The San Juan Snowcast: Recent Episodes
Chris Dickson
Well folks, this is the final episode of the 2023-2024 winter season! On this week’s episode, I reflect on this past winter and provide a seasonal snowfall history and a recap of this year’s avalanche statistics. But the heart of this episode is a conversation I have with Ryan and Isaiah about an avalanche that happened on King Solomon Mountain, outside of Silverton, just about one year ago last Spring. We dive deep into what happened, how they dealt with it, and these guys graciously share the major takeaways they had from the incident. It’s a long story, but totally worth the listen!
Have a great Summer, folks. I’ll see you again next Winter!
And until next time… THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Closing Time” by Semisonic
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Hey everyone, I’m back after taking last week off… the skiing was just too good!!! It’s a beautiful time in the San Juans and the backcountry is currently FIRING. On this week’s show, I recap the storms, provide an update on the State of the Snowpack, and take a look at the recent avalanche activity before jumping into a conversation with my friend and fellow Snowcaster, Nick McEachern, who is the host of the Salt Lake Snowcast. We talk about our podcasts, the challenges and the silver linings, and why we both started our respective projects to begin with. Give it a listen!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Rubberneck” by Speedometer
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Man, the last week was pretty epic in the San Juan backcountry! The snowpack is finally trending in the right direction and we’re getting to ski and ride some steep lines in the alpine! On this week’s show, I present to you the HOT TAKES EPISODE where I invite four friends over for some libations and lively conversation about backcountry ski/split culture. Enjoy!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Rubberneck” by Speedometer
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Hey folks, I’m back after taking last week off! In this episode I catch up on the State of the Snowpack and the latest backcountry conditions, before sharing my own personal avalanche story. 7 years ago this May, I triggered an avalanche that could have ended it all… and I’ve been wanting to share this story for some time. There’s a lot to learn from it, because I made pretty much every “human factor” mistake you can make… So, learn from my mistakes and hopefully avoid making them in the future!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Funk for Food” by Moderator
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Spring’s around the corner, there a storm in the forecast, and the kids are alright… the future is bright! In this week’s episode I discuss the state of the snowpack, stepping out, recent avalanches, El Niño, the pole penetrometer, and much much more. I also share some events from the Community Calendar and we hear from the Outdoor Ed class at Telluride High about what they think of the backcountry. Give it a listen!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Funk for Food” by Moderator
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Episode 10! We’re trucking through winter and the high pressure is back. In this week’s episode, I provide an update on the State of the Snowpack, dig into our weekly Avalanche Report, and then share a conversation that I had with the Executive Director of the San Miguel Watershed Coalition, Adrian Bergere. We talk about the impacts of our snowpack on spring runoff, the limitations of Snotel stations, dust on snow events, and so much more. Give it a listen!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Budos Theme” by the Budos Band
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
February is here and so is the pow! Huge totals from this last storm have buoyed our snowpack and brought it back to average. In this episode, I do a deep dive on the Storm Recap and the State of the Snowpack, before I nerd out on “crust-facet-combos” and your Word of the Day (it’s German!).
I also offer a brief “Chairlift Chat” on why I chose to ride the resort during this recent storm cycle, and share some upcoming events that you should put on your calendar!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Suave” by Offthewally
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
It’s been a HOT ONE! Warm temps and strong sunshine prompted a natural avalanche cycle this past week across the Juans. In this week’s episode, I recap the natural and human-triggered avalanche activity we had this past week, before diving into a chat with my buddy Karl Welter, a ski patroller with the Telluride Ski Resort. Hot Karl walks us through the nuances of ski cutting and when it’s appropriate for the backcountry. Then I wrap things up with a look at the forecast (spoiler alert: its looking stormy!). Let’s hope that June-uary comes to a quick close, and February starts with a bang!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Suave” by Offthewally
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
This episode was a tough one. We’ve had a number of avalanche incidents that should serve as a wake up call to us all, culminating in the first fatal avalanche in Colorado this season, right here in the San Juans. In this episode, I give a quick recap of the weather, the snowpack, and the sheer amount of avalanches that have occurred so far in January. Then, I jump into a conversation with my friend and fellow guide/educator, Chris Trullaz. Chris and I discuss the current conditions around the San Juans, how to handle spooky persistent slab problems, and how to submit a good observation to the CAIC.
Thanks for listening.
