Podcasts about european alps

The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast supports bears, quadrangles, and liberal interpretations of The Iliad. Sign up for the free or paid newsletter to get updates on none of these things. Thank you for supporting independent ski journalism.Welcome to the Storm's short-form, news-focused podcast. Don't worry, I will still write newsletters too. Paid subscribers can leave a comment in the article below, or by joining The Storm's chat (also below). I'll respond to some comments in the next episode, which is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14.The Zoom transcript (click “transcript” above for the Substack transcript, which will zoom to any point in the video when you click on the associated text block; timestamps below DO NOT MATCH THE VIDEO)Stuart Winchester: Welcome to The Storm! I'm your host, Stuart Winchester. It is September 10th, 2026, and we have some big, big news in Ski World today.00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:14.000Stuart Winchester: So one of the things that I focused on since launching the storm in 2019 is the rapid.00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:30.000Stuart Winchester: Exponential growth in US based multi mountain ski passes and one of the biggest icon pass today released five new partners for the 2026 to 27 season. So I'm gonna break those down for you.00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:46.000Stuart Winchester: I am going to talk a little bit more about IndyPass and some of their partner shuffles. Then we are going to be joined by IndyPass owner, Eric Mogenson, who will give us a breakdown on all things happening with Indy, Black Mountain, and Entebeni Systems.00:06:46.000 --> 00:07:01.000Stuart Winchester: reader reaction, but I want to jump right into Icon Pass. Icon hits us today with, as I said, 5 new ski areas, 3 are full partners, and those… which means 7 days on the Icon Pass.00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:06.000Stuart Winchester: 5 days on the Icon Base Pass. All 3 are in Asia.00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:13.000Stuart Winchester: The first is Matarau, Japan. That will be ICON's 10th ski resort in Japan.00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:28.000Stuart Winchester: And then, Icon, last year, was the first U.S.-based pass to add a ski area in China, and Icon adds two more today, though they're nowhere near the ski area that it added last year. They are sort of close.00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:47.000Stuart Winchester: to each other. So, we're gonna break those down first, and then ICON added two mountains to its two-day tier, uh, which it calls Bonus Mountains, which ICON insists are not ICON Pass members, uh, but I insist they are, because you can access them with your ICON Pass. Therefore, they are on.00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:53.000Stuart Winchester: the Icon Pass, no matter what Altera tells us. So, let's start with Montreal, Japan, and if you're on…00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:55.000Stuart Winchester: The…00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:04.000Stuart Winchester: If you're on the video, I'm going to share my screen here because we're going to do a little visual helping.00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:10.000Stuart Winchester: All right, so let's take this away. All right, so the first one I want to break down.00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:12.000Stuart Winchester: is…00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:26.000Stuart Winchester: Madarao, Japan, and I've actually written about this ski area before, because they were an IndiePass member, and this is the article that I wrote back in 2023, when Madarao joined IndiePass, and Indie's been a big leader in.00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.000Stuart Winchester: Bye.00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:40.000Stuart Winchester: building out a network in Japan. So, the ski resorts in Japan are interesting. I've not skied there, but I've been there in the summer and ridden the lifts around.00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:45.000Stuart Winchester: And the skiing is very much like a mix of…00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:58.000Stuart Winchester: The Cottonwoods and New England. And what I mean by that is, if you're looking at the screen here, you can see the stats on Mattarau. 512 inches of average annual snowfall.00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:12.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, but not a lot of vert, 1,444 feet, and as you can see from the trail map, if you're looking here, it's not a big trail footprint. So, what I mean when I say Cottonwoods is the snowfall, and when I say…00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:29.000Stuart Winchester: New England, I mean the size. They tend to be not huge vert, sort of compact. If they do have a lot of vert, like the Jacuba Valley ski resorts that are on Vail, they tend to go, uh, kind of straight up and be side by side. You don't have a lot of the mega resorts as you would have.00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:40.000Stuart Winchester: in North America, or especially in Europe. So, it's good that the passes are all building density in Japan, because the ski areas are not…00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:43.000Stuart Winchester: This is not a place that you would go to necessarily.00:09:43.000 --> 00:10:02.000Stuart Winchester: like Vail Mountain and spend a week, or like Whistler. Another thing I want to note about Japan, you can see here that Matarau has some glade zones marked. In a lot of cases, skiing off-piste or in the trees, even though that's what Japan is known for, in a lot of cases, my understanding is that that's pretty heavily policed and forbidden.00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:17.000Stuart Winchester: So you really have to research your ski areas before you go over to figure out which ones will actually allow you to go off-piste, which is what most of us want to do, right? If we're coming from North America, we're going there for the big powder. Japan is a little more of an on-piste tradition.00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:21.000Stuart Winchester: a little bit more like Europe. So, I…00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:33.000Stuart Winchester: there's… to underscore the scope of what we have now available to us in Japan as U.S.-based pass holders. So, with the addition of Madarao today.00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:49.000Stuart Winchester: Now, 53 ski areas in Japan have joined the Epic, Icon, Indy, or Mountain Collective Passes. And I actually, I want to show you something I have that's really cool. So, I have this gigantic chart, and it's kind of…00:10:49.000 --> 00:11:04.000Stuart Winchester: it's kind of hard to navigate, but I'm slowly making it a little bit better. And so this is a chart that's variously called a bunch of different things. Right now, I'm calling it the Encyclopedia Britannica. Sometimes it's been the Passmaster.00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:17.000Stuart Winchester: 5,000. And I just kind of change the name whenever I want, but the link is always the same. And what I've… it's a really slow Google Sheet, and I definitely need a better platform, but if you go, there's all these tabs.00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:33.000Stuart Winchester: Down at the bottom, and again, this is where it's nice to have the video, so you can see what I'm showing you here. So I have all these tabs. One of the tabs is all MegaPass ski areas. So I have this divided up, and these are just little tables that pivot off the main table, so all the stats are up to date.00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.000Stuart Winchester: So first, I have this…00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:42.000Stuart Winchester: chart here with all ski areas that are on any U.S.-based pass, and we'll talk about that a little bit more in a second.00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.000Stuart Winchester: Then I have…00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:59.000Stuart Winchester: all U.S. ski areas, then I have New England, I have Japan, so let's pause on Japan for a moment. 53 ski areas, 11 Epic, 10 Icon, 32 Indy, 1 Mountain Collective. You can see all the stats down here. Again, not big.00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:16.000Stuart Winchester: skiable acre footprints, and really, Japan measures things differently than North America. They tend to measure snowpack rather than inches of snowfall. I did find a good average annual snowfall chart on Powderhounds, which is a great site that I'll talk more about.00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:25.000Stuart Winchester: for international research of ski areas. But if you see these acreage totals, you know, there's really nothing much.00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:35.000Stuart Winchester: Here's Niseko United, it's 2,100 acres, that's 5 ski resorts combined, right next to each other. Rasutsu is, uh, is 2,000, but most of these are under…00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:51.000Stuart Winchester: 500, so you really prepare yourself for that. It's one place, I think, Japan, where it would help to get a guide. Everything tends to be pretty cheap once you get on the ground. In Japan, the lift tickets are nothing, so having someone to show you around and show you where you can go under the ropes.00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:57.000Stuart Winchester: is a good idea. And, you know, I want to jump ahead to reader feedback for a moment. So I had…00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:14.000Stuart Winchester: this comment from Allison Wood. She said, I look forward to seeing your future efforts. I know there's enough in American skiing to discuss, but I'd be curious if you would further discuss European Alps destinations. It seems to be growing in popularity due to competitive pricing versus U.S.00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:28.000Stuart Winchester: Western resorts. A week at Big Sky appears to be the same price as a week in Switzerland for those in the Eastern USA. The answer is absolutely yes. I do want to cover the Alps and Japan and all of these international destinations more.00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:43.000Stuart Winchester: I don't have the personal on-the-ground knowledge base with those ski areas that I do with the U.S. ski areas, so I'm reaching out to my contacts in Europe, in Japan, who know these resorts intimately, and I'm gonna bring them on the show to try to help us make sense, because if you go back.00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:47.000Stuart Winchester: We go back to the Encyclopedia Britannica for a second.00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.000Stuart Winchester: You'll see that…00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:52.000Stuart Winchester: The, uh… if I can get to it…00:13:52.000 --> 00:14:05.000Stuart Winchester: Okay, so Japan has 53 ski areas, Canada has another 55, and most of us can sort those out easily enough. The harder ones is Europe. I mean, Europe, there's 61 ski areas, and sometimes a ski area in Europe is, you know.00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:21.000Stuart Winchester: 10 ski areas that put together are as big as all the ski areas in Utah. So I really need some help to break those down. But that's the great thing about this new format is that it will allow me to bring in more voices more frequently since there's more frequent shows. All right.00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:38.000Stuart Winchester: Icon also today added two ski areas in China, and the best site to just get the basics of any ski area in the world is, I've found, skiresort.com. They have a profile of every ski area. They tend to keep it up to date. I don't know who runs the site.00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:54.000Stuart Winchester: I would like to connect with them at some point, but this is really my go-to for… so this is Betahu, I'm sure I'm pronouncing that wrong, one of the ski areas that ICON added in China, and they have all the basic information, the elevation, which is not high, it's all in meters, obviously, out of the U.S.00:14:54.000 --> 00:15:01.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, what I really like is the lift breakdown and the trail map. So, the… the thing about the ski areas in China.00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:07.000Stuart Winchester: is just like everything else in China, they're pretty much brand new. I read this really interesting.00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:13.000Stuart Winchester: quote in the New York Times several years ago, and the notion.00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:16.000Stuart Winchester: was basically China…00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:31.000Stuart Winchester: stayed pretty much in the 19th century for all of the 20th century, and then it got to the 21st century in about 10 years. So, you go there, there's high-speed rail, everything's new, there's new buildings. The ski resorts are new as well, and you can see this in their lift fleet. I mean, this…00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:34.000Stuart Winchester: You know, they have a…00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:49.000Stuart Winchester: six eight-person gondolas, one six-person gondola, two high-speed six-packs, three high-speed detached quads, no fixed grip lifts at all, and then you take a look at the trail map, and again, this is probably a little more like Japan, where these are.00:15:49.000 --> 00:16:03.000Stuart Winchester: a little bit smaller ski areas than what we're used to, uh, as far as the Mountain West. But, you know, it's all very well interconnected. I would expect a lot of on-piste skiing. You know, with a… with a immature ski culture, I wouldn't expect a lot of glade stuff.00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:19.000Stuart Winchester: to be developed. Kind of talking on my rear end, to be honest, because I've not skied in China or even been to China, but these are my perceptions with the different ski cultures I know. I'll try to track down someone who knows better. Here's the other Icon Pass resort, Lake Songwa Resort, and I want to make…00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:30.000Stuart Winchester: that we kind of have an Aspen-Crested Butte situation going on here, so Sangua and, uh, this other one they added, uh…00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:49.000Stuart Winchester: Beidou, there, as you can see on this Google map, they're 24 miles apart in the mountains, but it looks like about a 4-hour drive, so there's not really a road through the city. It's the same kind of deal with Aspen and Crested Butte, where they're pretty close, but it's a long drive around. These are seasonal roads that Google doesn't know about, so it's about a 5-hour drive in the winter.00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.000Stuart Winchester: I believe. So…00:16:51.000 --> 00:17:03.000Stuart Winchester: We have these, and then, if you want to go to China to experience skiing, Icon gives you the means to do so. And then, Icon added…00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:16.000Stuart Winchester: to their 2-day tier, which again, they're saying is not IconPass. I want to talk about the 2-day tier a little bit in general. So, Icon started this 2-day tier.00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:23.000Stuart Winchester: last year, and I think what they were trying to do is mirror what Vail did.00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:37.000Stuart Winchester: with its feeder ski areas and all these little places that are bought all over the country, Mount Brighton in Michigan, and Afton Alps in Minnesota, and Wilmot in Wisconsin, and all the resorts around Cleveland.00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:49.000Stuart Winchester: and you know, Alpine Valley. And then there's the names escaping me. Boston Mills, Brandywine. I just skied there and did a write-up on it. So so yeah, they're.00:17:49.000 --> 00:18:04.000Stuart Winchester: Vail bought up all these ski areas. Well, Icon, instead of doing that and buying, has added two days only on the full Icon Pass, which is currently $1,449, uh, two days to 11 different ski areas around the country.00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:19.000Stuart Winchester: It's been growing that list. Silver Star was one last year, and it converted to full Icon, but right now, if you're on the screen share, you can see the 11 that are currently on the Icon Pass two-day roster. So we…00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:23.000Stuart Winchester: had today the additions of Cabarfay Peaks in Michigan.00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.000Stuart Winchester: And…00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:37.000Stuart Winchester: In Wyoming, we had snowy range. So Caberfay Peaks is actually, it's an awesome ski area. It's one of my favorite ski areas. I grew up about an hour and 15 minutes from there.00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:40.000Stuart Winchester: And with Cabot Fay, it…00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:55.000Stuart Winchester: It's a really fun place. They're constantly building it up. And what the cabaret you see today is very different than the cabaret that existed a long time ago. It basically used to be a two mile sprawl of rope tows and starting in the 1980s.00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, the families that owned it dug up from the bottom here.00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:07.000Stuart Winchester: and added to the top. So they went from a couple hundred vertical feet to 485 vertical feet, and it continued to…00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:18.000Stuart Winchester: expand, and they have another expansion in the works over here on Green Mountain. Should be coming 27-28, and I'm gonna have Tim and Pete Meyer from Calgary Fay Peaks on next week to talk about that a little more.00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.000Stuart Winchester: And then we have…00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:36.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, it's Snowy Range, Wyoming, and Snowy Range might seem like a little bit of a weird one, but Snowy Range is actually very logical. They've had a long-standing relationship that's in southern Wyoming. It's not, it's only a couple hours from Steamboat. They have a long-standing relationship with Steamboat.00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:51.000Stuart Winchester: to a snowy range season pass for 300 and some dollars this year. They changed that to half off in a 3 day icon session pass, which is good at Steamboat and several other mountains. And now, if you have a full icon, you would also get 2 more days at Steamboat.00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:54.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, or you would actually get 2 days at Snowy Range.00:19:54.000 --> 00:20:00.000Stuart Winchester: if you were, you know, wanted to escape the crowds at Steamboat one day. So, we are gonna…00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.000Stuart Winchester: Come back to…00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:16.000Stuart Winchester: IndyPass in a moment. Actually, I have one more IndyPass update, then I'm gonna go to Eric. So, Mission Ridge and Blacktail in Washington have left IndyPass.00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.000Stuart Winchester: And…00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.000Stuart Winchester: Hold on, let me just…00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:25.000Stuart Winchester: So Eric, I'll be right there.00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.000Stuart Winchester: We'll get to Mission to Blacktail in a minute. I'm gonna bring Eric in.00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:34.000Stuart Winchester: And I'm going to stop my screen share.00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, Eric?00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:43.000Erik Mogensen: What's up, man?00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:57.000Stuart Winchester: How you doing? Joining us now is the director of IndyPass, the founder of Entebeni Systems, and the operator of Black Mountain, New Hampshire. Eric Mogenson is a good friend of the storm, and he joins us now from where? Where are you, Eric?00:20:57.000 --> 00:21:05.000Erik Mogensen: I am, uh, calling in from Black Mountain, New Hampshire, our new home, and I'm up at the Alpine Cabin.00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:18.000Stuart Winchester: I want to start on the Alpine Cabin. Tell us what the Alpine Cabin was when you arrived at Black Mountain and what it has turned into from what it is and from a revenue standpoint.00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.000Erik Mogensen: Yep.00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:34.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, so, um, I spend the first 8 to 10 hours of my day working with our engineering and product teams, and most of it is in front of a computer or on the phone, but by 5 PM I try to be up here on the mountain every.00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:52.000Erik Mogensen: night. Like, doing trail work, on the excavator, snowmaking, lift work. But I keep a desk up here in the summer. Couldn't keep a desk here in the winter. Um, but I do keep a desk up here so that when I have an idea, or I want to come write something down, or I want to watch a YouTube video, or do something, this place is super productive for me.00:21:53.000 --> 00:22:11.000Erik Mogensen: It's like my peaceful, happy place in the summer. In the winter, there is nothing peaceful about this place. This, this place rages, uh, European style. So, when we took over Black Mountain, the Alpine cabin, the credit card receipts from the Alpine cabin the year before.00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:22.000Erik Mogensen: were $38,000, uh, for the season in sales. Um, and the year after, our first year that we took it over, it was over $300,000.00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:29.000Erik Mogensen: Um, and then our second year, it was over $600,000, and most of that comes down to champagne.00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:38.000Erik Mogensen: But don't look at champagne as something you drink. Champagne is something that you use to celebrate. And so I think.00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:50.000Erik Mogensen: The long-winded answer to your question is, is the Alpine cabin is truly a place to celebrate the sport and culture of skiing, and people are definitely holding on to that.00:22:50.000 --> 00:23:03.000Stuart Winchester: It's an amazing space, and if folks aren't familiar with Black Mountain, that's the main double chair to the summit right behind you, and it goes right over the alpine cabin. It's a party scene, and it's a lot of fun.00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:00.000Erik Mogensen: Oh, yeah.00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:20.000Stuart Winchester: Going from $38,000 to $600,000, 20X in revenue, I mean, Eric, that's the kind of revenue stream that could change the path of a lot of small ski areas. Is that replicable, do you think, at some of these smaller family-owned ski areas around the country that.00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:25.000Stuart Winchester: are really tied to old revenue models and just need a little spark.00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:32.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, I don't know if you can scale the champagne necessarily, but you can definitely scale.00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:51.000Erik Mogensen: the focus on the culture of skiing. And I think that's really what the independents do so well, is that, you know, the wood fireplaces smell authentic, the people are very authentic, the ski trails are authentic, they're weird, they're quirky, the lifts are slow, right?00:23:51.000 --> 00:24:06.000Erik Mogensen: Those a lot of people look at those things. We've been programed as skiers to see those things as liabilities. They're actually our biggest assets. And so, yeah, the Alpine, you know, the Alpine cabin was a little 200 square foot patrol shack.00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:11.000Erik Mogensen: that sold some, you know, beer and hot dogs.00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:21.000Erik Mogensen: But we never looked at that as a liability. We never looked at that as, hey, we need to go build a 20,000 square foot mid-mountain lodge, take on a ton of debt.00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:32.000Erik Mogensen: Um, we really looked at it as an opportunity, and I think every single small ski area has that exact same opportunity to focus on the authenticity of the product that they deliver.00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:48.000Stuart Winchester: There's been a ripple effect, too. I mean, what can you tell us about skier visits before and after you purchased it? Because Black, for background, for people who are not familiar with Black, the reason you own Black is because they announced they were closing on Facebook. They said, we're done. The skier has been open since 1930, whatever.00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:57.000Stuart Winchester: said, we're done, this was 3 years ago, and you said, no. And you tried to find a buyer, looked for a year, uh, and decided to buy it yourself. So, so…00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:03.000Stuart Winchester: You took a dying skier, what did the skier visits revenue look like when you got it, and what do they look like today?00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:15.000Erik Mogensen: It was about $700,000, $750,000 in top line revenue when we bought the whole ski area. Yeah, including the $32,000 in hot dogs and beer at this cabin.00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.000Stuart Winchester: That's the whole ski area.00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:12.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:16.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:27.000Erik Mogensen: Um, so it was the entire ski area. I don't quite know what the skier visits were. Um, we know what the ticketed visits were, but I would guesstimate that the skier visits were somewhere between, you know, 10 and 15,000.00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:20.000Stuart Winchester: Mm-hmm.00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:43.000Erik Mogensen: Um, in our second year, we took it to $2.5 million in top line revenue. Um, we've surpassed $5 million, uh, here in our 25th or 26th month. And skier visits, you know, all in, including employees and the whole thing, right about 55,000.00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:48.000Erik Mogensen: So it's been a big turnaround. It's been interesting, learned a lot.00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.000Erik Mogensen: And.00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:56.000Erik Mogensen: I think this is 100% doable by most of the smallest areas on the planet.00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:02.000Erik Mogensen: You just have to realize that if you want a different and better result, you have to take different and better action.00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:05.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, I mean, you proved me wrong, because I, you know…00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:16.000Stuart Winchester: I thought Black had maybe just had its time, because it's surrounded by two Vail Own Mountains and Cranmore, which is a high-speed lift. Sunday River is right down the road. Uh, you have intense competition from Epic.00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:26.000Stuart Winchester: and… and Black Mountain is not an especially snowy mountain, like, say, Smuggler's Notch, we'll talk about in a minute. I… I didn't know if… if it had enough aura.00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:38.000Stuart Winchester: But it seems like you've either tapped the aura or created it, and really turned it around, and really given me a lot of hope that a lot of the ski areas that we see around the country, that…00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:45.000Stuart Winchester: Seem to be up against this modernization curve, they can't quite get ahead, might be able to take other routes to get there.00:26:45.000 --> 00:27:00.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, and I think, too, Stu, it's worth noting, like, yeah, I'm proud of what we've done here, but there's a lot of really good operators out there that have done this, too. You know, having grown up in Buffalo, which I'll call, like, the Eastern Midwest of the Midwest.00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:00.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:10.000Erik Mogensen: Right? There's really well-managed ski areas that focus on the food and beverage, that focus on the authenticity, um, that drive a ton of other revenue.00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:23.000Erik Mogensen: Um, that are creative, uh, in that way, and I think we just have to be accepting of those things. We have to be accepting of them, we have to share what works, uh, share what doesn't work, and collaborate, um.00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:29.000Erik Mogensen: And and then we'll be fine. We'll be fine. These little skier is have a huge advantage.00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:39.000Erik Mogensen: in the fact that they are… they are run by authentic and passionate people. That… they… they are… they are run…00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:46.000Erik Mogensen: not as a profit center. Um, and yes, they need to be profitable to be sustainable and have reinvestment, right? But…00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:51.000Erik Mogensen: These little ski areas have such a remarkable advantage over some of the big areas.00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:57.000Erik Mogensen: and and how they're managed and what their direction looks like. We just have to take advantage of it and talk about it more.00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:06.000Stuart Winchester: this is just the beginning of the story, too. All right, let's switch over to Andy Pass, and, you know, my questions around Black, when you were initially taking it over, were…00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:24.000Stuart Winchester: how many retro ski areas does New England have room for in a market? Like, Mad River Glen has crafted its whole image around being this retro ski area. You know, they groom, they make snow up to 2,000 whatever feet, the single chair is a 1940 whatever, but they rebuilt it in 2007, so…00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:27.000Stuart Winchester: It is a well-maintained place.00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:42.000Stuart Winchester: as sort of like a museum. It's… it's… it's… the facade is old school, and it skis that way, but really, it's… it's been well tended to. Smuggler's Notch is another one of those that feels like 1960s, around 1960s haul lifts, including.00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:57.000Stuart Winchester: One of the longest in the country, the Madonna lift. Uh, and I saw black in that same mold and said, okay, how many of these do we have room for? But Smuggs is, at the end of the day, a awesome ski area, and you added it to IndyPass. I mean, how big of a victory is that for New England skiers?00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:03.000Stuart Winchester: to now have Smuggs, Jay, Waterville, all these ski areas on the one pass.00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:11.000Erik Mogensen: I mean, look, you've got… you've got Smogs, you've got Jay, you've got Bolton, you've got Cannon, you've got Waterville, um.00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:28.000Erik Mogensen: we've really leveled the playing field in the East, and it's exactly what we intend to do in other places of the country, and also around the world. Uh, and I think what we're proving here in New England, there's been a lot of focus with IndyPass in New England over the last two years, and a lot of that has to do.00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:44.000Erik Mogensen: With Black Mountain and our move and our things there. But what we're proving we can do here, we are going to replicate in other markets. There's no question in my mind. And I think what we're going to replicate is the fact that you don't have to be epic. You don't have to be iconic.00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:50.000Erik Mogensen: to be a really stable, well-earning business. You can be part of an independent group.00:29:50.000 --> 00:30:09.000Erik Mogensen: and still push and plow forward, and compete. So, you know, and I… look, I don't judge a ski area by its vertical. Don't judge a ski area by how many high-speed lifts it has. I think that's the mistake that we keep getting pulled into in skiing. And our… it's the mistake that we make as well as operators, and we…00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:54.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah. Okay.00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:16.000Erik Mogensen: we pass that mistake on to the consumers, right? Bigger is not better, it's just bigger.00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:33.000Erik Mogensen: Faster is not better. It's just faster, right? More lifts. Sure, that sounds great, but you have to pay for those lifts as well. And so that is going to there's that money doesn't just come from the sky that that money is going to be passed on to the consumer.00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:41.000Erik Mogensen: And the more and more we continue to do that, the more and more expensive and exclusive skiing's gonna become. So, again, I'll bring it back to…00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:51.000Erik Mogensen: One of the greatest advantages these places have are being small, are having slow lifts, are being independent, are being authentic. And that's exactly what Smugs is.00:30:51.000 --> 00:31:01.000Stuart Winchester: However, SMUGS also has 2,600 feet of vertical, 1,000 acres of skiing, and 322 inches of average snowfall. The numbers do help.00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:08.000Erik Mogensen: They do, but I'll leave the numbers to your spreadsheets that I can barely understand at this point.00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:03.000Stuart Winchester: The numbers do help, though, it's offline.00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:10.000Stuart Winchester: Well, that makes two of us and probably everyone else.00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:11.000Erik Mogensen: Those will speak for themselves.00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:16.