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The Avalanche Hour Podcast

by The Avalanche Hour

Podcast by Caleb Merrill

From the show's RSS feed, refreshed Oct 28, 2026. Source feed.

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Episodes

  1. Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Sharing Stories for the Next Generation

    In this episode of The Avalanche Hour Podcast, host Sierra Bishop interviews her mentor Gregg Oliveri, a now retired mountain guide and avalanche educator with an impressive resume, climbing & skiing alongside some of the most accomplished climbers and avalanche industry professionals of his...

  2. Chilean Ski Guides Talk Evolving Avalanche Culture in South America

    In this episode of The Avalanche Hour, Caleb sits down with Chilean guides Manu Oliveres and Cristóbal Cattan in Las Trancas, Chile, to talk about skiing, guiding, and the rapidly evolving avalanche culture in South America. Both are deeply involved in the local mountain community and search and...

  3. From the Adriatic to the Alps: The Croatian Mountain Rescue Service Makes the Save

    Nikola and Stele are Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) members. The HGSS has been operating for over 75 years, primarily tending to cave rescues, ocean rescue, rock rescue, and more recently, avalanche rescue. It is a nationwide rescue organization with over 2500 members. The alpine terrain...

  4. Between Two Flakes: A Slabs 'n Sluff Live Recording from ISSW 2026

    Tune in for a great evening of live storytelling from ISSW 2026. Sara and Dom brought the Slabs 'n Sluff vibe to the Whistler audience and were joined by an amazing crew 8 of professionals from the snow and avalanche community. The theme of ISSW is “A Merging of Theory and Practice” so we let our...

  5. Almost 200 Years of Explosives Manufacturing - Austin Powder: Sponsor Highlight

    Season 11 is just around the corner, kicking off October 1st. Join us for a shout out to one of our sponsors - Austin Powder, a major manufacturer of explosive products for the avalanche industry. Hear a bit about the history of the company, a time when the North American avalanche industry was...

  6. Setting the Track with Juliana Garcia

    Setting the Track Juliana Garcia grew up climbing the volcanoes of Ecuador and became an international mountain guide—but skiing was the piece of the puzzle she still wanted to solve. In this episode, Brooke Maushund sits down with Juliana Garcia. Juliana takes us through her journey from…

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  7. The Utah Avalanche Center Podcast: Snow Monk Jerry Roberts on A Lifetime in the Mountains:

    Unlike a lot of snow and avalanche professionals, Jerry Roberts spent a fair amount of time hanging out around San Francisco, soaking up the Buddhist-infused literary scene of the '60s. He developed a deep affection for some very old school snow enthusiasts: Basho, Issa, Buson, and other...

  8. Imagining the Worst Case Scenario with Chris Kaipio and Jordy Shepherd: Delivering Adventure Podcast

    Summer Series #3 We continue our summer series with a cross-air of one of our favorite podcasts, ⁠Delivering Adventure⁠. Why is it so important to imagine the worst-case scenario? What happens when we don’t? In this episode of Delivering Adventure, Chris and Jordy share a few examples from their...

  9. The Avalanche In Godmother Couloir: Skredpodden

    2026 Summer Series #2 On 22 April 2023, a group of three were caught in an avalanche in the Godmother Couloir in Lyngen, in Northern Norway. Two of them were severely injured and had to be airlifted out for life-saving treatment. It was a matter of life and death… One managed to get out on his…

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  10. '26 Summer Series: The power of words in avalanche hazard communication with Grant, Bruce, and Mark

    What do we actually mean when we call something a deep persistent slab? Does the name help—or does it create confusion? In this episode, Caleb sits down with Grant Statham, Bruce Jamieson, and Mark Staples for a thoughtful discussion sparked by a letter Grant wrote after listening to a previous...

  11. Slabs 'n Sluffs: Season in Review

    Join us for our seventh installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with your hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker, joined by Caleb Merrill! The crew discuss spring adventures, summer skiing, and cows raiding Caleb’s food cache at an Andes basecamp! They also review recent episodes from April and May and preview a...

