Hey Snowcasters! I hope you enjoyed some of that pow that fell last Thursday. Could it really be that the season of rock skis and coreshots is behind us?! Well, not quite…On this week’s show, we discuss the State of the Snowpack, take a look at some recent avy activity in the Juans, and then dig into a recap of the Four Corners Snow and Avalanche Workshop that went down in early October in Silverton. 

This week’s episode is a long one but a GOOD one! And that’s because I got the opportunity to sit down with Michael Ackerman, Director of the Silverton Avalanche School, as well as ski and avalanche professionals Jimmy Tart and Maddie Crowell to discuss their 4SAW presentations. I’m super grateful to the Silverton Avy School for hosting me at this year’s 4SAW and I’m stoked to see you there next year! 

Don’t forget to leave a rating or review for the show and follow me on Instagram @sanjuansnowcast. Thanks for listening and until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Snowcast! 

On this week’s show, we get re-acquainted and stoked up for the coming winter. Topics include how to “run the models” for yourself, the incoming winter storm, new updates to the CAIC website, opportunities for get free money towards your avalanche education,  and more! 

Don’t forget to request a sticker by emailing me at [email protected] and follow along on Instagram (@sanjuansnowcast)! It’s gonna be an epic winter, folks, and I hope you stay tuned. 

Until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Well, that’s a wrap!!! Season 1 of the San Juan Snowcast is officially coming to a close. Thanks again for listening and for coming along on the ride! I can’t wait to do it all again next year, so spread the word, and watch out for early season episodes coming back into your feed in October. In this episode, I take a quick dive into the nuances of Spring Ski Mountaineering: what gear to bring, how to use it, and I offer up some “hacks” for upping your game and increasing your comfort while you’re out playing in the mountains this Spring! It’s a short and sweet one, but there are definitely some good knowledge nuggets in there. 

Thanks again for tuning in this season and thanks for all the support I received. Hardly anyone had anything negative to say about this project, so I’m gonna keep doing it!  Tell your friends about the show and don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email ([email protected]) or on Instagram (@sanjuansnowcast). It’s always great to hear from you all, and I would love to hear about any ideas folks have for future episodes. 

Enjoy your non-winter season! And until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Venmo: @Chris-Dickson

Miracle March is coming to a close and, despite our current stormy weather, the Spring transition is in full swing for our weather and snowpack. But, what is corn? And, how does one harvest it? This episode dives into how our snowpack transforms in the Spring and how we can assess whether conditions have aligned for a beautiful day of backcountry corn skiing. It’s not too complicated, but it ain’t that simple either! In this show, you’ll find tips on how to get it while the getting’s good.   

Thanks as always to you for listening! On next week’s show, we’ll talk more about the Spring-specific ski mountaineering gear we bring for bigger objectives (that’s right, the SHARPS!) and how to use them appropriately to manage the risk of steep frozen ascents. Stay tuned! 

This podcast is supported by Mountain Trip. Come to Telluride for an adventure you’ll never forget, or join us on an expedition to climb Denali or Kilimanjaro, Mountain Trip does it all! Check out www.mountaintrip.com for more information. 

Stay safe and take care of each other, friends! And, until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Venmo: @Chris-Dickson

Hey folks, this episode is a little different from the usual Snowcast. Last week, we lost someone important to our backcountry community and I spend this episode unpacking how I’ve been processing this tragedy. This show is a bit raw and I’ll offer a trigger warning here, because in this episode, I talk about death and the risk of dying doing what we love in the mountains, which I know can be hard to for some people to hear. But, I also think its important to talk about and I hope you take the time to listen.

If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one to the mountains, there are some great resources out there. Check out http://soar4life.org/ for some resources on grieving, and to find ways to get help or someone to talk to.  When we experience tragedy, it affects us all in different ways, so be there for each other and reach out to people who show signs of isolation. 