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, so having Jay and Smugs on there is an awesome combo. You know, I think that…00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:28.000Stuart Winchester: Indy and Doug before you, when Doug… I know Doug's still heavily involved, but the founder of the Indy Pass, Doug Fish. I think you have done a great job of building these little nodes of skiing.00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:44.000Stuart Winchester: around the country, and now around the world. So the… the donut hole has always kind of been Colorado, Utah, Tahoe, and that's because that's where Epic and Icon logically went. Those are the three biggest ski markets. But I want to talk a little bit first about the Midwest, where.00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:59.000Stuart Winchester: Indy built a really nice network, and you have a lot of ski areas in the Midwest. You have… 37. Uh, you've had some big departures this year. Lutzen, Granite Peak, and Snow River, run by Midwest Family Ski Resorts.00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:16.000Stuart Winchester: Went over to Icon, and Lutzen is, for the listeners, biggest ski area in Minnesota. It skis like a New England ski area. Granite Peak, you know, lots of high-speed lifts. Charles Skinner really turned that place from a dump into something nice. And the Snow River's on the come up. It's in a nice snow belt in Michigan.00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:19.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, you know, how much…00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:27.000Stuart Winchester: Did you see those as drivers of IndyPass sales in the Midwest? And how concerned, if at all, are you that they departed?00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:41.000Erik Mogensen: Well, look, let's… let's talk… I mean, the moose in the room here is that that… that loss sucks for us. Like, there's no way around it. Um, it… it… it's a bummer. It stings. Uh, I really like Charles Skinner. I really like Charlotte. I think they're both.00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:34.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah. Okay.00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:57.000Erik Mogensen: really great operators. They're very, very smart. They're very, very sharp. We had a we had a great call around when we kind of showed them what the revenue was in their last season, and we talked through it, and very, very amicable. I've always relied. Have some great, you know, dinner conversations with Charles.00:32:57.000 --> 00:33:12.000Erik Mogensen: And and I think they're great. They they have to make a move. They made a business decision to go to Icon and Icon makes that very, very, very attractive. You know whether or not that initial sales pitch.00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:29.000Erik Mogensen: translates into the long-term vision? I don't know. I firmly believe that, you know, Midwest skiers are some of the most authentic and purposeful, you know, skiers on the continent, and they'll figure it out. I think we have lots of options, there's no question.00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:38.000Erik Mogensen: But none of them are going to be quite like those Midwest family resorts. And so we'll have to see what happens. It stings, but I don't.00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:42.000Erik Mogensen: What I've really learned about Indy is that.00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:47.000Erik Mogensen: Our our strength is in the diversity of of.00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:56.000Erik Mogensen: the resorts that we've put together. It's not on a… it's not on a single one resort, or a single resort operator. Um, so…00:33:56.000 --> 00:34:01.000Erik Mogensen: I hate losing resorts, but I'm never afraid to lose them and/or replace them if necessary.00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:12.000Stuart Winchester: So, when they go to ICON, there's a couple different tiers for ICON. So, Midwest family went to the traditional 7-5 tier of 7 on full ICON, 5 on ICON base. Today.00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:19.000Stuart Winchester: I kind of announced that Cabaret, a former IndyPass partner that actually just left Indy, was a founding member in 2019.00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:32.000Stuart Winchester: left for Icon. That news just broke. I don't know if you have any thoughts on that. Buck Hill similarly left Indy for Icon today, a couple of years ago. Is that too new to process, or what are your thoughts on Cabra Fact?00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:48.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, I think it's exactly the same where, you know, we, we, you know, Cabrifay is a great ski area. Um, we're sad to see them go. We, you know, look, they're independent for a reason. They get to make their choice. They've made their choice. They're going to go to Icon. The consumers can make their choice of where they go and where they want to.00:34:48.000 --> 00:35:05.000Erik Mogensen: they want to spend their time and money. You know, we're going to fight as hard as we can to drive as much value for the operators and the consumers as possible. I can tell you, we had some people that had left for that icon two day product that now want to come back because of the payout.00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:04.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:22.000Erik Mogensen: Or lack thereof. So, look, none of this is static. One thing I can absolutely guarantee everybody on the pass and everyone listening to this is, is this is going to happen every single year forever. You're going to have people come, you're going to have people go. And we're all going to think it's way more consequential.00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:11.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:33.000Erik Mogensen: than it actually is. The reality is, is that indie sales for the last 7 seasons continue to go like this, and we're directing more and more.00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:39.000Erik Mogensen: revenue, meaningful revenue to these independent resorts. And that's not going to stop.00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:43.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah. The, uh… another place you have…00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:45.000Stuart Winchester: Good.00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:55.000Stuart Winchester: cluster is the Pacific Northwest. Mission Ridge and Blacktail, which are jointly owned, recently announced that they left, and I reached out.00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:57.000Stuart Winchester: to…00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:59.000Stuart Winchester: Mission Ridge.00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:06.000Stuart Winchester: COO and GM Matt Neubauer, and I just asked him, you know, what's going on, and this was his email, this is a quote.00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:15.000Stuart Winchester: Mission Ridge's agreement ran through the end of the 25-26 season, and we declined to seek a new one. Being independent means making the calls we think are right for the mountain long term.00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:32.000Stuart Winchester: So, that's basically echoing what you just said, the mountains will make the right decision. Uh, Blacktail's situation is different. This is a continuation of the email. Uh, they reached out to establish a new agreement before the old one ended and did not get engagement on it. Indy did reach out after passes, went back on sale September 1st, but by then, Blacktail had moved on.00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:42.000Stuart Winchester: and was preparing for the season ahead. So that was the rationale that I have for Matt. He didn't want to talk about it further publicly, but that was his on-the-record statement.00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:59.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, I, I, you know, look, Stu, I, I think as good as it is for your ratings, you know, I, we're not gonna hang out every, every scary as, you know, laundry and every single conversation. Um, I would disagree with how that was had. I think, I think one of the greatest things about India is we have.00:36:53.000 --> 00:36:55.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:36:59.000 --> 00:37:09.000Erik Mogensen: 300-plus resorts around the world. One of the hard things about Indy is that we have 300-plus resorts around the world. It's a lot of contracts to manage, it's a lot of things.00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:07.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:19.000Erik Mogensen: I could, like, tell you from the ski area operating, um, perspective, like, I feel everything's nice and chill all summer, and we're doing really good, and then all of a sudden it's, you know.00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:35.000Erik Mogensen: September 1st, and it's like, wow, we got a lot to do in the next 60 days before we make snow. And I think every single ski area operator runs through that. Uh, and there's a lot going back. Stu, sometimes I have to go look at your spreadsheets to understand who's on the pass.00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:52.000Erik Mogensen: That's why we usually give everything to you ahead of time so that you can, like, count them up and do the math and do everything. So it's hard. But I would say, that team at Blacktail is world class. Jesse is and is incredible. We've I've always had a great relationship with Jesse.00:37:52.000 --> 00:38:08.000Erik Mogensen: We'd welcome them on the pass. I don't think that that's changed. And I think that Blacktail and Mission Ridge are two very different ski areas. And I'm really fascinated and hopeful that they figure out a way.00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:10.000Erik Mogensen: how to make the whole thing work between the two of them.00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:28.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, you still have a really nice set of resorts out there with White Pass, and 49 Degrees North, and Mount Hood Meadows, and Bluewood, and Brundage, and Tamarack. And Tamarack's interesting, because so Tamarack, and I want to clarify this, I've actually gotten a lot of inquiries about this, people emailing me telling me my charts are wrong.00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:43.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, which… which happens, you know, they're… they're big and… and, uh, unwieldy, so I get things wrong, but that's… they're always a work in progress. But, uh, they're telling me Tamarack's not in the past because they joined Icon today, which… which obviously they did. Uh…00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:46.000Stuart Winchester: So what's going on with Tamarack? Are they on Indy?00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:59.000Erik Mogensen: Tamarack's on Indy, um, you know, we're excited about Tamarack, we've always been excited about Tamarack. Again, Scott, really great operator, um, super smart guy, great ownership group.00:38:59.000 --> 00:39:13.000Erik Mogensen: You know, I think we could probably comment on that a little bit further. But you know my job is not to speak for these resorts, Stu. My my job is to support them, and there's a difference between supporting them and speaking for them.00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:08.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah. Okay.00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:20.000Erik Mogensen: So, I'll always support them, and what Tamarack decides to do and where they decide to sit is good, but.00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:23.000Erik Mogensen: I'm comfortable saying that Tamarack's on Indy.00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:37.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, in general, you know, when Buck Hill joined the Icon 2 Day last year, you said adios. I think that's what was my understanding from a distance, correct me if I'm wrong. What was different about the Tamarack situation? Why are you making the exception for Tamarack?00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:52.000Erik Mogensen: Look, I think, look, Icon's aggressive. They're aggressive. They're trying to add as many people as they possibly can to that two-day pass. You know, I think that there's a lot of promises on that, and I think they have a very aggressive sales team.00:39:52.000 --> 00:40:08.000Erik Mogensen: Which is which is good. They're they're, you know, trying to replicate what Indy has done. So we'll just have to see what happens. But I would say that I would I would say that, you know, I have a I have a good relationship with a couple people over in that organization.00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:15.000Erik Mogensen: And I think they're trying to figure out what they're going to do. But there's no question that we're in, you know, pretty intense competition right now.00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:09.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:18.000Stuart Winchester: All right, let's…00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:32.000Stuart Winchester: wrap up on that. Let's talk about Snow King, because the Indy Pass, you know, part of the reason the Indy Pass is able to grow so fast, from my point of view, was Doug had this great insight that the ski areas that Epic and Icon were overlooking.00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:38.000Stuart Winchester: Did have value collected onto a pass, and when you put them all together as a dynamite product.00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:47.000Stuart Winchester: and now I think, as you said, ICON's going for that, and then you have the Snow Pass, and the Snow Pass, uh…00:40:47.000 --> 00:41:02.000Stuart Winchester: has signed Snow King as a partner, and that's a long-time Indy Pass partner, and I can read these emails if you'd like, or you can just talk through it yourself on how you see the Snow King.00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:03.000Stuart Winchester: um…00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:05.000Stuart Winchester: conflict here.00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:20.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, look, I wouldn't really say that there is any controversy here. I think Snow King is staying on Indy. Um, you know, Ryan and I never discussed any sort of litigation, and I connected him directly with you so that he could, you know, explain the situation for himself.00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:36.000Erik Mogensen: Look, again, it's not my job to get out in front and speak for these resorts. These are really great resorts with phenomenal and sophisticated operators, and they can speak for themselves. So, what I can do, Stu, is, you know, say, hey, Ryan.00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:43.000Erik Mogensen: you know, you're on Indy, and you're not on the snow pass, copy you on that email, and then you can read the email to the group.00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:46.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, the email…00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:50.000Stuart Winchester: from Ryan said.00:41:51.000 --> 00:42:06.000Stuart Winchester: Stuart, hi Stuart, this is Ryan Stanley, General Manager of Snow King. That is correct, we're going to remain on the Indy Pass this upcoming season and also offer two free tickets to the Snow Pass holders without receiving compensation, meaning Snow King will not receive compensation.00:42:06.000 --> 00:42:16.000Stuart Winchester: We are fairly desperate for some skier visits and are working on an offer for free and or $20 tickets to other pass holders as well. You know, I…00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:18.000Stuart Winchester: Ran this…00:42:18.000 --> 00:42:20.000Stuart Winchester: Bye.00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:22.000Stuart Winchester: Snow pass and.00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:26.000Stuart Winchester: I can read this email from Joe Heschen that he sent me today.00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:33.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, he said, Hi Stuart, I'm a bit confused by how this has become so complex. As stated, we have signed a signed agreement with Snow King.00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:43.000Stuart Winchester: While I would like to keep their details confidential, you are welcome to share ours. Our goal with this is not to profit, but rather to gather a group to work together for the betterment of the industry.00:42:43.000 --> 00:42:56.000Stuart Winchester: And then, it sounds like Snow King will be working with Indy and Snow Pass this season, which is great news for them. Thank you. Go Hessian. So, from Snow Pass's point of view, Snow King is still on both passes.00:42:57.000 --> 00:43:16.000Erik Mogensen: I don't know, Stu's starting to sound like a big old, you know, fun high school group text message here. I don't, I, you know, I don't know what to tell you. Um, again, I think Ryan's email's pretty clear. I'm not gonna speak for Ryan, not gonna speak for Joe. Um, they're definitely, you know, Snow King is definitely on the Indy Pass. We're definitely gonna pay them, just like we have.00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:21.000Erik Mogensen: every year. We're definitely gonna push a lot of visits to them. Um, you know, I'm not…00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:33.000Erik Mogensen: entirely sure, uh, beyond that. Uh, and, and, you know, Ryan, again, Ryan's a really smart guy. I've enjoyed talking to him. Um, I've spent a…00:43:33.000 --> 00:43:49.000Erik Mogensen: few, you know, longer phone calls, and he is desperate for skier visits, and I get that. He's a small skier area in the shadow of Jackson Hole, and doesn't have a ton of population to pull from. Most of the population that's coming through is destination visits.00:43:49.000 --> 00:43:57.000Erik Mogensen: And he needs more skier visits. We… we want Snow King to get skier visits. We… we… and if Ryan wants to comp…00:43:57.000 --> 00:44:07.000Erik Mogensen: you know, snow pass holders, or icon pass holders, or epic pass holders, then that's fine. I think that's great. But just because Ryan is going to comp.00:44:03.000 --> 00:44:04.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:18.000Erik Mogensen: the Snow Pass doesn't mean that he's on the Snow Pass, and just because Ryan is going to comp Icon Pass holders, that doesn't mean that he's joined the Icon Pass. Um, all I can come down to, again.00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:27.000Erik Mogensen: is that Snow King's on the Indy Pass, um, and from our perspective, they're giving some free tickets to some of the other passes.00:44:27.000 --> 00:44:35.000Erik Mogensen: Hopefully, that checks everyone's box for early September ski area drama.00:44:35.000 --> 00:44:43.000Stuart Winchester: All right, it is an ongoing story. I just have a lot of conflicting information from…00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:56.000Erik Mogensen: What we should do is just, you know, get Uncle Joe on the call, and get Ryan on the call, and you on the call, and we all talk about it, right? Like, I think it's… I don't think it's that complicated, and frankly, it's not that big of a deal.00:44:56.000 --> 00:45:12.000Erik Mogensen: And I question the intentions behind making it a big deal. I think that, you know, Snowpass is definitely looking for us to bite into a controversy, and we're just not going to.00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:22.000Erik Mogensen: We're just not going to. We… our job is to focus on the independent resorts and make sure that we drive more visits to more independent resorts.00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:23.000Erik Mogensen: more often.00:45:23.000 --> 00:45:31.000Erik Mogensen: It's really simple, you know, and I think, I think in general too, Stu, like, you know.00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:26.000Stuart Winchester: Do you? Yeah.00:45:31.000 --> 00:45:46.000Erik Mogensen: What I've gotten from a lot of our operators and partners and people in skiing is they're just very confused by this. And again, it might be good for ratings or listeners, but there is no litigation here.00:45:46.000 --> 00:45:56.000Erik Mogensen: there is no problem with Snow King. They're a great, valued partner. You know, this comment, you know, an idea around democratizing skiing, right? Like.00:45:56.000 --> 00:46:08.000Erik Mogensen: you know, let's let every resort build their own reciprocal deal with, you know, Jersey Joe's commission-based software pitch, right? That's cute, that sounds nice, but in practice, IndiePass exists for a reason.00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:12.000Erik Mogensen: It's a lot more work for skier is and most importantly.00:46:12.000 --> 00:46:20.000Erik Mogensen: It's much more fragmented and a confusing product for the consumer. A single pass with a single price point.00:46:20.000 --> 00:46:22.000Erik Mogensen: And a lot of partners.00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:28.000Erik Mogensen: you know, mitigates the patchwork of one-off deals, and that's the whole reason IndyPass exists.00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:37.000Erik Mogensen: More people skiing more often at independent resorts, right? Like, we redirect tens of millions of dollars a year to independent operators.00:46:38.000 --> 00:46:48.000Erik Mogensen: Arguing that somehow the absence of the IndyPass is better for the industry is nonsensical at best. It would just give Icon and Epic a more…00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:51.000Erik Mogensen: More opportunity to eat our lunch. So…00:46:51.000 --> 00:47:02.000Erik Mogensen: you know, we can… we can dive into all the muddy details all day long, but I don't see any controversy here. We're super excited to have snowpack… I mean…00:47:02.000 --> 00:47:04.000Erik Mogensen: Snow King.00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:15.000Erik Mogensen: on the Indy Pass. Um, and, you know, maybe you just have to come up with a different color for it on your spreadsheet, like some sort of gradient between the two. Whatever you want to do, we trust you.00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:32.000Stuart Winchester: Let me zoom out a little and make this a little more conceptual, because you've told me before that IndyPass doesn't make money, and I believe you're still sticking to Doug's original ratio of 15% for admin, which I doubt covers admin. So 85% traditionally was paid out to the resorts, correct?00:47:33.000 --> 00:47:49.000Erik Mogensen: Correct. Oh, yeah. Still the case. Yeah. No, I mean, look, we, we, you know, 85% of every passport just goes back to the independents. And remember, look, we, we take 100% of our money in on credit cards. We pay the ski resorts in check cash. Right. So we're also eating that credit card fee.00:47:33.000 --> 00:47:36.000Stuart Winchester: Is that still it? Okay.00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:41.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:47:49.000 --> 00:47:59.000Erik Mogensen: So now you're down to, you know, 12% in change. Running a pass like this, it's not profitable. We never looked at this as being profitable.00:47:52.000 --> 00:47:53.000Stuart Winchester: Right.00:47:59.000 --> 00:48:10.000Erik Mogensen: I really bought IndyPass because I knew that Doug was going to exit and needed to exit, and I thought some of the other people that would buy the pass.00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:21.000Erik Mogensen: would view it more as a media company or a marketing opportunity, and less of something that I think is very important for the independents. So…00:48:21.000 --> 00:48:39.000Erik Mogensen: Uh, you know, Snowpass has committed to giving 80% back, um, to the resorts in their first year, and then something else beyond that, right? And the difference between 80% and 5%, right? You know, it sounds like 5%, but if you actually do the math, that's a 25% difference.00:48:39.000 --> 00:48:49.000Erik Mogensen: Uh, and so we pay every resort the same percentage back of their, you know, top ticket price. We've always done that, um, so…00:48:50.000 --> 00:48:55.000Erik Mogensen: That's what we do, that's what we've done, that's what worked, and that's what we.00:48:54.000 --> 00:48:59.000Stuart Winchester: So to zoom out to the conceptual level a little bit here, I want to look at…00:48:59.000 --> 00:49:09.000Stuart Winchester: Snow King's neighbor, Jackson Hole. Okay, so Jackson Hole is on Icon. They're also on Mountain Collective. You've taken a pretty firm stand that Indy.00:49:09.000 --> 00:49:16.000Stuart Winchester: partners should be exclusive with Indy. If you're looking at a ski area like Snow King that is desperate for.00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:18.000Stuart Winchester: for visits.00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:24.000Stuart Winchester: why cut that pathway off? Why is it important to make indie exclusive and not say, okay.00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:39.000Stuart Winchester: case by case, if you're, uh, you know, certain resorts, if we don't have an exclusivity agreement with you, like, maybe you want to give, you know, Brundage a higher payout because they're a destination and… and to be exclusive, but maybe some of these other ones, you give them all the tools in the toolbox. What…00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:42.000Stuart Winchester: Why is that not an option? Or is it an option?00:49:40.000 --> 00:49:48.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, I just, I think it complicates things, number one. Number two, I just don't find it very equitable. The great thing about IndyPass, look, I get…00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:58.000Erik Mogensen: There's a lot of conversations all the time when we have a larger resort wanting to join, or has joined, or wants to renew about getting a bigger payout.00:49:58.000 --> 00:50:08.000Erik Mogensen: What I can tell you for as long as I own and run IndyPass, I'm going to treat every single resort the same. I'm not going to make special side deals.00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:14.000Erik Mogensen: That's just what we're going to do. I think it's a mistake to do that.00:50:14.000 --> 00:50:20.000Erik Mogensen: Everyone's going to get the same. Everyone's going to be the same. Everyone's going to get the same percentage payout.00:50:14.000 --> 00:50:15.000Stuart Winchester: It.00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:17.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:23.000Erik Mogensen: No special deals.00:50:23.000 --> 00:50:37.000Stuart Winchester: So let me wrap on that point. So you added Smugs, your New England network is lights out. You know, like I said, Jay, Smugs, Cannon, Waterville, Saddleback, and a bunch of smaller places, including Black Mountain. Doug was concerned when he started the pass.00:50:37.000 --> 00:50:48.000Stuart Winchester: About dilution in the marketplace, and if you put too many ski areas in a market, you would both cannibalize their season pass, and drive down their yield, or their eventual payout.00:50:49.000 --> 00:51:04.000Stuart Winchester: you have filled in a lot more density, and when I've asked you about it in the past, you said that's a data-driven decision, so can you break that down for us, and what gives you confidence that adding smugs is not going to take away from.00:51:04.000 --> 00:51:08.000Stuart Winchester: Fulton Valley, or Jay Peak, or Cannon, or Titus.00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:23.000Erik Mogensen: Well, we know exactly how many pass holders we're adding every single year, right? We, we have a unique control over how many passes we sell, right? So we have, we know the data that comes in on one lever and we 100% control the amount.00:51:11.000 --> 00:51:12.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:51:23.000 --> 00:51:43.000Erik Mogensen: of passes in that lever that we sell. So it's just simple math, right? It isn't even that complex of a spreadsheet. Uh, you wouldn't even have to have it in a spreadsheet. So we need to add enough customers to make sure that we don't over dilute Bolton's payout or those things. And what's remarkable is the data shows us this is, I think now our fourth season.00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:49.000Erik Mogensen: of owning and operating the IndyPass is that we just keep going in the right direction.00:51:49.000 --> 00:52:04.000Erik Mogensen: And that's the reality. Like, JPEAK and Bolton's payout, the check that they get from IndyPass and take to the bank to pay their bills and buy more chairlifts and more snowmaking pipe and pay their employees, is only getting bigger and bigger.00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:08.000Erik Mogensen: With smugs on the pass. And again, I cannot.00:52:08.000 --> 00:52:23.000Erik Mogensen: reiterate enough how sophisticated of an operator these guys are. Like, the DeLauriers are smart. They see the numbers, you know? Christian Knapp at PGRI, he sees the numbers. Steve Wright, these are smart guys. John Schaefer, the…00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:27.000Erik Mogensen: Really smart. You know, if they figure it out.00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:30.000Erik Mogensen: I think that that itself.00:52:29.000 --> 00:52:38.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, Jay has been, uh, has recommitted to Indy several times, uh, through one-year contracts. All right, Eric, IndyPass is still on sale?00:52:38.000 --> 00:52:56.000Erik Mogensen: Uh, 80 Pass is on sale right now, yes. I think what we've announced is we've said tomorrow's the day. I think we could go into midday Saturday. Um, it's… it's hard to tell, right? We look at a couple numbers, we look at people that have put things in their cart, and what the potential conversion rate is, and where things go, and…00:52:56.000 --> 00:53:01.000Erik Mogensen: the geography around them. We definitely have a very firm ceiling on what we're gonna sell.00:53:02.000 --> 00:53:10.000Erik Mogensen: When we're going to sell that through, that's the hard part. But yeah, we've identified that tomorrow's the day.00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:16.000Stuart Winchester: And this will be the end of 26-27 IndyPass sales guaranteed, or is there a chance for a flash December sale or something?00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:30.000Erik Mogensen: There is never a guarantee of anything in this thing. We are talking to some pretty major additions as well that I think would be meaningful, and we'll have to decide if that's a this year thing or a next year thing with them.00:53:19.000 --> 00:53:20.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:53:30.000 --> 00:53:46.000Stuart Winchester: I mean, you've already added over 40 new partners. India has more partners than Epic, Icon, Mountain Collective, Snowpass, and Mountain Collective Capital's Powerpass combined around the world. So you're saying we should expect or could expect more partners?00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:32.000Erik Mogensen: Alright.00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:49.000Stuart Winchester: In advance of the 26-27 winter?00:53:48.000 --> 00:54:02.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I can tell you that there will definitely be some more. And I think, Stu, it's actually about 60 new additions. And I know you don't like to count the cross-country ski areas, but we should maybe find a separate tab for them on the spreadsheet.00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:04.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:12.000Erik Mogensen: Every ski area matters to us here, whether it's cross country or downhill or big or small. I think that's what makes us different.00:54:11.000 --> 00:54:27.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, you know, I didn't start stop counting them out of malice. I stopped because I couldn't really understand them, and the maps kind of looked like a brain scan, and some would leave, and it was just a lot. I was already trying to track too much.00:54:27.000 --> 00:54:44.000Stuart Winchester: I will take that piece of advice, though, and I will see if I can find a place where they make sense. Eric, really appreciate everything today, appreciate everything you're doing with Indy and Black Mountain, and look forward to catching up with you again really soon.00:54:44.000 --> 00:54:49.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah. Thanks so much, Stu. Keep those spreadsheets going, dude.00:54:46.000 --> 00:54:47.000Stuart Winchester: Alright.00:54:48.000 --> 00:54:51.000Stuart Winchester: That's all I do.00:54:49.000 --> 00:54:52.000Erik Mogensen: Yeah, I know. See ya.00:54:51.000 --> 00:54:53.000Stuart Winchester: All right, take care.00:54:52.000 --> 00:54:53.000Erik Mogensen: Bye.00:54:55.000 --> 00:55:05.000Stuart Winchester: All right, that was Eric Mogensen, director of IndyPass, owner of Black Mountain, responding to some of the questions.00:55:06.000 --> 00:55:21.000Stuart Winchester: initial conversation I had with Joe Heschen the other day. So, uh, that's great. We have no more clarity on Snow King, and this episode went a little off the rails, because I need to… there's gonna be a lot of experimentation here, guys.00:55:21.000 --> 00:55:35.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, the… the opening take, I'm realizing, I don't know if I should be recording that before the guest. I think maybe I need to start with the guest, because otherwise, I end up having to cut myself short. So…00:55:35.000 --> 00:55:39.000Stuart Winchester: I want to get to some reader reaction.00:55:39.000 --> 00:55:42.000Stuart Winchester: To close us out today.00:55:42.000 --> 00:55:44.000Stuart Winchester: And…00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:47.000Stuart Winchester: The first comes from…00:55:47.000 --> 00:55:49.000Stuart Winchester: Matt Hart.00:55:49.000 --> 00:56:03.000Stuart Winchester: He said, really, this is in reaction to Brian Norton's interview yesterday about Loon Mountain's expansion. Matt Hart, really good, loved Brian's description of the expansion and how they will make it work from an operations point of view.00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:06.000Stuart Winchester: Catcher's mitt for snow, love it.00:56:06.000 --> 00:56:21.000Stuart Winchester: And then, and then Matt asks, did he give you grief for calling the Timbertown expansion that little one LOL? I, no, he didn't, but, but it is, I mean, it was a 30 acre expansion on a huge ski area. So, uh, I don't know, maybe, I think they, uh.00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:36.000Stuart Winchester: you know, I'm always the tourist, so anytime I'm asking these guys anything, they… I think that it sounds a little ridiculous, because they live it every day of their life. It would be like them asking me a question about my cats, you know, it's something that I'm around every day.00:56:36.000 --> 00:56:46.000Stuart Winchester: All right, this is a comment from Robert, a paid subscriber, which is the way you can interact with the show is to be a paid subscriber to the Storm Skiing Podcast.00:56:46.000 --> 00:57:00.000Stuart Winchester: Robert says, again, of the Brian Norton pod yesterday, great second effort. Are you planning to stick to a drop time of about 4 p.m. Eastern time? What is your anticipated schedule? Daily, four days a week, three?00:57:00.000 --> 00:57:07.000Stuart Winchester: 4pm drop makes for a nice way to wrap up the day, at least for those in a compatible time zone.00:57:07.000 --> 00:57:22.000Stuart Winchester: And then Brian Bench, paid subscriber, says, ditto on sharing the anticipated schedule. We humans are creatures of habit, and so would be great to know when we can generally expect these to land. Excited for your chat with Eric today. Well…00:57:22.000 --> 00:57:23.000Stuart Winchester: Brian.00:57:23.000 --> 00:57:26.000Stuart Winchester: I have an amazing guest.00:57:26.000 --> 00:57:29.000Stuart Winchester: scheduled for…00:57:29.000 --> 00:57:46.000Stuart Winchester: Sep