  12. Partner Highlight: AVSS

    Episode Summary: - A conversation with AVSS introduces PAMS, a Precision Avalanche Management System, designed to reliably drop explosives from a drone platform. - The episode explores the prior experience AVSS brings to the avalanche industry from remote drone operations in logistics and…

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  13. Grief's Gift of Gratitude: Izzy Davis

    In this episode of The Avalanche Hour Podcast, host Brooke “Shiny” Edwards talks with Izzy Davis, a first-year avalanche forecaster at the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center. Izzy shares her path into the ski industry, from growing up in Western Colorado to working as a ski patroller, and…

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  14. Beyond the Forecast: Reminiscing with Roddy McGowan and Larry Stanier

    Tune in for candid stories and a humorous take on the roots of Canadian avalanche work. Bruce Jamieson is joined by Larry Stanier to interview Roddy McGowan. Roddy McGowan is a veteran Canadian mountain guide and avalanche professional who carved out his career the hard way, starting as a ski bum...

  15. Partner Highlight - A Conversation with Drone Amplified

    Episode Summary: - A conversation with Drone Amplified, the team introduces Montis, a drone-based system designed to deliver explosives remotely with greater precision and safety. - The episode traces the history of avalanche mitigation, from early explosive use in 1939 to modern tools aimed at...

  16. Facets, Science, Avalanche Problems & Public Communication: Mark Staples chats with Bruce and Caleb

    In this episode of The Avalanche Hour, Caleb Merrill makes another appearance to sit down with Mark Staples, director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center, and avalanche researcher/educator Bruce Jamieson. The group discuss heavyweight topics in the avalanche industry such as...

  17. Slabs and Sluffs: March in Review

    Join us for our sixth installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with your hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker! Sara and Dom discuss the joy of powder turns in low hazard terrain, slope tests on small features and the upcoming spring skiing season. They also review recent episodes from March and take a look at…

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  18. The Human Factor Hack: Getting Mindful with Sasha Dingle

    Summary of the Conversation: -Exploring the societal pressures as human factor on professional athletes -Sasha shares how she balances decision making in the backcountry with a very mindful approach inclusive of her nervous system -Sasha cracks the code on the best Human Factor Hack; creating...

  19. Talking Mountain Cirque: Perspectives and Lessons after 34 years

    Join us in giving a warm welcome to Lynne Wolfe for her first official episode as a host with the Avalanche Hour Podcast as she shares a thoughtful and reflective conversation with Eric Trenbeath and Brad Meiklejohn. A lot has changed about the avalanche industry in 34 years, but one thing we…

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  20. Stronger Together: Building Intuitive Expertise Where Mountain Miles Meet Mental Miles

    Science and experience-built intuition are a composite - they are stronger together than they are separate, especially when we start to see things that we have never seen before. Join Gabrielle Antonioli and Karl Birkeland for an expansive conversation on the critical factors we weigh each day:...

  21. Slabs 'n Sluffs - February in Review

    Join us for our fifth installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with Sara Boilen and the return of co-host, Dom Baker! Sara and Dom discuss hazard forecasting and the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale. They also review February and take a look at what is coming up for March on the Avalanche Hour...

  22. Looking Back and How to Look Forward with Dan Abrams

    Caleb Merrill is back to interview Dan Abrams for a reflective conversation on a tragic avalanche accident. Tune in for a conversation that stems from the soul…. soul skiing that is, and the endless search for those perfect powder turns that brings our small community of soul skiers & riders...

  23. Leadership and Culture in the Avalanche Industry

    Our next episode is out! Joe Stock sits down with Mik Dalpes for a conversation centered around leadership and culture in the avalanche industry. Mik grew up in Minnesota where she formed a passion for skiing. Her career includes spending time as a ski patroller, Outward Bound Instructor, Park...

  24. Hot Takes and Friendtorship with Moxie Mountain Guides

    Be More Selective, Not More Careful: Hot Takes from the Avalanche Industry Interview Highlights: - A terrain-first avalanche education reset: clear language, fewer false certainties, better decision framing. - Real-world mentorship you can actually build: “friendtorship” structures, debrief...

  25. The Art of the Debrief: How to Add Expertise to Our Experiences: Sean Zimmerman- Wall x Sara Boilen x Ian McCammon

    Interview Highlights: - Coming home each day is always the goal, and debriefing seems to be a helpful tool in adding expertise to our experience. - Debriefing can look many different ways. It can happen in real time during an outing, known as a rolling debrief, or it can happen at the end of the...

  26. Slabs 'n Sluffs - January in Review

    Join us for our fourth installment of Slabs ‘n Sluff with Sara Boilen and guest co-host, Sean Zimmerman-Wall! Sara and Sean review January and take a look at what is coming up for February in the Avalanche Hour Podcast. We also hear an update from Dom. Sara Boilen holds a doctorate in clinical...

