On The Ski Lift Skiing Podcas‪t‬ On The Ski Lift Skiing Podcast

Rich Marriott knows avalanches.  He personally planted some of the hardware that makes forecasting possible for the rest of us mere mortal skiers who take snow control for granted.  Rich has been a meteorologist with King5 News for 33 years, and left a robust history of avalanche research to take on his current career.  We may take it for granted, but we are all safer because of the expertise Rich brings to forecasting during the winter months.  With COVID concerns changing the face of skiing and snowboarding in so many ways, Lance and Mike have shared concerns for people taking to the backcountry without knowing the basics of avalanche preparedness.  You’re going to love Rich’s history in this area, and you’ll appreciate all that goes on behind the scenes to help the skiers and snowboarders like the rest of us have safe days in bounds and out.

Ka-Pow!  Rich knows explosives.  Because at the end of the day, all that’s really going on is trying to shake the mountain a bit  to see what makes things slide, or not.

Choo-Choo.  Did you know the most severe avalanche in the Pacific Northwest was in 1910 on Stevens Pass?  And a train was involved?  And a tunnel was considered for shelter – until someone remembered asphyxiation might be a real thing should there be a need (which there was) to start the engines to keep the cars warm.  And 11 FEET of snow in one day?  And some people left the train to hike in it to a semi-nearby town?

Ok – that’s enough.  Just listen to the podcast episode for the rest!

We’ve been keeping a list of some helpful thoughts for y’all.  Pocket meals to ski racks; nailing a “helicopter” to taking photos, and lots of fun stuff in between.  We’re here to help.  Thanks to those of you who sent in your tips, too.

 



Our man, Brian Geppert, knows how to spare the landfill of skis.  Get to know Brian and his commitment to saving skis, sparing the landfill, and creating fabulous pieces of art.  And even better, those works are available for you, our lovely podcast listeners.

Check out Brian’s page:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SkiArtistry

Check these articles out while you’re at it:

https://blog.sturtevants.com/2019/04/free-wax-friday-with-recycle-day-for-skis-and-snowboards/

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2020/01/15/upcycle-your-skis/

https://sites.google.com/view/ski-recycling

We are really enjoying our new Instagram friends.  Eric Krantz is one of them.  Join us during this fun ski conversation about Eric’s dad finding a way to fund 5 kids lift tickets by selling popcorn in the parking lot.  We also dive into several of Eric’s favorite areas near his home in Minneapolis.  Since he is a long-time ski instructor at all of these areas, he’s the perfect host for an overview of all of those local midwest ski areas.  Just because Eric and his son are headed to Jackson Hole, Big Sky, and Grand Targhee this month doesn’t mean they can’t have fun on their local hills.  Because really, if this sport is a lifestyle, isn’t that what keeping it real and in our souls is all about, skiing where you can!

Two great skiing conversations on this one great episode.  Jeremy and Lance talk about the joys of Jeremy’s 14-year-old son’s growing passion for days on the hill with dad.  And now, a little less dad.  We talk about that moment when we are willing to let go, and trust, and hope, and pray, that “see you at the lodge at 4:00” proves real.  Jeremy also shares a bit about a recent Utah trip that started as a tour of several areas, including The Canyons, but landed Jeremy right where his skiing soul belongs when in the Salt Lake Basin, Little Cottonwood Canyon, and Alta/Snowbird.

And if that isn’t enough, Mike has Jessica (she currently hails from Reno/Tahoe and seems to like Northstar a lot!) walk him through the benefits of Pilates as a workout regimen for skiers and snowboarders.

 

Lance and Mike are unofficially getting out the trip-tik and planning a trip to Truckee, CA.  Their new best friends they haven’t met are perfectly represented by Shawn Bradley.  These guys are daily Squaw Valley addicts, and they are called TheFirstChairBoys.  You can find them on Instagram, where their popularity is exploding.  Join them, and their roomies, TheFirstChairGirls on Insta and enjoy their frequent posts.  These guys love to ski, make it a seasonal priority, and they have adapted quite well to the COVID-Apres “Carlodge.” We’ve got dibs on Shawn’s couch.  And we’ll be on that first chair with him if we act quickly, for mountain nightlife is not an option this year.