Relebogile Mabotja speaks to Gabbi Brondani a Writer and Travel correspondent about why a Ski holiday is the ultimate end-of-year adventure, including options for best mountain peaks in European Alps and other parts of the world like Lesotho. 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja is broadcast live on Johannesburg based talk radio station 702 every weekday afternoon. Relebogile brings a lighter touch to some of the issues of the day as well as a mix of lifestyle topics and a peak into the worlds of entertainment and leisure. Thank you for listening to a 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja podcast. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 13:00 to 15:00 (SA Time) to Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/2qKsEfu or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/DTykncj Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest BioCharlie Krarup is the Owner and Managing Director of Adventure Base, a leading adventure travel company specializing in experiences across the European Alps. With a deep passion for mountain sports and a knack for big-picture thinking, Charlie leads a dedicated team that designs unforgettable alpine adventures—from mountaineering and trekking to ski touring and trail running.A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Charlie brings an energetic, hands-on approach to leadership, blending strategic vision with a love for challenge and exploration. As both founder and operator, he's grown Adventure Base into a trusted partner for guided and self-guided experiences, known for its personalized service, meticulous planning, and commitment to safety. Whether working with solo travelers or custom group tours, Charlie and his team aim to make every journey seamless, inspiring, and deeply memorable.Show SummaryIn this episode of the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Charlie about his journey from a corporate career to becoming the owner of one of the Alps' most respected adventure travel companies. He shares how a pivotal moment—and his wife's encouragement—sparked his transition into building a business around his love for the outdoors.The conversation explores the unique appeal of the European Alps, where Adventure Base offers a wide range of year-round activities for all skill levels. Charlie dives into the philosophy behind the company's trips, the importance of language in adventure marketing, and how client expectations shape each experience. He also opens up about working alongside his wife and business partner, navigating cultural differences across alpine regions, and the values that drive his team's success—chief among them: authenticity, communication, and meaningful connections with clients. Learn more about Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Marketing and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.