  27. Avalanche Science Beyond the Snowpack: An Interview with Pascal Haegeli

    Pascal Haegeli’s career path is anything but conventional. After completing his Master’s degree in Switzerland, he moved to Canada in the mid-1990s – where he found the opportunity of a lifetime. There he built an academic career and became a very influential researcher in avalanche risk...

  28. Luc Mehl makes peace with Alaska's avalanche terrain

    Joe Stock and Luc Mehl have been on many adventures together. Join them for a great conversation about risk management in wild places. In Joe's words: Luc Mehl is one of Alaska’s foremost adventurers, filling the gap between Roman Dial and Dick Griffith. He’s been at the forefront of ski...

  29. Science is what we do to keep from lying to ourselves: A conversation with Bruce Jamieson, Karl Birkeland, and Joe Stock

    “Science is What We Do to Keep from Lying to Ourselves” ~ Richard Feynman. In this conversation, Bruce Jamieson is back to interview Dr. Karl Birkeland and Joe Stock for a deep dive into snow science. Jamieson brings us with him on a snow science journey alongside two of the industry’s top…

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  30. State of The Snowpack: Bridging The Knowledge Gap between Pros and the Public.

    Morgan Dinsdale is a professional ski guide, writer, holistic nutritionist and the Founder and Executive Director of the State of the Snowpack, a public safety non-profit dedicated to connecting avalanche professionals with their local communities across the mountain communities of Canada. A...

  31. Snow, Science, and Surprises with Jürg Schweizer

    In this episode, Matthias Walcher sits down with Jürg Schweizer for a deep dive on a career focused on snow science. Jürg Schweizer studied environmental physics at ETH Zurich and joined SLF, at that time still up on the Weissfluhjoch, after completing his PhD. He spent a formative year…

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  32. Remembering Judson Wright - The Joy of Second Hand Stoke

    In memory of Judson Wright, this is a special re-airing of a Season 6 interview with him. Judson was a father and a husband first, and the founder and lead guide of Kootenay Backcountry Guides. He was the co-founder of State of the Snowpack, and lead guide of White Grizzly Snowcat Skiing. He was...

  33. After the Slide: Life, Loss, and Living in the Mountains

    This panel discussion was part of the Bend Snow & Avalanche Workshop (BendSAW), hosted by the Central Oregon Avalanche Center and originally recorded on November 8th, 2025. The panel brought together Margaret Wheeler, Liz King, Jason Boone and Kevin Grove, moderated by Sara Boilen. Dr. Sara…

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  34. Slabs 'n Sluff - November in Review: Building Community

    Episode Highlights: - A wide ranging conversation touching on community, connection, loss, grief and decision making. - Field updates from Snow and Avalanche Workshops from Utah ProSAW, South Central AK SAW and Bend SAW - Highlights from episodes from November and upcoming episodes in December -...

  35. Jake Hutchinson x Rescue Roundup

    Do all heroes really wear capes? No, and the professionals who specialize in avalanche rescue never would - although they often wear red...sans tights - but they deserve a heartfelt thank you. This episode is a special opportunity to hear directly from those who show up when we need them most. We...

  36. Wendy’s Wisdom: A Tribute to Wendy Wagner

    In loving memory of a legend from our community, we dedicate this episode to you, Wendy. From Wendy's family: '“I don’t get tired, I go hard!” Are the words six year old Wendy said to her uncle when on a hike. That was the way Wendy lived her life and achieved her dreams. The rest of us felt so...

  37. Industry Update with the American Avalanche Association and the Canadian Avalanche Association

    Our November episode special is out now! Caleb Merrill sits down with Jayne Thompson Nolan with the American Avalanche Association (‘The A3’) and Dom Baker is back to chat with Joe Obad from the Canadian Avalanche Association (‘CAA’) Our avalanche associations are the web that holds us all...

  38. Kim Vinet x Johanna Wagstaffe - From Jet Streams to Snowpack Dreams, Forecasting Weather in the Mountains

    In Episode 10.4, Kim Vinet sits down with Johanna Wagstaffe for a conversation about the weather! Tune in for a great episode as two friends get together to talk about weather forecasting and assessing risk in the mountains. Kim and Johanna attended university together and studied earth and...

