski partner who you have a crush on, etc. I've heard a lot of people make some...

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

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On today’s episode, I’ll be talking with local skier Fern Hardin about an avalanche accident she was involved in last year in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada while skiing Terminal Cancer Couloir. We’ll talk about what went wrong, what she learned, and how she approaches things differently after the accident. I won’t say too much more as I want Fern to tell the story. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for an exciting announcement about an upcoming event I’ll be hosting this Winter!

I sincerely appreciate...

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Welcome back to Season 3 of the Salt Lake Snowcast! I couldn't be more excited to get this show on the road (or skintrack!) for this Winter. I have some great things lined up for the pod this year. One of my favorite things about running the Snowcast is that I can keep things topical and relevant. So, looking at the calendar, realizing we were more than halfway through December and I hadn’t published an episode yet, I began to think about motivation. It’s been an interesting start to the Winter in the Salt...

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When most Wasatch skiers were starting to put their skis away for the Season, local crusher Mali Noyes set out on one of the most challenging efforts I've seen in the Wasatch in recent memory: skiing all Chuting Gallery lines as fast as possible. Accomplishing her goal of all 93 lines in just 47 days, Mali not only pushed herself, but also pushed the limits of what's capable in our beloved local mountains. I'll catch up with Mali in this episode to talk about the project and hear what it's like to handle so much steep...

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The Salt Lake Snowcast is back this weekend with an interview with Sam Kapacinksas. Sam will be sharing a story with us from an avalanche in 2016 that he was caught and carried in, and then walked away from mostly unscathed. We'll talk about how that day has influenced his trajectory as a backcountry skier. It’s honestly been one of my favorite interviews I’ve done on the Salt Lake Snowcast. Before we jump into that, I’ll give a quick update on backcountry conditions and avalanche hazard. A big storm is on deck for th...

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After short break last week, the Snowcast is back today to talk about current conditions. I'm joined on the show by my friend, local guide, and avalanche forecaster Cody Hughes. Talking with Cody last week, we both had the same gut feeling about our snowpack: it's dangerous, complex, and makes us both uncomfortable. Our goal with this weekend's episode is to share some knowledge and do our part to help the community understand what's going on in the snow. Tune in for a passionate and vulnerable conversation. Have a safe weekend everybody.

...

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On today's episode, I'm joined by Utah Avalanche Center Forecaster Craig Gordon. As one of the more recognizable people in Utah's backcountry scene, I've been looking forward to chatting with Craig ever since I started the podcast. We'll talk about Craig's backstory and how he came to be an avy forecaster before a discussion on our current snowpack.

You can stop by Ecker Middle School next Tuesday, February 11th at 6:30pm for a more in depth State of the Snowpack conversation with Craig.

Learn more about Craig's story here. 

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Another week, another Salt Lake Snowcast. With some noteworthy conditions in the backcountry I’ll take a few minutes today to talk about weather and avalanches before an interview with local snow professional Tarah O’Connor. Tarah and I will talk about her two decade career working in the snow and get some opinions and hot takes from her on avalanche education and the state of the ski industry. I appreciate that Tarah doesn’t hold back and so willing to share her time and her opinions.

I also want to welcome Alpha...

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The Snowcast is back this week for an important conversation about uphill travel. Joining me on the show is local guide and avalanche professional Colby Stetson. We'll chat about everything from the etiquette of skin tracks, backcountry travel dos and don'ts, and some common uptracks for accessing Wasatch Classics. Colby and I certainly aren’t the authority on this topic, in fact nobody is, but what we tried to do in this episode is discuss some standards, expectations, and like with any episode of the Salt Lake Snowcast, encourage some critical thinking. I’m alwa...

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On today's show, I'll start with a brief summary of our backcountry conditions. Our snowpack setup in the Central Wasatch requires vigilance and patience. We’ve seen large avalanches in the past week that are well-connected, running full track, and crossing popular skin tracks. With four fatalities in the past few weeks across the intermountain West, it’s time to give the terrain a break and respect the power of the mountains. 

Also in this episode, Jack Stauss and I tackle one of the more contentious issues in the Wasatch and backcountry skiin...

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This was a tough week in the Wasatch. I had something planned for the Snowcast, but it just didn’t seem appropriate to publish it given the current events. We’ve had two fatalities in the backcountry this week. And that’s heart wrenching. At a minimum, we need to acknowledge these events and talk about them. It doesn’t feel like enough to me to just take a business as usual approach to the podcast or my personal backcountry skiing. "The show must go on" doesn't really apply here.