She's the queen of the roadtrip, and bestselling author and travel writer Lee Atkinson joins us to talk about her latest adventure, motorbiking across the European Alps. A self-described 'pillion princess', Lee and husband Bill shipped their Suzuki V-Strom tourer to the UK to ride 10,000km through the mountains over three months. Lee shares the trials of ultra-light packing and the joys of kevlar jeans. Her latest book, Ultimate Backroads & Detours: Australia is for lovers of road trips, but haters of traffic, and is out now. Visit leeatkinson.com.au  ​ Also, some personal anecdotes about getting out of the Middle East as war takes hold of the region, and the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) says not to panic-cancel your upcoming European trip.Send us Fan MailSupport the showVisit us at https://theworldawaits.au

If you think the worst thing that can happen while skiing is trying not to scream while the ski patrol figures out why your leg's bending that way, we have a lot to teach you about skiing. Spoiler: mountains can cook and kill people. Don't say this podcast doesn't teach you things. On today's episode:  you will learn why Frankenstein was more graceful on stolen corpse feet than you are in snowboots; you'll learn why diagonal tunnels basically act as nature's secret logistical flamethrowers; and we'll see how a $40 appliance permanently derailed a $30-million-a-year alpine operation and changed European history.And if you were listening on Patreon… you would hear about the industrial accident that unearthed the entire history of humanity in Western Europe; you would hear about all the terrible things that happened to the last King of England to die in battle before and after he actually died (spoiler: most of the injuries were after); and if you don't know the story, we'll tell you how Dionysus gave Damocles PTSD.This is one of those bad day at work/bad holiday episodes where everything that could have helped along the way was too expensive, and the one thing that was supposed to help someone was so cheap, it killed almost everybody. We're going to learn a lot about just how weird and active fire can be. Most people picture fire like this: Flames burn, heat rises, you step back. That's fine, if it's burning in a free and open space. You have no chance of being suffocated by it, and it's easy to play keep away with. In an open-air fire, heat rises and disperses, oxygen flows in from every which way, and the smoke just carries away on the breeze. In today's fire, not so much. We will be facing less of a camp fire and more of a blow torch. This episode also marks our return to the European Alps, where we will discover an entirely different way of being afraid of mountains, so that's fun! And as long as we're learning to be afraid of new things, we're also going to look at how everything around us, from the things we sit on to the clothes we wear, all break down into vaporized toxins that will absolutely make for not so good think before shutting you off for good. This is also an episode that extends our philosophy that any “vehicle” could double as a coffin, and funicular is a vehicle we've never explored before.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/doomsday-history-s-most-dangerous-podcast--4866335/support.

WhoRyan Brown, Director of Golf & Ski at The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva, WisconsinRecorded onJune 17, 2025About the Mountaintop at Grand GenevaClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Marcus HotelsLocated in: Lake Geneva, WisconsinYear founded: 1968Pass affiliations: NoneClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Alpine Valley (:23), Wilmot Mountain (:29), Crystal Ridge (:48), Alpine Hills Adventure Park (1:04)Base elevation: 847 feetSummit elevation: 962 feetVertical drop: 115 feetSkiable acres: 30Average annual snowfall: 34 inchesTrail count: 21 (41% beginner, 41% intermediate, 18% advanced)Lift count: 6 (3 doubles, 1 ropetow, 2 carpets)Why I interviewed himOf America's various mega-regions, the Midwest is the quietest about its history. It lacks the quaint-town Colonialism and Revolutionary pride of the self-satisfied East, the cowboy wildness and adobe earthiness of the West, the defiant resentment of the Lost Glory South. Our seventh-grade Michigan History class stapled together the state's timeline mostly as a series of French explorers passing through on their way to somewhere more interesting. They were followed by a wave of industrial loggers who mowed the primeval forests into pancakes. Then the factories showed up. And so the state's legacy was framed not as one of political or cultural or military primacy, but of brand, the place that stamped out Chevys and Fords by the tens of millions.To understand the Midwest, then, we must look for what's permanent. The land itself won't do. It's mostly soil, mostly flat. Great for farming, bad for vistas. Dirt doesn't speak to the soul like rock, like mountains. What humans built doesn't tell us a much better story. Everything in the Midwest feels too new to conceal ghosts. The largest cities rose late, were destroyed in turn by fires and freeways, eventually recharged with arenas and glass-walled buildings that fail to echo or honor the past. Nothing lasts: the Detroit Pistons built the Palace of Auburn Hills in 1988 and developers demolished it 32 years later; the Detroit Lions (and, for a time, the Pistons) played at the Pontiac Silverdome, a titanic, 82,600-spectator stadium that opened in 1976 and came down in 2013 (37 years old). History seemed to bypass the region, corralling the major wars to the east and shooing the natural disasters to the west and south. Even shipwrecks lose their doubloons-and-antique-cannons romance in the Midwest: the Great Lakes most famous downed vessel, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, sank into Lake Superior in 1975. Her cargo was 26,535 tons of taconite ore pellets. A sad story, but not exactly the sinking of the Titanic.Our Midwest ancestors did leave us one legacy that no one has yet demolished: names. Place names are perhaps the best cultural relics of the various peoples who occupied this land since the glaciers retreated 12,000-ish years ago. Thousands of Midwest cities, towns, and counties carry Native American names. “Michigan” is derived from the Algonquin “Mishigamaw,” meaning “big lake”; “Minnesota” from the Sioux word meaning “cloudy water.” The legacies of French explorers and missionaries live on in “Detroit” (French for “strait”), “Marquette” (17th century French missionary Jacques Marquette), and “Eau Claire” (“clear water”).But one global immigration funnel dominated what became the modern Midwest: 50 percent of Wisconsin's population descends from German, Nordic, or Scandinavian countries, who arrived in waves from the Colonial era through the early 1900s. The surnames are everywhere: Schmitz and Meyer and Webber and Schultz and Olson and Hanson. But these Old-Worlders came a bit late to name the cities and towns. So they named what they built instead. And they built a lot of ski areas. Ten of Wisconsin's 34 ski areas carry names evocative of Europe's cold regions, Scandinavia and the Alps:I wonder what it must have been like, in 18-something-or-other, to leave a place where the Alps stood high on the horizon, where your family had lived in the same stone house for centuries, and sail for God knows how many weeks or months across an ocean, and slow roll overland by oxen cart or whatever they moved about in back then, and at the end of this great journey find yourself in… Wisconsin? They would have likely been unprepared for the landscape aesthetic. Tourism is a modern invention. “The elite of ancient Egypt spent their fortunes building pyramids and having their corpses mummified, but none of them thought of going shopping in Babylon or taking a skiing holiday in Phoenicia [partly in present-day Lebanon, which is home to as many as seven ski areas],” Yuval Noah Harari writes in Sapiens his 2015 “brief history of humankind.” Imagine old Friedrich, who had never left Bavaria, reconstituting his world in the hillocks and flats of the Midwest.Nothing against Wisconsin, but fast-forward 200 years, when the robots can give us a side-by-side of the upper Midwest and the European Alps, and it's pretty clear why one is a global tourist destination and the other is known mostly as a place that makes a lot of cheese. And well you can imagine why Friedrich might want to summon a little bit of the old country to the texture of his life in the form of a ski area name. That these two worlds - the glorious Alps and humble Wisconsin skiing - overlap, even in a handful of place names, suggests a yearning for a life abandoned, a natural act of pining by a species that was not built to move their life across timezones.This is not a perfect analysis. Most – perhaps none – of these ski areas was founded by actual immigrants, but by their descendants. The Germanic languages spoken by these immigrant waves did not survive assimilation. But these little cultural tokens did. The aura of ancestral place endured when even language fell away. These little ski areas honor that.And by injecting grandiosity into the everyday, they do something else. In coloring some of the world's most compact ski centers with the aura of some of its most iconic, their founders left us a message: these ski areas, humble as they are, matter. They fuse us to the past and they fuse us to the majesty of the up-high, prove to us that skiing is worth doing anywhere that it can be done, ensure that the ability to move like that and to feel the things that movement makes you feel are not exclusive realms fenced into the clouds, somewhere beyond means and imagination.Which brings us to Grand Geneva, a ski area name that evokes the great Swiss gateway city to the Alps. Too bad reality rarely matches up with the easiest narrative. The resort draws its name from the nearby town of Lake Geneva, which a 19th-century surveyor named not after the Swiss city, but after Geneva, New York, a city (that is apparently named after Geneva, Switzerland), on the shores of Seneca Lake, the largest of the state's 11 finger lakes. Regardless, the lofty name was the fifth choice for a ski area originally called “Indian Knob.” That lasted three years, until the ski area shuttered and re-opened as the venerable Playboy Ski Area in 1968. More regrettable names followed – Americana Resort from 1982 to '93, Hotdog Mountain from 1992 to '94 – before going with the most obvious and least-questionable name, though its official moniker, “The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva” is one of the more awkward names in American skiing.None of which explains the principal question of this sector: why I interviewed Mr. Brown. Well, I skied a bunch of Milwaukee bumps on my drive up to Bohemia from Chicago last year, this was one of them, and I thought it was a cute little place. I also wondered how, with its small-even-for-Wisconsin vertical drop and antique lift collection, the place had endured in a state littered with abandoned ski areas. Consider it another entry into my ongoing investigation into why the ski areas that you would not always expect to make it are often the ones that do.What we talked aboutFighting the backyard effect – “our customer base – they don't really know” that the ski areas are making snow; a Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison bullseye; competing against the Vail-owned mountain to the south and the high-speed-laced ski area to the north; a golf resort with a ski area tacked on; “you don't need a big hill to have a great park”; brutal Midwest winters and the escape of skiing; I attempt to talk about golf again and we're probably done with that for a while; Boyne Resorts as a “top golf destination”; why Grand Geneva moved its terrain park; whether the backside park could re-open; “we've got some major snowmaking in the works”; potential lift upgrades; no bars on the lifts; the ever-tradeoff between terrain parks and beginner terrain; the ski area's history as a Playboy Club and how the ski hill survived into the modern era; how the resort moves skiers to the hill with hundreds of rooms and none of them on the trails; thoughts on Indy Pass; and Lake Geneva lake life.What I got wrongWe recorded this conversation prior to Sunburst's joining Indy Pass, so I didn't mention the resort when discussing Wisconsin ski areas on the product.Podcast NotesOn the worst season in the history of the MidwestI just covered this in the article that accompanied the podcast on Treetops, Michigan, but I'll summarize it this way: the 2023-24 ski season almost broke the Midwest. Fortunately, last winter was better, and this year is off to a banging start.On steep terrain beneath lift AI just thought this was a really unexpected and cool angle for such a little hill. On the Playboy ClubFrom SKI magazine, December 1969:It is always interesting when giants merge. Last winter Playboy magazine (5.5 million readers) and the Playboy Club (19 swinging nightclubs from Hawaii to New York to Jamaica, with 100,000 card-carrying members) in effect joined the sport of skiing, which is also a large, but less formal, structure of 3.5 million lift-ticket-carrying members. The resulting conglomerate was the Lake Geneva Playboy Club-Hotel, Playboy's ski resort on the rolling plains of Wisconsin.The Playboy Club people must have borrowed the idea of their costumed Bunny Waitress from the snow bunny of skiing fame, and since Playboy and skiing both manifestly devote themselves to the pleasures of the body, some sort of merger was inevitable. Out of this union, obviously, issued the Ultimate Ski Bunny – one able to ski as well as sport the scanty Bunny costume to lustrous perfection.That's a bit different from how the resort positions its ski facilities today:Enjoy southern Wisconsin's gem - our skiing and snow resort in the countryside of Lake Geneva, with the best ski hills in Wisconsin. The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa boasts 20 downhill ski runs and terrain designed for all ages, groups and abilities, making us one of the best ski resorts in Wisconsin. Just an hour from Milwaukee and Chicago, our ski resort in Lake Geneva is close enough to home for convenience, but far enough for you and your family to have an adventure. Our ultimate skier's getaway offers snowmaking abilities that allow our ski resort to stay open even when there is no snow falling.The Mountain Top offers ski and snow accommodations, such as trolley transportation available from guest rooms at Grand Geneva and Timber Ridge Lodge, three chairlifts, two carpet lifts, a six-acre terrain park, excellent group rates, food and drinks at Leinenkugel's Mountain Top Lodge and even night skiing. We have more than just skiing! Enjoy Lake Geneva sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing too. Truly something for everyone at The Mountain Top ski resort in Lake Geneva. No ski equipment? No problem with the Learn to Ride rentals. Come experience The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva and enjoy the best skiing around Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.On lost Wisconsin and Midwest ski areasThe Midwest Lost Ski Areas Project counts 129 lost ski areas in Wisconsin. I've yet to order these Big Dumb Chart-style, but there are lots of cool links in here that can easily devour your day.The Storm explores the world of North American lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

November's elections brought victories across the country for state and local Democratic candidates who pledged to address rising energy costs. The challenges of meeting those promises the incoming Governors of Virginia and New Jersey, and Mayor of New York, will likely face. Also, a recent report warns that the European Alps, Rockies of the Western U.S. and Canada, Iceland, and Scandinavia would lose nearly all ice at 2°Celsius of warming – a threshold we're currently on track to exceed.  And in the Peruvian Amazon, the Asháninka people have developed a symbiotic relationship with the local bees, which often lack stingers, and their honey. A new and innovative law in Peru has granted these bees legal rights to help protect them and the indigenous people living with them. ---  Federal funding for public radio has ended. But support from listeners like you always helps us keep the lights on no matter what. Living on Earth needs listeners like you to keep our weekly environmental news coverage going strong. If you're already an LoE supporter, thank you! And if you've been considering supporting LoE, now is a great time to give during our fall fundraiser. Visit LoE dot org and click donate. And thank you for supporting Living on Earth! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Relebogile Mabotja speaks to Iga Motylska a Travel Journalist, and the Founder of Eagerjourneys.com about a winter skiing holiday in Poland, in contrast to the European Alps. 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja is broadcast live on Johannesburg based talk radio station 702 every weekday afternoon. Relebogile brings a lighter touch to some of the issues of the day as well as a mix of lifestyle topics and a peak into the worlds of entertainment and leisure. Thank you for listening to a 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja podcast. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 13:00 to 15:00 (SA Time) to Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/2qKsEfu or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/DTykncj Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As President Xi concludes his tour of key East Asian exporting nations, Will Bain explores what deepening ties with Cambodia could mean for the region which also faces the threat of high US tariffs. Also on the programme, the United States unveils plans to impose new port fees on Chinese-built and operated ships—part of a push to revive its domestic shipbuilding industry. China warns the move will disrupt supply chains and hurt global trade. And we head to the European Alps, where a rare spring snowstorm has brought both chaos and celebration.

Join us as we welcome Maya Crowne and Price Latimer, the visionary founders of Alkemis Paint, who are reshaping the sustainable paint industry with their passion and innovation. Maya takes us on her personal journey from the world of corporate finance to the realm of eco-friendly entrepreneurship, inspired by her love for art and a quest for environmentally sound paint solutions. Meanwhile, Price shares their commitment to using natural pigments and materials that not only beautify spaces but also enhance wellness, underscoring the philosophical core of their company.Explore the vibrant landscape of the natural paint market with us, where Maya and Price highlight a transformative shift toward sustainable alternatives that eschew petrochemicals. From collaborating with architects and interior designers to connecting with the DIY community, they share their experiences in educating various sectors about the benefits of their innovative products. We touch on the unique properties of their paints, such as fire resistance and superior light reflectance, while discussing their holistic and historical significance.Discover the meticulous craftsmanship behind Alkemis Paint's offerings, sourced from the pristine European Alps and crafted with precision to meet the highest standards. Maya and Price reveal their vision for global expansion, with exciting plans to introduce products like LimeWash and exterior paints. They reflect on the importance of conscious consumerism, encouraging a lifestyle shift towards quality and sustainability. Tune in for a compelling conversation on how Alkemis Paint is not just transforming walls but also inspiring a more thoughtful way of living.

