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Today's episode brings us to one of California's most iconic granite crags: Lover's Leap. If you've ever climbed here, you already know what makes it special—600 feet of mostly vertical granite laced with splitter cracks and wild horizontal dikes that jut out up to a foot. The featured nature of the rock makes the climbing feel surprisingly secure and approachable, even on steep terrain. But beyond the rock itself, there's another reason Lover's Leap is such a memorable place—and that is the local legend who's made it his home: Petch Pietrolungo.Petch is the founder and operator of Lover's Leap Guides, the longest-running local guide service in the area. But beyond that, he's played a huge role in protecting and maintaining the area—working with the Access Fund, CRAGS, and the Forest Service to preserve trails, support nesting raptors, and ultimately give back to the climbing community If that weren't enough, he's also put up more than 50 routes at The Leap—ranging from 5.5 all the way to 5.12d—and some of them have already become modern classics. It is safe to say that Petch is a true steward of the land.But what Petch is maybe best known for besides his contagious level of stoke for climbing is his deep relationship with free soloing. For him, it's not about risk or ego. It's a methodical, meditative experience. It's also very efficient—Petch holds a personal record of climbing 112 pitches in a single day. That same love for big linkups spills over into his guiding, where he offers “birthday pitch” days—where clients climb the number of pitches that match their age. Some have climbed over 50 pitches in a day.But Petch didn't always live in the small town of Strawberry. He didn't even start as a climber.This is part one of my conversation with Petch—and in this episode, we go way back. From his early days as a surfer to a near-fatal rappelling accident that shaped his relationship with risk. We explore his eight month climbing road trip that took him to iconic places like Red Rock Canyon, Joshua Tree, Devils Tower, and the Wind River Range. A trip that would eventually land him in the small town of Strawberry and his now home crag… Lover's Leap.We close off this part of the conversation with his firsthand account of the 2021 Caldor Fire, and how close it came to wiping Strawberry off the map.This is the first time Petch has ever spoken publicly about his life on a podcast, and I'm honored to bring it to you. So without further ado, here is The Leap's local legend…Petch Pietrolungo----HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW & GET ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE EPISODES! For a little as $5/mo!----Don't forget to check out our full video episodes on Youtube!---The TCM movement is growing but we need your help to spread the word! Word of mouth is one of the best ways to support the show. Share an episode with a friend.Post about the show on social media.Jump into Reddit threads or Mountain Project forums and tell people what you're listening to.Tag the show, tag your favorite guests, help spread the word.Please rate and review us on your favorite podcatcher.----We are always looking for new guests. If you or someone you know would be a great fit for the show please don't hesitate to reach out. You can reach us on IG or email us directly @ theclimbingmajoritypodcast@gmail.com---ResourcesPetch's IGHire Petch As A Guide
Few families in the Lake Tahoe region have had more of a positive impact on recreation than the Fish family. Ben and Amy revived the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) in 2010, and started both the 60-mile Rose to Toads epic and Corral Night Ride. Their son Max, about the same age as TAMBA, grew up alongside the organization, and as soon as he could walk, he was on two wheels in dirt, two sticks on snow and a trail tool in hand working last year as a paid employee at Bijou Bike Park, a park designed by Ben. Since November 2016, Ben and Max have skied and snowboarded every month through pow, ice, corn, sun cups, rocks, man-made snow and even the Caldor Fire, reaching 100 consecutive months in February. On Episode 60, the Fish family talks all about TAMBA, the process of their 100-month snow adventure, the importance of bike parks and adventuring together as a family. 2:00 – It's Corntastic! Trail Whisperer makes his first turns as a snowboarder.4:30 – Recording at Kirkwood at the Reid household with Ben, Amy and Max Fish.9:00 – Ben and Amy started Rose to Toad's and Corral Night Ride.11:45 – The history of Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA).15:53 – Max recalls his earliest memories with TAMBA and Bijou Bike Park.17:30 – The concept of “radical families” – not letting children slow parents down from having adventures. 20:30 – Max talks about The Smaine Fund - created in memory of Kyle Smaine - and becoming a ski racer.22:45 – Recounting 100 consecutive months of skiing and snowboarding, starting in November 2016. Only 6 months were not in the Sierra Nevada.26:26 – Dave Webster - “The Daily Wavester” – surfed every day for 40 years, catching at least 3 waves each day, totaling 43,923 waves.29:30 – What patches of snow in the Sierra Nevada hold the longest into the summer? 31:25 – Skiing during the Caldor Fire.33:30 – Using ebikes to access ski areas like Heavenly, Tioga Pass and Mount Lola.35:25 – Some of Ben's favorite memories from 100 months of skiing.38:30 – What have they seen over the last 8 years with snowpack and climate change?46:30 – Max's love of the Gunbarrel 25 event at Heavenly and Kurt's experience at the Gunbarrel.53:00 – Max's transition from freeriding to competitive ski racing.54:30 – Odd mountain biking footwear – Tevas, cowboy boots, Vans and five finger shoes.57:10 – Max working last summer as a paid employee at the Bijou Bike Park and Ben's work as a landscape architect in designing the bike park.1:00:00 – The importance of bike parks to a community and to developing skills.1:03:35 – Do you feel more comfortable jumping through the air on skis or on bikes?1:07:50 – Amy wants to learn to play drums and her long, stupid ride exploits.1:10:45 – ON A MUSICAL NOTE – What are you listening to right now and when Ben and Amy met at a punk ska show in high school.1:14:45 – The concept of learning a new sport and getting better and Trail Whisperer's experience making his first turns as a snowboarder.1:19:55 – What new sport or hobby would you like to learn? Most want to learn wing foiling, e-foiling and wake foiling.1:23:30 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?1:26:30 – New trails TAMBA is working on to get excited about – Lost Lake, Meeks Ridge, General Creek are highlights.
The current flu season - as well as other infectious diseases like RSV, COVID, and recent outbreaks of measles. Also, Grizzly Flats trees burned by the Caldor Fire are still dangerous. Finally, NAWBO Sacramento Valley OWL Awards. Flu Season
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Grizzly Flats post office reopens following the Caldor Fire. Also, Sacramento County's progress and challenges to add mental health clinicians at every school. Finally, the largest bilingual university fair in Northern California, “Steps to College.” Grizzly Flats Post Office Reopens Following Caldor Fire The 2021 Caldor Fire largely destroyed the community of Grizzly Flats, and rebuilding has been slow. But this week there is a landmark to celebrate. More than two years after the devastating wildfire, the town's U.S. Post Office has reopened. And this milestone is about more than just mail. Grizzly Flats resident Eileen Strangfeld, Postmaster Alicia Leech, and Mark Almer from the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council join Insight with an update on the town's restoration. Sac County's Progress to Add Mental Health Clinicians to Schools CapRadio's Sacramento K-12 Education Reporter Srishti Prabha shares their reporting on the progress and challenges Sacramento County is facing in their push to add mental health clinicians in classrooms. In 2020, the Sacramento County Office of Education set a goal to have a clinician at every school - roughly 300 campuses - but progress has been slow. However there are bright spots. Srishti explains that schools like Ethel I Baker Elementary within Sac City Unified show promising potential. You can also read Srishti's reporting in The Sacramento Observer. Bilingual University Fair Navigating the next steps after high school can be daunting. Applications, money - and even a family's status here in California - can all be factored into where students choose to go to college. Steps to College is the largest bilingual and binational university fair in Northern California. The one-day event in Sacramento provides students and their families with valuable information on the financial aid process, meet with college and university counselors, and learn about higher education options. Joining us with more on “Steps to College” are organizers, Dr. Miguel Molina, Academic Advisor for the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at Sac State, and Tonatiuh Gonzalez, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento.
