Andrew McLean, The Big Mountain Scientist - Part 2 | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

Disclaimer: So, right off the bat, I wanna let our listeners know that Andrew and I are friends and that we've spent weeks together confined in small sailboats in Svalbard, Norway and well-spaced from each other in big boats in Antarctica so this conversation is gonna be fun, it's gonna be frank, and I'm excited to have this venue to really dig in and ask tougher questions than normal - so watch out...

“The style of the writing came about because I never expected it to be a real book [The Chuting Gallery]. It was gonna be like 'here Miles, here's this book you can read on the toilet and get a laugh out of.'” - Andrew McLean in Part 2

Andrew McLean is a legendary ski mountaineer, author, inventor, and Big Mountain Scientist. In 2017, Powder Magazine voted Andrew as one of the "48 Most Influential Skiers of All Time". Andrew is one of the best ski mountaineers on the planet having skied first descents on every continent and has been featured in a myriad of ski movies including the Big Mountain Skiing documentary: "Steep." Andrew is the inventor of the "Whippet Self Arrest Ski Pole" among many other groundbreaking inventions in the mountaineering universe. Andrew has skied over 100 first descents all over the world. Andrew graduated from the very prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and went on to become a product designer for Black Diamond in Salt Lake City, UT for 14-years. Andrew was even an avalanche forecaster for the Utah Avalanche Center for a year. Andrew wrote the most legendary, hilarious guide book ever created called "The Chuting Gallery - A Guide To Steep Skiing in the Wasatch" that is simultaneously considered The Bible & Holy Grail of steep skiing in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Andrew is a gifted writer and has written articles for Powder Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, Skiing Magazine and many other publications. Andrew is most likely the very first professional ski mountaineer on Earth. Andrew McLean lives in Park City, Utah with his wife Polly, their 2 daughters, and 2 poorly behaved canines.

2 PART PODCAST: Andrew McLean is so goddamn interesting, he has so much to teach us, and has so many hilarious stories that we had to break this interview into 2 Parts.

This is Part 2 of Andrew McLean, the Big Mountain Scientist - we pick up where we left off with phase 6 of Andrew McLean's exotic life.

Andrew McLean, The Big Mountain Scientist - Part 1 | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

Disclaimer: So, right off the bat, I wanna let our listeners know that Andrew and I are friends and that we've spent weeks together confined in small sailboats in Svalbard, Norway and well-spaced from each other in big boats in Antarctica so this conversation is gonna be fun, it's gonna be frank, and I'm excited to have this venue to really dig in and ask tougher questions than normal - so watch out...

“We had a lot of snow and I went to dig out the outhouse, and the whole thing collapsed and I fell into it [& human poop]…. I had to use a pancake scraper to basically scrape my pants off. It was totally disgusting” - Andrew McLean in Part 1

Andrew McLean is a legendary ski mountaineer, author, inventor, and Big Mountain Scientist. In 2017, Powder Magazine voted Andrew as one of the "48 Most Influential Skiers of All Time". Andrew is one of the best ski mountaineers on the planet having skied first descents on every continent and has been featured in a myriad of ski movies including the Big Mountain Skiing documentary: "Steep." Andrew is the inventor of the "Whippet Self Arrest Ski Pole" among many other groundbreaking inventions in the mountaineering universe. Andrew has skied over 100 first descents all over the world. Andrew graduated from the very prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and went on to become a product designer for Black Diamond in Salt Lake City, UT for 14-years. Andrew was even an avalanche forecaster for the Utah Avalanche Center for a year. Andrew wrote the most legendary, hilarious guide book ever created called "The Chuting Gallery - A Guide To Steep Skiing in the Wasatch" that is simultaneously considered The Bible & Holy Grail of steep skiing in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Andrew is a gifted writer and has written articles for Powder Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, Skiing Magazine and many other publications. Andrew is most likely the very first professional ski mountaineer on Earth. Andrew McLean lives in Park City, Utah with his wife Polly, their 2 daughters, and 2 poorly behaved canines.

2 PART PODCAST: Andrew McLean is so goddamn interesting, he has so much to teach us, and has so many hilarious stories that we had to break this interview into 2 Parts.  

This is Part 1 of Andrew McLean, the Big Mountain Scientist.

In this episode, Andrew & Miles talk about surviving a 500-foot fall, being covered in human poop on a glacier, being on the Colbert Report TV show, being the first professional ski mountaineer, mountain unicycling, getting arrested, getting caught in avalanches, losing friends in the mountains, and Andrew's favorite mountain ranges to ski.