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cissy Strut” by The Meters
“The Encouragement Stick” by Doctor Turtle
What a week of weather it has been across the Juans! I’ll kick things off this week with a storm recap and an investigation as to why Sunday’s storm caught so many of us off guard. Then we’ll dive into a super informative conversation about public land management and some of the local issues facing the San Juans, with Hilary Eisen of the Winter Wildlands Alliance and Mason Osgood of the Sheep Mountain Alliance. These folks advocate for the continued access and preservation of our backcountry recreation areas and, not only that, they’re backcountry skiers too! Give it a listen, I guarantee you’ll learn a thing or two.
Learn more at:
winterwildlands.org
sheepmountainalliance.org
More storms are coming in the next few days and Juanuary is off to the races…
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Cissy Strut” by The Meters
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Happy New Year! On this week’s show we discuss the current State of the Snowpack and how it will hopefully change soon, highlight some local events in the Community Calendar, and then sit down for a chat with Maddie Crowell, local ski guide, avalanche educator, and couloir hunter. Maddie gives us an update on the variability of snow conditions above treeline and why the couloirs of the San Juans make for some excellent ski mountaineering.
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Happy Winter Solstice!
In this episode, we lament our slow start to the season, and the shallow and weak snowpack… but then see a glimmer of hope in the form of a Santa Slammer Holiday Snowstorm that arrives on Saturday! The main focus of this episode, however, is RADIOS. We’ll talk about the new channels for the Telluride Radio Program, and I’ll share some tips for proper radio etiquette so we can all level up our backcountry radio game. THE CHANNELS HAVE CHANGED. Make sure you and your partners know about it and use the new channels if you play in the Telluride backcountry. Thanks for your help in getting the word out.
For more information, go to www.telluridemountainclub.org/radios
Happy Holidays and THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Funky Christmas” by Snoop Dog
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
It’s December, and its finally looking like Winter! On this week’s episode, I recap last week’s storm and take a peak and the weather before taking a DEEP DIVE into electromagnetic interference and it’s effect on our avalanche transceivers. It’s time to get technical and make sure we’re tuned up and tuned in for the Winter to come.
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Octopussy” by Juanitos
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Coming atcha with a quick bonus episode this week! This one highlights some Community Calendar events before diving into some gear talk with Kyle Siegel of Raide.
I’ll be back next week with a proper Snowcast episode all about PRE-SEASON PREP, the State of the Snowpack, and, of course, a look at the weather!
Music on the show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
IT SNOWED! Finally. In Episode 2, we dig into a recap of this past weekend’s storm before exploring the TOP TEN COOLEST THINGS I learned while attending 3 different Snow and Avalanche Workshops this past October. Thanks for tuning in and THINK SNOW! Our next storm arrives on Friday of this week.
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Octopussy” by Juanitos
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
Welcome to Season 3 of the San Juan Snowcast!
On Episode 1, we take the Snowcast pledge (raise your right hand…) before recapping just how good last winter truly was, and we why should probably temper our expectations for this year. Also, we discuss why most “season outlooks” don’t actually mean much, before diving into, you guessed it, a season outlook and what the impending El Niño could mean for snowfall across the San Juans!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Octopussy” by Juanitos
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos
We are breaking records with this storm! Yet another blizzard is dumping snow on the San Juan Mountains, and this winter has officially crossed the threshold into uncharted territory for our 30-year average snowpack! We dive into the State of the Snowpack before sinking our teeth into this year’s HOT TAKES segment. Four friends join me on the pod to chat about what we love and what we hate in our backcountry ski culture. It’s a doozy, but please don’t take it too seriously (we certainly ain’t trying to offend anyone!).
Please leave a rating and review, and share the show with your friends!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 15!
It’s currently dumping snow across the Juan’s and the powder stoke is HIGH. On this week’s show, I break down the State of our Snowpack, this current storm, and then dive into a conversation with two local avalanche forecasters: Jeff Davis, with Helitrax, and Elyse Parcell, with the Telluride Ski Patrol. We go deep in to the perilous world of “Moderate” danger and bust some myths around the avalanche danger ratings. It’s a good convo full of nuggets of wisdom!
Thanks as always to my sponsors:
MountainTrip.com
The Pi Avy Fund
SewAlpine.com
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Well, I’m back after a week off from the pod. And a lot has happened in the last week, including several fatal avalanche incidents in our mountains. In this week’s show I discuss the wind, the dust, and the snow we’ve been getting, before I unpack the sad avalanche accidents that occurred this past Saturday. This is a somber episode but sometimes we need to remember what’s at stake when we travel in avalanche terrain. Hopefully, this helps remind us all to continue to travel cautiously in the backcountry this winter, and to not let our guards down, even when the avalanche danger is moderate.