  39. Slabs 'n Sluff - October in Review: Getting Ready for the Winter Season

    In the second installment of our monthly Slabs & Sluff series, hosts Sara Boilen and Dom Baker dig into some particularly striking nuggets from this past month’s episodes and look forward to the season ahead. Slabs and Sluffs is a monthly round up of all things related to The Avalanche Hour…

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  40. Jake Hutchinson x Tom Kimbrough - Conversations with Maestro

    In Episode 10.3, Jake Hutchinson sits down with Tom Kimbrough to bring us our first Bio of a Legend this season. Roshi is the Japanese word for “zen master” or “old master.” For a generation or two of Wasatch avalanche hunters, Tom is both the old master and the zen master. His holistic approach…

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  41. Dr. Bruce Jamieson x Dr. Scott Thumlert: Merging Theory and Practice

    Bruce Jamieson’s interview with Scott Thumlert revolves around Scott’s career in avalanche research, guiding, as well as planning and engineering. Scott recounts anecdotes during his graduate studies of the stress in the snowpack under skiers and snowmobiles, and implications for tests like the...

  42. A Lifetime of Lessons with Kirk Mauthner

    In the first episode of Season 10, Dom Baker sits down with Kirk Mauthner. Kirk shares his journey from a childhood in the Columbia Valley to becoming an accomplished mountain guide and rescue expert. He discusses the influences that shaped his passion for mountaineering, the challenges he faced…

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  43. Season 10 Opener: A Decade of Digging Deeper

    Tune in to hear what we have in store for Season 10 of The Avalanche Hour Podcast . This podcast is made possible through industry support: Thank you to the Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund, AVSS, Drone Amplified, CIL Avalanche, Safeback, and onX Backcountry.

  44. Building on 23 years of TAR with Lynne Wolfe

    The story goes that a young Lynne Wolfe persuaded Blase Reardon to get involved as The Avalanche Review's Assistant Editor many years ago. Lynne would go on to be the Editor of TAR for decades to come, bringing the publication and our community forward towards professional collaboration. In this...

  45. Becoming the Partner You Seek with Mark Smiley

    🎧 Episode Summary: Spring is here, and with the avy-ed season wrapped up in Colorado, Jason sits down with renowned mountain guide and educator Mark Smiley to talk about his journey from the Midwest to the highest peaks, and his efforts to reshape mountain education. Mark shares how his early...

  46. Keeping your sense of wonder about the snow with Janet Kellam

    In this knowledge-packed episode, Brooke Maushund sits down with Janet Kellam, who received the American Avalanche Association Bernie Kingery Award for lifetime achievement at ISSW in 2023 after serving as the former Director of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, President of the American Avalanche...

  47. Will Gadd: Stay Stoked and Stay Alive

    In this episode, Dom Baker sits down with the legendary mountain athlete Will Gadd, a pioneering ice climber, paddler and paraglider. Will has established some of the hardest mixed ice climbing lines in the world, set the world distance record for paragliding, and then beaten it, kayaked down...

  48. Fabiano Monti: Protecting Italy's highest village

    European Hosts Matthias Walcher and Christoph Mitterer bring you a conversation with Fabiano Monti. Fabi is an Avalanche Forecaster, Ski Instructor, and Environmental Scientist based in Livigno, Italy. He holds a Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of…

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  49. The Ascending Spiral of Mentorship with Nina Marienthal

    Episode Overview: In this compelling episode, Brooke sits down with Nina Marienthal, Lead Guide at Beartooth Powder Guides (BPG) in Cooke City, Montana, where she landed after starting her career heli-guiding in Alaska. After growing up the daughter of a heli-ski guide and ski instructor—doing…

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  50. Therapy for the Soul: A Beginner’s Toolbox into Navigating Grief, Trauma, and Loss

    Therapy for the Soul: A Beginner’s Toolbox into Navigating Grief, Trauma, and Loss Guest: Jenny Fiebig – Licensed Professional Counselor, IFS Trainer, Outdoor Trauma Specialist Host: Brooke “Shiny” Edwards Recording Date: December 4th, 2024 Episode Summary: In this deeply insightful episode of…

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About this show

Podcast by Caleb Merrill

Hosted by

The Avalanche Hour

Categories

Frequently asked questions

How many episodes does The Avalanche Hour Podcast have?

The Avalanche Hour Podcast has 259 episodes on PodParley. The most recent episode was published on October 28, 2026.

What is The Avalanche Hour Podcast about?

Podcast by Caleb Merrill

How often does The Avalanche Hour Podcast release new episodes?

The Avalanche Hour Podcast publishes every two weeks, based on its 259 episodes since December 2016.

Who hosts The Avalanche Hour Podcast?

The Avalanche Hour Podcast is created and hosted by The Avalanche Hour.
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