In the final episode of 2024, the boys catch up on a variety of topics just before PowBot hits the road for a month-long ski adventure on the Powder Highway of Canada, including Trail Whisperer’s story of driving the Powder Highway right as COVID hit in early 2020. The new snow reporter, Al Powcino, makes his debut with a wet and soggy forecast, Trail Whisperer presents the most compelling evidence yet that the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption is linked to the last two years of record-breaking global warming, the boys discuss the 2024 word of the year, “Brain Rot”, and Trail Whisperer recounts his recent visit to San Diego chasing the massive surf swell. Pepper in a few Dope or Derps and 2024 is complete. Thanks to all our listeners for an awesome second season of Mind the Track!

3:00 – Artificial Intelligence and snow forecasting.

5:50 – Christmas Day – Pow Day at Sugar Bowl, death cookies at Mount Rose and holiday traffic.

8:20 – PowBot gets Trail Whisperer a Christmas gift – a bicycling book from Japan.

11:00 – Dope or Derp? eSkimo – the ebike of backcountry skiing.

15:50 – Dope or Derp? Christmas gifts and Christmas trees.

21:10 – Sam and Trail Whisperer went to San Diego before Christmas to surf the big swell.

27:30 – PowBot is about to embark on a road trip to the Powder Highway of Canada and going to the Meadow Hut with Golden Alpine Holidays.

29:25 – Driving the Powder Highway, Trans-Canada Highway, Revelstoke, Kelowna, Golden.

32:45 – Revelstoke and Kicking Horse – awesome mountains but no chairlift infrastructure.

35:10 – Crystal Mountain in Washington.

36:00 – Chairlift evacuation malfunctions at Heavenly, Telluride, Winter Park and France. What’s the longest you’ve ever spent on a broken chairlift?

41:00 – Golden Alpine Holidays and Meadow Hut in the Esplanade Range north of Golden.

42:00 – Banff National Park – Amazing winter campground with 110V power and heated showers.

44:10 – Dope or Derp? Driving and passing someone on a double yellow.

48:20 – Oxford University Press Word of the Year – “Brain Rot”.

50:15 – The Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption and it’s effect on recent climate change. Scientists are beginning to acknowledge its effects on the suddenly warming climate.

52:10 – Dr. Javier Vinos – author of Climate of the Past, Present and Future, a Scientific Debate, summarizes Hunga Tonga’s effect on the rapid warming of the climate.

58:10 – Mind the Track introduces the new Powderiffic Snow Report correspondent – Al Powcino!

1:02:30 – Low tide snow conditions in Tahoe and Shasta Avalanche Center employees rescue a lost and frozen duck at 10,000 feet elevation and released it at a creek in town.

1:05:00 – News – EXPLORE Act passed by Congress – legislation focused on improving outdoor recreation access, including BOLT Act - Bicycling on Long Distance Trails.

1:08:50 – Outdoor recreation is a $1.2 trillion industry supporting 5 million jobs in the U.S.

1:10:30 – Toyota takes every spot in vehicles most likely to last 250,000 miles or more, including the Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner and Highlander Hybrid.

1:13:35 – New study shows staggering number of spinal cord injuries with mountain bikers.

1:15:20 – Hoot Trail in Nevada City – continued drama about its future.

1:23:25 – Trail Whisperer’s story about driving the Powder Highway at the beginning of COVID.

1:29:40 – On a musical note - @facemelts – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Osees, Queens of the Stone Age, Screaming Trees, Mark Lanegan.

1:35:45 – Do you listen to music when you ski or ride your bike?

1:39:30 – Thanks to all our listeners for an awesome 2024. Growing fast!