Stay safe out there, friends!
What a storm!!! Man, this winter is just… AWESOME and I am loving it. On this week’s show, we’ll dive into a recap of our latest storm, check out the state of the snowpack, talk Hand Shears and other on-the-fly snowpack obs, and then discuss the dangers around President’s Day Weekend in Colorado (spoiler alert: this is the most dangerous week of the entire winter in terms of avalanche accidents in Colorado!).
Step it back a little bit, the low danger days are over, for now…
Thanks for listening and please leave a rating or a review! 🙏
Email: Sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
For the 1st time this season, a majority of the San Juan Mountains have a Low avalanche danger rating. On this week’s episode, I dig into why that is, what’s up with the current State of the Snowpack, a look at some upcoming events on the Community Calendar, and finally a Nugget on the “Stepping Out” mindset and how I applied it on my tours in the backcountry last week.
Thanks for listening! And if you have any HOT TAKES, please send them my way! The HOT TAKES Episode is coming soon, so email me at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com to be a part of it.
THINK SNOW!!!
And… we’re back! I’m currently rebounding from COVID (Round 2) but I’m ready to dive back into the San Juan snowpack! On this week’s show, I welcome a new sponsor, take a look at the state of the snowpack, and then sit down for a chat with Matt Steen and Jeff Davis, Director and Assistant Director of HeliTrax’s Snow Safety Team to discuss all the ins and outs of dropping bombs out of helicopters to trigger avalanches!
Thanks to those guys for coming on the show! Check out Helitrax for an awesome day of heli-skiing in some of the coolest terrain in the San Juans.
Also, a big thanks to my sponsors:
Mountain Trip (www.mountaintrip.com)
The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
Sew Alpine (www.sewalpine.com)
Check me out on the following platforms and tell a friend about the show!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Facebook: The San Juan Snowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
On this week’s episode, I’m trapped in my hometown by a very large natural avalanche over the road! Literally as I was writing this episode, a natural avalanche knocked out my power and internet and trapped myself and my neighbors in by covering the only access road in 20 feet of debris. So, I adapted, and this week’s episode became covering the widespread avalanche cycle that occurred just outside my front door. Check out the CAIC for my field report with photos.
This week’s new “FUNK BREAK” is by The Limp Twins, a song titled “Another Day in the Life of Mr Jones”.
Instagram: @SanJuanSnowcast
Facebook: The San Juan Snowcast
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
If you or someone you know has experienced a traumatic incident, or is struggling with grief, please reach out to someone for help. Survivors of Outdoor Adventures and Recovery has a great website with some resources to check out: http://soar4life.org/ .
In this episode, I provide an update on the last two weeks of snow and avalanche activity, before diving into a debrief of a full burial avalanche incident that happened recently in our mountains. It’s powerful to learn from incidents and like these and I’m grateful to these folks for being willing to share their story.
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Happy holidays, folks! This is the last episode of the year, so it’s a bit of a long(er) one. We’ve got a huge multi-day storm barreling down on the San Juans! The snow is stacking up, the avalanche danger is rising, and our snowpack may just bounce back to “average” from this storm. In this episode, I dive into the current storm before sitting down for a nice conversation with my friend and housemate (and the Mayor of Ophir), Mason Osgood! Mason and I chat about the current State of Uphill Skiing before sharing some of our backcountry-specific New Year’s Resolutions. Enjoy!
If you’re digging the show, PLEASE leave a rating or review! And then, tell your friends! This is a grassroots campaign, spread mostly by word of mouth, so help me get the word out. Thanks!
Here is the link to the Durango Herald article mentioned in the show:
“You still can’t travel uphill at Purgatory…”
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Facebook: The San Juan Snowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Winter is officially officially here! Happy Solstice, everyone. On this week’s show, I bemoan our slow start to the season, talk about the spatial variability in our snowpack, and share with you my tip for how to save money on backcountry touring gloves (cuz backcountry gear is expensive!).
Thanks for listening and thanks to Sew Alpine and Mountain Trip for supporting the show! Until next time… THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Facebook: The San Juan Snowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
On this episode of the Snowcast, we recap the most recent storm, discuss our touchy persistent slab problem, take a mini-dive into “Squelch” and the world of radios, and wrap things up with some funny and fiery hot takes from 4SAW. Enjoy!