Andrew McLean answers these invasive questions in Part 1:

Mike Maughan, Alta Ski Area's General Manager | Alta Ski Area - Skiing First, COVID, Canyon Traffic, & Silver Linings | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

"It's the vibe, it's the people, it's the character of this place. You put those 3 things together - it's a beautiful, majestic place with its own character and just world-class skiing." - Mike Maughan

Mike Maughan is the General Manager of Alta Ski Area in Utah. Mike is only the 4th General Manager in Alta's 83-year history. Mike has been working at Alta since 1990 making this his 30th year at Alta.

In this episode, Mike & Miles converse on Alta's unique skiing-centric culture, solutions to Little Cottonwood Canyon's (LCC) traffic situation, improving LCC's traction control law, Alta being less busy this season, Alta's COVID-19 policies, and more.

Mike Maughan answers these critical questions:

Please enjoy!

Ron Cohen, Squaw Alpine President & COO - Renaming Squaw Valley, CA & Squaw Alpine's 2020/21 COVID Strategy | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

"When you say 'well who's in charge of the [renaming] process?' - ultimately it's me, I'm accountable, that's what happens when you take the job." - Ron Cohen

Ron Cohen is the President & Chief Operating Officer of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe, California. Ron has been the President and COO of Squaw Alpine since April 2018. Ron brings 17 years of outdoor industry experience to Squaw Alpine and has been an attorney for many years. Ron’s experience includes serving as Alterra Mountain Company’s Deputy General Counsel in 2017-18. Prior to Alterra, Ron held a number of positions during an eight-year tenure at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, where he ultimately served as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. Ron is a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara and of Northwestern University School of Law. He started his career practicing law in Los Angeles and then Mammoth Lakes before purchasing Tioga Pass Resort, a backcountry ski and summer resort, with a group of other investors, and running it from 2002-2010.  

***Correction: In this podcast, Miles states that Ron and his wife Stacy Corless are on the Mono Country Board of Supervisors - only Stacy is on that board.

In this episode, Ron & Miles discuss why Squaw Valley is changing its name, what the renaming process looks like, what the likely new name candidates are, as well as Squaw Alpine's COVID-19 operational procedures will be.

Ron Cohen answers these critical questions:

Please enjoy!

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This episode is bro

Mark Staples - What's The #1 Tool Available To Skiers & Riders in Avalanche Terrain? | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

"Imagine as your diving home thru the neighborhood and you're going just 25mph, which seems kinda slow, right? Stick your head outside the car and nail a mailbox with your head and your neck. You can imagine how that would feel and that's what's gonna happen in an avalanche. 25mph is nothing, they'll be going 60mph." - Mark Staples

Mark Staples is the director of the Utah Avalanche Center. Mark was a professional ski patroller at Big Sky Ski Area in Montana before earning a Master's degree in Engineering at Montana State University as part of their Snow Science Program. Mark wrote his thesis on the energy balance at the snow surface and weak layer formation. After grad school, Mark worked as a backcountry avalanche forecaster for the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center in Bozeman, Montana. Mark has an undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of Virginia. Mark is also a passionate skier, snowmobiler, and ice climber, as well as a father of 3.

In this episode, we will be discussing all things avalanches.

Mark & Miles truly connect on having lost loved ones in the mountains, being tolerant in the busy backcountry this Coronavirus season, and learning from mistakes in the mountains.

Mark Staples answers these pivotal avalanche questions:

Dr. William Montgomery M.D. - Why Do Skiers Tear Their ACL's So Frequently? | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

"Remember the old X-Screams? Remember those? Salomon X-Screams? Oh, baby! Remember those? I blew those puppies right out! They were destroyed..." - Dr. William Montgomery M.D.

Dr. Montgomery is an orthopedic surgeon at Dignity Health Medical Foundation in San Francisco, California. Dr. Montgomery has performed over 1,000 ACL surgeries in his career and was the team physician for the San Francisco Giants Baseball Team for 3 years in the late 90s early 2000s. Dr. Montgomery is the current team physician for the University of San Francisco. Ok, his resume is just insane... I'll paraphrase and just say that he has over 35 years of surgical experience, he's been the team physician for lots of important teams, he's been on many important boards, he's already in the University of San Francisco Hall of Fame, he's won lots of awards, he's in lots of impressive societies, he has over 20 publications, has given no less than 144 presentations lectures and labs on orthopedic surgery. Dr. Montgomery also performed ACL reconstruction surgery on my left knee and microfracture surgery on my left femur in 2015 after I experience a vicious ski crash in Japan that winter.

In this episode, we will be discussing ACL injury and reconstruction. The ACL is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament of the human knee. The ACL is crucial in many important processes of knee movement and tearing it is a very common injury in cutting & pivoting sports such as skiing, basketball, soccer, tennis, football, baseball, and more. According to the University of Wisconsin, Madison: "There are four main ligaments that stabilize the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament is responsible for stabilizing rotational movements at the knee that occur during cutting and pivoting activities."

