Utah Avalanche Center Podcast

In December, 2008, Matt Clevenger was caught in an avalanche in the Wasatch Mountains and buried him six feet under. Luckily, one of his partners that day, Tom Diegel, reacted quickly, led decisively, and helped save Clevenger's life. Discussed in the podcast: the life-and-death risks of backcountry skiing; mentoring and finding a mentor; moving forward after being buried and rescued; making the right decisions, delegating responsibilities, and communicating well during a rescue; practice rescues; practice rescues; PRACTICE RESCUES!

Anna Keeling has been a fully certified IFMGA guide since 2002. She is a highly sought after educator and trainer for aspiring mountain guides. Discussed in this episode: the "systems approach" of risk management to backcountry ski guiding; managing avalanche risk; what it takes to become a ski guide; detailed preparation for a backcountry tour, including "run sheets"; risk vs loss vs love; terrain management; decision making by intuition and the facts; and good communication.

In this episode, we talk with Bill Nalli, Utah Department of Transportation Avalanche Program supervisor, about keeping the Greatest Snow on Earth from avalanching over the open roads. Topics discussed: managing avalanche potential in Little Cottonwood Canyon; avalanche mitigation tools (105mm Howitzers) from WWII to the Wasatch backcountry; Avalanche Hazard Index; avalanche problems across Utah; precarious existence and importance of artillery as an avalanche tool; Craig Patterson; the challenge of managing more and more winters recreators.

Special guest, Jim Steenburgh AKA Professor Powder, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah and author of the book THE GREATEST SNOW ON EARTH. The weather triangle of precipitation, wind, and temperature/solar radiation; weather is the architect of the snowpack; seasonal variations in weather patterns; local effects that impact Wasatch winter storms; atmospheric rivers; Lake Effect myths, brine shrimp included; decision making by consensus and outliers; why Alta does indeed have the Greatest Snow on Earth.

Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Drew Hardesty and Alta Snow Safety Director Dave Richards revisit the fateful events of November 13, 2011, the Day of Madness in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was an early-season powder day in the Wasatch, and people's lust for epic snow encountered the dangerous realities of considerable avalanche danger, with deadly results. Discussed: human factors that compound snow problems; typical hazards of early-season snow; Jamie Pierre; the science, challenges, and potentially deadly results of depth hoar; tips for backcountry recreationists to improve their margins of safety and make smart choices in the early season.