Like what you hear? Please leave a rating or review!
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Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Facebook: The San Juan Snowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Folks, the snowpack is growing, the danger is rising, and it’s time to leave the pitiful days of “Early Season” in the rear view mirror, because Winter is here and we are now officially IN avalanche season.
In this episode I dive into our first HIGH avalanche danger of the season, the most recent storm, our garbage snowpack, and the Community Calendar!
The holidays are here and so is the season of giving! Support our sponsors and your local non-profits by clicking the links below:
Donate to the PI Avy Fund!
Buy something cool from Sew Alpine!
Sign up for an avy course with Mountain Trip!
Please help support the Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund. You can donate online, it’s super easy, and every dollar helps! Thank you.
Link to Donate
What do you do when you want to go into the backcountry, but you haven’t really been paying attention to the conditions? Well, listen to this episode and come with me on my journey to track the season’s history through some awesome online resources. You can find all the information you need to be ready to get back out there by visiting these two sites:
- Colorado Snow Survey Homepage
- CAIC Website
Remember to take it easy out there and, until next time… THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Well folks, I wish there was more snow to talk about on this episode but things have been high and dry for the last week in the Juan’s. So, on this week’s show, we’re going to talk PRE-SEASON PREP, and specifically how to check your gear to make sure it’s ready for another season of touring in the backcountry.
I also sit down with Executive Director of the Friends of the San Juan’s, Evan Tyler, to discuss the awesome avalanche education non-profits that we have serving our San Juan backcountry communities. Check out all that they have going on this winter by visiting www.theSanJuans.org!
SHOW NOTES:
First Aid Kits: check out Episode 6 from last season.
Gear Repair Kits: check out Episode 7.
Radios: check out Episode 5.
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
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 sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com 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 (sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com) 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 sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com. 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 sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com 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 sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com.
As always, thanks for listening and… THINK SNOW!
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Welcome back, folks! It was a good two weeks away but I’m psyched to be back behind the mic. In this week’s show, I dive into talking about just how dry January was here in the Juans, then I take a look at an upcoming event, I close the loop on a topic brought up in Episode 15, and I dig into the avalanche education nugget for the week: mapping tools! This week is jammed-packed with information and I really hope its not overwhelming. Follow along on www.Caltopo.com for the best experience.
Thanks as always to Mountain Trip for sponsoring the show (check them out at www.mountaintrip.com) and thanks to you for listening! More stickers are on the way! Send me an email at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com or message me on Instagram @sanjuansnowcast with your address for some sticker swag!
Thanks for listening and until next time… THINK SNOW!
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Hello! Well, 4” of new snow last night sure was a nice change of pace! On this week’s show we’ll talk about the state of our snowpack and the riding conditions out there across the San Juans, take a look at the Community Calendar, listen to some Hot Takes from the audience, and dive into an incident that happened up in the Tetons and how we can learn from it.
Thanks to Mountain Trip for supporting the show (MountainTrip.com) and thanks to you for listening. Send me a message for some stickers if you’re interested! You can email me at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com or find me on Instagram (@sanjuansnowcast).
Here are the links to some of the article mentioned in the show:
Think Margins in the Sliver by Jason Albert
Bottom Up or Top Down? By Jed Porter
Please leave me a review or rating on whatever podcast app you use to listen, and until next time… THINK SNOW!!!
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Hey friends, well if you’re at all like me then you’re probably a little disappointed in our current weather pattern. Yup, its the dreaded January Thaw… To lighten up the mood, this week’s show is a bit different than normal! This show is all about HOT TAKES. Coop, Slator and I cut loose one night during a recent avalanche course and decided to talk about the things we see in backcountry skiing that we want to change (or just outright cancel).
This is a fun one, but please don’t take offense to anything said during the show! The opinions are those of the speakers and you have every right to disagree with us. We were just joking around (mostly). Also, there is some mild cursing in this show, so it might not be for everyone.
Thanks as always to Mountain Trip for sponsoring the Snowcast. Check out www.MountainTrip.com for awesome guided trips and high-quality educational courses.
Hit me up if you would like some stickers! And please leave me a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to the show. THINK SNOW!!! (We need it!)
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Hey team! On this week’s show, I’ve got some life updates to share, and then I dive into the state of the snowpack and what I’ve been seeing in pits and observations. Then, we get a glimmer of hope from Joel Gratz’s Colorado Daily Snow, a challenge to the skiers of the Juans to keep up our trend of no major avalanche incidents, and a discussion/reminder on why its important to establish your tour plan before you leave home.