This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on August 11. It dropped for free subscribers on August 14. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe for free below:WhoBrian Suhadolc, General Manager of Mount Snow, VermontRecorded onJuly 17, 2023About Mount SnowClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Vail ResortsLocated in: Dover, VermontYear founded: 1954Pass affiliations:* Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass: Unlimited access* Epic Northeast Value Pass: Unlimited access with holiday blackouts* Epic Northeast Midweek Pass: Unlimited access with weekend and holiday blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Hermitage Club (9 minutes), Stratton (23 minutes), Bromley (36 minutes), Magic Mountain (39 minutes)Base elevation: 1,900 feetSummit elevation: 3,600 feetVertical drop: 1,700 feetSkiable Acres: 601Average annual snowfall: 150 inchesTrail count: 80 (15% advanced/expert, 70% intermediate, 15% beginner)Lift count: 19 (2 six-packs, 4 high-speed quads, 5 triples, 2 doubles, 1 ropetow, 5 magic carpets – view Lift Blog's inventory of Mount Snow's lift fleet)Why I interviewed himThis is my second podcast focused on Mount Snow. The first episode featured then-GM Tracy Bartels, in November 2020. Our focus then was Covid: as in, what the hell were we going to do about it? The ski industry had spent eight months from the March shutdowns preparing for a masked world of closed ski bars and social distancing. Was this actually going to work?It did, of course. Sort of. But that podcast from 2020 has little to do with the Mount Snow of 2023, which has evolved substantially in just three years. It was time for an update.I'm also owning the fact that I overcorrected when I took The Storm national in 2021. In the pod's first two years, I'd interviewed the heads of most of New England's largest ski areas. Check, check, check. Done. I needed to establish this thing in the Rockies, the Cascades, the Sierras, the Wasatch. And I did. But a lot of my New England listeners felt snubbed. I'd built this thing on their attention and enthusiasm, and now I was pivoting away.It's time to pivot back a bit. The lift-served ski world is changing fast, especially among those giants with access to capital and ambition. So I've scheduled upcoming podcast conversations with the leaders of Killington and Sunday River, both of which I've profiled in the past. I'll pursue more such follow-ups in the future, in all regions – and not just with mega-resorts, as the recent second installment with the owners of Plattekill demonstrated. The long-term goal is to alternate podcasts so that every other episode focuses on the West, with the East/Midwest/Mid-Atlantic occupying the alternate slots.But setting aside my own admin, I'm focusing on Mount Snow because it's an incredibly important mountain. I'll reset what I wrote in this same section three years ago:Because Mount Snow is where big-time Northeast skiing begins. As the southern-most major Vermont ski area, it is a skier's gateway to mountains that are big enough to get lost on. From its strategic position in the orbit of the East Coast megalopolis, successive owners have gradually built something uniquely suited to the frenetic swarms of wildly varied skiers who bullseye the place each winter: Mount Snow has one of the most outstanding terrain parks in America and one of the best snowmaking systems in the world. The families who swarm here find absolutely unintimidating terrain, blue as the sky and groomed smoother than I-91. It's a perfect family mountain and a perfect bus skier's mountain and a perfect first step from Mount Local to something that shows you how big skiing can be. It was the crown jewel of the Peak Resort's empire, and it's one of the most important pieces to Vail's ever-expanding Epic jigsaw puzzle. I wouldn't call it a special mountain – the terrain is mild and not terribly interesting, and the volume and quality of natural snowfall is best described as adequate. But it is a vital mountain, as the southern-most anchor of Vermont's teeming ski scene, as an accessible ski experience for weekending cityfolk, as an aspirational destination for people stepping more fully into skiing culture, and as a testament to the power of the imagination to transform a big vertical drop and cold skies into a vital and vibrant node of the regional ski scene.What we talked aboutSurveying damage from the July rainstorm; the Epic Promise Foundation; Mount Snow's four-foot March snowstorm; the frantic hilarity of New England powder days; the difference between east and west coast pow; breaking down Mount Snow's lift upgrades at Sundance, Sunbrook, and Heavy Metal; how the Sundance six-pack “changed the dynamic of the ski resort”; why Sundance – unlike the mega-popular Bluebird Express – does not have bubbles; how the resort manages 18 high-speed out-of-base seats; the four most-utilized lifts at Mount Snow; how Mount Snow built the Sunbrook lift in a roadless section of mountain; what it took to convert the Heavy Metal lift from a double to a triple; why Vail auctioned the individual chairs from the old Sunbrook rather than selling the lift – a 1990 CTEC quad – to a smaller ski area; talking through long-term upgrades to Nitro; why the resort doesn't add more chairs to the current Nitro to boost its capacity from 2,100 skiers per hour to 2,400; the status of paid parking two years in; impressions of New England ski culture; the difference between running a mountain in the east and in the west; what happens when Vail surprise-buys your resort; connecting Park City to The Canyons via gondola – “the magnitude of it was not lost on me”; the mining facilities still scattered across Park City; career opportunity within Vail Resorts; Mount Snow's monster snowmaking system; why Mount Snow has become Vail's late-season New England operator, rather than Wildcat; why Carinthia is the mountain's late-operating pod; whether we could ever see another October opening at Mount Snow; potential upgrades for the North Face lifts; assessing the Beartrap double; contemplating the future of Grand Summit; whether we could ever see a detach lift on beginner terrain at Mount Snow; whether the Epic Local Pass is the correct unlimited-access pass for Mount Snow; the popularity of Northeast-specific Epic Passes; the Epic Day Pass; and Vail Resorts' day-ticket limits for the 2022-23 ski season.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewEver since Peak Resorts built the Bluebird Express six-pack in 2011, Mount Snow has had a problem: the lift, with its blue bubbles and ultra-smooth ride, was so flashy and appealing that nobody wanted to ride any other lift on the front side of the mountain. Even the Grand Summit high-speed quad, which runs parallel to Bluebird and serves all the same terrain, had trouble getting attention. This was great for skiers who actively work the mountain, but a real drag for Mount Snow's rap as the most-crowded Southern Vermont ski area.Enter: Vail Resorts' Epic Lift Upgrades of 2022. Mount Snow was the beneficiary of two of the 21 planned lifts (18 of which Vail finished on schedule*): the Sundance and Tumbleweed triples made way for a new six-pack, while the backside Sunbrook lift got a boost from a fixed-grip quad to a detach. Meanwhile, the mountain converted the Heavy Metal double into a triple chair, adding capacity to the popular Carinthia terrain park.Sundance and Sunbrook had one job: give people a reason to ski something besides Bluebird. As far as replacement lifts go, they seemed brilliant. But did the plan work to unknot Mount Snow's gnarliest crowd points?That was one topic Suhadolc and I discussed. Another: was Vail able to recover from its arguably oversold 2021-22 ski season by implementing day-ticket limits and settling into paid-parking plans? And how were those paid parking plans going? And should Mount Snow really be unlimited on the Epic Local Pass?Vail Resorts is entering its fifth winter season operating Mount Snow. With the Peak Resorts transition fully digested and Covid's hassles a memory, the company has no choice but to fully own every piece of the experience. With its size and proximity to New York City, Mount Snow will always be somewhat hectic. New Englanders can tolerate that. Chaos, however, does not belong in this land of picket-fence order. And for a moment post-Covid, Mount Snow seemed to be tilting toward chaos.But no one can say that Vail has not brought big change to the mountain over the past several seasons. Despite daily lift tickets that topped out at $154 this past winter, Mount Snow has never been more affordable to the masses. Unlimited access is just $689 on the Epic Local Pass; subtract holidays with the $567 Northeast Value Pass; minus weekends with the $425 Northeast Midweek Pass. With prices that low at a mountain that big that's as easy to access as Mount Snow is, things could go sideways pretty quick. The new lifts, the parking plans, the lift-ticket limits – all of it is calculated to prevent that from happening.Ski areas are a little bit like novels. They're never really finished. But unlike our great works of literature, we get to edit ski areas after they're published. The version of Mount Snow that we ski today is probably not the best and final version of the hill, but it may also be the best it's ever been,.*Two lifts scheduled to rise in Park City were rerouted to Whistler after spiteful locals revolted; Keystone's Bergman sixer had to wait a year after a construction-road misfire tore up some sensitive high-altitude terrain.What I got wrong* I said that the new Sunbrook high-speed quad clocked a ride time around four minutes. The actual time is closer to six minutes, according to Suhadolc.* I asked Brian why Vail didn't try to re-use the Sunbrook lift – a 1990 CTEC quad that likely had lots of life left on it – at a “smaller ski area.” He explained that Vail does occasionally move a lift within its portfolio. What I had meant to ask, however, was why didn't Mount Snow didn't attempt to sell the lift on the open market to a smaller independent ski area. It's great that Mount Snow sold the chairs and flipped the money to the Epic Promise Foundation, which assists their employees in times of outstanding need, such as the floods that just smashed Okemo. But the company could likely have made more for Epic Promise by selling the entire lift to an independent ski area, many of which are desperate for a modern quad in good working condition.* I said that Vail Resorts purchased Park City Mountain Resort “in 2014 or 2015.” The company bought the resort in 2014, a year after it bought Canyons (which is now part of Park City).* I said the Outpost lift turned 60 this year. Lift Blog, my go-to source for pretty much all things lifts, lists the lift as a 1963 Yan triple. Brian said that it is a 1988 CTEC triple. New England Ski History agrees with Brian. This is not a crack on Lift Blog, which is an excellent resource, so much as on me for not double-checking my references - in fact, I think Tracy Bartels corrected me on the exact same factoid three years ago.* I said that the Northeast Midweek Epic Pass was “less than $400.” This is incorrect. The pass currently costs $425. The early-bird price for the 2023-24 ski season was $416.* When I was running through the various resorts that the Northeast-specific Epic Passes accessed, I left out Mt. Brighton, Michigan.* I noted that Mount Snow had opened in October “once and maybe twice” under Peak Resorts. The only record I can find of Mount Snow opening that early was on Oct. 27, 2018.Why you should ski Mount SnowMount Snow has two big, obvious constituencies: Park Brah and Family Bro.The Carinthia peak is a crucial piece of Peak Resorts' legacy, as important as the Bluebird Express or the tens of millions the company pumped into snowmaking upgrades. Once a separate ski area, the peak is isolated from the mountain proper (though connected both ways by green trails), a thousand vertical feet of straight hits served by a high-speed quad and a triple chair. Park Brahs can park out, Brah. Along with Seven Brothers at Loon, it may be the best terrain park in the eastern United States.Family Bro loves Mount Snow partly because of Carinthia. Radbrah Junior can spend his afternoons there, posted up five wide with his boys, contemplating the hits below. The rest of the mountain, outside of the North Face, is interstate-width and solid blue. Families of almost any ability can manage this terrain. Mount Snow may be home to the best sustained intermediate terrain in New England. It's certainly among the most varied. And the mountain grooms just about every run just about every night, even if I wish they'd chill and let some bumps sprout here and there. Mount Snow's biggest drawback is a relative lack of glades for a mountain of its size. Skiers seeking trees should aim their GPS for Stratton or Magic, both of which have excellent, extensive glade networks.Epic Pass holders need to really pick their spots, though. Both Mount Snow and Okemo reach stampede-level crowding on weekends and holidays (I really don't think either should be unlimited on the Epic Local pass). Head for Stowe at these times if at all possible. Or snag an Indy Pass for peak-day getaways to Magic and Bolton Valley.Podcast NotesOn Heavenly and the Caldor FireWhen discussing Vail Resorts' unified disaster response to the recent Vermont floods, I referred to a similar conversation I'd had with Heavenly COO Tom Fortune in regards to the Caldor Fire that descended on Tahoe two years ago. You can listen to that conversation starting at 56:03 here.On Vermont's monster March snowstormWe discussed a monster snowstorm that descended on Vermont March 14 to 15. Huge snow totals included 45 inches at