So, I've decided...

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In today's episode, I'll be chatting with Dani Poirier from the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance. We'll get to know Dani a little bit before diving into some hot topics in the Wasatch. Dani will also provide some updates for us about current access issues, the WBA shuttle, and the organization's trail counting program.

For snow, weather, and avalanche updates, all eyes are on an active period of weather between Christmas and New Years. It's still a ways out, but we have a good history of having reliable Winter storms right around Christmas...

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In today's episode, I'll be chatting with Dani Poirier from the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance. We'll get to know Dani a little bit before diving into some hot topics in the Wasatch. Dani will also provide some updates for us about current access issues, the WBA shuttle, and the organization's trail counting program.

For snow, weather, and avalanche updates, all eyes are on an active period of weather between Christmas and New Years. It's still a ways out, but we have a good history of having reliable Winter storms right around Christmas time...

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The Wasatch is starting to come back to life and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. After a long period of high pressure, our snow globe has returned, at least for now. In today's episode, I'll recap our snow, weather, and avalanches before jumping into an interview with Emmet Murray. Emmet is the unit Vice President out of the Canyons village for the Park City Ski Patrol Association where he works as a Hill Captain. We'll talk all things ski patrol before learning about ski patrol Unions and why they are important...

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Welcome back to Season 2 of the Salt Lake Snowcast!

On today’s episode, we’ll start by looking at historical data for the Wasatch to see how nervous we really need to be about our low tide conditions. After that, Zack Little is back on the show to talk about first aid, communication, and preparedness for backcountry skiing. We've spent some time covering what happens when things go wrong, so I wanted to make sure we also did an episode about how to prevent things from going wrong in the first place.
...

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It's been a long hot Summer and as temps are finally beginning to drop, I was feeling inspired to share a few thoughts about last Winter. I'll start with some appreciations and shoutouts and then reflect on our previous season. It was an amazing Winter to be a Wasatch skier and it's hard to imagine things getting better! I also have a few announcements from Utah Avy, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, and Save Our Canyons. I can't wait for a new season of the Salt Lake Snowcast. Don't be shy and let me know what y...

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Hey Everyone! Our first season at the Salt Lake Snowcast is starting to wrap up. Before we finish, I wanted to do an episode on our most requested topic: avalanche education and backcountry mentorship. To talk with me about this on the show is local guide and avalanche forecaster Kiira Antenucci. Kiira and I chat about how to make the jump from intermediate to expert, ways to find mentorship and ski partners, and we share our own opinions about the state of avalanche education. Tune in for a passionate discussion.

It's been...

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I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little seasonally confused these days. We had vicious East winds followed by high pressure and now, Old Man Winter has returned. We could see another few feet of snow before the end of the month so get out there and ski it while you can! 

On today's episode, I had the chance to chat with my friend Chris Dickson from the San Juan Snowcast. Along with taking a behind the scenes look at both podcasts, we'll talk about our motivation behind these shows. I...

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The Salt Lake Snowcast is back this week with an interview from local skier Mark White AKA @spindrift65 on Instagram. Mark has been ski touring in the Wasatch for the past 40 years and has a perspective and approach to backcountry skiing that we haven’t really talked about this season. While he’s well known for his aesthetically pleasing powder turns and skin tracks, Mark is also prolific in making observations and paying attention to the mountains. 

When I started the SLSC this year, Mark was on my shortlist of folks to talk...

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After taking last week off, we are back this weekend to talk with Jack Stauss about our current conditions as we head into another active period of weather. March is usually my favorite ski month with longer days and a more stable snowpack. We’ve made it over the hump of what we call Deep Winter, but we can still pretty much see any type of weather imaginable moving forward through the season. Buckle up, because March is coming in like a lion with lots of wind and moisture.

Thanks for checking ou...

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Thanks for checking out the Salt Lake Snowcast! This is our longest episode yet, but it's an important story to hear and I think any backcountry skier or rider will benefit from the accident analysis and discussion had in this week's episode. 

After a few sunny and calm days in the mountains, we are turning the corner and heading into another active period of weather. I’m already excited to add up the snow totals on next week’s episode! In the beginning of today’s show, I’ll recap a what was a bus...

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What a week of powder skiing! A bit of wind early in the week, but things really turned on with right side up snow and light density powder coming in the last few days with light winds. This weekend should be all time conditions with bottomless turns under clear and cold sunny skies. Utah is still above average for the year with both snow and water. We’re doing much better than other parts of the country, so enjoy the snow and be grateful for what we have!

