The California Backcountry Report is a weekly podcast run throughout the wintertime that tracks weather, snowpack, avalanche activity, and the backcountry community.
The gents talk small amounts of precip and fret over what could amount to a lack luster year in total snow fall for the Sierra. Then, they dive into a fatal avalanche review. Small avalanches have big consequences.
The Fellas review the weather and a deadly avalanche in Montana.
The lads sit down with Gunnery Sergeant Travis Romenesko and Staff Sergeant Jessie Perkins of the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center to talk warfare in the mountains.
Look at these quitters! They'll be back to jawing next week. Go have some fun in the sun.
More higher. More pressure.JB and Matt decide to take up trail running. The Utah backcountry community suffers a hard loss and the Reno area gets set to break a record.
These two goons evaluate a deadly avalanche near Breckenridge, CO. They lament the warm weather and cross their fingers in hopes that the Reno area doesn't break a weather record.
The boys engage in self flagellation for wrongs done on the last episode. Then, they review and assess two non-fatal, inbounds avalanches at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. JB fleshes out advice given for mid slope assistance thanks to listener questions.
The lads recap a record setting snow fall and review a preliminary avalanche report from Montana.
The fellas talk weather, snow, access, and review the nations first fatal avalanche of the season.
Whatever will happen as new snow arrives on an aged weak layer??
The fellas risk an over stoker on an October atmospheric river.
The fellas risk an over stoker on an early season atmospheric river!
Oh, No! Not La Nina. We're all going to die!
This week the lads say goodbye to Winter with tips for equipment care for summer storage. They cover a preliminary report on an snowmachine triggered avalanche in Idaho. Until next season!
In an all new and exciting episode of the California Backcountry Report the lads are left speechless by current events. JB and Matt review the Pebble Creek Avalanche as well as two local avalanche incidents. JB covers inbound weather. There's a little more snow on the way, Kids! Then, JB tries to throw in the towel on next week's episode, (read: our final episode for the season).
This week, the lads pay penance for their previous predictions. JB laments the arrival of a seasons worth of snow that he can't ski and talks inbound low pressure systems. Of course, the boys get around to the CORVID 19 pandemic and they shed some light on the specific ramifications the Tahoe area grapples with given the dump of fresh pow.
This week the lads cover an inbound storm cycle and answer a question on the avalanche danger scale.
This week CBR reviews a preliminary report of a fatal avalanche in Alaska and JB covers all the avalanche courses and their intended audiences. Thinking of taking a course? Not sure which one is right for you? Start here. Yes, of course the lads talk inbound weather and they jones for snow.
JB calls in from Jackson Hole to talk low snow and upcoming weather along the Sierra crest.
This week we had the pleasure of being joined by Holly Yocum for a good in-depth conversation. Holly is a fixture in the Tahoe backcountry community as she was born and raised in the area and has served as the former President of the Sierra Avalanche Center. Nowadays, when Holly isn't skiing, she is focused on getting women in the backcountry and getting them outside safely. Holly breaks down her experiences backcountry skiing in Tahoe and around the World. We learn about skiing in Europe, a ski accident that very well could have killed her and how she fought breast cancer and won. Then, we wrap up with the snow report. While snow is starting to get desperate in some places around the state, we break down some places that still have the goods. From the Eastern Sierra to Shasta we discuss what we are finding including surprising powder stashes and at least one surprising avalanche. What do these conditions mean and what we are expecting in the weather looking forward?
With insignificant weather forecast and low tide conditions, CBR goes back to basics. In this episode the boys talk Red Flags and the importance of aspect.
We got the opportunity to sit down with Sierra Avalanche Center Forecaster Andy Anderson. It was a good time learning a little more about the person who makes our forecast. Then we dove into how the avalanche forecast is made and some of the challenges to forecasting in the Central Sierra. Then we break down what's going on with this high pressure and what our chances are for getting snow. Hint: its not all doom and gloom.
CBR sits down with SWS Mountain Guides COO, David Cressman. JB and Dave talk guiding, and skiing. JB provides a weather report on a fast moving storm and the lads lament the lack of weather and snow. Get psyched for corn skiing in January.
In this episode JB and Matt breakdown three different avalanche fatalities in three different parts of the country that all have one thing in common: Terrain that was a consequence multiplier. We also talk about the weather ahead and where you can find the best snow in the state.
The storms last week were a dud but this week a new low-pressure system is moving into the area and may prove to be a stud. As a couple of feet of snow come into Northern California we know it will make for good skiing. The real question is what will this new snow mean for the current weak layers in the snowpack. As JB and Matt learn some new details about the fatality avalanche in Northern Idaho. What was the weak layer in question and what can we take away from the incident. Finally, we hit up the mailbag, and help with decision making and margin for error.
A jammed pack episode. As the jet stream shifts to a more favorable position as a series of storms are bearing down the Sierra and Southern Cascades. Matt and JB breakdown what some of the snow totals might look like as well as what this means for avalanche problems ahead. Also, JB and Matt take a quick overview of three recent avalanches from out of state with updates on the fatalities in Idaho, and what can be learned from a near miss in Jackson Hole, Wy. Get the low down and more.
Interview with IFMGA Guide Ryan Hütter
This week is a short episode due to the Christmas Holiday. Get a breakdown of the snow conditions for the week ahead and what to expect for Christmas and the New Year. Listen and learn.
Utah has its first avalanche fatality of the year and there are some valuable lessons to be learned. We break down the next round of weather coming in. Who will get the most snow, and how to approach some of the persistent weak layers in the snow. This episode contains a lot of information on a variety of topics. Listen and learn.
Our first Avalanche Breakdown of the season. JB breaks down two avalanche burials, one in Colorado, and one in the Tahoe area.
In this episode JB discusses the Atmospheric River forecast Friday 12/06 - Sunday 12/08.
JB breaks down the weather phenomenon known as the Bomb Cyclone (actually known as Bombogenesis Cyclone) and why we will be receiving so much snow. Then, a quick overview of the potential of the next storm and what that means for the start of the avalanche season. Get the details of the next two snowstorms and why conservatively parts of California should be receiving more than 8 feet of snow.
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