Bromley, 37 inches at Magic, and 46 inches at Mount Snow.On crushing pow at Mount SnowI discussed the chaos of a pow-day rope-drop at Mount Snow. Unfortunately the only access I have to it is this Twitter video. And since Substack won't embed Twitter videos anymore you'll have to click through to watch it:Too many “suns”I kept getting Mount Snow's “sun” lifts confused. It reminded me of a time I was skiing Snowbird, and a bunch of us were debating where to go next, and my buddy Mike, clearly confused, was just like, “There's too many Gads.” And my God he's right.On the Mount Snow “tram”Brian and I briefly discussed Mount Snow's old “tram,” which transported skiers from a base-area hotel up to the ski hill. It was really more of a whacky speedboat suspended from a cable, as you can see in the rendering on this 1965 trailmap. And yes, that's a double bubble chair beside it:On the Vail Resorts acquisition of Park CityBrian worked at Park City when Vail Resorts swiped it off Powdr Corp's lunch tray after the latter forgot to renew its lease. It was probably the most cartoonishly absurd business transaction in the history of lift-served skiing. Here's Park Record, examining the events as part of a decade-in-review series in late 2019:In some circles, though, the whispers had already started that something was afoot, and perhaps not right, at PCMR. Powdr Corp. for some unknown reason was negotiating a sale of its flagship resort, the most prevalent of the rumblings held. The CEO of Powdr Corp., John Cumming, late in 2011 had publicly stated there was not a deal involving PCMR under negotiation, telling Park City leaders during a Marsac Building appearance in December of that year the resort was “not for sale.” Later that evening, he told The Park Record the rumors “always amuse me.”The reality was far more astonishing and something that would define the decade in Park City in a similar fashion as the Olympics did in the previous 10-year span and the population boom did in the 1990s.The corporate infrastructure in the spring of 2011 had inadvertently failed to renew two leases on the land underlying most of the PCMR terrain, propelling the PCMR side and the landowner, a firm under the umbrella of Talisker Corp., into what were initially private negotiations and then into a dramatic lawsuit that unfolded in state court as the Park City community, the tourism industry and the North American ski industry watched in disbelief. As the decade ends, the turmoil that beset PCMR stands, in many ways, as the instigator of a changing Park City that has left so many Parkites uneasy about the city's future as a true community.The PCMR side launched the litigation in March of 2012, saying the future of the resort was at stake in the case. PCMR might be forced to close if it did not prevail, the president and general manager of the resort at the time said at the outset of the case. Talisker Land Holdings, LLC countered that the leases had expired, suddenly leaving doubts that Powdr Corp. would retain control of PCMR. …Colorado-based Vail Resorts, one of Powdr Corp.'s industry rivals, would enter the case on the Talisker Land Holdings, LLC side in May of 2013 with the aim of wresting the disputed land from Powdr Corp. and coupling it with nearby Canyons Resort, which was branded a Vail Resorts property as part of a long-term lease and operations agreement reached at the same time of the Vail Resorts entry into the case. Vail Resorts was already an industry behemoth with its namesake property in the Rockies and other mountain resorts across North America. The addition of Canyons Resort would advance the Vail Resorts portfolio in one of North America's key skiing states.It was a deft maneuver orchestrated by the chairman and CEO of Vail Resorts, Rob Katz. The agreement was pegged at upward of $300 million in long-term debt. As part of the deal, Vail Resorts also seized control of the litigation on behalf of Talisker Land Holdings, LLC. …The lawsuit itself unfolded with stunning developments followed by shocking ones over the course of two-plus years. In one stupefying moment, the Talisker Land Holdings, LLC attorneys discovered a crucial letter from the PCMR side regarding the leases had been backdated. In another such moment, PCMR outlined plans to essentially dismantle the resort infrastructure, possibly on an around-the-clock schedule, if it was ordered off the disputed land.What was transpiring in the courtroom was inconceivable to the community. How could Powdr Corp., even inadvertently, not renew the leases on the ground that made up most of the skiing terrain at PCMR, many asked. Why couldn't Powdr Corp. and Talisker Land Holdings, LLC just reach a new agreement, others wondered. And many became weary as businessmen and their attorneys took to the courtroom with the future of PCMR, critical to a broad swath of the local economy, at stake. The mood eventually shifted to exasperation as it appeared there was a chance PCMR would not open for a ski season if Talisker Land Holdings, LLC moved forward with an eviction against Powdr Corp. from the disputed terrain.The lawsuit wore on with the Talisker Land Holdings, LLC-Vail Resorts side winning a series of key rulings from the 3rd District Court judge presiding over the case. Judge Ryan Harris in the summer of 2014 signed a de facto eviction notice against PCMR and ordered the sides into mediation. Powdr Corp., realizing there was little more that could be accomplished as it attempted to maintain control of PCMR, negotiated a $182.5 million sale of the resort to Vail Resorts that September.Absolutely brutal and amazing and hard to believe, even nearly a decade later.On Canyons' name historyI mentioned the various names that the former Canyons ski area (now part of Park City), had gone by. Ski Utah provides the complete history:A neighboring ski area and sister resort to Park City Ski Area, called Park City West, opened in 1968. It was renamed ParkWest in 1975 after a change in ownership, then Wolf Mountain in 1995 for just two seasons. In 1997 it became The Canyons after an acquisition by the American Skiing Company before it was purchased by the Talisker Corporation. It was then sold to Vail Resorts in 2014 and subsequently merged with Park City Mountain. Today that base area is known as The Canyons Village at Park City.On Mount Snow's amazing snowmaking systemJust two years before selling its entire portfolio to Vail Resorts, Peak Resorts invested an amazing $30 million into Mount Snow's snowmaking system. The Brattleboro Reformer profiled the system shortly before go-live in 2017:West Lake is actually a sprawling system that begins about 4 miles from Mount Snow.It starts with a small, black, inflatable dam that stretches 18 feet across Cold Brook in Wilmington. From November through March, Mount Snow can inflate that dam as needed, drawing water into the newly constructed reservoir.A sluiceway alongside the dam ensures a flow of water in Cold Brook whether the dam is inflated or not."We were trying to be pretty low-impact, or as low-impact as possible," Storrs said.A nondescript-looking pump house near the dam can send water upward toward Mount Snow at a rate of 11,800 gallons per minute, "which is pretty much double what we used to have in terms of pumping capacity," Storrs said.On a recent morning, crews were putting on finishing touches and conducting tests at that pump house and two others situated farther up the mountain. There's a nearly 600-foot elevation gain between the inflatable dam and the last pump house on Mount Snow's slopes.On Wildcat and the long seasonWe discussed Wildcat's tradition as a late operator. Under Peak Resorts, the ski area would push the season into late April and, occasionally, May. Snowpak has documented Wildcat's closing dates over the past nine years – note the shift to earlier dates after Vail acquired the resort in 2019 (ignore the 2020 date, for obvious reasons):Vail shifted late-season New England operations to Mount Snow for reasons that Brian explains on the podcast. But it's a little incongruous stacked up against the region's other five late operators: Killington, Sugarbush, Jay Peak, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf, all of which are quite a ways north of Mount Snow:On Grand Summit and Yan detachablesI referred to the dreadful safety record of Yan detachable lifts. I broke this history of death and incompetence down in my recent podcast with China Peak GM Tim Cohee (scroll down to the Podcast Notes section).On Epic and Ikon access shifts since 2020I keep asking Vail Resorts' GMs if their ski areas are placed on the appropriate Epic Pass tier, mostly because it's amazing to me that an unlimited season pass to a mountain like Breckenridge or Mount Snow or Stevens Pass could be $676 – the early-bird price of 2023-24 Epic Local Passes. The Ikon Pass, as I noted on the podcast, has shifted its pass structure all over the place the past several seasons, tweaking access to Stratton, Sugarbush, Crystal Mountain, Alta, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Taos, Deer Valley, and Arapahoe Basin. Here's the chart I included in my recent podcast conversation with Alterra CEO Jared Smith to document those changes:I was astonished when Vail kept Stevens Pass on the Epic Local unlimited tier after 2021's well-documented crowding meltdowns. Things got so wild in Washington that Alterra pulled Crystal off the Ikon Pass' unlimited tier and jacked its season pass price up to $1,700 for the 2022-23 ski season. I still don't really understand this super-bargain access strategy, but Vail has made it clear that they're sticking with it.On the phenomenal deal that is the Epic Day PassWe discussed the Epic Day Pass. This thing really is an amazing deal:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 68/100 in 2023, and number 454 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Want to send feedback? Reply to this email and I will answer (unless you sound insane, or, more likely, I just get busy). You can also email skiing@substack.com. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
After days of triple-digit heat, areas of the San Joaquin Valley, flooded from winter storms, are drying up, little by little. That includes Tulare Lake, which is receding after peaking at more than 170 square miles in size. But for many, the return to dry land doesn't mean a return to normalcy. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR A coalition of environmentalists and social justice groups have launched a statewide campaign to try to ban new oil and gas wells near schools, parks and other residential places. The group is gathering signatures to get the initiative on the 2024 ballot. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED Survivors of the 2021 Caldor Fire in the Sierra Foothills are pursuing legal action against the U.S. Forest Service. Many residents are still living in trailers, and few, if any have received direct federal assistance. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS
Caldor Fire survivors file claims against the Forest Service. Study finds public companies bury wildfire risk in federal filings. How The Creation District provides a safe space for housing insecure youth to express themselves through music and art. Caldor Fire survivors
In August 2021, the Caldor Fire came dangerously close to burning the entire city of South Lake Tahoe. In those critical moments when the fire crested Echo Summit, hotshot wildland firefighter Todd Woodward (@thefirenomad) was at his home in Meyers ready for its arrival despite the entire town having been evacuated. Although he was on injury leave from work after a serious mountain bike accident, Todd saw there were no resources yet dedicated to the fire, took initiative, put on his firefighting gear, jumped on a tiny Kawasaki KLX 110, and rallied the dirt bike around his backyard near the Corral Trail, flagging miles of dozer line in the middle of the night as crown fires were raging around him. When bulldozers arrived to cut line, during the most critical time of the fire, Todd ran point on the entire operation, directing 10 dozers and 3 masticators from the seat of a little dirt bike. His efforts have become stuff of legend in Tahoe, and we wanted to hear his story. Todd credits many of his colleagues, but from his story it's evident that without Todd's initiative, matters with the Caldor could have played out very differently. Thanks to Todd for his willingness to share this important story and the bigger story of wildfire with our listeners. And thanks to @outdoor_gearlab and @chris_mcnamara for letting us record at GearLab HQ in South Lake. Supported by @sendy_app.
Ralph Bloemers, Executive Producer of the film Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire, has spent nearly two decades working with scientists, ecologists, firefighters, community-based groups, recreation clubs and citizens throughout the Pacific Northwest on the conservation of our forests, including burned landscapes. He has investigated the causes of fires and documented wildlife and recovery in burned landscapes and has helped the public, businesses and decision makers reimagine our relationship with fire, and prepare communities for fire in a hotter, drier world.Jesse Alexander is the Fire Chief for the Yuba City Fire Department. He has over 20 years of experience in Fire Service and held operational positions on the Thomas Fire, Glass Fire, Dixie Fire, Caldor Fire, and Camp Fire as well as being the Branch Director for the Search and Rescue portion of the Camp Fire. In addition to wildfire response, Jesse was the Incident Commander for the largest mass fentanyl overdose in US history, was involved in Oroville Spillway Incident and is an instructor at Butte College Fire Academy.