It's in our water, our food, and so many other products we use on a daily basis, from non-stick pans to popcorn bags. And it's making us really sick.More and more scientists are becoming concerned that PFAS chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals,” are impacting human health. Evidence is growing that links these everyday exposures, particularly to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (or EDCs), are linked to cancer, infertility, birth defects, asthma, allergies, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and more.In this episode, we talk to one of the world's leading environmental health scientists and advocates about the impact of forever chemicals and what we can do about it. Arlene Blum is the founder and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute. This is a replay from 2022.We cover:

This week on Hashtag History, we will be discussing Mark Weinberger, known as “The Nose Doctor”. To put it bluntly, Weinberger, a doctor who opened up his own practice in Indiana, was performing hundreds of unnecessary - and sometimes, negligent - sinus procedures on patients. In fact, according to a Vanity Fair article, he recommended surgery to 90% of his patients! 90%! That is an overwhelming number! Many of these patients either did not actually need the surgery OR were misdiagnosed with sinus problems when, in fact, they had things like cancer. As medical malpractice and insurance fraud lawsuits began to stack up, Weinberger decided to hop ship and travel to Greece with his third wife to celebrate her thirtieth birthday. While on this vacation, Weinberger disappeared without telling his wife where he was going. She would soon find out that he had left her with more than $6 million in debt. Weinberger would not be found until five years later in the European Alps when his girlfriend spotted him on an episode of America's Most Wanted. Despite pleading guilty to 22 counts of healthcare fraud in 2011, Weinberger is now a free man…and you are not even ready to hear what kind of scammy operation he is running now. Follow Hashtag History on Instagram @hashtaghistory_podcast for all of the pictures mentioned in this episode. Citations for all sources can be located on our website at www.HashtagHistory-Pod.com. You can also check out our website for super cute merch! You can now sponsor a cocktail and get a shout-out on air! Just head to www.buymeacoffee.com/hashtaghistory or head to the Support tab on our website! You can locate us on www.Patreon.com/hashtaghistory where you can donate $1 a month to our Books and Booze Supply. All of your support goes a long ways and we are endlessly grateful! To show our gratitude, all Patreon Supporters receive an automatic 15% OFF all merchandise in our merchandise store, a shoutout on social media, and stickers! THANKS FOR LISTENING! - Rachel and Leah --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hashtaghistory/support

In this episode, we discuss Max's experience working as a cheese maker on a dairy farm in the Alps. High alpine dairy farming has a strong tradition in the European Alps that came about 3000 years ago. Every year tough farmers make their way into the mountains to herd cattle and preserve the precious milk into cheese, butter, and other dairy products.Episode Overview:Max's experience managing a high-elevation dairy farm in the Alps together with 2 of his friendsHow cheese is made in the Alps and some of the differences between the types of cheese and their regionsBest practices for aging and storing raw milk cheeseSeveral alpine cheese-making traditions, like backpacking giant wheels of cheese down the mountainUse code “yearofplenty” (all lower case) for 15% OFF at www.mtblock.comMY ULTIMATE FORAGING GEAR LIST - Check it outLeave a review on Apple or Spotify and send a screenshot to theyearofplenty@gmail.com or my Instagram to receive a FREE EBOOK with my favorite food preservation recipes.Support the podcast via donations:https://www.patreon.com/poldiwielandhttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/yearofplentyWatch the Video Podcasts on X:https://x.com/yearofplentypod/status/1756019357015228865?s=20Sign up for the newsletter:www.theyearofplenty.com/newsletterSubscribe to the Youtube VLOG:https://www.youtube.com/@yearofplentypodcastDo you follow the podcast on social media yet?IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53RT

Some hotels are turning their bar lounges into dining experiences and right now it's all about elegant après-ski chalets. At the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles, which recently underwent a 2.5 billion USD renovation, the après-ski experience takes you directly to the slopes. This luxury hotel has transformed its outdoor bar lounge patio into a twinkling winter wonderland with Swiss chalets. The lobby bar patio has been converted into luxuriously appointed whimsical and cozy Alpine wood chalets with authentic winter trimmings. It's a partnership with the champagne brand Veuve Clicquot. The experience includes an idyllic photo opportunity on a skidoo and après-ski delicacies that include a three-course menu and choices of four festive winter cocktails. Ramon Bojorquez, Executive Chef at the Fairmont Century Plaza and its Lumiere Brasserie, says the concept is to create a seasonal experience for guests. They have curated a menu that would be authentically found on a European ski trip. “From the culinary perspective, we thought it would be a great idea to give somebody a warm hug. So we chose dishes that are representative of something that is warm and thought out, so, the fondue is obviously a classic and we thought a dish such as a braised beef cheek or even a schnitzel would be something warm and filling for somebody who comes off the slopes,” says Bojorquez. Matthew Kang, Senior Editor, EATER LA, a culinary website, says it's a good idea for restaurants to make themselves stand out. “For high-end hotels, you want to provide something different. You want to have a unique experience for even the well-heeled traveler and as well-heeled as one might be, going and taking your family on a trip to Europe, it's timely, it's expensive, it's a hassle so this is really something that is more convenient. We have something that gives you a very similar feel. It gives you something that is fun and shareable ultimately. You're going to put this on your social media and you're kind of going to get the same amount of clout. It's still a fun time,” says Kang. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Barry Gray (Baz) is a modern-day explorer and adventurer specialising in extreme cold climates. Barry is currently planning the Solo Unsupported and Unassisted crossing of the Antarctic continent from Coast to Coast in 2024, a journey still yet to be completed, if successful, this will be a world first. Barry was always an adventurous spirit growing up, very much the outdoor type. He enjoyed almost every type of sport and excelled in quite a few of them. His true-life adventure started as a 16-year-old when he applied to join the Royal Marine Commandos. Before he reached his eighteenth birthday, he had completed the world's toughest military basic training course and took his place amongst the UK's finest soldiers. The Royal Marines are the UK's specialists in Mountain and Cold Weather training. All Royal Marines go through this training but it's a unique and special group of marines that deliver the training, they are known as the Mountain Leader Branch. Barry applied for the gruelling and extremely challenging course in 1998 and was a fully trained Mountain Leader instructor 10 months later. Barry then went on to become the Chief Instructor of this very special group in 2007. Barry's career saw him deployed on Operational tours to Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. As a Royal Marine and Mountain Leader, he has travelled the globe including the Himalayas, Norway, European Alps, The Andes, USA, Oman, Brunei, and Antarctica to name but a few. Barry decided to leave the Royal Marines in December 2016 after 26 years, achieving the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM). Amongst his passions are polar history, especially the heroic age, and in 2013 he took part in the successful Shackleton Epic expedition in which he was part of the team that authentically re-enacted Shackleton's 1916 escape from Elephant Island and crossing of South Georgia. One of the most remarkable Survival stories ever told. The journey can be seen as a three-part documentary on Discovery Channel called “Shackleton Death or Glory” Barry also skied Solo and unsupported to the South Pole in 2018-19 covering 730 miles in only 38 days making him the third quickest person in history to do so. This was part one of a two part plan to be the first man to ski Solo and Unsupported, without any assistance, to cross the entire Antarctic continent from sea to sea via the South Pole. This attempt is planned for October 2023. Barry now runs a motivational leadership business which is another big passion; to help others through mindset and resilience become the best versions of themselves.

In this episode of SparX, Mukesh (Founder Myntra and Cult.Fit) is in conversation with Dr. Marcus Ranney, Founder & CEO of Human Edge, ‘The Longeivity Science Company' based on highly personalised bio hacks or commonly said ‘incremental biological interventions' based on simple lifestyle changes, for each participant. A Business Professional in Healthcare and Technology, Marcus completed his Bachelors of Science and Medical degrees from University College Medical School in London. His spectacular expeditions have led him climbing the sides of Everest, skiing in the Arctic, the European Alps and serving as a medical officer in the Royal Air Force and at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Bonding over the curiosity of the longevity phenomenon, Mukesh and Marcus discuss in length about health, bio hacks and the future of health testing. What exactly happens when we age? What is the difference between Chronological and Biological age? Do you need to take supplements? All these questions and more answered in this episode.A published author, public health commentator and keynote speaker, in 2013, the World Economic Forum appointed him as a Global Shaper, don't miss out on this insightful discussion these two leading visionaries!00:00 - 1:03 Sneak Peak of the Episode!1:04 - 2:00 Introducing our guest: Dr. Marcus Ranney! 2:01 - 8:57 Early experiences that shaped Marcus's career8:58 - 13:46 Cardiovascular Exercise & Mountains: Marcus's two passions 13:47 - 18:30 Being around nature and what it does for your body18:31 - 23:04 Marcus's stint at NASA23:05 - 32:12 The longevity phenomenon & its future 32:13 - 37:59 Fundamental aspects of living longer 38:00 - 42:05 Marcus asks Mukesh a question! 42:06 - 48:10 Ageing 101: What, How & Why?48:11 -  56:44 Testing Chronological & Biological Age56:45 - 1:03:24 Approaching Health Tests 1:03:25 - 1:06:18 Health Testing in India 1:06:19 - 1:17:02 Introducing Health Supplements in your life 1:17:03 - 1:19:18 Emergence of Ayurveda in the Supplement Range  1:19:19 - 1:22:03 Proliferation of IV Therapy 1:22:04 - 1:28:22 Marcus talks about ‘Recovery Stack' 1:28:23 - 1:31:38 Relevance of Stem Cells 1:31:39 - 1:34:22 Blood Transfusion: Possible Option or a Haywire in making? 1:34:23 - 1:38:34 “We're living in a golden age”…Access to mechanism of human ageing 1:38:35 - 1:40:11 Thanking our wonderful guest!About SparX by Mukesh BansalSparX is a podcast where we delve into the cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth. We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us. In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career. This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you.Follow us on Instagram: @sparxbymukeshbansal  Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.comYou can also listen to SparX on all audio platformsFasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com

EPISODE 7.20 Chic Scott is a renowned mountain adventurer, guide, and author who has been exploring high places for over 50 years. Born in Calgary in 1945, Chic is a fourth-generation Albertan and a third-generation Calgarian with a family history of organizing amateur sports. He represented Alberta at the Canadian Junior Golf Championship in 1961 but took up mountain climbing and skiing the following year and has been passionate about these pursuits ever since. Chic has climbed and skied in many locations around the world, including the Canadian Rockies, the European Alps, and the Himalayas. He has organized clubs and foundations, written books, and worked as a mountain guide. Some of his notable achievements include the first winter ascent of Mount Assiniboine in 1967, the first successful completion of the Jasper to Lake Louise High-Level Ski Traverse, and the first Himalayan summit reached by a Canadian, Myagdi Matha, in 1973. Chic Scott is an epic writer with over 150 articles or journal contributions and 17 books as writer or co-writer, including "Summits and Icefields: Alpine Ski Tours in the Canadian Rockies", "Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering", "Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies", "Powder Pioneers: Ski Stories from the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains", and "Deep Powder and Steep Rock: The Life of Mountain Guide Hans Gmoser". Chic's guidebook, "Summits and Icefields," is considered a classic of the genre, while "Pushing the Limits, the Story of Canadian Mountaineering," is considered the authority on the subject. He has received honorary memberships in the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, the Calgary Mountain Club, The Alpine Club of Canada, and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. In 2000, Chic received the Bill March Summit of Excellence Award at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, and in 2018, he received the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Chic currently resides in Banff, Alberta, where he writes books and magazine articles, gives presentations on mountain topics, and enjoys hiking, skiing, and climbing in the nearby Rocky Mountains. Dom: Intro Chic: From golf to skiing and mountaineering 4:35 Dom: Talks about the changes and prep 7:35 Chic: Illustrates the mountains melting 11:40 Chic: Weather and going into the unknown 15:59 Dom: Ques up the Banff film festival origins 25:05 Chic: Age is a number 31:12 Chic: Explains his love for literature 35:00 Chic: You thought your move was bad 40:00 Chic: Rappelling lesson learned 56:55 Dom: Outro Socials: The Avalanche Hour Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theavalanchehourpodcast/ Guest - https://www.instagram.com/ Links: Chic Scott's Website - https://chicscott.com/index.htm Whyte Museum Fireside chats - https://www.whyte.org/digitalvault/categories/fireside-chats Whyte Museum Pushing the Limits Legacy interview series https://www.whyte.org/pushing-limits-legacy Sponsors for this episode: Wyssen : https://www.wyssenavalanche.com/en/ Crew: Host - Dom Baker - https://instagram.com/dom_baken/ Producer - Cameron Griffin - https://www.instagram.com/backcountrycam/ Donate: The Avalanche Hour Podcast - https://www.theavalanchehour.com/donate The American Avalanche Association - https://www.americanavalancheassociation.org/donate Music: Gravy - https://soundcloud.com/gravy Devil's Punchbowl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0I2zpUuy1U

Ajmal & Marc are joined by Peter Thompson from Independent Porsche workshop, Purely Porscha in Perth Western Australia. His background with Ferrari and Porsche along with a life rallying, adventure trekking around Australia, across the European Alps and across the South American Andes in a Cayenne as mechanical support has well prepared him for starting his own business. Peter chose our intro song, which is a classic. Let us know your opinion. Ajmal is @flatcapdriver Marc is @marcandcars Peter can be found at www.purelyporscha.com.au  Please support the show sponsor www.kuoe-en.com  Reach out with any feedback. Drive safe.  

James Thacker is a IFMGA Mountain Guide, member of the British Association of Mountain Guides (BMG) and Mountaineering Instructor (WMCI) splitting time between Chamonix, France, and Kingussie, Scotland. James' enthusiasm for working in the mountains has taken him to Arctic Greenland, the Himalayas, the "classic north faces" of the European Alps and rock climbing around the world. For sixteen years James was actively involved with Mountain Rescue in the Peak District as a member of Derby MRT and Edale MRT. With this casualty care experience James has also developed an interest in the management of patients in the mountains, and is enrolled on the ORMS Hazardous Environment Medical Technician (HEMT) scheme. In recent years James has also contributed to the wider agenda of mountain safety via the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), and is a Trustee of the Chris Walker Memorial Trust (CWMT). CWMT strives to fund and deliver, in conjunction with the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), continuing professional development training in avalanche awareness in Scotland. James is also an Observer/Forecaster for the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) and member of the Applied Psychology and Human Factors (APHF) group, collaborating with Aberdeen University and various sectors of industry. In this session James speaks to us about fundamentals of Mountain Rescue in the Alps, including: Origins of: James MR experience Derby MRT and Edale MRT The HEMT scheme and what it gave James Involvement with the BMC Alps: The differences in landscape and challenges between the alps and Cairngorms Technicality of rescue in the Alps Changing conditions/factors to consider Avalanche risk Cold injury Altitude Seminal cases

Harlow Robinson is an accomplished mountain runner and the founding member of the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. Since 2006, he worked as direct care staff and board member with Healthy Futures, a statewide program that helps thousands of at risk youth around Alaska build self-esteem and life skills. He grew up living a subsistence lifestyle in remote Alaska until third grade and in 1973 his family was the subject of the Alaska Family Robinson article in National Geographic. He and his Kiwi wife Gina spend a substantial amount of time in New Zealand and both of their fathers are renowned mountain climbers. He's raced dozens of Alaskan mountain races and wilderness races and won several, including both the winter and summer Alaska Wilderness Races, an unsupported 100-200 mile point-to-point race through the Alaskan wilderness. Hd also did the Transalpine stage race in Europe, which is about 200 miles over a span of eight days through and over the European Alps. Additionally, after many years and many attempts, Harlow completed the 12 peak challenge, a 24 hour race that links the twelve 5,000-foot mountains in the Chugach range overlooking Anchorage, Alaska. In the past five years, Harlow has experienced life passing by quickly, and so in that time, he's changed some of his personal paradigms. This effort required acceptance, commitment, a new level of honesty with yourself, personal vulnerability and has revealed wonderful and surprising layers. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cutting-for-sign/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cutting-for-sign/support

Cheyenne Loch ist Profi-Snowboarderin in der Deutschen Nationalmannschaft. Ausbleibender Schnee und steigende Temperaturen bedrohen ihren Sport und damit auch den Skitourismus für Millionen Alpin-Fans. Gleichzeitig verschärft der Skitourismus die Klimakrise weiter. Wie lebt man den Balanceakt zwischen Leidenschaft und Klimaschutz? Feedback, Kritik, Ideen? Schreiben Sie gerne eine Mail an klimabericht@spiegel.de Redaktion: Jelena Berner, Jannis Schakarian, Regina Steffens  Produktion und Sounddesign: Philipp Fackler Weiterführende Links zur Folge:  Klimakrise in den Alpen: Wenn die Piste wegtaut (Der SPIEGEL) Klima- und Energiekrise: Skifahren wird wieder zum Elitenvergnügen (Der SPIEGEL) Observed snow depth trends in the European Alps: 1971 to 2019 (Studie von 2021) Klimabericht-Folge zum Buckelwal Salt Mehr Hintergründe zur Klimakrise erhalten Sie bei SPIEGEL+. Jetzt für nur € 1,– im ersten Monat testen unter https://www.spiegel.de/abonnieren.Mehr Hintergründe zum Thema erhalten Sie bei SPIEGEL+. Jetzt für nur € 1,– im ersten Monat testen unter spiegel.de/abonnieren Informationen zu unserer Datenschutzerklärung

We live in our bodies but how much do we really understand about how they work? On this episode of Take aPause, Varun chats with physician entrepreneur Dr. Marcus Ranney on the fundamentals each of us should focus on to not just live long lives but the healthiest possible lives in bodies that allow us to achieve our optimum potential as individuals. Find out how you can successfully biohack popular practices like intermittent fasting, regulating caffeine intake, ice baths, and calorie deficit diets to gain peak performance levels. A business professional in healthcare and technology, Dr. Marcus Ranney specialises in research that explores the limits of the human body for optimum performance and longevity. His exploits include climbing the sides of Everest, skiing in the Arctic, the European Alps, and serving as a medical officer in the Royal Air Force and at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Currently based in Mumbai, he is the founder of Human Edge, a longevity science company with the vision of democratising the healthspan of the workforce across the globe. He is also a published author, a keen athlete and marathon runner, and holds a Guinness World Record for backwards running. You can Order Varun's book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take apause with Varun Duggirala” ( previously “The Varun Duggi show”) is a twice a week podcast that's meant to enable its listeners to take a pause amidst the chaos of their daily lives to learn tools, embrace ideas and soak in concepts that will help them find motivation, build the right mindset and perform at their best. Varun also occasionally taps into the minds of truly interesting people to give listeners a learn from and use in their work, life and everything in-between. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

On this episode of Designed By Tradition, we sit down with Mike Hattrup of Black Diamond. Having spent his entire career in skiing, in both hardgoods and softgoods categories. Mike was the US Alpine Product Marketing Manager for Fischer Sports, where he led the development of its award winning freeride collection. Previously, he was International Sales Director and the Global Backside Director for K2 Skis. He spent ten years on Marmot's Design Board Team and another four years spearheading the development of Outdoor Research's freeride collection.Prior to his business career, Hattrup was a mogul competitor eventually earning him a spot on the US Freestyle Ski Team. He starred in over a dozen ski films including the influential “Blizzard of Aahhh's.” While filming in Chamonix, he became captivated by the terrain beyond the resort boundaries. This led to him becoming one of the first certified AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guides. He's guided clients in the US, Canada, South America, Norway and the European Alps.Listen here only of Designed By Tradition!