In Part 2 of today’s sh...

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Thanks for tuning in to Episode 9 of the Salt Lake Snowcast. I wanted to get this one out as soon as possible as I  think it is an incredibly important episode going into this weekend. After the usual backcountry update, I have an honest and vulnerable conversation with local pro skier Sam Cohen and our friend, ski guide, and avalanche forecaster Cody Hughes. Sam was caught, carried, and partially buried in an avalanche this past week and wanted to come on the show to tell the full story. With the help of Cody and S...

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Welcome to Episode 8! Things are trending positively right now for our persistent weak layer, but we aren’t out of the woods yet. It’s going to be one of those tempting weekends where you’ll likely see some bold tracks in big avalanche paths. Heading into this weekend, remember our discussion from last week about getting lucky vs. making good decisions. With our current snowpack, tracks aren’t necessarily indicating stability. 

In Part 2, local backcountry skier, former Navy SEAL, and man of many talents, Trevor Thompson, joins the Snowcast to chat about ris...

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Are we making good decisions or are we getting lucky? Going into this weekend, I have a message I want you to hear. We are headed in a bad direction and I don’t like the trend I’m seeing. We’ve seen some notable incidents and we have almost every “red flag” present right now in the Wasatch.  Typically, we see some dangerous close calls, a few people get lucky, and then the luck eventually runs out. Let’s work together as a community, think before we drop in, and keep one another safe.

O...

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Hey Everyone! I just couldn’t help myself today. The mountains are popping off right now and we have extreme danger. These are not normal conditions. Things are dangerous and need to be taken seriously. Instead of going skiing, I had an extra espresso shot this morning,  called up my friend and local avalanche forecaster for Utah Mountain Adventures, Kiira Antenucci, and chatted about our current conditions. 

If you have questions or curiosities about what extreme danger means, how we got here, what to make of these hazards, and when things will chil...

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It's been a busy, active week in the backcountry and episodes like this are quickly becoming my favorite to record and produce.  There's a lot to talk about. We'll start today's show like usual by discussing the snow, weather, and avalanche conditions. Our house of cards is crumbling more and more everyday and this weekend has natural avalanche cycle written all over it. There have already been 40 backcountry avalanches reported to the UAC and I'm sure more and more observations will come in this weekend. Tune in to hear the complete story about what's g...

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Welcome to 2024 and Episode Five of the SLSC. In Part One, we review what has been happening to our current snow surfaces during a long period of high pressure. Spoiler...it’s not good. Next, we have an interview with local writer, skier, and climate scientist Anneka Williams. 

Whether this is your first season in the Wasatch, you moved here a few years ago, or you were born in Salt Lake City, everybody was a beginner at some point. Anneka fills us in what it was like to move here during a his...

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Following the update on current backcountry conditions, we review the forecasted storm coming in this weekend. It’s been changing every few hours and I’m still not really sure what to expect. Either way, we need the moisture and every little bit helps! With our mountains hovering around 80% of average snow water equivalent, we have room for opportunity!

In part two this week, Jack and I chat with Carl Fisher from local non-profit Save Our Canyons. Carl is the outgoing Executive Director and has been with the organization for about twenty year...

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In Episode 3, we have an update from last week’s conversation about parking before recapping the amazing storm last Friday that produced the best conditions so far this season. After that, Billy Haas joins me for a discussion about what low and moderate avalanche hazard really means when we are dealing with persistent slab avalanche problems. We’ll discuss strategies for entering terrain when conditions are trending in a positive direction. Billy is one of the most well spoken people I know in the snow and avalanche world and is exceptional at translating data and...

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In this week's episode, we start by diving into some of the numbers from our previous storm cycle. We'll review the avalanche activity and talk about current conditions in the backcountry.  Next, Jack and I did the work for you and have the low down on updates to parking in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. Things are changing and long gone are the days where you could wake up at 8am, get to Willow Fork at 9am, and park for free. We'll talk about transportation solutions, who is responsible, and why things are changing.

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In the first Episode of the Salt Lake Snowcast, I sit down with Jack Stauss to talk about the current Low Tide conditions in the Wasatch. We also have an interview with Utah Avalanche Center Forecaster Nikki Champion to reflect on last Winter and help us get stoked for the upcoming season. With a big storm on the way, tune in to get up to date information on the current conditions and hear about how much snow to expect this weekend.

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The Salt Lake Snowcast is a weekly podcast discussing snow, weather, and avalanche observations while also diving deep into some hot topics about our Wasatch Mountains through interviews with local skiers and riders.