This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on May 2. It dropped for free subscribers on May 5. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe for free below:WhoTom Fortune, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Heavenly and Vail's Tahoe Region (Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood)Recorded onApril 25 , 2023About Heavenly and Vail's Tahoe RegionHeavenlyClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Vail ResortsLocated in: Stateline, Nevada and South Lake Tahoe, CaliforniaYear founded: 1955Pass affiliations: Unlimited access on Epic Pass; Unlimited access with holiday blackouts on Epic Local Pass, Tahoe Local Pass, Tahoe Value PassClosest neighboring ski areas: Sierra-at-Tahoe (30 minutes), Diamond Peak (45 minutes), Kirkwood (51 minutes), Mt. Rose (1 hour), Northstar (1 hour), Sky Tavern (1 hour, 5 minutes) - travel times vary dramatically given weather conditions and time of day.Base elevation: 6,565 feet at California Lodge; the Heavenly Gondola leaves from Heavenly Village at 6,255 feet – when snowpack allows, you can ski all the way to the village, though this is technically backcountry terrainSummit elevation: 10,040 feet at the top of Sky ExpressVertical drop: 3,475 feet from the summit to California Lodge; 3,785 feet from the summit to Heavenly VillageSkiable Acres: 4,800Average annual snowfall: 360 inches (570 inches for 2022-23 ski season as of May 2)Trail count: 97Lift count: 26 lifts (1 50-passenger tram, 1 eight-passenger gondola, 2 six-packs, 8 high-speed quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 5 triples, 2 doubles, 2 ropetows, 4 carpets)NorthstarClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Vail ResortsLocated in: Truckee, CaliforniaYear founded: 1972Pass affiliations: Unlimited access on Epic Pass; Unlimited access with holiday blackouts on Epic Local Pass, Tahoe Local Pass; unlimited with holiday and Saturday blackouts on Tahoe Value PassClosest neighboring ski areas: Tahoe Donner (24 minutes), Boreal (25 minutes), Donner Ski Ranch (27 minutes), Palisades Tahoe (27 minutes), Diamond Peak (27 minutes), Soda Springs (29 minutes), Kingvale (32 minutes), Sugar Bowl (33 minutes), Mt. Rose (34 minutes), Homewood (35 minutes), Sky Tavern (39 minutes), Heavenly (1 hour) - travel times vary dramatically given weather conditions and time of day.Base elevation: 6,330 feetSummit elevation: 8,610 feetVertical drop: 2,280 feetSkiable Acres: 3,170Average annual snowfall: 350 inches (665 inches for 2022-23 ski season as of May 2)Trail count: 106Lift count: 19 (1 six-passenger gondola, 1 pulse gondola, 1 chondola with 6-pack chairs & 8-passenger cabins, 1 six-pack, 6 high-speed quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 2 triples, 1 platter, 5 magic carpets)KirkwoodClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Vail ResortsLocated in: Kirkwood, CaliforniaYear founded: 1972Pass affiliations: Unlimited access on Epic Pass, Kirkwood Pass; Unlimited access with holiday blackouts on Epic Local Pass, Tahoe Local Pass; unlimited with holiday and Saturday blackouts on Tahoe Value PassClosest neighboring ski areas: Sierra-at-Tahoe (48 minutes), Heavenly (48 minutes) - travel times vary dramatically given weather conditions and time of day.Base elevation: 7,800 feetSummit elevation: 9,800 feetVertical drop: 2,000 feetSkiable Acres: 2,300Average annual snowfall: 354 inches (708 inches for 2022-23 ski season as of May 2)Trail count: 94Lift count: 13 (2 high-speed quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 6 triples, 1 double, 1 T-bar, 2 carpets)Why I interviewed himFor decades, Heavenly was the largest ski area that touched the state of California. By a lot. Four drive-to base areas serving 4,800 acres across two states. Mammoth? Ha! Its name misleads – 3,500 acres, barely bigger than Keystone. To grasp Heavenly's scale, look again at the new North Bowl lift on the trailmap above. A blip, one red line lost among dozens. Lodged near the base like the beginner lifts we're all used to ignoring. But that little lift rises almost 1,300 vertical feet over nearly a mile. That's close to the skiable drop of Sugar Bowl (1,500 feet), itself a major Tahoe ski area. Imagine laying Sugar Bowl's 1,650 acres over the Heavenly trailmap, then add Sierra-at-Tahoe (2,000 acres) and Mt. Rose (1,200). Now you're even.Last year, Palisades Tahoe wrecked the party, stringing a gondola between Alpine Meadows and the resort formerly known as Squaw Valley. They were technically one resort before, but I'm not an adherent of the these-two-ski-areas-are-one-ski-area-because-we-say-so school of marketing. But now the two sides really are united, crafting a 6,000-acre super-resort that demotes Heavenly to second-largest in Tahoe.Does it really matter? Heavenly is one of the more impressive hunks of interconnected mountain that you'll ever ski in America. Glance northwest and the lake booms away forever into the horizon. Peer east and there, within reach as your skis touch a 20-foot snowbase, is a tumbling brown forever, the edge of the great American desert that stretches hundreds of miles through Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.When Vail Resorts raised its periscope above Colorado for the first time two decades ago, Heavenly fell in its sites. The worthy fifth man, an all-star forward to complement the Colorado quad of Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Breck. That's not an easy role to fill. It had to be a mountain that was enormous, evolved, transcendent. Someplace that could act as both a draw for variety-seeking Eagle County faithful and an ambassador for the Vail brand as benevolent caretaker. Heavenly, a sort of Vail Mountain West – with its mostly intermediate pitch, multiple faces, and collection of high-speed lifts cranking out of every gully – was perfect, the most logical extra-Colorado manifestation of big-mountain skiing made digestible for the masses.That's still what Heavenly is, mostly: a ski resort for everyone. You can get in trouble, sure, in Mott or Killebrew or by underestimating the spiral down Gunbarrel. But this is an intermediate mountain, a cruisers' mountain. Even the traverses – and there are many – are enjoyable. Those views, man. Set the cruise control and wander forever. For a skier who doesn't care to be the best skier in the world but who wants to experience some of the best skiing in the world, this is the place.What we talked aboutRecords smashing all over the floor around Tahoe; why there won't be more season extensions; Heavenly's spring-skiing footprint; managing weather-related delays and shutdowns in a social-media age; it's been a long long winter in Tahoe; growing up skiing the Pacific Northwest; Stevens Pass in the ‘70s; remember when Stevens Pass and Schweitzer had the same owner?; why leaving the thing you love most can be the best thing sometimes; overlooked Idaho; pausing at Snow King; fitting rowdy Kirkwood into the Vail Resorts puzzle; the enormous complexity of Heavenly; what it means to operate in two states; a special assignment at Stevens Pass; stabilizing a resort in chaos; why Heavenly was an early snowmaking adopter; Hugh and Bill Killebrew; on the ground during the Caldor Fire; snowmaking systems as fire-fighting sprinkler systems; fire drills; Sierra-at-Tahoe's lost season and how Heavenly and Kirkwood helped; wind holds and why they seem to be becoming more frequent; “it can be calm down in the base area and blowing 100 up top”; potential future alternatives to Sky Express as a second lift-served route back to Nevada from California; a lift-upgrade wishlist for Heavenly; how Mott Canyon lift could evolve; potential tram replacement lifts; the immediate impact of the new North Bowl express quad; how Northstar, Kirkwood, and Heavenly work together as a unit; paid parking incoming; and the Epic Pass.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewThe first half of my life was dominated by one immutable looming fact: the year 2000 would arrive. That's how we all referenced it, every time: “the year 2000.” As though it were not just another year but the president of all years. The turning of a millennium. For the first time in a thousand years. It sounded so fantastical, so improbable, so futuristic. As though aliens had set an invasion date and we all knew it but we just didn't know if they would vaporize us or gift us their live-forever beer recipe. Y2K hysteria added a layer of intrigue and mild thrill. Whatever else happened with your life, wherever you ended up, whoever you turned out to be, this was a party you absolutely could not miss.This winter in Tahoe was like that. If you had any means of getting there, you had to go. Utah too. But everything is more dramatic in Tahoe. The snows piled Smurf Village-like on rooftops. The incredible blizzards raking across the Sierras. The days-long mountain closures. It was a rare winter, a cold winter, a relentless winter, a record-smashing winter for nearly every ski area ringing the 72-mile lake.Tahoe may never see a winter like this again in our lifetimes. So how are they dealing with it? They know what to do with snow in Tahoe. But we all know what to do with water until our basement floods. Sometimes a thing you need is a thing you can get too much of.In March I flew to California, circled the lake, skied with the people running the mountains. Exhaustion, tinted with resignation, reigned. Ski season always sprawls at the top of the Sierras, but this winter – with its relentless atmospheric rivers, the snows high and low, the piles growing back each night like smashed anthills in the driveway – amplified as it went, like an action movie with no comedic breaks or diner-meal interludes. How were they doing now, as April wound down and the snows faded and corn grew on the mountainside? And at the end of what's been a long three years in Tahoe, with Covid shutdowns leading into a Covid surge leading into wildfires leading into the biggest snows anyone alive has ever seen? There's hardship in all that, but pride, too, in thriving in spite of it.What I got wrongI said that the Kehr's Riblet double was “one of the oldest lifts in the country.” That's not accurate. It was built in 1964 – very old for a machine, but not even the oldest lift at the resort. That honor goes to Seventh Heaven, a 1960 Riblet double rising to the summit. And that's not even the oldest Riblet double in the State of Washington: White Pass still runs Chair 2, built in 1958; and Vista Cruiser has been spinning at Mt. Spokane since 1956.Questions I wish I'd askedFortune briefly discussed the paid-parking plans landing at Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood next winter. Limited as these are to weekend and holiday mornings, the plans will no doubt spark feral rage in a certain group of skiers who want to pretend like it's still 1987 and Tahoe has not changed in an unsustainable way. The traffic. The people. The ripple effects of all these things. I would have liked to have gotten into the motivations behind this change a bit more with Fortune, to really underscore how this very modest change is but one way to address a huge and stubborn problem that's not going anywhere. Why you should ski Heavenly, Northstar, and KirkwoodFrom a distance, Tahoe can be hard to sort. Sixteen ski areas strung around the lake, nine of them with vertical drops of 1,500 feet or more:How to choose? One easy answer: follow your pass. If you already have an Epic Pass, you have a pre-loaded Tahoe sampler. Steep and funky Kirkwood. Big and meandering Heavenly. Gentle Northstar. The Brobots will try steering you away from Northstar (which they've glossed “Flatstar”) or Heavenly (too many traverses). Ignore them. Both are terrific ski areas, with endless glades that are about exactly pitched for the average tree skier. Kirkwood is the gnarliest, no question, but Northstar (which is also a knockout parks mountain, and heavily wind-protected for storm days), and Heavenly (which, despite the traverses, delivers some incredible stretches of sustained vertical), will still give you a better ski day than 95 percent of the ski areas in America on any given winter date.It's easy to try to do too much in Tahoe. I certainly did. Heavenly especially deserves – and rewards – multiple days of exploration. This is partly due to the size of each mountain, but also because conditions vary so wildly day-to-day. I skied in a windy near-whiteout at Kirkwood on Sunday, hit refrozen crust that exiled me to Northstar groomers on Tuesday, and lucked into a divine four-inch refresh at Heavenly on