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter   Facebook Group The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you'd search for a friend and request to join.   Historical Events 1880 Birth of Reginald Farrer ("Fair-rur")(books by this author), the legendary English rock and alpine gardener, plant explorer, nurseryman, writer, and painter. A son of a wealthy family in the Yorkshire Dales, Reginald repeatedly referenced Yorkshire in his writing. Reginald was born with many physical challenges. He had a cleft palate, speech difficulties, and what Reg himself called a "pygmy body." He had many surgeries to correct his mouth, which meant he was homeschooled. But the silver lining of his solitary childhood was his connection to nature. Reginald found happiness among flora and fauna, and he particularly loved the rocks, ravines, and hills around his home. At 14, he created his first rock garden, which eventually became a Craven nursery specializing in Asian mountain plants. Every time Reginald went on expeditions, he sent new alpine plants and seeds to Craven.  After college, Reginald became a devout Buddhist, and he liked to say that he found "joy in high places." The European Alps became a yearly touchstone. And although he saw some of the most incredible mountains vistas in the world - they held no sway with Reginald. For Reginald - it was always about the plants. Reginald wrote, It may come as a shock and a heresy to my fellow Ramblers when I make the confession that, to me, the mountains… exist simply as homes and backgrounds to their population of infinitesimal plants. Reginald's book, The Garden of Asia, launched his writing career and showed garden writers a new way to write about plants. The botanist Clarence Elliot observed, As a writer of garden books [Reginald] stood alone. He wrote… from a peculiar angle... giving queer human attributes to his plants, which somehow exactly described them. His passion for rock gardens was perfectly timed. The British gardening public latched on to rock gardening with a frenzy. Rockeries were in every backyard. Reginald's book My Rock Garden (1907)was an instant success and earned him the moniker Prince of Alpine Gardeners.  In 1919, at the age of 40, Reginald took a trip to Myanmar. He would never see his beloved Yorkshire again. He met his end alone on a remote Burmese mountain. Most reports say he died of Diptheria, but the explorer and botanist Joseph Rock said he heard Reginald drank himself to death on the night of October 17th, 1920. And I thought of Reginald up on that mountain alone when I researched the etymology of the name of his nursery, Craven, which means defeated, crushed, or overwhelmed. Today Reginald is remembered in the names of many plants like the beautiful blue Gentiana farreri ("jen-tee-AYE-na FAIR-ur-eye"). And the Alpine Garden Society's most highly-prized show medal is the Farrer Medal, which honors the best plant in the show. It was Reginald Farrer who said, I think the true gardener is a lover of his flowers, not a critic of them. I think the true gardener is the reverent servant of Nature, not her truculent, wife-beating master. I think the true gardener, the older he grows, should more and more develop a humble, grateful and uncertain spirit. He also said, All the wars of the world, all the Caesars, have not the staying power of a lily in a cottage garden.   1918 On this day, Dora Hughes wrote an article for the New-York Tribune called, The Carrot Comes into its Own, (carrot cookbooks). She wrote,  Time was when the carrot held high estate, for in the days of King Charles I, the ladies of the royal court used its feathery plumes in place of feathers for their adornment. Physicians prized the roots for their diuretic properties, from which came the general impression that eating carrots beautified the complexion and hair. Possibly the reason why carrots are not more often served is that, as a rule, they are prepared always in the same way. But one may serve carrots each day for a week and never have them twice in the same form. It is a pity that so few housekeepers seem to realize this. Then Dora offers up a diverse list of options for serving carrots: CRECY SOUP ("Chrissy") Crecy soup takes its name from the town in France where it was first made. MASHED CARROTS AND CARROT CAKES  Carrots are excellent simply mashed and dressed with butter. CARROT CROQUETTES ("krow-kets") Carrot croquettes are made of mashed carrot and cracker crumbs, seasoned and mixed with egg. FRIED AND CANDIED CARROTS  Fried carrots are prepared by cutting cooked carrots in long slices, dipping in egg and bread crumbs, and then brown in hot fat.  Candied carrots: Butter a baking dish, lay in it slices of cold carrot.. sprinkle sugar ...and cinnamon or mace, add water or milk. FRENCH CARROTS AND PEAS  Carrots and peas are a favorite French dish and their method is to cut the carrot in dice not much larger than the peas... heated together in a saucepan with oil for the dressing.  SALAD OF CARROTS AND PEAS  CARROT AND CELERY ON TOAST  Carrot and celery make another good combination. Have an equal amount of each, the celery in thin slices and the carrot in small pieces. Boil the carrots till tender and drain. Scald the celery; mix the two and put to cook in a pint of milk. Thicken with a teaspoonful of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold milk, season with salt, pepper and butter and serve as soon as boiled. For a supper dish serve on toast.   Grow That Garden Library™  Book Recommendation Small Garden Style by Isa Hendry Eaton  This book came in 2020, and the subtitle is A Design Guide for Outdoor Rooms and Containers. Little gardens, petite gardens, mini-gardens - whatever you call them, they are manageable, doable, and fun. Now Isa's approach is to layer in big style to these little marvels so that you end up with a garden that is lush and lovely. Her designs have a dramatic flare - no doubt thanks to her background in graphic design.  There's a time in all our lives for small gardens. When I first lived at the cabin during the pandemic, I was quite content with a small kitchen garden on the deck compared to my wrap-around full-scale garden set up in the suburbs. What Isa shows us how to do is to embrace the smaller size but not sacrifice style. Isa's gardens are joyful, elegant, inviting, and exciting - and she has mastered creating outdoor living in small spaces for entertaining or relaxing. Now, if you don't even know where to start, never fear. Isa has a style quiz to help you pinpoint your own personal garden style. She also gets you thinking about your small space in new ways so that you can utilize all of the space - factoring in horizontal, vertical, and overhead spaces. Isa shows you some design tricks with pots and containers to create stunning planters, and she loves to tuck in succulents and grasses and all kinds of textures to add that drama - that graphic design approach - that Isa is known for. Isa also shares what she's learned from garden pros and reveals her favorite plants and decor for small spaces. She offers ideas for lawn alternatives and guides you through how to add in all kinds of elements like a fire pit, an instant mini orchard (my favorite!), a boulder birdbath, a perfumed wall, and a faux fountain with cascading plants - just to name a few. You'll learn from Isa that Small Gardens do not have to be dull or unimaginative. Isa is all about helping you transform your space into a jewel of Pinterest-worthy garden style - a modern garden oasis. You can get a copy of Small Garden Style by Isa Hendry Eaton and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for $4.   Botanic Spark 1864 Birth of Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald, Canadian poet, and short-story writer. She was a teacher at the School for Blind in Halifax. She's remembered for her 1906 collection of poems called Dream Verses and Others. Here's the last stanza from her poem A Song of Seasons, in which she praises the virtues of every season and then ends with these words:  Sing a song of loving! Let the seasons go; Hearts can make their gardens Under sun or snow; Fear no fading blossom, Nor the dying day; Sing a song of loving,  That will last for aye! (forever)   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

Dr. Cianna Wyshnytzky is a Geologist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and is a member of the Southwest Drought Learning Network. She talks to us about her journey to becoming a *Doctor*, how majoring in German and Geology helped her end up in the European Alps, and about her current job working with agriculturists in Northern Utah. Listen, learn, and laugh as we talk about the unspoken bond between Geology and Hydrology and about the future of water scarcity in the American Southwest. 

Based in Montreal, Meredith Erickson has written the definitive cookbook on the food of the European Alps. Alpine Cooking is visually stunning, and the recipes are delicious. Meredith joins Dan to talk about her career as a cookbook author, her exploits in the mountains, and the making of Alpine Cooking.

Hello beautiful people On today's podcast we have the courageous Paul Pritchard. Paul was a cutting-edge rock climber and mountaineer; having his adventures take him from the Himalayas to Patagonia to the European Alps. In 1997 Paul won the Boardman/Tasker Award for mountain literature for his book ‘Deep Play' in which he spent the prize money on a world climbing tour, finding himself climbing the slender sea stack known as the Totem Pole in Tasmania that is 65 metres high and 4 metres wide. It was at the Totem Pole in 1998, that a laptop sized boulder fell from 25 metres and hit Paul on the head; inflicting such great injuries that doctors thought he would never walk or speak again. Fortunately, he was able to, however he does have hemiplegia; experiencing paralysis on the right side of his body and the brain injury does continue to inform his speech and memory. Though Paul is now disabled, Paul is passionate about insisting that this does not mean he is unable; having since the accident climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, rode a trike through Tibet to Mount Everest, in 2016 climbed the infamous Totem Pole, 18 years after his accident, and most recently cycled through deserts and mountains for a distance of  2152km in the ‘Lowest to Highest Expedition' in Australia.What I personally love about this podcast is Paul's tenacity in continuing to live a courageous and adventurous life post-accident. He shares deep wisdom about the power of the now, the power of absolute presence, and the power of true acceptance; which he so astutely shares does not mean resignation. I will highlight that Paul does have a brain injury, as he humoursely states, ‘he is missing half his brain and most of it is plastic'; so in saying this, I have edited this podcast with Paul's encouragement to cut out pauses that he may be using to gather his thoughts as his brain does work at 50% capacity. I have left a couple of authentic and vulnerable moments in there on purpose, for us to truly connect with some of Paul's challenges when it comes to his daily life; and what really impresses me is despite these challenges in this form of communication, Paul continues to write award-winning books, with his most recent book ‘The Mountain Path' taking him 6 years to complete; typing each key with one finger ever so considered. So I think there is certainly an indirect lesson of embodying patience, particularly when it comes to your goals, from Paul too.If you are enjoying this podcast, please rate, review, subscribe, share with friends and family, become part of the To Be Human Collective, and be present, be inspired, by this raw conversation with Paul Pritchard.Connect with MeMindset Coaching | https://www.jennahlouise.com.auInstagram Personal | https://www.instagram.com/jennah_louiseConnect with PaulInstagram | https://www.instagram.com/_paulpritchard_ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/paulpritchard.com.au Website | http://www.paulpritchard.com.au

In this episode Chris talks to Bruno, the founder of Project Edelweiss - a truly unique reenactment event that recreates the life of WW2 German Gebirgsjager Mountain Infantry high in the European Alps.  For more information on Project Edelweiss please check the group out on Facebook - you will find plenty of information there plus some truly amazing photos of past events. https://m.facebook.com/projectedelweissofficial/ As ever, a very big thank you to all our Patrons for their support - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters. www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast Thanks to Mike (Rhett Roman) for editing this podcast. www.soldatenforum.com      

In Episode 120 of The Win-Win Effect™ Show, Chris Ross has a conversation with a dear friend, Dr. Ruth Mary Allan GUEST ➥ https://www.ruthmaryallan.com Dr. Ruth Mary Allan helps overwhelmed business leaders (and often their children) who have lost connection with their best self win back energy and time doing what they love. By unchaining, unlocking, and unleashing their FULL potential fast. Ruth's clients have experienced many brain health challenges from ADD, anxiety, depression, grief, PTSD, phobias, birthing trauma, childhood trauma, domestic abuse, and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Dr. Ruth is an Executive Coach and professional speaker, the Lead Certified Brain Health Professional in the UK, a High-Performance Coach and Havening Techniques Practitioner, and a Ph.D. in medical imaging and spectroscopy from the University of Cambridge. She loves the outdoors, is a serving British Army Reservist and military ski and mountain leader. In 2008 she was part of a military team that summited unclimbed peaks in Greenland. In April 2015 she participated in the first military expedition to ski tour across the European Alps, completing the final leg. September cycled 969miles from Lands End to John O'Groats in nine days. In October 2016, when working in the corporate world, her life got turned upside down. This led her on a transformational journey to discover the importance of optimizing your unique brain. Connect with and JOIN FREE COMMUNITY  Community Content About CHRIS ROSS® Booking The WIN-WIN Effect WINJECT TV Already have an account? Log In First Name * Last Name * Password * Confirm Password *

Steep skier, climber and IFMGA Mountain Guide Tom Grant shares his first-hand experience of skiing first descents all over the world. From technical lines in Baffin Island, BC to one of the world's largest previously un-skied lines in New Zealand, Tom loves to push his boundaries and take on extreme descents. Hear about Tom's back-up plans for when things go wrong in the mountains and learn how to reach your optimum performance through flow state.As an IFGMA mountain guide, Tom holds the highest level of certification worldwide and is part the only association permitted to work in the European Alps. Based out of Chamonix Tom specialises in alpine climbing, rock climbing, backcountry skiing, freeride, steep skiing and offers custom guiding for all abilities and aspirations.Follow Tom's updates: tomgrant.guide / @tom_grant_ Hosted by: @beckylucykingThinking Off-Piste is brought to you by Mabey Ski, a Whistler-based adventure ski company creating bucket list ski trips across the globe. If you're looking to get off the beaten track and away from the crowds, head over to mabeyski.com to discover what lies beyond your lift pass.

SOTA Operator Rene Lutz, HB9NBG, has the European Alps as his challenge to conquer every summit with his partner Carine, HB9FZC.  Together they operate their successful rural Swiss ham radio sales and service center that attracts ham radio tourists.  Rene and Carine document their amateur radio adventures on their popular YouTube channel.  HB9NBG is my QSO Today.

Dr. Marcus Ranney is an international champion of wellbeing who has recently been directly involved in the fight against COVID in India. His philosophy centers around enhancing the positive aspects of health rather than focusing solely on disease. Ranney's research has taken him to the sides of Everest, skiing in the Arctic and the European Alps, and he has served as a medical officer in the Royal Air Force and at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. He's recently authored the book “At the Human Edge” which looks at human physiology and extreme sports. He is a keen athlete and marathon runner, holding a Guinness World Record for backwards running. Learn more at www.humanedge.co or through his social media handle - docmranney.

This week, we're reading THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS (神々の山嶺, Kamigami no Itadaki) - an early 2000s manga by Jiro Taniguchi, based on a novel and script by Baku Yumemakura. The series traces several climbers' journeys across decades around the world - from the European Alps, to the peaks of Japan, to the Himalayas of Nepal and Tibet - all bookended by the greatest summit - Everest. The story is told from the modern perspective of Fukamachi, a photojournalist who finds a camera which may change the history of mountaineering...as it may belong to the famed climber George Mallory, who went missing climbing Everest, which history shows as being first summited by Sir Edmund Hillary some 30 years after Mallory's disappearance At the center of all of this is a mysteriously obstinate climber, Joji Habu, or Binka Sap as he is known to the Nepalese Sherpa community. The critically acclaimed series was actually recently adapted to an animated feature that debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in France, which is NOT why I invited my favorite Frenchman Francois to the pod...

People have been seeing an odd creature in the European Alps. It looks like a cross between a cat and a serpent. Some have said its blood will burn your skin. Others say it can breathe out toxic fumes. In the 1500s a body was found and studied by a Professor of Natural Science. He called it a dragon because he didn't know what else to call it. Here is what can be found about this weird cryptid. 