It’s really not easy to talk about death, but its an inherent aspect of skiing and riding in avalanche terrain and I hope you find something helpful, insightful, or valuable in this episode. For next week’s show, I am collecting remembrances of Devin for an audio memorial from our community. If you would like to contribute, please send a 30 second to 1 minute audio clip to [email protected]. And, thanks. 

Play safe and take care of each other, friends, and until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Music by Doctor Turtle and courtesy of the Free Music Archive. 

Hey folks and welcome to mid-March! On this week’s show, we dive into last week’s storm and see just how much Miracle March has delivered so far for us here in the San Juans. Then, we look at some recent avalanches that happened this past week before we dive into this week’s knowledge nugget: What actually happens after you hit SOS on an inReach for a backcountry emergency? 

Thanks to Tommy for sharing his story, thanks to Mountain Trip for sponsoring the show, and thanks to you for listening! Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram @sanjuansnowcast and shoot me an email at [email protected] if you want a sticker, or just to connect! 

Play safe out there, folks, and until next time… THINK SNOW!

Venmo = @Chris-Dickson

Well, here we are, folks! 20 episodes deep, 7,000 downloads across 24 countries and 400 cities, and the ‘Cast is still going strong. What a ride it has been and thanks to all of you for your support! 

On this week’s show, we look at back at last weekend’s big storm, discuss the magic of Miracle March and the importance of updating our Mindsets, and then run out of breath with the first-ever Skintrack Chat segment. I hope you enjoy! 

The Snowcast is supported by Mountain Trip, an AMGA-accredited guide service based out of Telluride, CO. From avalanche courses to backcountry skiing to climbing Aconcagua, check out www.mountaintrip.com for more information on how to book the trip of a lifetime. 

Thanks again for listening and until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Venmo = @Chris-Dickson

Hello and welcome to March! The meteorological Spring has sprung and on this week’s show we chat about some of the signs we’re seeing in the backcountry that tell us that things are warming up! We take a look back at the last storm’s snow totals, the natural avalanche cycle that followed it, and a look at the weather ahead, before we jump into a Porch Chat discussion about glopping, waxing, the R-scale for classifying avalanches, alpha angles for assessing runouts, and more! 

Thanks to Scott, Kevin and Mason for joining me on the front porch, and thanks to you for listening! Don’t forget to check out MountainTrip.com for more information on the Women’s Intro to Ski Mountaineering Camp coming up or to sign-up for our upcoming Rec Level 2 Avalanche Course here in Telluride on March 18-20th! 

Play safe out there friends and, until next time… THINK SNOW!

Venmo = @Chris-Dickson

It’s storming, folks! In this episode, we dive into the mid-storm weather and snowpack update, and talk about how it’s time to change our mindsets and how we approach the backcountry.  As old Bobby Dylan says, the conditions “they are a-changing”, and we need to adapt our mindsets accordingly. 

This week’s episode was sponsored by Mountain Trip. Check out mountaintrip.com for more information on our trips and avalanche courses! And, this week’s “Pre-Mature Funk Break” was a little snippet of King Floyd’s “Feel Like Dynamite”, which is such a kick-ass funky jam.  

Play safe out there everyone, and let’s get through these High Danger days without any major avalanche incidents, eh?! Until next time… THINK SNOW! 

Venmo@Chris-Dickson

On this week’s show, we’re back you our regularly-scheduled programming with a look at the current state of the snowpack, a mini-dive into weather models, a look at the forecasted storm arriving later today, and we’ll finish it off with an optimistic glance at what could come in March! The winter sure ain’t over yet, folks, and with some new snow in the forecast, it’s time to check in and make sure we still have our eye on the ball and our heads in the game. 

Thanks to Mountain Trip for sponsoring the episode. Check out www.mountaintrip.com to learn about our trip offerings and upcoming avalanche courses! Also, stay tuned by following along on Instagram (@sanjuansnowcast) and reach out to me via email at [email protected]. 

As always, thanks for listening and… THINK SNOW!

Venmo: @Chris-Dickson