Wednesday, gifting us long meanders through the woods. Absolutely hit multiple resorts on your visit, but don't rush it too much – you can always go back.Podcast NotesOn Schweitzer and Stevens Pass' joint ownerFortune and I discuss an outfit called Harbor Resorts, which at one time owned both Stevens Pass and Schweitzer. I'd never heard of this company, so I dug a little. An Aug. 19, 1997 article in The Seattle Times indicates that the company also once owned a majority share in Mission Ridge and something called the “Arrowleaf resort development.” They sold Mission in 2003, and the company split in two in 2005. Harbor then sold Stevens to CNL Lifestyle Properties in 2011, where it operated under Karl Kapuscinski, the current owner, with Invision Capital, of Mountain High, Dodge Ridge, and China Peak. CNL then sold the resort to the Och-Ziff hedge fund in 2016, before Vail bought Stevens in 2018 (say what you'd like about Vail Resorts, but at least we have relative certainty that they are invested as a long-term owner, and the days of private-equity ping pong are over). Schweitzer remains under McCaw Investment Group, which emerged out of that 2005 split of Harbor.As for Arrowleaf, that refers to the doomed Early Winters ski area development in Washington. Aspen, before it decided to just be Aspen, tried being Vail, or what Vail ended up being. The company's adventures abroad included owning Breckenridge from 1970 to 1987 or 1988, developing Blackcomb, and the attempted building of Early Winters, which would have included up to 16 lifts serving nearly 4,000 acres in the Methow Valley. Aspen, outfoxed by a group of citizen-activists who are still shaking their pom-poms about it nearly four decades later, eventually sold the land. Subsequent developers also failed, and today the land that would have held, according to The New York Times, 200 hotel rooms, 550 condos, 440 single-family homes, shops, and restaurants is the site of exactly five single-family homes. If you want to understand why ski resort development is so hard, this 2016 article from the local Methow Valley News explains it pretty succinctly (emphasis mine):“The first realization was that we would be empowered by understanding the rules of the game.” Coon said. Soon after it was formed, MVCC “scraped together a few dollars to hire a consultant,” who showed them that Aspen Corp. would have to obtain many permits for the ski resort, but MVCC would only have to prevail on defeating one.Administrative and legal challenges delayed the project for 25 years, “ultimately paving the way to victory,” with the water rights issue as the final obstacle to resort development, Coon said.The existing Washington ski resorts, meanwhile, remain overburdened and under-built, with few places to stay anywhere near the bump. Three cheers for traffic and car-first transportation infrastructure, I guess. Here's a rough look at what Early Winters could have been:On Stevens Pass in late 2021 and early 2022Fortune spent 20 years, starting in the late 1970s, working at Stevens Pass. Last year, he returned on a special assignment. As explained by Gregory Scruggs in The Seattle Times:[Fortune] arrived on Jan. 14 when the ski area was at a low point. After a delayed start to the season, snow hammered the Cascades during the holiday week. Severely understaffed, Stevens Pass struggled to open most of its chairlifts for six weeks, including those serving the popular backside terrain.Vail Resorts, which bought Stevens Pass in 2018, had sold a record number of its season pass product, the Epic Pass, in the run-up to the 2021-22 winter, leaving thousands of Washington residents claiming that they had prepaid for a product they couldn't use. A Change.org petition titled “Hold Vail Resorts Accountable” generated over 45,000 signatures. Over 400 state residents filed complaints against Vail Resorts with the state Attorney General's office. In early January, Vail Daily reported that Vail's stock price was underperforming by 25%, with analysts attributing the drop in part to an avalanche of consumer ire about mismanagement at resorts across the country, including Stevens Pass.On Jan. 12, Vail Resorts fired then-general manager Tom Pettigrew and announced that Fortune would temporarily relocate from his role as general manager at Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe, California, to right the ship at Stevens Pass. Vail, which owns 40 ski areas across 15 states and three countries, has a vast pool of ski industry talent from which to draw. In elevating Fortune, whose history with the mountain goes back five decades, the company seems to have acknowledged what longtime skiers and snowboarders at Stevens Pass have been saying for several seasons: local institutional knowledge matters.Fortune is back at Heavenly, of course. Ellen Galbraith is the resort's current general manager – she is scheduled to join me on The Storm Skiing Podcast in June.On Hugh and Bill KillebrewFortune and I touched on the legacy of Hugh Killebrew and his son, Bill. This Tahoe Daily Tribune article sums up this legacy, along with the tragic circumstances that put the younger Killebrew in charge of the resort:By October of 1964, attorney Hugh Killebrew owned more than 60 percent of the resort. … Killebrew was a visionary who wanted to expand the resort into Nevada. Chair Four [Sky] allowed it to happen.In the fall of 1967, [Austin] Angell was part of a group that worked through storms and strung cable for two new lifts in Nevada. Then on New Year's Day, 1968, Boulder and Dipper chairs started running. Angell's efforts helped turn Heavenly Valley into America's largest ski area. …On Aug. 27, 1977 … Hugh Killebrew and three other resort employees were killed in a plane crash near Echo Summit.Killebrew's son, Bill Killebrew, a then-recent business school graduate of the University of California, was one of the first civilians on the scene. He saw the wreckage off Highway 50 and immediately recognized his dad's plane. …At 23, Bill Killebrew assumed control of the resort. A former youth ski racer with the Heavenly Blue Angels, he learned a lot from his dad. But the resort was experiencing two consecutive drought years and was millions of dollars in debt.Bill Killebrew began focusing on snowmaking capabilities. Tibbetts and others tinkered with different systems and, by the early 1980s, Heavenly Valley had 65 percent snowmaking coverage.With a stroke of good luck and several wet winters, Bill Killebrew had the resort out of debt in 1987, 10 years after bankruptcy was a possibility. It was now time to sell.Killebrew sold to a Japanese outfit called Kamori Kanko Company, who then sold it to American Skiing Company in 1997, who then sold it to likely forever owner Vail in 2002.When he joined me on The Storm Skiing Podcast in 2021, Tim Cohee, current GM of China Peak, called Bill Killebrew “the smartest person I've ever known” and “overall probably the smartest guy ever in the American ski industry.” Cohee called him “basically a savant, who happened to, by accident, end up in the ski business through his dad's tragic death in 1977.” You can listen to that at 26:30 here.On Sierra-at-Tahoe and the Caldor FireMost of the 16 Tahoe-area ski areas sit along or above the lake's North Shore. Only three sit south. Vail owns Heavenly and Kirkwood. The third is Sierra-at-Tahoe. You may be tempted to dismiss this as a locals' bump, but look again at the chart above – this is a serious ski area, with 2,000 acres of skiable terrain on a 2,212-foot vertical drop. It's basically the same size as Kirkwood.The 2021 Caldor Fire threatened all three resorts. Heavenly and Kirkwood escaped with superficial damage, but Sierra got crushed. A blog post from the ski area's website summarizes the damage:The 3000-degree fire ripped through our beloved trees crawling through the canopies and the forest floor affecting 1,600 of our 2,000 acres, damaging lift towers, haul ropes, disintegrating terrain park features and four brand new snowcats and practically melted the Upper Shop — a maintenance building which housed many of our crews' tools and personal belongings, some that had been passed down through generations.The resort lost the entire 2021-22 ski season and enormous swaths of trees. Here's the pre-fire trailmap:And post-fire:Ski areas all over the region helped with whatever they could. One of Vail Resorts' biggest contributions was filling in for Sierra's Straight As program, issuing Tahoe Local Epic Passes good at all three ski areas to eligible South Shore students.On wind holdsFortune discussed why wind holds are such an issue at Heavenly, and why they seem to be happening more frequently, with the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this year.On the pastI'll leave you with this 1972 Heavenly trailmap, which labels Mott and Killebrew Canyons as “closed area - dangerous steep canyons”:Or maybe I'll just leave you with more pictures of Heavenly:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 40/100 in 2023, and number 426 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Want to send feedback? Reply to this email and I will answer (unless you sound insane, or, more likely, I just get busy). You can also email skiing@substack.com. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
Clive has a very exciting story to tell. He worked his way up to fire chief in Lake Tahoe. He tells his story of evacuating the town during the Caldor Fire in 2021. Being a firefighter isn't always as glamorous as some make it seem. It can be a pretty "stinky" business at times. Clive has some great stories including performing CPR to save a dog and you don't want to miss the one about the guy using a Camaro to pull down a redwood tree. He's also developed a very cool tool that you can learn more about below. He's still helping to save lives even though he's no longer on the department. https://logrx.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/logrxclivesavacool/ https://www.facebook.com/logrx Be sure to support our sponsors: Eric Buchanan & Associates - https://www.buchanandisability.com/ Carlos Bail Bonding - https://www.bailbondsmanchattanooga.com/ If you'd like to be a sponsor, email us at 91what.podcast@gmail.com
SAM sat down with Sierra-at-Tahoe GM John Rice to reflect on the remediation and reopening process after the Caldor Fire blazed through 16 months ago. While the work is far from done, Sierra-at-Tahoe's recovery efforts offer valuable lessons in environmental and social resilience.
Members of Congress are demanding answers from the US Forest Service after the agency failed to prevent the Caldor Fire from decimating Grizzly Flats despite predicting for decades that wildfire could wipe out the town. The California Report has the story. National Native News looks at history making in Minnesota and an uncalled congressional seat race in Alaska. KVMR's Felton Pruitt shares the details about the upcoming 17th annual Michael Edward Bratton II Turkey Trot.
Wildfires in California have grown increasingly extreme and devastating in the last decade. BURNED, a yearlong investigation from the California Newsroom, reveals how the U.S. Forest Service is struggling to complete the work it knows it must do to keep Californians safe from wildfires. For decades, the agency has developed projects to thin and manage overgrown forests in an effort to reduce wildfire intensity. But those plans routinely stall out, and sometimes are abandoned completely. The 2021 Caldor Fire destroyed most of Grizzly Flats, a foothills community in Northern California that borders Forest Service land. CapRadio's Scott Rodd investigated how the Forest Service took years to develop a large forest management project around Grizzly Flats, and only finished a small portion by the time the Caldor Fire ignited in 2021. The agency originally committed to finishing the 15,000-acre project by 2020. Towns up and down California fear they could be next. KCRW's Caleigh Wells uncovered how the Forest Service tackles only a fraction of the prescribed burning work it needs to get done to protect communities in Southern California. The agency delayed or canceled multiple projects around Big Bear Lake, a popular tourist town surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. The town narrowly avoided disaster this year when the Radford Fire ignited. CapRadio's Scott Rodd and KCRW's Caleigh Wells reported this special investigation. Additional reporting by George LeVines and Emily Zentner. It was edited by Adriene Hill and Mike Kessler of the California Newsroom, a collaboration of the state's public radio stations.