Thanks again to Coop for returning to the show, and thanks to you for listening! Leave a rating or review, and shoot me an email at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com to let me know what you think of the show! Want a sticker? Send me your address and you can help spread the good word of the ‘Cast by slapping it somewhere special.
Until next time… THINK SNOW!
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Happy New Year! This week’s episode of the Snowcast digs into a recap of the big storm that ended 2021, a look at how the new snow load is affecting our snowpack across the San Juans, and we’ll unpack a few recent near-miss avalanche incidents to find the common trends. Then, I invite some friends and fellow snow professionals over to my front porch for a conversation about the “Spooky Moderate” avalanche hazard rating that so often exists for us here in the San Juans, and just what we can/should do about it. I hope you enjoy!
This week’s show was supported by Mountain Trip and a number of listeners who kicked in some financial support. I also want to send a special thanks to all those folks who have reached out with support for the show! It means a lot, folks. Also… STICKERS! Shoot me an email at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com to get some stickers sent your way.
Play safe out there, and until next time… THINK SNOW!
(Like seriously, can we all manifest some more pow? Because its looking pretty dry for the next two weeks…)
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Hello everyone and welcome to the last show of 2021! We’ve had some EPIC snowfall lately and avalanche danger has spiked to High for several days this past week. On this week’s show, we dive into how what all this new snow is doing to our snowpack, take a quick look at the recent avalanche incidents happening across our zone, and share some upcoming events happening in our community. And then, we dive into this week’s avalanche education nugget of the week: an analogy for how to think about the risks associated with the different hazard ratings that make up the North American Danger Scale.
Music on the show is from Juanitos and the Budos Band. Hey, if you like what you’re hearing, share the pod with your touring partners. And, if you wanna help spread the word in other ways, I’m making stickers! Shoot me an email at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com if you’d like a few stickers to throw on your skis, your local stop signs, or wherever!
Also, I’m still doing this just for the fun of it, but it does cost me to host and produce the show. I ain’t gonna beg, but if you’re in the “end-of-the-year-charitable-giving-mood”, you can find me on Venmo at @Chris-Dickson.
Thanks for listening and… THINK SNOW!
Happy holidays, everyone! Here we are, 10 episodes in to the 2021/2022 winter season, and it just officially became Winter yesterday! On this week’s show, we take a quick look at our growing snowpack, recap some of the recent avalanche incidents that have happened locally and across the country, and then I introduce some Mindsets that we can assume to better keep our heads in the game when we’re out on a tour.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod! You can find and follow me at @sanjuansnowcast on Instagram, and feel free to shoot me an email at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com. I’ll see you next week for the last episode of 2021!
(BTW, there’s a little Easter Egg hidden in the length of this episode….)
WINTER IS HERE! And with it, sketchy avalanche conditions (whomp, whomp, whomp….).
Last week’s storm kicked our winter into high gear and radically changed our snowpack. On this week’s episode, we’ll take a look back at the storm, get an update on the state of the snowpack, and dive into a valuable debrief of a local avalanche incident that happened this past Saturday. I’m joined by Jonathon Cooper and Kaylee Walden for an engaging conversation in which we share some of our reflections from this weekend in hopes that you can learn from our mistakes and to try to reduce the stigma around talking about avalanche incidents and reporting slides to the CAIC.
Thanks as always to you for listening and to Coop and Kaylee for joining me this week! Hungry for more snow and avalanche info between podcasts? Follow me on Instagram @sanjuansnowcast. Have any ideas or feedback for the show? Email me at sanjuansnowcast@gmail.com. Thinking about how you can support the show? Well, I’ve linked my Venmo below. Thanks again, and until next time, THINK SNOW!
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Hey everyone, IT SNOWED! On this week’s show, we revel in the glory of seeing snow again and take a close look at the snowpack structure throughout the San Juans. We also check in with the big storm that’s currently on our doorstep, I give a shout out to OG avy podcaster Doug Krause, and I share my thoughts on mindfulness and its role in backcountry touring.
The winter is kicking into high gear and its almost time to shred. Help me out by spreading the word about the podcast! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram @sanjuansnowcast.
Play safe this weekend, folks, and THINK SNOW!
On this episode of the Snowcast, we wrap up our mini-series on emergency preparedness by talking repair kits and rescue sleds! Accidents happen. It’s as simple as that, and we can stack the odds in our favor by carrying the things we need to deal with whatever incident we could encounter on a backcountry tour.
