Talking NorCal

Active NorCal
  • 4.9 (18)
  • NEWS
Talking NorCal

The Talking NorCal Podcast is the official podcast of Active NorCal. Hosts Zach and Brien O'Brien will take you through the stories of the week in Northern California as well as insightful interviews with the leading outdoor enthusiasts and tell stories of their adventures in NorCal.

  1. FEB 6

    California Water Wars, Snowpack Dwindles, & Revolutionizing Lake Tahoe Transportation w/Ryan Meinzer

    Active NorCal’s Zach O’Brien and Brien O’Brien (BOB) dive deep on the California water wars, including President Trump's recent acts, Gavin Newsom's executive order, Lake Oroville using its spillway, and farmers versus environmentalists. Then, they break down the news of the week including the trail down to Burney Falls reopening, Homewood Mountain Resort's plan to reopen for skiing, California snowpack dwindling after dry January, and divers removing 1,500 pounds of trash out of Donner Lake. Finally, Zach sits down with Ryan Meinzer from FlyTahoe to talk about plans to bring an electric flying ferry to Lake Tahoe. They discuss the environmental implications, convenience for visitors and residents of Tahoe, and challenges in bringing the revolutionary transportation to the U.S. for the first time.

    1h 24m

  2. JAN 17

    High Water Levels, Ranchers Leaving Point Reyes, & Terrible Wildfire Politicization/Misinformation

    Active NorCal’s Zach O’Brien and Brien O’Brien (BOB) break down the recent storms in Northern California, including the snowpack sitting at 108% of historical average, Shasta Lake seeing its highest January water levels in 15 years, and the 206 mph winds at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. Then, they get into the news of the week including the brand-new National Monument near Mount Shasta, the ranchers leaving the Point Reyes National Seashore, 6,000 salmon returning to the free-flowing Klamath River, a new bill that could have San Francisco paying a lot more for Hetch Hetchy water, and the X Games coming to NorCal. Finally, Zach and Bob discuss the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, including the terrible wildfire politicization, misinformation, and the media's coverage of celebrities.

    1h 11m

  3. 12/20/2024

    Bidwell Mansion Burns, Earthquakes in NorCal, and Climbing Mount Shasta w/ Chris Carr

    Active NorCal’s Zach O’Brien and Brien O’Brien (BOB) break down the wet start to the winter in Northern California, including the most recent storms bringing lots of snow to the mountains and the tornado that ravaged the Bay Area. Then, they discuss the news of the week including the burning of the historic Bidwell Mansion in Chico, Mt. Shasta Ski Park unveiling its new 20-foot statue of the Virgin Mary, fence removal in Point Reyes allowing elk to roam free, a proposed electric ferry on Lake Tahoe, and the star-studded concert series coming to the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena. Next, Zach sits down with Chris Carr from the Shasta Mountain Guides to discuss the start to the winter season on Mount Shasta, what people can expect when climbing the mountain, and the best ways to go backcountry skiing in the area. Finally, Zach and Bob talk about the recent earthquake activity in NorCal and why all locals should know about the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

    1h 26m

  4. 12/05/2024

    Movie Review: Lady Bird is a Beautiful Love Letter to Sacramento

    We're back with another movie review! This time, Active NorCal's Zach O'Brien and Brien O'brien review the award-winning film Lady Bird, which is a beautiful "love letter" to Sacramento.  They talk about how the movie takes place in Sacramento, as well as the many obvious filming locations around the city. They also discuss their many connections to the film, including their Catholic upbringing, high school life with no cell phones, and the experience of growing up in Northern California.

    46 min

  5. 11/28/2024

    Blizzard Slams NorCal, Controversial Owl Hunting, New Wolf Packs, and Proof of Lemurians?

    Active NorCal's Zach O'Brien and Brien O'Brien (BOB) break down the massive storms that slammed Northern California recently, including the early opening of ski resorts and significant rise of lakes. They also discuss the announcement of new wolf packs in NorCal, including the wolves found in Lassen Volcanic National Park, before debating the alien testimony in Congress and how it changes our outlook on Lemurians. Then, they discuss the NorCal Notes of the week, including the vote on Palisades Tahoe expansion, Coho salmon returning to the Upper Klamath Basin, the controversial hunt of barred owls, and the successful removal of AT&T's cables out of Lake Tahoe. Finally, they end the podcast by discussing fun things they did in Sacramento last week, before debating which movie filmed in NorCal they should review next.

    1h 5m

  6. 11/14/2024

    NorCal Politics, Monster Salmon, and a Deep Dive on Wolves w/Amaroq Weiss

    Active NorCal's Zach O'Brien and Brien O'Brien (BOB) discuss the results of last week's ballots and their impact on Northern California, including California's $10 billion water/fire measure, South Lake Tahoe's proposed vacation home tax, and San Francisco's proposal to turn the Great Highway into a giant park. Then, they discuss the news of the week including the iconic Point Reyes Shipwreck deteriorating rapidly, a 47-pound Chinook salmon caught on the Smith River, a Sonoma hotel named the best in the world, and the upcoming Leonids meteor shower. Next, Zach sits down with Amaroq Weiss, Senior Wolf Advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, to do a deep dive on wolves, including the reason behind their population growth in California, and what the future holds for wolf packs in the region. Finally, Zach and Bob break down the controversial proposal to bring a major development to Palisades Tahoe and Olympic Valley, including its projected environmental impact.

    1h 26m

  7. 11/08/2024

    Winter is Here, Shasta Lake Houseboat Giveaway, & Keeping Tahoe Blue w/Hailey Hawkins

    On a brand-new episode of the Talking NorCal Podcast, Zach and Bob outline their biggest giveaway yet - a $3,000 houseboat rental on Shasta Lake. Then, they discuss the snowfall across Northern California, along with invasive mussels found in California, South Lake Tahoe's proposed vacation home tax, a fisherman crashing his helicopter on the Carson River, Burney Falls extended trail closure, and a crackdown on cannabis in California State Parks. Finally, they speak with Hailey Hawkins about The League to Save Lake Tahoe and the best ways to Keep Tahoe Blue.

    1h 3m

  8. 10/25/2024

    The Weirdest Movie Ever Made? Our Review of Sasquatch Sunset Filmed in NorCal

    We're back with another movie review! This time, Zach and Bob discuss the highly-anticipated indie film Sasquatch Sunset, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough and filmed entirely in Northern California. They talk about the history of Bigfoot in NorCal, the production of the film, the animals from Turtle Bay, and finally, they give their review of the movie.

    54 min
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4.9
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

The Talking NorCal Podcast is the official podcast of Active NorCal. Hosts Zach and Brien O'Brien will take you through the stories of the week in Northern California as well as insightful interviews with the leading outdoor enthusiasts and tell stories of their adventures in NorCal.

Information

  • Creator
    Active NorCal
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Talking NorCal
  • Show Website
    Talking NorCal

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