Wildfires in California have grown increasingly extreme and devastating in the last decade. BURNED, a yearlong investigation from the California Newsroom, reveals how the U.S. Forest Service is struggling to complete the work it knows it must do to keep Californians safe from wildfires. For decades, the agency has developed projects to thin and manage overgrown forests in an effort to reduce wildfire intensity. But those plans routinely stall out, and sometimes are abandoned completely. The 2021 Caldor Fire destroyed most of Grizzly Flats, a foothills community in Northern California that borders Forest Service land. CapRadio's Scott Rodd investigated how the Forest Service took years to develop a large forest management project around Grizzly Flats, and only finished a small portion by the time the Caldor Fire ignited in 2021. The agency originally committed to finishing the 15,000-acre project by 2020. Towns up and down California fear they could be next. KCRW's Caleigh Wells uncovered how the Forest Service tackles only a fraction of the prescribed burning work it needs to get done to protect communities in Southern California. The agency delayed or canceled multiple projects around Big Bear Lake, a popular tourist town surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. The town narrowly avoided disaster this year when the Radford Fire ignited. CapRadio's Scott Rodd and KCRW's Caleigh Wells reported this special investigation. Additional reporting by George LeVines and Emily Zentner. It was edited by Adriene Hill and Mike Kessler of the California Newsroom, a collaboration of the state's public radio stations.
After a prescribed burn became the largest wildfire in New Mexico history earlier this year, the U.S. Forest Service put a ninety day ban on controlled burns.But while these kinds of burns do carry risk, very few escape, and they are a crucial tool in reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Forest ecologists are worried the ban added to the wildfire risk in areas that desperately need maintenance.An investigation by CapRadio and the California Newsroom found that proper fire mitigation could have protected the Northern California town of Grizzly Flats from the Caldor Fire last year. CapRadio's Scott Rodd reports on how the U.S. Forest Service failed to execute its own mitigation plan in time, despite recognizing the danger decades ago.KCRW's Caleigh Wells looked into all of the obstacles that stand in the way of prescribed burns and fire preparation in California's Big Bear Valley, which could be the next disaster.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
On this edition of “60 Minutes,” Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska sits down with Scott Pelley and describes what her country and people have been through in the months since Russia invaded. Bill Whitaker talks with a woman whose world went up in flames when the Caldor Fire ripped through her home. Jon Wertheim runs down the field with Siya Kolisi, the first black player ever to be named captain of the South African National Rugby team.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Last year, the Caldor Fire forced more than 20,000 people in South Lake Tahoe to evacuate. Ultimately, more than 1,000 structures were burned as the fire swept across nearly 222,000 acres. KUNR Youth Media reporter Ashton Taylor looks into what residents across the Tahoe region can do to protect their homes from future wildfires.
It fills my heart to discuss Storytelling Through a Lens with my long-time friend, six-time Emmy-nominated writer-director and multimedia journalist, Michael Nigro, on this episode of Camera Ready & Abel. Michael brings heart, humanity and a powerful, fresh perspective to everything he does from photography to film to video to print. You have seen Michael's photojournalism, unforgettable images of the January 6th Insurrection, the Caldor Fire in California, Standing Rock, Charlottesville, Virginia, COVID 19 workers, Occupy Wall Street and the migrant caravan in Tijuana. You've also seen Michael's work as a director on National Geographics' Brain Games and as a writer on VH-1's beloved Pop-Up Video. How exactly does one jump from television, to film, to photojournalism? Per Michael: Diversify, diversify, diversify. When Michael knew he was ready to evolve from writer-producer to director he studied what successful directors were doing then created opportunity for himself by shooting short films and a self-funded documentary to build a body of work that demonstrated his skills, talent and point of view. From catwalks to conflicts, Michael will go anywhere (with his camera) "except shopping." View Michael's work here and consider supporting his work as an independent journalist by making a donation.
The California Air Resources Board is set to approve a plan on Thursday to phase out the sale of new gasoline cars by the year 2035. Reporter: Daphne Young, KQED Last week, we brought you an investigation into the U.S. Forest Service that found a stalled project could have helped protect the town of Grizzly Flats in Northern California from the Caldor Fire. Now, we head to Big Bear, a Southern California mountain vacation destination, where officials are hoping to avoid that same fate. But are they moving fast enough? Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW
CLIVE SAVACOOL spent over 25 years of his life as a First Responder. Five years as a paramedic was followed by time as a firefighter and then rising to the ranks of Chief Officer and eventually Fire Chief with Garden Valley Fire in South Lake Tahoe. On May 6th, 2022, Savacool decided to walk away from it all. The decision was two-fold. The grind and the stress of being a Fire Chief was weighing heavily on Savacool daily. The other reason is why we are here. Savacool developed an APP called LogRx that helps the tracking of narcotics in the field. Hard to believe that this is still done with pen and paper around the country which would tell you ... Savacool and the LogRx team are onto something. Today we explore it all. The app and life as a firefighter.HOST STEVE BUZZARD on Clive Savacool | "What struck me the most is Clive's ability to know when to walk away and welcome a new chapter in his life. He did that with motorcyle riding. He did that with what was a long career in firefighting. And now he is in a great space with something he invented out of his experience in the firefighting industry. Our conversation hits TWO areas: SEGMENT 1
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon will not face a recall election, county officials announced on Monday. Critics of Gascon, led by prosecutors in his own office, have once again failed to get the more than 560,000 signatures necessary to place a recall before voters. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED New research suggests climate change is increasing the likelihood of California-wide megafloods. Warming temperatures have already doubled the risk of this type of inundation brought on by a succession of storms, lasting for as long as a month. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED A year ago, the Caldor Fire burned through the small town of Grizzly Flats in Northern California. The fire destroyed more than 400 homes. A new investigation from CapRadio and The California Newsroom found that the U.S. Forest Service predicted — for decades — a wildfire could devastate Grizzly Flats. But its plan to protect the town didn't get done. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio
A new investigation finds a stalled project could have protected a town from being nearly destroyed by the Caldor Fire. In other news, Tijuana residents are on edge after violence broke out over the weekend. Plus, as the new school year starts for some, many school board trustees are back at work on critical issues that caused conflict before.
CapRadio-California Newsroom unveiled a months-long investigation into the Caldor Fire and how a U.S. Forest Service protection plan fell short. How rising temperatures and wildfires are impacting Northern Nevada's air quality. Behavioral health specialist offers back-to-school mental health and resources. Caldor Fire investigation
For more than a decade, the small, wooded town of Grizzly Flats, California has participated in Firewise USA, an NFPA program where residents voluntarily work together on community projects to lessen their risks from wildfire. In August 2021, however, the Caldor Fire tore through Grizzly Flats, putting its mitigation efforts through a major test. Today on the podcast, we talk to Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan, the manager of the Firewise USA program, about what she discovered on her recent visit to the fire-ravaged community, and what lessons Grizzly Flats' experience could provide to residents in other fire prone areas. Links: Read Fitzgerald-McGowan's essay in NFPA Journal about her trip to Grizzly Flats Read more about the Firewise program and see a map of Firewise communities If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester discusses the rise in gun violence. An expected increase in black bear activity in the Tahoe Basin following last summer's Caldor Fire. UC Davis Native American and Indigenous speaker and documentary series. Today's Guests Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester joins us to talk about the recent acts of gun violence in the city and her plan to address the crisis moving forward. Tahoe Bear expert Toogee Sielsch provides more details on the expected rise in black bear activity in the Tahoe Basin following last summer's Caldor Fire. Dr. Juan Avila Hernandez, Professor of Native American Studies at UC Davis, joins us to discuss the department's Spring guest and documentary series focusing on indigenous traditions and healing through the telling of native people's stories.
This week we talk about: Preseason trends Washington State DNR Commissioner's aerial build up and IA policy Caldor fire debrief and hypocrisy Idaho gets Hazard Pay Drones take over Plus more THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP - If you enjoy the podcast, articles, and Instagram content please consider subscribing to our Substack. Paid Subscriptions go towards firefighter Go Fund Me's. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/
On August 3, 2021 the City of South Lake Tahoe's city council approved their new wildfire evacuation plan. Clive Savacool, Fire Chief with South Lake Tahoe Fire and Rescue, led the effort to draft the new plan, not knowing that it would be put into action for real a few weeks later when the Caldor Fire would threaten South Lake Tahoe.On Episode 9 of the Living With Fire Podcast, Chief Savacool talks about writing and executing the evacuation plan. "When I was putting it together with help from others, I honestly never envisioned putting it into play on my own, during my career," Savacool explains.But, on August 30, 2021 at 10:59 am, the very active Caldor Fire was spreading toward South Lake Tahoe. As a result, agencies began evacuating people. About 22,000 people were issued evacuation orders and told to leave their homes.Later that night, the Caldor Fire crossed Echo Summit and entered Christmas Valley, a secluded community about 10 miles away from South Lake Tahoe. Amanda Milici, the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities coordinator, lives in Christmas Valley. Milici described how she and her partner were evacuated twice, first, to her partners' parents' home in South Lake Tahoe, where they were required to evacuate again, less than 24 hours later."We kind of thought we would at least have a couple days there, you know? We had no idea how fast the fire was moving, and then the next morning, probably just like 12 hours later, we evacuated from the city." Milici explains.The Caldor Fire evacuation was a massive operation. Chief Savacool described some of the challenges involved in such an effort and how agencies in Tahoe worked together to make it happen. “We all recognize that we can't handle a major incident our own and we recognize that the community is what matters. And so we have to make sure we're doing right by them versus our own interests,” said Savacool.For more information about preparing for wildfire in Lake Tahoe visit TahoeLivingWithFire.comHave you listened to the Living With Fire Podcast? Fill out the Living With Fire Podcast Survey at bit.ly/LivingWithFirePodcastSurveyFunding for this podcast was provided by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1994 in cooperation with the Tahoe RCD & University of Nevada, Reno Extension, an EEO/AA Institution.