We start things off in this episode by taking a look at what I carry inside my ski-specific Repair Kit and then we take a little field trip to Durango, where we chat with Hannah Trullaz, owner and founder of Sew Alpine, a small local business that handcrafts backcountry rescue sleds!
I hope you enjoy the show! Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram (@sanjuansnowcast) and please give the show a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We’ll be back with another episode next Wednesday. Until then, do your snow dance and THINK SNOW!
On this week’s episode, we’ll take a look at the current San Juan snowpack and how it compares to the average numbers for this time of year. We’ll also dig into part one of our series on Emergency Preparedness by taking a critical look at how we respond to emergencies and what we should really be carrying in our First Aid Kits. I try my best not to get too preachy in this one, but I am an avalanche educator, so… you’ve been warned.
Thanks for listening and tune in again on December 1st for a look at my Gear Repair Kit and to hear my reasons for why I always carry a rescue sled/tarp/bivy. Until then, have a Happy Thanksgiving and… THINK SNOW!!!
There’s nothing like those warm sunny days in November to distract us from the fact that we aren’t getting much snow yet… But, while pre-season demands patience, it’s also a great time to do some planning for the winter to come. On this episode, we’ll do our weekly snapshot of the current weather and snow conditions here in the San Juans and then we’ll dive into a hot topic: technology in the backcountry. What to bring? What not to bring? And why? I’ll hit you with my take on what I think are the most essential techy items for any backcountry traveller to carry, and why I think they are important.
Then, on next week’s show, we’ll continue the theme of “Emergency Preparedness” by looking at what I have in my First Aid Kit, my Repair Kit, and why I carry a tarp/rescue sled with me every time I go touring.
You can subscribe to the pod on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Wednesday. And help spread the word by sharing the show with your friends and by giving us a follow on Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast. Thanks for listening and until next time, THINK SNOW!
Hello everyone and welcome back. It’s November, and that means that WINTER IS COMING (hopefully soon)! On this week’s show, we’ll look a little closer at the October 26th storm totals, take a peak at the current snowpack structure out there, dive into some upcoming community events, and get the Uphill Update from the SkiMoBro in the know (our first interview).
Check out what the Friends of the San Juans have going on this winter by visiting their site (thats right, FREE avalanche education!) at www.thesanjuans.org.
Stay safe out there if you’re hunting for those early season turns, and THINK SNOW!
Welcome back to the San Juan Snowcast! We just got a decent storm here in the Juans and winter is beginning to take shape. Meanwhile, its in full swing along the West Coast, where feet upon feet of snow just dropped in a historic weather event. In this episode, we’ll dig into that bomb cyclone, explain some whacky weather terms, and see what La Nina has in store for the Southwest this winter!
Follow me on Instagram at @sanjuansnowcast and share the pod with your friends. Once winter really starts rolling, we’ll have plenty to talk about, and pretty soon, it will be deep enough to ride!
Music in the show is by the band Juanitos, and courtesy of the Free Music Archive.
Thanks for listening!
Well, its still early season, and there isn’t a ton of snow on the ground (yet!). So, with that, this episode features a look back at the storms we’ve had thus far and a recap of what I learned at the Four Corners Snow and Avalanche Workshop, which happened earlier this month in Silverton.
If you’re interested in learning more about the topics covered in the pod, check out some of the links below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe or follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Instagram (@sanjuansnowcast). And feel free to leave some comments and feedback on what you think of the show! Thanks and I’ll see ya next Wednesday!
More info on Ken Wylie’s experience and his book “Buried”:
https://powdercanada.com/2014/09/buried-by-ken-wylie/
A folder with the research papers referenced on the show from Jerry Johnson’s team:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-PExxHfRwYqQfb0I_nwALZLdbgoL4c_G
EPISODE 1: Let’s do this! The snow is falling and the temps are dropping. It seems as if winter has arrived to many mountain ranges across the West, and the Juans are no different. But, is early season snowfall a good thing? Not particularly for our San Juan snowpack…. Listen to the episode to find out why!
Hello and welcome! This episode is a preview of what’s to come with the San Juan Snowcast, an up-to-date round up of what’s going on in-the-sky and on-the-ground in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. It’s a snow and avalanche podcast, specific to skiing and riding in the dramatic peaks around the old mining towns of Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray and Silverton. Stay tuned for more to come when the snow starts to fall!