The standard season for Denali is May through July and we are now entering the meat of the months where people will be progressing their training to be prepared for climbing in the Alaska range this season. This discussion was before I had gone to Denali and in a future episode, I’ll do a recap of that trip and lessons learned. 

Scott is an incredibly accomplished and humble about what he has done in the mountains. Other than saying that He is the Author of Training for the Uphill Athlete and Training for the New Alpinism, which are the primary training manuals that mountain athletes leverage.

This discussion was recorded a few years ago and is on the Tactical Alpinism YouTube channel but I have not released it on the Podcast. There is some, minor dated information, and for example, the Park service changed the regulations and now allow guide services to do some travel on Denali on Skis in specific circumstances.

This conversation occurred live with questions at the end. I think doing podcasts with this component could be really cool, I’m curious to hear if you’d be interested in that kind of setup for some   future episodes. Shoot me an email to [email protected] or DM @tacticalalpinism.

Denali Routes: https://caltopo.com/m/9QHDJ/STJDT025A7L12PV1

Explosive avalanche initiation started with the military. Now there is a whole industry wrapped around keeping us safe in snowy environments, where we often don't think we may be at risk.

This podcast explores the high-stakes art and science of avalanche mitigation, offering an insider’s perspective on the precision and expertise required to navigate dangerous terrain. The speaker breaks down the meticulous planning behind ski cuts, emphasizing the importance of moving between safety zones, using tools like airbags and self-arrest poles, and maintaining clear communication to avoid deadly errors.

Ski cutting, a skill honed over years of apprenticeship, is portrayed as essential yet risky. The speaker advises practicing on smaller slopes to master techniques before tackling major avalanche zones. Explosives play a significant role, with strategies evolving to target weak spots and minimize danger while triggering controlled avalanches.

Listeners gain insight into the differing priorities of ski resorts, Backcountry cat-skiing operations, and highway safety teams. Resorts aim to maintain snow for guests, while highways focus on clearing hazards efficiently. Throughout, the podcast highlights the delicate balance between tradition, emerging research, and split-second decision-making that keeps professionals—and those they protect—alive in avalanche-prone environments.

Jake Hutchinson is entering his third decade working as a snow professional – from ski patrolling and avalanche forecasting in the Wasatch Mountains to operational forecasting for the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park and extensive work with WBR, C-RAD and other US SAR, Military and K9 organizations. Jake has been an AAI course leader for 20+ years and currently works as a Pro course leader and AAI’s Curriculum Director. He has served in various roles on the A3 Governing Board since 2009 and currently sits on the Executive Committee as the Membership Trustee. Jake is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps and founding member of the Warriors Healing Network. Snowmobiles, dirt bikes, dogs and knife-making take up the majority of his time away from skis.

Find more about avalanches and from Jake through AAI and the Avalanche Hour Podcast.

Avalanche Hour: https://www.theavalanchehour.com/

AAI: https://www.americanavalancheinstitute.com/instructor/jake-hutchinson-2/

Peak Rescue's mission is to provide each client with cutting edge skills and education to prevent catastrophe.

https://peak-rescue.com/

Peak Rescue is an organization that I learned about a few years ago and have been interested in. I was introduced to the team and now get to share their expertise with you.

Silas Rossi is an IFMGA guide, Instructor team member, on the Board of Directors and President of the AMGA. He was recommended as a guest due to being a good guy and a great instructor. Previous guest Dave Leydet says "Silas-ism's" are what he routinely relies on when making decisions in the mountains.

Scott Johnston and Maury Birdwell are both incredibly experienced mountain athletes and endurance Coaches for both military selections and people that want to go bigger in the mountains. 

Maury currently holds the fastest known time on the Diamond of Long’s Peak, a 1000’ rock face that climbs at the grade of 5.10 and is usually a 12 hour or longer outing for most parties. He completed it in just 3.5 hours car to car.

Scott is the author of both Training for the Uphill Athlete and Training for the New Alpinism. Those books led to many operators pursuing Tier 1 selection events to begin reaching out to him for training. The people he and his team of coaches have trained for these events have a very high rate of success. He was a nationally competitive swimmer and cross country skier in his collegiate days. In the 1970s and 80s he spent many seasons on Denali

DOD Arctic Strategy: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jul/22/2003507411/-1/-1/0/DOD-ARCTIC-STRATEGY-2024.PDF 

SFAS QC Success study: “Soldiers that were officers or 18× enlisted (fast-tracked to SFAS), had <1 year of active duty, ≥ bachelor degree, no children, were Ranger school graduates, from the Mountain region, and not married were more likely to be selected (p < .05). There were no statistically significant differences in probability of selection according to age or community of origin.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938419303063 

Snow has started to fall throughout much of the Western US and Europe, so this discussion is timely.

Today’s guest is Doug Bernard. He is a Green Beret who is also an avalanche instructor, certified ski guide and apprentice alpine guide. He has been operating in the mountains for a long time. It also took me a while to get him to agree to talk on the podcast. He is one of those silent professionals who doesn’t like to publicly share but he is exactly the type of person that I want to have on the podcast.

In the US there are four general different types of avalanche education.

ATES Scale: https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/terrain/avalanche-terrain-exposure/avalanche-terrain-exposure-scale-ates/

Alyssa is a professional Ultra runner who specializes in distances over 100 miles. She has won the San Diego 100, HURT 100, Moab 240 and starting during COVID, set a Guinness world record for doing 95 marathon in 95 days, many of those on a treadmill. 

Codi is an active duty US navy engineer and diver, a split boarder and an aspiring professional ultra racing crew member.

They currently are living in a van, full time, with two cats while on active duty in the Navy and getting out into the mountains frequently. 

Austria is well known for their mountain warfare training courses, and expertise. Their program has a deliberate and specific progression from zero to Mountaineering.

This episode's guest is a certified Austrian Military Mountain Guide and has been teaching Mountain courses in Austria for a long time. The main difference between an Austrian Military Mountain Guide and IFMGA Guide? The climbing movement standard for a civilian IFMGA guide is higher.

Nato Mountain Warfare Center of Excellence Website: https://www.mwcoe.org/

Tactical alpinism is intended to expand your ability to go bigger in the mountains, with an expanded margin of safety. To do this, guests will be sharing their experience and expertise so that you can maybe apply something that you learn to your own mountain objectives and missions.

All views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the stance of any entity that they may represent. Not DoD endorsed or affiliated.

This episode is an overview of several different courses and certifications that we can search out to gain more experience and expand our safety margin in the outdoors.

Recreational Courses include:

Outdoor Rock Climbing

Backcountry Skiing/Riding

Avalanche Education

Mountaineering

Professional Courses Include:

Avalanche Pro Courses

AMGA Mountain Guide Progression

Is mountain warfare training relevant as we look at how warfare is changing?

This is part 2/2 with LTC Nate Fry. Nate is the current commander of 3-172 Mountain Infantry in the Vermont National Guard. Additionally, he is an Infantry Officer, AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide, Assistant Alpine Guide, Avalanche PRO2 and Avalanche Educator. He was the 2023 Edelweiss Raid Team Captain and previously worked at the AMWS for three years as the executive officer and training officer.

General Anderson’s Paper: https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/July-August-2024/The-Queen-of-Battle/

Nato Mountain Warfare Center of Excellence Website: https://www.mwcoe.org/