Brought to you by The Real Voice - Mel Allen. Providing voice over for commercials, podcasts, explainer videos, and more. Samples and demos at https://therealvoice.com Well, Harpoon Brewery and Mike's Pastry in Boston have teamed up once again. This time with two brews Harpoon Mike's Pastry Cannoli Stout has an alcohol by volume, or ABV, of 7.3 percent. It's made with real Mike's Pastry cannoli shells in addition to a combination of cocoa nibs, lactose and vanilla to mimic the flavor of a famous Mike's cannoli. “Barrel-Aged Mike's Pastry Cannoli Stout” uses the same recipe, however Harpoon ages the liquid for months in premium rye whiskey barrels to add layers of vanilla, spice and caramel. As a result the aged stout has an ABV of 9 percent. For every case of beer sold in February, Harpoon will donate a portion of the proceeds to “Real Men Wear Pink,” an American Cancer Society-affiliated organization since next month is National Cancer Awareness Month. Anyone lucky enough to have bought a 4-pack of the regular or barrel-aged variety of the cannoli stout on location today received two Mike's cannolis! https://www.masslive.com/food/2022/01/harpoon-brewery-and-mikes-pastry-of-boston-team-up-again-with-two-limited-release-cannoli-stout-flavors-plan-launch-event-in-february.html Well Dry January is behind us - but it's going to be different going forward as it has been for the past few years! Nonalcoholic beer had suffered a pretty bad rep in the United States for decades. But over the past few years a lot of independent craft brewers, have been more motivated to experiment with, and invest in, finding ways to make nonalcoholic beer that lives up to the standards of the brewers and the drinkers. Now I know I've talked about Zero Gravity's Rescue Club and Athletic Brewing in the past, but let's shine a light on some others. I have to run two Boston stories back to back, but I'm doing it - so grab a Dunky's and jump into this story https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/01/21/dry-january-nonalcoholic-beer-trend Sure, I slept on the Naples Winter Wine Fest - but I'm not sleeping on this one. The West Slope Foundation, along with wineries from Fair Play, and Creekside Cork and Brew host the Out of the Ashes Wine and Appetizer Pairing Fundraiser Saturday, Feb. 5 in Somerset California. Expect more than 15 local wineries pouring wines paired with appetizers and small bites prepared. This fundraising event will also feature live music, silent auction, live auction and more — with funds assisting Caldor Fire victims. Tickets will not be available at the door. https://www.mtdemocrat.com/prospecting/out-of-the-ashes-pairs-wine-food-and-fun/ The Boozebuddy Update continues on video! On Spotify, watch alongside the podcast, or head to the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC033VXK28YhXgJAYpHS-C_w Head to BoozebuddyUpdate.com to comment or get in touch with me! Remember - don't drink and drive, stay safe, drive sober and support the booze that supports your local community. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/boozebuddy/support
Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow #PacificWatch: Lake Tahoe and the Caldor Fire Bears are the #1 Zillow searched real estate in 2021. @JCBliss https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/This-Northern-California-town-was-the-most-16720990.php
On this edition of Talking NorCal, Zach and Bob break down the numbers from the most recent storm and outline the historic precipitation so far in Northern California (1:35). Then, they get into the news of the week including the father and son arrested for starting the Caldor Fire, the brand-new documentary telling the story of the deadly 1982 avalanche at Alpine Meadows, and the final update from investigators on the mysterious death of the family hiking in California (11:14). Then, they sit down with Matt Levitt to learn the story about Tahoe Blue Vodka and their commitment to philanthropy in the Tahoe Basin (35:39). Finally, Zach and Bob talk about their local Christmas wish list this year (1:04:30).
Starting on Wednesday, Californians will once again have to wear masks indoors at all public places, regardless of their vaccination status. It's a response to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and public health officials trying to get a handle on the fast-moving omicron variant. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED Online gaming companies, Native American casinos, card rooms -- they're all jumping in at the opportunity to be involved in the push to legalize sports betting in the state of California. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report California is reducing its emissions that contribute to climate change. But it's happening too slowly, as the state isn't on track to meet its goal of reducing those emissions by 40% by the year 2030. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED California would no longer be allowed to expand freeways in underserved communities that are already suffering from the negative health effects of freeways. That's the goal of State Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia's legislation, which she plans to introduce early next year. Reporter: Tara Atrian, KCRW The leading cause of death for Black Californians is homicide, and they tend to live seven fewer years than the average state resident. That's according to a new report from Measure of America, a non-profit focused on social science research. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Prosecutors allege a father and son started this past summer's devastating Caldor Fire, with a firearm. The blaze destroyed more than 1,000 structures. Reporter: Scott Rodd, CapRadio People who have a pet dog will probably agree that animals can really help with your mental health. A nonprofit in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles goes a little bigger with that idea. Reporter: Robert Garrova, KPCC
On this episode of WTF California we wonder when enough is enough with these mask mandates from power hungry health officials. Tony Thurmond makes questionable hire of friend who doesn't even live in California. Antioch Police Department gives update on officer involved shooting now being investigated by Attorney General Rob Bonta. We run down other headlines from around the state. Articles From the Show Antioch Police Says Suspect Fired 30 Rounds Before Setting House on Fire and Killed by SWAT Officers California Department of Justice Investigating Antioch Police Department Officer-Involved Shooting Under AB 1506 He was hired to fix California schools — while running a business in Philadelphia Arrest warrant issued for Walnut Creek Nordstrom flash mob-style robbery suspect who posted bail Yolo County DA: Duo faces multiple felonies after single-day retail crime spree 14-year-old arrested after investigation into Fairfield school threats: police Attorney: Bail reduced from $1M to $50K for Caldor Fire suspect Off-duty cop who shot armed robbery suspect in San Pablo is gun expert 15 Arrested In San Jose Police Crackdown On Catalytic Converter Thefts LA Smash-and-Grab: 3 T-Mobile stores targeted by suspects Ex-O.C. sheriff's deputy charged after allegedly pouring scalding water on mentally ill inmate Federal Program Offers Incentives To Oakland Landlords Willing To House Homeless Tenants TV chef Gordon Ramsay ditches California, moves restaurant HQ to Texas: report State reinstates indoor mask mandate for one month amid new COVID-19 increase Pfizer says Covid-19 pill near 90% effective in final analysis New COVID-19 nasal spray therapy aims to 'reduce viral load in the lungs by 100-fold' State Utilities Commission Proposal Reduces Solar Rooftop Incentives For California Homeowners California may cut rooftop solar incentives as market booms NRA responds after Newsom pledges Texas-like abortion law to ban assault guns in California Sugar Bowl announces Wednesday as opening day for the resort
Prosecutors have announced charges against the father and son suspected of starting the 221,000 acre Caldor Fire. The California Report has the story. We take a brief look at local entertainment news and weather, before Al Stahler gives us a glimpse into the rooftop solar battle against investor-owned utility, PG&E. We close our newscast with details about the 16th annual Night of Giving from Hospitality House Development Director, Ashley Quadros.
Photo: The largest blazes burned in Northern California, most notably the Caldor and Dixie fires, which together have scorched nearly 1 million acres (1,500 square miles) so far. Smoke from the Caldor fire near Lake Tahoe is visible in this image, acquired on the afternoon of August 30, 2021, with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite. Between ignition on August 14 and the time of the image, the fire had burned more than 170,000 acres. The fire perimeter was 14 percent contained as of August 31. The Caldor fire spread rapidly amid dry and gusty conditions, prompting officials to expand mandatory evacuation orders to the Tahoe Basin, including South Lake Tahoe, a lakeside city of nearly 22,000 people. According to news reports, Caldor is only the second-known fire to have crested the ridge of the Sierra Nevada, burning from one side to the other. It follows the Dixie fire, which crossed over the ridge earlier in the month. .. CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor CBS Audio Network @Batchelorshow #PacificWatch: The Caldor Fire Suspect Arson. @JCBliss https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Father-and-son-deny-starting-Caldor-Fire-They-16689736.php
This episode examines how South Lake Tahoe casinos are faring after the Caldor Fire shut them down for six days; UNR research about invincibility and vaccine hesitancy; and the need for bilingual reporting. 0:55 - Caldor Fire's effect on South Lake Tahoe 10:50 - Individualistic cultures and COVID 22:30 - Bilingual reporting The post South Lake Tahoe casinos rebound after fire season appeared first on The Nevada Independent.