Patrick Hollingworth is a mountaineer who has climbed the world's highest peaks. Here is a travel tour of the top 5 mountain ranges which have made him. Louise Bedford Trading can be isolating and finding genuine people and developing good relationships with them can be easier said than done. Here is the ‘giver-matcher-taker' philosophy so you can get your needs met as a friend.       Patrick Hollingworth Mountaineer Patrick has travelled the world climbing international summits. Patrick goes to his favourite places and mountain ranges which have made him. Starting in New Zealand where he learnt to climb and then onto Pakistan and the western extent of the Himalayan range. We then traipse over to European Alps and stay a few spell-binding minutes at the foot of Mt Blanc and then bustle over to the UK and London. Warning: Travel guides may need to come out listening to this and you may want to book your next holiday once everyone is vaccinated. To contact Patrick go to www.patrickhollingworth.com or think.garden.     Photo by Roko Labrovic on Unsplash

Ian has been racing around the world in all styles of event since 2005 and coaching since 2010, having run over 200 ultras and marathons (PR: 2:21) in every type of weather and on all terrains. He's won over 50 multi-day races/road marathons/trail ultras or adventure races with experience of running in many mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, Andes, Rockies and European Alps. He also holds the fastest time in a trail 100-mile race by a Brit (12h44m), the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (69h49m), has won the USATF 100-mile trail championship twice and is a four-time Leadville Trail 100 Champion. Ultra-Running Magazine has voted him as high as 2nd in its annual Ultra Runner of the Year rankings and 4th= in Ultra Runner of the Decade. What a treat it was for us to be able to interview our running coach.  Ian shares stories about his many adventures including coming to the US (hello, visa process) and more importantly his first ultra.  He is truly one of the most optimistic and positive people we have ever met.  If you need a little push to do something epic this is the episode for you.  We really enjoyed this chat with Ian and hope you do as well.   To learn more about Ian, visit the following: https://www.instagram.com/sharmanian/ https://twitter.com/sharmanian http://sharmanian.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sharmanultracoaching

On today's episode, we have Matt Helliker, and he certainly has a few stories to tell, Matt Helliker's life has been shaped by mountains and coastlines, from the sea cliffs of Great Britain to Scotland's winter mountains, the European Alps to the Greater Ranges of the Himalayas, South America and Alaska. Matt has become one of the UK's most talented and accomplished alpinists, climber and IFMGA mountain guides of his generation, with a long list of challenging and impressive first and repeat ascents to his credit. Today on the podcast, we talk about why he pushes himself to these limits and the sacrifices he has made along the way.Matt's WebsiteMatt's InstagramEnjoyed the Show? Tag me @johnhorsfall on InstagramJoin the Adventure - https://mailchi.mp/44c55725379d/newsletter-page-ziba-adventuresSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-modern-adventurer/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

By any measure it’s a heritage-heavyweight, a blockbuster trail and a star specimen of Upper Hutt’s sparkling outdoorsy credentials. The Remutaka Cycle Trail is one of New Zealand’s Great Rides and the flagship section of this riveting circuit is indisputably the Remutaka Rail Trail, for the intimate experience with the Remutaka Incline. Built in 1878, this historic inter-provincial rail route between the Hutt Valley and Cross Creek, Featherston is now a politely graded 18 km walking and cycling track. Easily conquered by bike within two to three hours, I made my way to Kaitoke Summit Road in Upper Hutt, which is the official start point of the Remutaka Incline section.Under a bright blue sky and bathed in soft autumn sunshine, there were hordes of weekend cyclists and walkers striking out on this storied track, which many locals consider as their glorified open-air gym. After parking up the car, I hired a bike from Wildfinder, who operate a Kaitoke base adjacent to the trailhead, open from 10am- 6pm, weekends and public holidays. They’ve got a great range of mountain bikes and e-Bikes for hire, plus a shuttle service back from the Wairarapa to their Kaitoke base. As much as I’ve become immensely infatuated with e-Bikes, the Remutaka Incline’s oh-so-gradual gradient impelled me to go old-school and plump for a “manual” mountain bike, a super comfortable Trek mountain bike, with gel saddles, front suspension and ergonomic grips. www.wildfinder.co.nzPlus, Wildfinder kitted me out with a trusty helmet and a handlebar-mounted torch that you’ll definitely be switching on when traversing the pitch-black old railway tunnels. The first stretch of the trail ever so gradually hoists you up to the Summit of the Remutaka Ranges, blazing through the verdant grandeur of the Pakuratahi Forest, as the glistening Pakuratahi River burbles to your side. There are some idyllic picnic spots sprinkled along the way. The ascent from the Kaitoke side is so gradual, you’ll barely even notice the gradient, unlike the hellfire ride uphill from the Wairarapa side, where the 1 in 15 gradient is an unrelenting gut-busting ordeal – vividly reinforcing the prowess of those Fell engines, back in the day.From Kaitoke, the ride to the Summit is pepper-potted with a series of information panels, showcasing the revered railway heritage of this line.  I learnt how the rail route was established in 1878 between the Hutt Valley and Featherston, hauling passengers up and down the steep incline between the Remutaka summit and Featherston for 77 years, until the opening of the Remutaka rail tunnel in 1955. The innovative Fell mountain railway system pulled trains up the formidably steep slope of the Incline. A tunnel was always the preferred option but couldn’t be afforded initially, so the 77 year 'temporary' solution was this steep mountain railway, to link the agricultural hinterlands with Wellington. In 1863, the English engineer John Fell had patented the first drive friction system, and it had worked on Mt Cenis in the European Alps.New Zealand chose Fell's system to traverse the 4.8 km Remutaka Incline – the third and last Fell system to be built. (You can visit Featherston's Fell Museum which houses the rebuilt H 199 - the only remaining Fell engine from the six that serviced the line.) From the late 1870s’, the railway captivated the attention of the community as a scenic mountain journey – until sparks from the locomotives caused fires and burnt off all the bush. Over time, traffic steadily grew and the incline operation, once a marvel, became a slow and expensive bottleneck. The trip up the incline was so gobsmackingly slow, passengers would regularly clamber on and off the moving trains.Today, the incline is regarded as a special part of New Zealand's history and is recognised as one of the significant railway heritage sites in the world. Highlights along the trail include the Pakuratahi Tunnel, built in 1876 and 73m long. This was the first c...

In this episode we explore the Dolomites, a mountain range in northeastern Italy that presents endless adventure opportunities. The Dolomites offer an array of outdoor activities perfect for intrepid travellers, including trekking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and so much more.. We talk with Dolomites expert Oliver Levasseur of Allibert Trekking, an adventure tour operator specializing in mountain sport adventures throughout the European Alps.  Awe-inspiring scenery, charming mountain villages, and spectacular food sums up an adventure in the Italian Dolomites, and in this episode we dive into everything from the unique geology of this spectacular mountain range, to its incredibly diverse cultures. Learn more about this outdoor enthusiasts oasis and get inspired to book your next big adventure. Find inspiration for your next big adventure and check out our full list of Allibert Trekking tours on 10Adventures. Learn more about adventure travels on our Instagram @10Adventures 

At the beginning of 2021, two incidents occurred in the eastern part of the European Alps where mountain rescuers were caught by hangfire avalanches during ongoing rescue operations. In this episode, Matthias Walcher interviews two people directly involved, who shed light on the circumstances of the accidents and share the lessons learned: Matthias Schilchegger is a mountain rescue leader in Obertauern (Austria) and Manca Volk Bahun is a snow scientist and avalanche forecaster based in Trzic, Slovenia. Music by Ketsa WNDR Alpine skis 10% off: FOWFFR10-4SZB7P Do note that if you order bindings with their skis, there's an automatic 10% ski & binding bundle discount that gets applied and overrides this friends and family one. So, if you are needing to order bindings with your skis, you will have to do so in a separate order unfortunately, otherwise you will only receive 10% off the skis. Good thing is shipping is free, so no additional cost there. HAGAN SKI MOUNTAINEERING 15% off with code: AvalancheHour15 https://alnk.to/6bNgvJb

The Tatzelwurm! A cryptid lurking the European Alps for generations! Is this cat-snake hybrid merely a common-day creature, or maybe truly a creature yet unexplored? Join Jimmy and Allie as they leap into this legend and seek some possibilities for this elusive creature!   Have a story you want to share? Let us know!   Follow us on Facebook @paraunusual and Instagram @paraunusual_podcast, or email us at paraunusual@gmail.com!

What is the relationship between Nature and Nurture and can you Biohack your way to surpass the extreme limits of human physiology? These are just some of the questions Dr Marcus Ranney will be talking about in this episode of Perishable Wisdom. While talking about his book "At The Human Edge" Marcus goes into detail about his own experiences of running marathons, climbing mountains and working as a clinical physician.  He also talks about some of the exceptional individuals who have broken records, almost lost their lives and people who continue to work towards breaking the human physiological limitations. Shayamal and Marcus discuss some of the recent technological advancements made in the field, is fasting impactful, central governor theory and more. Dr Marcus Ranney is a clinical physician, a marathon runner and someone who'd been on expeditions to Mt. Everest and Arctic Circle and the European Alps. Not just that he has also served as a Medical officer with the Royal Airforce and Nasa's Kennedy Space Center and was named the World Economic Forum Global Shaper.  For brand partnerships, collaborations and sponsorship opportunities, send us an email at hi@wyn.studio Perishable Wisdom is a WYN Studio production. Find us at http://wyn.studio. Connect with us: Marcus - Instagram and Twitter Shayamal - Instagram and Twitter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we celebrate one of the earliest botanists and his essential discoveries about plant physiology. We'll also learn about a man known as the 'Prince of Alpine gardeners.’ We hear the story of a woman who over-nurturers her houseplants. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book about worms from one of the best garden writers alive today. And then we’ll wrap things up with the fascinating birth flowers for the month of February.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org   Curated News Stickiness Is A Weapon Some Plants Use To Fend Off Hungry Insects | Phys Org | Eric Lopresti   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events February 17, 1721 Today is the anniversary of the death of Rudolph Jacob Camerarius, the botanist who demonstrated the existence of sexes in plants. Rudolph was born in Germany. He was a professor of natural philosophy. Rudolph identified and defined the flower’s male parts as the anther, and he did the same for the female part; the pistol. And Rudolph figured out that pollen made production possible. Rudolph's work was recorded for the ages in a letter he wrote to a peer in 1694 called On the Sex of Plants.   February 17, 1880 Today is the birthday of the legendary rock and alpine gardener, plant explorer, nurseryman, writer, and painter Reginald Farrer. A son of the Yorkshire Dales, Reginald was raised in upper-middle-class circumstances on the Farrer family estate called Ingleborough Hall in Clapham. And although Reginald was a world traveler, his heart belonged to Yorkshire, and he repeatedly referenced Yorkshire in his writing. Given Reginald’s influence on rock gardening, I always find it rather fitting that Reginald’s Ingleton home place was itself a large natural rock garden. Reginald was born with many physical challenges. He had a cleft palate, speech difficulties, and what Reginald called a "pygmy body. “ Growing up, Reginald endured many surgeries to correct his mouth, which resulted in him being homeschooled. The silver lining to his solitary childhood was that Reginald learned to find happiness looking at the flora and fauna as he scoured the rocks, ravines, and hills around Ingleborough. By the time Reginald was 14 years old, he had created his first Rock Garden in an old kitchen garden at his family home. This little magical space would eventually transform into a nursery Reginald called Craven, and it naturally specialized in Asian mountain plants. And every time Reginald went on an expedition, he would send back new alpine plants and seed from Craven.   When it was time, Reginald attended St. John's College at the University of Oxford. It brings a smile to know that before Reginald graduated in 1902, he had left the school with his signature gift: a rock garden. Once he finished school, Reginald began botanizing in high places from the Alps to Ceylon and China. His first trip was to Tokyo, and Reginald found a little house to rent that had, of course, a real Japanese rock garden. This living and botanizing experience in Japan became the basis for his first book called The Garden of Asia (1904). During his twenties, Reginald liked to say that he found “joy in high places,” and the European Alps became a yearly touchstone. And although he saw some of the most incredible mountains in the world - they held no sway with Reginald. For Reginald - it was always about the plants. Reginald wrote, “It may come as a shock and a heresy to my fellow Ramblers when I make the confession that, to me, the mountains…  exist simply as homes and backgrounds to their population of infinitesimal plants.  My enthusiasm halts... with my feet, at the precise point where the climber’s energies are first called upon.” Reginald’s book, The Garden of Asia, launched his writing career, and Reginald’s writing changed the way garden writers wrote about plants. The botanist Clarence Elliot observed, “As a writer of garden books [Reginald] stood alone.  He wrote… from a peculiar angle of his own, giving queer human attributes to his plants, which somehow exactly described them.” As an example, here’s a journal entry from Reginal from June 2nd, 1919: “I sat down to paint it (the most marvelous and impressive Rhododendron I've ever seen -  a gigantic, excellent, with corrugated leaves and great white trumpets stained with yellow inside -  a thing alone, by itself WELL worth all the journey up here… And oddly enough, I did not enjoy doing so at first...  a first false start -  a second, better, splashed and spoilt, then a mizzle,  so that umbrella had to be screamed for and held up with one hand while I worked with the other.  Then flies and torment  and finally a wild dust storm  with rain and thunder came raging over  so that everything had feverishly to be hauled indoors  and the Rhododendron fell over… But one moral is -  only paint when fresh or before the day's toils;  The rhododendron gave me such a bad night...  I… satisfactorily finished it -  though it took till after 12." Many people have tried to puzzle out the personality of Reginald. While it’s unanimously agreed that he could be eccentric, I’m not a fan of his harsher critics. I say, to discover Reginald’s heart, learn how much he loved Jane Austen. In fact, his 1917 essay on Jane was judged the “best single introduction to her fiction.” When he traveled, Reginald always brought Jane's books along. Reginald once wrote that, when traveling, he really only needed his clothing and Jane’s books - and if he had to choose between the two, he’d keep the books. And there’s a well-told story about Reginald that speaks to his ingenuity and uniqueness. Reginald was always searching for alpine plants that would grow in the British climate. One time, after an inspiring visit to Ceylon, Reginald got the idea to create a cliff garden with the seeds from his trip. So, when he returned home, he rowed a boat to the middle of the lake at Ingleborough and used a shotgun to blast the seeds into the face of a cliff. You can imagine his delight when his idea worked and the cliff was alive with plants. Today, although the cliff garden is no longer, there are many Himalayan plants - like bamboo and rhododendron - that remain around his home place, still thriving among the rocks in Ingleborough. In addition to having an impact on the field of garden writing, Reginald helped to change the course of British gardening. Reginald’s influence happened to be timed perfectly - as millions of eager British gardeners wrenched the hobby of gardening away from the elite. By this time, Reginald had earned the moniker The Prince of Alpine Gardeners. Reginald had mastered rock gardens - the trick was to make them look as natural as possible - and Reginald’s passion for rock gardens came through in his famous 1907 book My Rock Garden. Reginald’s book and exploits made rock gardens trendy, and suddenly everyone wanted a rockery in their backyard. The rock garden craze made it all seem so simple, but Reginald knew full well the lengths he had to go to in order to source new alpine plants. During his two years in China, Reginald wrote, “You're on an uncharted mountainside, and you have to, first of all, find the Plant in the summer on the way up the mountain.  Then in the autumn, you have to find the same plant – if it hasn't been eaten or trodden on – hope it's set seed and that the seeds haven't fallen yet – and this is just the start.” After China, Reginald pivoted and became a war journalist during WWI - even embedding for a time along the Western Front. And, of course, it was botany that helped Reginald carry out this work. While he wrote stories along the Italian frontlines, he collected plants - once while taking fire from Austrian troops. Reginald knew this was insane and wrote: “What Englishman ever before has collected cyclamen on Monte Santo among the shell-fire?” After the war, in 1919, Reginald took a trip to the mountains of Myanmar in Upper Burma. He would never see his beloved Yorkshire again. He was just 40 years old. Somehow, Reginald met his end alone on a remote Burmese mountain, and his body was buried in Konglu in Burma. Most reports say he died of Diptheria, but the explorer and botanist Joseph Rock said he was told Reginald - who had become a devout Buddhist after college - had drank himself to death on the night of October 17th, 1920. And I thought of Reginald up on that mountain alone when I researched the etymology of the name of his nursery, Craven, which means defeated, crushed, or overwhelmed. Today Reginald is remembered in the names of many plants like the beautiful blue Gentiana farreri ("jen-tee-AYE-na FAR-ur-eye"). And the Alpine Garden Society’s most highly-prized show medal is the Farrer Medal, which honors the best plant in the show.   Unearthed Words When I first began growing houseplants, my mother sent me a cactus garden of native plants from her home in Phoenix, Arizona. My Gardening Style: I nurture plants to death. I check them daily, pluck off alien leaves, and water them every time I notice dryness. Now my mother told me to watch the news and only water my cacti when it rained in Phoenix, I could not help primping my plants. They died within weeks by turning into a brown, mushy mess. My gardening style is an overly involved one, and once I choose plants that craved that kind of style; they flourished more than anything else I grew. Some of my most successful - and needy - plants have been an Umbrella Plant, an African Violet, and [a Tradescantia pallida]. I also find that my kitchen windowsill herb garden thrives when I constantly rotate the plants in the sun and prune them for dinner recipes. — Angela Williams Duea ("Do-ee")and Donna Murphy, The Complete Guide to Growing Windowsill Plants, What is Your Gardening Style, The Over-Nurturer   Grow That Garden Library The Earth Moved by Amy Stewart  This book came out in 2012, and the subtitle is On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms. In this book, Amy introduces us to earthworms, and it turns out there's a ton to learn. Amy’s book helps us understand more about these blind creatures and the vital work they do on our planet - from moving soil, suppressing pests, and cleaning up pollution - earthworms regenerate the soil. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about worms, you’re in good company. Charles Darwin was endlessly intrigued by earthworms, too. This book is 256 pages of life underground with the magnificent earthworm and Amy Stewart as your enlightening and entertaining guide. You can get a copy of The Earth Moved by Amy Stewart and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $3   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart Even though roses are often associated with February thanks to Valentine's Day, February’s birth flower is not the rose. Instead, February has two birth flowers. In England, February's birth flower is the Violet, and in the United States, February is honored with the primrose. Concerning the violet, the plantsman Derek Jarman once wrote: “Violet has the shortest wavelength of the spectrum. Behind it, the invisible ultraviolet. ‘Roses are Red, Violets are Blue.’ Poor Violet violated for a rhyme.” The adorable little violet signifies many virtues; truth and loyalty, watchfulness, and faithfulness. Gifting a violet lets the recipient know you’ll always be true. Like the theme song from Friends promises, you’ll always be there for them. The ancient Greeks placed a high value on the violet. When it came time to pick a blossom as a symbol for Athens, the violet made the cut. The Greeks used Violet to make medicine. They also used violets in the kitchen to make wine and to eat the edible blossoms. Today, Violets are used to decorate salads, and they can even be sprinkled over fish or poultry. Violets are beautiful when candied in sugar or used to decorate pastries. Violets can even be distilled into a syrup for a Violet liqueur. Finally, Violets were Napoleon Bonaparte's signature flower. When his wife, Josephine, died in 1814, Napoleon covered her grave with violets. His friends even referred to Napoleon as Corporal Violet; after he was exiled to Elba, Napoleon vowed to return before the Violet season. Napoleon’s followers used the violet to weed out his detractors. They would ask strangers if they liked violets; a positive response was a sign of loyalty. The other official February flower is the primrose, which originated from the Latin word "primus," meaning "first" or "early.” The name is in reference to the fact that the primrose is one of the first plants that bloom in the spring. As with the violet, the leaves and flowers of primrose are edible and often tossed into a salad. The leaves are said to taste like lettuce. Gifting a primrose has a more urgent - stalkerish- meaning than the violet; a primrose tells a person that you can’t live without them. In Germany, people believed that the first girl to find a primrose on Easter would marry that same year. And, the saying about leading someone down the primrose path refers to enticing someone to do something terrible by laying out irresistible traps. The phrase originated in William Shakespeare's Hamlet as Ophelia begs her brother: Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven; While like a puffed and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads. And the man known as "The Daffodil King, Peter Barr, bred over 2 million daffodils at his home in Surrey, and he’s credited with popularizing the daffodil. Yet, when Barr retired, he went to Scotland and grew - not daffodils, but primroses. Two years before he died, Peter Barr, the Daffodil King, mused, "I wonder who will plant my grave with primroses?"   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

https://linktr.ee/BetweenTheMountains Tom Livingstone is an extremely accomplished mountain climber. With experience rooted in Scotland and the European Alps, we explore his high-altitude first ascents, facing adversity, and planning for the mountains.You can follow Tom's climbing career on his website and blog here, or follow him on Instagram here. Before We Start Before we get into the episode, I want to mention the sponsor for this episode: Sidetracked Magazine. Sidetracked is dedicated to adventurous storytelling at it’s very best. They use stunning imagery and personal stories from expeditions and journeys from around the globe, and you can tell! If you are one of the few who haven’t heard of them… what are you doing?! Go and check out their website and see for yourself. Browse and purchase from the back catalogue, subscribe, and browse/sign up to their free Field Journal newsletter; providing you with some of the best adventure updates weekly! ------------------------------ If you enjoy the show please subscribe/follow and share with a friend! If you really enjoy the show please check out our Patreon site here. Supporting through Patreon really helps cover costs and allow to invest more time into the quality! Or, you can just simply buy me a coffee. To come on the show or work with me, please email on: btmtravelpod@gmail.com Join in with the community. Instagram/Twitter/Facebook and our new Facebook Page to share your own photos and videos here. Read the full blog here: https://betweenthemountains.org/2021/01/29/tom-livingstone/ 

