AvCan Podcast

Join avalanche forecaster, Simon Horton to explore the intricacies of weather forecasting and how you can use it to maximize your trips into the mountains.

Learn more about the Avalanche Canada User Research Panel, our new dedicated backcountry user research community made up of people of all ability levels and travel modes sharing their experiences and providing insights about our avalanche safety products and how we communicate and share information with the public. Stan Nowak is here to tell you why we'd love for you to be a part of it.

We talk with Avalanche Canada forecaster Ari Hanna about the reason why we publish at 4:00 pm, what uncertainty that adds to the forecasting, how they collect data, and what happens if something unexpected happens overnight. Long story short: check the forecast the night before you're planning to go out into the backcountry, and then again the morning of!

We chat with Colin Garritty, Lead Field Technician on the Vancouver Island field team about where the team goes, the snowpack and avalanche info they're looking for, and why they love the Island.

Every sledder or snowbiker gets stuck sometimes, it's a part of the sport. However, it's also a key factor in many serious avalanche accidents and it's something even experienced riders often get wrong. This episode, we're joined by special guests Nadine Overwater and Marshall Dempster from the Canadian Motorized Backcountry Guides Association to get the lowdown on what to do (and what not to do) when someone's stuck in avalanche terrain.

Avalanche Canada and the Avalanche Canada Foundation—what's the difference? And how can you make a difference to public avalanche safety? We've got ACF Executive Director Jeff Storck here to talk about the importance of fundraising.

As our forecasting season draws to a close, AvCan forecaster Lynnea Baker joins us to talk about how to have a safe and fun spring in the mountains.

AvCan forecaster, Lynnea Baker, joins us to talk about why the Mountain Information Network (MIN) is an essential part of making our public avalanche forecasts. We'll talk about how to make a MIN, what we really want to know from you, and why the MIN is for absolutely everyone who travels in the backcountry.

We're about to see a significant increase in both the temperature and the avalanche danger. Forecaster Tyson Rettie joins us to provide updates about what to expect from the warming and how it will impact the avalanche conditions in the coming days.

We still have a Special Public Avalanche Warning in place for some regions, we're expecting high avalanche danger in others, and that touchy persistent slab problem is persisting too. AvCan forecaster, Tyson Rettie, joins us to unpack what the weekend has in store and how we can manage what the mountains have in store for us.

We have a Special Public Avalanche Warning in place for almost all of our forecast regions until end of day, Mar 4 2024. Join forecaster, Tyson Rettie, to find out more about the problems that caused the warning, where is impacted, and how to manage your risks during this time. Learn more www.avalanche.ca/spaw

Join AvCan forecaster, Wendy Lewis, to talk all about where the resort ends and the backcountry begins (hint: there's no such thing as the side/slack country!). We'll be talking gear, mindset, and what ski patrol really wants you to know before you go.

In this episode, Karina Bakker and Jarek Barwise from our Vancouver Island field team join us to talk about what exactly the warm, wet weather does to our snowpack, and what happens when the temperatures fall again! Get tips, tricks, and the lowdown on what the difference between wet avalanche types. Here's the picture of the pinwheel mentioned in the show: https://res.cloudinary.com/avalanche-ca/image/upload/v1521154051/AST%201%20images/RE_warming_trend_goplbe.jpg

This episode we're joined by Field Program Supervisor, Jennifer Coulter to talk about the field teams and why there's so essential to what we do here at AvCan. Get your forecasts or learn more about avalanche safety at www.avalanche.ca

Senior forecaster and research officer, Simon Horton, takes us through all the things we might not know about the forecast. He explores how to use it to your best advantage, how the forecasters make your forecast from the data they receive, how to verify it in the field, and what exciting changes we have coming soon. Get the forecast at www.avalanche.ca

Snow is finally falling and it's 'go time', right? Maybe, but there are some unique challenges to travelling in the early season and some things to know before you head out. Join AvCan forecaster and guide, Tyson Rettie, to learn about what you need to know to ride the steep before we have the deep.

Looking to get the most out of your winter? It starts with pre-season prep! Lisa Larson, lead field technician for our South Rockies field team, shares her top tips for making sure we start the season off right. Find your forecast at www.avalanche.ca