Show Notes (contains affiliate links): You Are The Driver of Your Ham Radio Journey On this week's episode of Ham Radio Crash Course, a podcast roughly based on amateur radio but mostly made up of responding to emails from listeners, hosted by Josh Nass - KI6NAZ and his reluctant wife, Leah - KN6NWZ, we talk about taking troubleshooting slow, how to stay safe in national parks and driving your own ham radio journey. Have a drink with us! Today, we're drinking… Trader Joe's Coffee Peanut Butter Porter Josh has a short tip with the Ham Radio Minute: Take Troubleshooting Slow Join the conversation by leaving a review on iTunes for Ham Radio Crash Course podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ham-radio-crash-course/id1400794852 and/or emailing Leah@hamtactical.com. Leaving a review wherever you listen to podcasts will help Ham Radio Crash Course reach more hams and future hams and we appreciate it! What We Used This Week: Josh suggests TTGO Meshtastic T-Beam V1.1 ESP32 433/868/915/923Mhz WiFi BLE Lora ESP32 GPS NEO-6M SMA 18650 Battery Holder With OLED https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9RmIP9 Leah suggests some gifts for your non-ham partner. Noise cancelling airpods, so they don't have to hear you. https://amzn.to/3GxaL6t Morse Code jewelry that says, “I love you” even though they can't understand it. https://amzn.to/3pNz9L3 A recycled glass tumbler with reusable straw that you will always keep full for them with iced water. https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/2123477/single?parent=%2Fmerchandise%2Fcold-cups A new bag because you know you've spent more than a handbag in radios. https://us.burberry.com/grainy-leather-pocket-messenger-bag-p80422201 Ham Radio Crash Course A-store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hamradiocrashcourse Preparedness Corner: Leah takes a look at staying safe in national parks. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/tips-for-staying-safe-in-national-parks Email Correspondent's Tower: We answer emails with ham radio questions, comments on previous podcasts, T-shirt suggestions and everything in between. Links mentioned in the ECT: Screenrant MCU Death List: https://screenrant.com/mcu-characters-could-die-phase-4/ The original snail question: https://youtu.be/ANRa29sY-TY Xiegu G1M: https://www.radioddity.com/products/xiegu-g1m Radio Nets and Caldor Fire: https://edcarc.groups.io/g/main/message/2644 Sara-n-tuned talks about giving it the beans: https://youtu.be/uicKRL95QJ8?t=304 Information on transparent aluminum: https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=8095 and http://www.surmet.com/technology/alon-optical-ceramics/ Condor Pouch: https://amzn.to/31egu0P Nathan's Southern Vermont Ham Radio YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCcvbSWxFngDIGvtTI10gSpA Show Topic: You are the driver of your ham radio journey. Thank you all for listening to the podcast. We have a lot of fun making it and the fact you listen and send us feedback means alot to us! Want to send us something? Josh Nass P.O. Box 5101 Cerritos, CA 90703-5101 Support the Ham Radio Crash Course Podcast: Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/hoshnasi Shop HamTactical: http://www.hamtactical.com Shop Our Affiliates: http://hamradiocrashcourse.com/affiliates/ Shop Our Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hamradiocrashcourse As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Connect with Us: Website...................► http://hamradiocrashcourse.com YouTube..................► https://www.youtube.com/c/HamRadioCrashCourse Podcast...................► https://hamradiocrashcourse.podbean.com/ Discord....................► https://discord.gg/xhJMxDT Facebook................► https://goo.gl/cv5rEQ Twitter......................► https://twitter.com/Hoshnasi Instagram.................► https://instagram.com/hoshnasi (Josh) Instagram.................►https://instagram.com/hamtactical (Leah)
News: Our new website is up! Head to fibercoven.com to find all our pertinent links! FO: None this week WIPS: Emily - Vanilla socks in BaH Yarns To Go Boldly colorway, Kracken Base https://www.brendaandheatheryarns.com/ - Waxing Moon - Full Moon Version, pattern available in the Fiber Coven Discord https://www.ravelry.com/projects/kittywithacupcake/waxing-moon-shawl---full-moon-sample -knit in the Earl Grey Alice in Wonderland Advent colors https://earl-grey-fiber-co.myshopify.com/ - Granny Stripe crochet blanket - Lace Shawl design with beads in Knit Picks Luminance Lace in the Kind colorway Lauren - Aura Sweater by Gingko B https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aura-sweater in Valkyrie Fibers Suri Fluff - Vanilla socks in Opal Sweet & Spicy, colorway 6755 - Waxing Moon - Full Moon Version, pattern available in the Fiber Coven Discord https://www.ravelry.com/projects/kittywithacupcake/waxing-moon-shawl---full-moon-sample , knit in the club colorways (We talked about how cool it would be to do a Waxing Moon shawl in the Pride in December mini skein set from Alwan Sultan, but it's already sold out. Sorry. But they make great stuff and you should check their site out anyway. alwansultan.com ) Acquisitions: Lauren - None Emily - Ghibli Yarn Club from Big Little Yarn Co. , Sock Set version biglittleyarn.com - Symphonia Cotton in green for a future free pattern! - West Yorkshire Spinners sock yarn, Country Birds, Pheasant colorway - big roll of Aida 14 count cloth in the natural color - DMC embroidery floss full swatch card, swatch poster? It's huge. Occult Corner: Autumnal Equinox and the traditions for it from around the world! Shameless Self Promotion: Reverse Promotion! Lauren's Etsy shop is closed while she has an “Unplanned Vacation” due to the Caldor Fire. But if you saw South Lake Tahoe in the news and wanted to help, Lauren suggests donating to Rural Resistance Placerville (their instagram feed has a post listing how to donate!) to support locals displaced by the Caldor Fire or donating to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation because seasonal wildland firefighters don't get insurance benefits of any kind! WFF supports wildland firefighters (and their families) who are killed or injured and do not have access to health or life insurance. wffoundation.org Emily's Kickstarter has launched with great success! Do you need witchy merit badges? You know you do. The stitch marker charms are unlocked! Next stretch goal is the Washi Tapes!!!! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kittywithacupcake/magical-merit-badges-a-witchy-pin-collection
EPISODE SUMMARYThe new Marvel CMF series is out and proving very hard to find. We were able to get our hands on all 12 minifigures. In this episode we take a look at the details on all twelve and then give them my rating.we also cover the LEGO 3-1 Castle and the 3-1 Farris Wheel both made an incredible impression on the children who were displaced by the Caldor Fire. MAIN TOPICS/TAKEAWAYSZombie hunter peter parker is my favorite minifig in this seriesI was dissapointed with one in particular.I am giving away my duplicates, and youc an get one if you listen to the end of the episodeDo you love what we do here? I feel SOOO loved when you guys buy me a cup of coffee!Follow US on Tiktok, Instagram, and YouTubeWE ARE GIVING AWAY THE STRANGER THINGS LEGO SET WHEN WE HIT 5k ON YOUTUBE!Go subscribe to be entered to win!I love you all thank you for sharing this space in time with me. Support the show (HTTPS://buymeacoffee.com/Earlefambuilds/)
Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Taliban takes control of Afghanistan's last hold out Panjshir province, now controls all of country. Evacuation orders lifted form some 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents, but Calfire warns Caldor fire likely to grow due to dry terrain. Extended unemployment ends for an estimated 9 million people who were receiving the $300 additional pandemic relief payments. President Joe Biden declares disaster for New York and New Jersey counties; officials call for infrastructure funding that addresses climate change. New Orleans Mayor vows to hold independent senior living facilities accountable for abandoning elderly during Hurricane Ida. California Governor Gavin Newsom rallies supporters against recall effort to unseat him with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Department of Justice vows to protect women's access to abortion and abortion service providers. photo: Bailey Heedick via Unsplash The post Last hold out in Afghanistan, Panjshir, falls to Taliban; Extended unemployment benefits for 9 million people expire; 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents allowed to return home, but officials warn Caldor fire at risk of spreading appeared first on KPFA.
Welcome back! Episode 5 is finally here and this week we will be discussing mental health and the importance of self care. A licensed Clinical Social Worker answered the questions that were sent in by our listeners (we love and appreciate you all)! She specializes in child and adolescent talk therapy. A huge shout out to her for being an amazing role model to little humans, and for being kind enough to answer our questions. Here is a link with some resources to help support survivors of the Caldor Fire. This is a very unfortunate situation and anything you can donate helps. https://www.kqed.org/news/11886903/caldor-fire-how-to-support-tahoe-wildfire-survivors We hope you learn something new from our episode and that you are able to integrate it into your everyday routine! Make sure to like and subscribe! - Kaycee & Jenny
This week, Reporter Daniel Rothberg and Host Joey Lovato talk about the still raging Caldor Fire, which has forced mass evacuations in South Lake Tahoe. After that, Reporter and Cohost Jacob Solis sits down with Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Chancellor Melody Rose to talk about vaccine mandates for students and possible mandates for … Continue reading "Caldor Fire, NSHE Chancellor, and weddings coming back in Vegas" The post Caldor Fire, NSHE Chancellor, and weddings coming back in Vegas appeared first on The Nevada Independent.
Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. At least 46 dead as Hurricane Ida hits east coast, bringing historic flash flood warnings. President Joe Biden urges passage of $1.5 infrastrcuture bill to address climate change worsened wildfires and hurricane. Cooler weather helps fire crews battle Caldor fire threatening Lake Tahoe communities. Congressional hearing on dire Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Democrats blast Texas abortion ban, vow to fight it and pass bill legalizing abortion. Mother of Elijah McClain welcomes charges against officers-paramedic who killed him. Virginia Governor grants posthumous pardons of Martinsville 7. Berkeley joins San Francisco to mandate vaccine proof to enter restaurants and bars. San Diego Supervisors declare health misinformation a public crisis, amidst pandemic. DoorDash gig workers rally outside CEO's Pacific Heights home demanding better pay and working conditions. Photo of Hurricane Ida flooding in New York, by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The post Death toll mounts to 46 as Hurricane Ida floods east coast; Democrats blast Texas abortion law, vow to fight it; Dying winds help crew battle Caldor fire that threatens Lake Tahoe appeared first on KPFA.
This podcast we pay tribute to our fallen soldiers and the sacrifice, bravery, and service they give to our country, news on the possible new Toyota FJ "Trail Hunter", and Joey talks about his beloved South Lake Tahoe as it burns before our very eyes during the "Caldor Fire". This will be a great podcast and we hope you enjoy it!
President Biden wraps up the 20-year-long war in Afghanistan with an address to the nation. All U.S. troops are gone, as is almost every American citizen, leaving a country that was invaded in response to the September 11th attacks. Was it all worth it?A CDC advisory panel pumps the brakes on booster shots for all Americans. If you wanted one, are you going to have to wait?LA County revises its COVID rules for high school and youth sports.A bill in Sacramento calling for statewide vaccine mandates has been shelved. Is the recall one reason?The Caldor Fire is still approaching South Lake Tahoe. Firefighters have been going up and down ski lifts to survey the scene.And Mike Richards now out as the host and the executive producer for Jeopardy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Caldor fire grows, nears Lake Tahoe, forces evacuations of Nevada residents and threatens more than 33,000 homes. President Joe Biden calls end of Afghan war “end of an era,” blasts endless wars, as Republicans call for his resignation and impeachment. Hurricane Ida leaves hundreds of thousands in Louisiana without electricity, water, or gasoline. California Governor Gavin Newsom says 80% of eligible Californians have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Texas state Republicans pass legislation to limit voting access, SB1, after months of protests from Democrats. East Bay Parks workers postpone strike vote, after reaching a tentative contract with the Park District. Santa Clara County Supervisors unanimously pass resolution of no confidence in Sheriff Laurie Smith, after corruption allegations and inmate deaths. Environmentalists rally in Sacramento calling for state's environmental regulators to clean up toxic dump sites and pollution. Photo collage of Caldor Fire by Calfire. The post Caldor fire grows, nears Lake Tahoe, forces evacuations of Nevada residents; President Joe Biden says end of Afghan war “end of an era,” Republicans call for his resignation and impeachment; Texas state Republicans pass SB1, limiting voting access, despite months of protests from Democrats appeared first on KPFA.
In this episode I give an update on what had been Hurricane Ida, now moving through the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys as a big rain-maker. A chronology of Ida is discussed highlighting the most interesting aspects of the tropical cyclone's brief but intense time on the weather stage. Also, the use of high-resolution infrared imagery from polar orbiting satellites for fire tracking is discussed, using the ongoing Caldor Fire in the Sierra Nevada as an example. For images referenced in the discussion, see the episode on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/YC7_5p0dsOY
It's after midnight in Afghanistan, meaning August 31st has arrived -- and in theory -- so has the end of the U.S. evacuation mission. Success or failure? So much has gone wrong. But tens of thousands were airlifted out. We'll go In Depth.Our hospital systems are operating under tremendous strain right now, especially in the southeast where COVID patients are overwhelming staff -- is there help on the way?And sticking with the southeast, Hurricane Ida came ashore in Louisiana exactly 16-years after Katrina made landfall. This time around, did the rebuilt levee and flood control system hold up?It might be the first family law case of its kind: a judge in Chicago has ordered a mother who had refused to get vaccinated against COVID to stay away from her own child. South Lake Tahoe is a ghost town right now because of the Caldor Fire.And we mark the two-week home stretch of the recall campaign ... with the governor who was on the losing end of the last one. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hey fam! This is a weird episode as we are in the midst of the caldor Fire in El Dorado County California. I wanted to share with you how your favorite LEGO fam is responding to the catastrophe and how YOU can get involved and help.VENMO INFO: @Morgen-EarleANY amount helps serve these kids!Support the show (HTTPS://buymeacoffee.com/Earlefambuilds/)