Dr. Montgomery talks us through everything you could want to know about ACL injury, reconstruction, and recovery for athletes as well as everyday people.

Dr. Montgomery answers these critical ACL questions:

Dr. Michael Fischman M.D. - Are Ski Resorts Safe To Visit During COVID-19? | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

"I'm not sure that we're ever going to get back to the old normal..." - Dr. Michael Fischman M.D.

Dr. Michael Fischman M.D., M.P.H., FACOEM is an occupational & environmental medicine physician and toxicologist. He serves as a consultant in these fields to large organizations such as Intel & Pixar. Dr. Fischman is a Clinical Professor in and Assistant Chief of the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, at the University of California San Francisco. Dr. Fischman received his medical degree at the University of Michigan and his master’s degree in public health, in environmental health sciences, from the University of California, Berkeley (Go Bears!). He did his residency training in internal medicine and in occupational medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and is board-certified in both fields. Dr. Fischman is also my dad.

Dr. Fischman guides us through whether he thinks ski resorts are safe to visit this season via all the intricacies involved: chairlift riding, lift lines, masks, which masks are best, social distancing, ski lodges, and more.

Dr. Fischman answers these critical COVID questions:

Please enjoy!

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This episode is brought to you by Alta Ski Area, celebrating 83 years of "The Greatest Snow on Earth."

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If you enjoyed this podcast, please share with friends & family and please subscribe.

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SnowBrains.com

Facebook: facebook.com/snowbrains

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Twitter: twitter.com/snowbrains

The SnowBrains Podcast Episode #2 - Dr. Michael Fischman M.D. Occupation & Environmental Medicine Doctor to Intel & Pixar & more. Recorded on September 29th, 2020 in Santa Cruz, CA (Miles) and San Francisco Bay Area, CA (Dr. Fischman).

This episode was edited by Robert Wilkinson.

Music by Chad Crouch.

Host, producer, and creator = Miles Clark.

Dr. Ethan Greene PhD - Why Is Colorado's Backcountry the Deadliest in the USA? | Brought to you by Alta Ski Area.

"Avalanches kill more people in Colorado than any other natural hazard." - Dr. Ethan Greene

Dr. Ethan Greene PhD is the director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) who has an undergraduate degree in meteorology, a master's degree in atmospheric science, and a PhD in geoscience. He's written 2 books on snow science and avalanches, he has over 45 publications in the snow science world and he is obviously an avid backcountry skier. Dr. Greene grew up in Boulder, Colorado and has been skiing the Colorado mountains nearly his entire life.

Dr. Greene walks us through how his team covers 30,000 square-miles of avalanche terrain in their daily avalanche forecast with a team of only 10-16 humans.

96 people were caught in avalanches in Colorado in 2019/20 which is up 70% compared to average with a third of those avalanche accidents coming after the Coronavirus shut-down.

Dr. Greene answers these poignant questions:

• Why do more people die in avalanches in Colorado than in any other state?

• Why is the Colorado snowpack so dangerous?

• What advice would you give a first-time backcountry skier/rider for 2020/21?

• When is the most dangerous time to backcountry ski & ride in Colorado?

• When is the safest time to ski & ride the Colorado backcountry?

• What happened in the Colorado backcountry after ski resorts closed on March 15th, 2020 due to Coronavirus?

• What do you think will happen in the Colorado backcountry this Coronavirus 2020/21 season?

• Why is Spring corn skiing better in maritime snowpacks (California, Oregon, Washington) than in continental snowpacks (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana)?

• Why is it important to report avalanche accidents and observation to your local avalanche center as soon as possible?

• more

Dr. Greene talks us through 10 striking avalanche numbers in Colorado in 2019/20 including 96 people caught in avalanches in 2019/20 which is up 70% compared to average.

Finally, Dr. Greene gives our host Miles Clark expert feedback & advice via watching Miles' video of his terrifying avalanche off the summit of Mt. Superior in Utah in January 2019. 

Please enjoy!

***

This episode is brought to you by Alta Ski Area, an independent mountain with a laid-back vibe that averages 547'' of deepness every winter.

***

If you enjoyed this podcast, please share with friends & family and please subscribe.

Follow SnowBrains:

SnowBrains.com

Facebook: facebook.com/snowbrains

Instagram: instagram.com/snowbrains

Twitter: twitter.com/snowbrains

The SnowBrains Podcast Episode #1 - Dr. Ethan Greene director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Recorded on September 28th, 2020 in Santa Cruz, CA (Miles) and Bou