Franco is the managing director of Pesda Press which he founded and has steered to becoming one of the most respected specialist outdoor publishing houses with a fleet of sea kayak, canoe, climbing and canyoning guidebooks alongside specialist instructional manuals and the visionary Nature of Snowdonia; the ‘ML's bible'. He worked for many years as a kayaking coach and a mountaineering instructor including stints as Head of Paddlesports at Plas y Brenin and at Plas Menai. He has paddled throughout the United Kingdom and in many parts of the world including Nepal, Scandinavia, the coast of Brittany in France, the European Alps, Peru and Western Canada. With his partner Kath he has spent the last five years living on a thirty-six foot yacht called ‘Caramor', whilst running his business, and sailing around South America (via South Georgia) and across the Pacific to new Zealand. Covid 19 has forced a longer than expected break from this journey but he is making the most of being back in North Wales (climbing, cycling and kayaking) and plans to re-join Caramor and continue with the circumnavigation in 2022.

If you appreciate Parallax Views and the work of J.G. Michael please consider supporting the show through Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews The Parallax Views holiday series concludes with an exploration of Santa Claus's dark counterpart, Krampus. Although the figure of Krampus has become embedded in the popular consciousness in the last decade, especially since the release of the Hollywood horror-comedy Krampus, the folklore of the Krampus reaches much farther back and into the most isolated part of the European Alps. Joining us to unravel this history, and explain how remote parts of Europe still celebrate the winter season with rituals related to St. Nicholas and his dark companion Krampus, is Al Ridenour, a former member of the avant-provocateur Cacophony Society and author of The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil (Feral House; 2016). We begin by discussing Al's involvement in the Cacophony Society, which once boasted the involvement of transgressive author extraordinaire Chuck Palahniuk, and it's most famous avant-garde provocation: SantaCon. From there we delve into how the winter season has always had a dark side within the popular imagination and discuss the popularity of Christmas horror movies with Al recommending 1980's unusual Christmas Evil and discussing Michael Dougherty's Krampus and whether it is true to the folklore. We then take a deep dive into the history of the lore around Krampus and how the figure is used in festive rituals during the month of December in the Alps of Europe like Gastein in Austria. What is the function of the Krampus? His relationship to St. Nicholas? Do these rituals have an erotic and courtship element? Is there subversive, anarchic element beyond to the Krampus beyond his being used to scare children into following social norms and rules? Who are the people behind the Krampus troupes and how do they approach these events? What's the connection the the gore theatre of the Grand Guignol and these Krampus events (known as a Krampus Run or Krampuslauf)? And what can we learn from it all? All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views.

Episode #1 kicks off the podcast with Mountaineering Instructor Rob Johnson. Based in Snowdonia, he's spent the past 20 years guiding clients across the mountains of Britain, amongst the European Alps, and onto the peaks of Norway, Nepal and Peru. He's taught outdoor skills and Mountain Leader courses to many hundreds of clients (including your host Dan), and has recently added outdoor drone filming to his skillset. You can find out (even) more about him at www.expeditionguide.com. [episode recorded on 13/10/20] 00:00 - Introduction 01:55 - A 21st century outdoor guide 08:50 - Crafting a career: “What am I passionate about and how can I make it happen?” 14:30 - Pandemic chat (and forbidden summits) 20:50 - Environmental impact and major life changes 25:40 - Hard work, injuries and Mountain Rescue 32:30 - Pressure, danger and circular walks on the Glyderau 37:30 - Family life, mountain life and balance 41:10 - The many paths to guiding in the mountains 49:00 -“Greatest Mountain Memory”: Skye high 51:30 - Time, money, freedom… where do you go? 54:40 - “What lies ahead? For the first time in 22 years, I don't know”

054 - Whether you are a beginner skier or an expert skier, you are going to LOVE learning more about one of the best value ski trips, literally, in the world. On this show, Rob and Kerri share their go to all-inclusive ski option for visiting the European Alps. We're talking the French Alps, Swiss Alps and Italian Alps. And believe it or not, it is often a better value than skiing domestically in the US.You'll not only learn about what Club Med has to offer, but also some of the perks of their locations. Plus, Rob's pro tips on what to pack and what not to pack or worry about in terms of equipment and clothing. "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." St. AugustineRemember, it's never too late to start exploring. -----------------------------------This show is sponsored by Creating Magic Vacations. For your domestic or international trip, let us help you plan a done for you vacation. Reach out to Rob and Kerri here or the Creating Magic Vacations agent who shared this show with you.And connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Roland Primus is a legend in the European and international snowboard industry. But he is also a true aviation enthusiast since a very young age, having explored so many types of flying and airplanes. An award-winning aerobatic pilot, he discovered thanks to a very good friend the ease of use of Ultra Light / LSA bush planes and the awesome possibilities they offer to fly deep in the mountains and land and the most prestigious glacier of the European Alps. Joining us in The STOL Collective, he shares his journey through aviation and into the wonderful world of mountain flying with the professionalism of a multiple snowboard world champion trainer and founder of the oldest snowboard school in Europe. Music Credit: “Slowly” Amon Tobin - Supermodified 2000

Our upbringing plays such a huge role in who we become. It can either push us to become the opposite, or encourage to continue on and flourish from it. On this episode, we welcome Stevie G from Destinations Beyond Expectations podcast. His own show is so incredibly good, from fantastic guests, brilliant editing, and fascinating travel stories. We chatted with Steve about his outdoors experience from hiking in the European Alps with family, to exploring his home state Florida, and further into the US itself such as Yellowstone National Park.  Students Of Travel A topic that strikes a chord with me is Stevie’s consistent remarks to ‘Students Of Travel’. A Student Of Travel is someone who learns, develops, and grows their knowledge and perception of the world through travel. This is something so important to me, and I’m sure to you all. Similar to how I love the mountains and how they put things in to perspective, we can all learn something from culture, to interactions, to ways-of-life from travel. ----------------------If you enjoy the show please subscribe/follow and share with a friend! If you really enjoy the show please check out our Patreon site here. Supporting through Patreon really helps cover costs and allow to invest more time into the quality! You can also get some free mugs or t-shirts! To come on the show or work with me, please email on: btmtravelpod@gmail.com  Join in with the community. Instagram/Twitter/Facebook and our new Facebook Page to share your own photos and videos here.  https://betweenthemountains.org/2020/06/24/ep-36-exploring-the-outdoors-with-dbe-podcast/ 

Europe Correspondent Linton Besser travelled to the Ecrins Massif, a significant chain of peaks in France where he wasn't climbing mountains but waterfalls.

Europe Correspondent Linton Besser travelled to the Ecrins Massif, a significant chain of peaks in France where he wasn't climbing mountains but waterfalls.

Europe Correspondent Linton Besser travelled to the Ecrins Massif, a significant chain of peaks in France where he wasn't climbing mountains but waterfalls.

Unlike car sharing, when you buy a share in a cow, you are not free to drive her wherever you want. So what do you get?

In this week's episode, we talk about the amazing landscapes and historic destinations that we showcased in our Austria Inspiration Week on Instagram. Austria is one of the most popular European nations thanks to its unique access to the European Alps and unique culture and history. In this podcast, we featured the top European skiing destination, one of the hottest small towns in Austria, a stunningly beautiful Alpine lake, the birthplace of Freud, Beethoven, and Mozart, as-well as the Austria's longest victim of climate change. If you’re already excited to visit Austria, make sure to download Tour on the iOS App Store, for free, and start planning your next trip today.

We're back!  After a few month-long hiatus, Trail Correspondents presented by The Trek is storming back into your world like a phoenix rising from the ashes. As you likely already know, last year the Trail Correspondents series ran through The Trek's flagship podcast, Backpacker Radio.  Due to the popularity of this series, we deemed it worthy of its own home, i.e. this podcast. So.... What is Trail Correspondents? Last year, we showcased roughly a dozen thru-hikers taking on Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.  Every other week, we'd feature their updates from the trail centered around a particular subject or theme.  Through their eyes and vocal cords, we got a glimpse into the minds, hearts, and souls of those who take on a half year backpacking trip. This year, by and large, it's going to be more of the same.  The primary difference for this year's show, is the hikers that we're featuring.  More specifically, the theme for this season of Trail Correspondents was to Feature primarily first time thru-hikers.  We made this decision as it's hard to replicate the excitement of your first cross-country trek, and this enthusiasm is palpable.  And, Feature a greater diversity of voice.  This season, we've got hikers ranging in age from 22 to 66.  We've got hikers who are chasing their dream, and others who are eager to escape unsavory realities on the home front. Most of our correspondents are from the US, though we're also happy to be featuring those with Canadian, Mexican, and Indian descent.  Our crew includes someone hiking with their spouse, someone hiking with their life partner, and a brother / sister duo. Really the only qualities this group has in common is their storytelling ability (which you are soon to learn, is captivating) and an intense desire to make 2019 a landmark year. You can find our Correspondents bios, headshots, and Instagram profiles (for most) below. This is the first episode, where you will meet our Pacific Crest Trail hikers, and Lucas, who's hiking the American Discover Trail from Iowa to California.   American Discovery Trail Lucas Woolfolk Bio: Lucas is a long time lover of the outdoors, but last year decided to take that passion to a new level. In 2018, he decided to embark on the American Discovery Trail which spans across the USA from coast to coast. He made it roughly 1,500 miles as far as the end of his home-state of Iowa, but plans to finish the remaining 2,700+ miles to the California coast in 2019. Before the venture, Lucas was suffering from depression and creative block as an artist and set out to re-spark his passions and discover the USA one step at a time. | Follow Lucas on Instagram | Appalachian Trail Nancy Alexander Bio: Nancy will be 66 years young when she starts her journey on the AT. Recently retired, widowed, mom of two amazing daughters, grandmother, road cyclist, adventurer, and lover of wild flowers and wild places. She backpacked 240 miles of the AT in 2017, but that wasn't enough, so she's back for more. A lot more... Frozen Bio: Frozen has 5 years of backpacking experience with his biggest trip covering a 240 mile section of the Superior Hiking Trail. He has worked in IT at the same job for 14 years and needs a life change. After his Uncle had an unfortunate hunting accident that left him paralyzed below the waist, Frozen decided that his thru hike couldn't wait until retirement, and is setting out to hike from Georgia to Maine. | Follow Frozen on Instagram | Missy Baatz Bio: Dog lover, nature addict, crystal enthusiast. She has decided to trade in the corporate 9 to 5 for the adventure lifestyle to include the collection of experiences over material possessions. When not hiking she and her husband tour the country in their DIY camper van. Their one true happy place is in the mountains and hiking the Appalachian Trail is a dream come true. | Follow Missy on Instagram | Melissa Glass Bio: Melissa will be thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in March of 2019 and it will be her first long distance hike. She currently resides in Delaware where she bartends while wistfully thinking about wide open spaces. You will always see her wearing her Buff and a pair of sunglasses. Melissa hopes that you enjoy following her and the other Trail Correspondent's journeys this season! | Follow Melissa on Instagram | Kenneth Pararo Bio: Kenneth is a 29 year old Atlantan. Prior to deciding to hike the AT, he spent most of his free time biking; however, a 1-week stint on the AT in March of 2018 awakened a new interest in the hardships and challenge presented by backpacking. He's submitted his resignation at the tech company he's worked at since graduating college and is ready to hit the trail again in late March of 2019 to finish what he started. | Follow Kenneth on Instagram | Katharine Rudzitis Bio: Katharine is a born and bred Manhattanite who enjoys exploring and the outdoors. She grew up wandering and adventuring, but she found herself spending less and less time outside, replacing the wild with (equally wonderful) trips to other cities. The Appalachian Trail has been a lifelong dream, and she decided that 2019 would be the year to give it a try. (Plus, she loves a good, challenging goal). | Follow Katharine on Instagram | Travis Bio: Travis is a naturally curious, freedom seeking Tennessee native. While preparing for his NOBO hike, he's fallen in love with trail running and creating gear spreadsheets. The AT will be his first solo thru-hike, and he's secretly hoping to catch long trail fever. | Follow Travis on Instagram |   Continental Divide Trail Sara Dhooma Bio: Sara Dhooma’s trailname of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” perfectly describes this fearless, globe-trotting adventurer. She has travel backpacked in 75+ countries, and strives to trek the most epic landscapes on earth. After a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, she left her office job in August 2017 to complete her hiking bucket list. After a warm-up on the Israel National Trail this winter, Sara will take a big step towards the Triple Crown with a NOBO thru-hike Continental Divide Trail. | Follow Sara on Instagram | Dosu Bio: Dosu (pronounced "dough-sew") Kinuta looks like a bum but lives like a king. If you have ever wanted to quit your career and go backpacking he would tell you to do it. If you thought that living wild and free in your 30s was for people with trust funds he will show you it's not. If you need that encouragement then listen. | Follow Dosu on Instagram | Pacific Crest Trail Eric Dernbach Bio: Eric grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado and is the little brother to fellow trail correspondent, Alison. He studied architecture and design at Kansas State University and upon graduating moved to practice architecture in Austin, Texas. He has been working there for the previous 4 years, but the itch to get on the trail has been growing ever since. His curiosity of the outdoors has led him to take on a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike with his sister Alison in 2019. | Follow Eric on Instagram | Karthikeya Nadendla Bio: When Karthikeya was young, he wanted to be a Scientist, later a doctor and instead became an IT Engineer. As soon as he began Hiking, Mountaineering, Rock climbing his experiences multiplied followed by a perspective change and he no longer strived to be something. So, he shifted his focus on adventures rather than designations and is leaving on a journey thru PCT with a goal to obtain maximum experience from life. | Follow Karthikeya on Instagram | Angie Kane Bio: Angie is a woman from Michigan who loves theatre, music & movement, and the outdoors! She is ripping herself from her "everyday life" to go on this incredible adventure and couldn't be more excited (and terrified) about it. :) She is most excited to allow the time to experience new things and new people... and to see what she sees. | Follow Angie on Instagram | Zack Munsell Bio: Zack Munsell is outgoing and thrives to keep the people around him comfortable, confident, and most importantly in laughing. Though he's a rookie outdoorsman, having only gotten into overnight backpacking this past summer, he's confident his strong will and personality will be defining factors that enable him to complete his thru-hike. Zack is in a little over his head, and is compensating by being a little out of his mind. | Follow Zack on Instagram | Jazmín Ortega Bio: Born in Los Angeles and raised in Mexico, Jazmin started out as a newspaper reporter and now works in state government, fueling her outdoor adventures in marathon running and hiking with a healthy dose of street tacos. Her SoCal-based indoor pursuits include reading, writing and painting. After section hiking the PCT for four years, she's jumping feet first into her first thru hike. | Follow Jazmín on Instagram | Sarah Herman Bio: Before embarking on homeless trail life, Sarah lived in the Philadelphia suburbs with her partner. She worked as a travel consultant for five years, and was an avid rock climber. She enjoys music, chocolate, Broadway, more chocolate, and being outside. She's heard candy bars abound on the PCT, and is as ready as she'll ever be for this adventure. | Follow Sarah on Instagram | Alison Dernbach Bio: Alison is from Colorado but has recently lived in California and New Mexico. She is still trying to figure out what to do with her life, but working at a nonprofit and helping land conservation projects seems to be the direction things are going. Her love of coffee, beer, and mountains knows no bounds. | Follow Alison on Instagram | Laura Stewart Bio: Laura, a 39-year-old physical therapist from Victoria BC Canada, “hated hiking” until her early 30s. After a friend insisted she just shut up and try it, Laura realized that hiking is actually just walking, usually in beautiful surroundings. Although late to the party, Laura has since has fallen in love with hiking and backpacking, exploring the many world-renowned trails near her home on Vancouver Island, as well as in the Canadian Rockies, the European Alps, and the US. The PCT in 2019 will be her first backpacking trip longer than 2 weeks. | Follow Laura on Instagram | Julie Klazynski Bio: Julie is a high school math teacher from Columbia, IL. She loves hiking and camping with her husband, coaching high school soccer, cooking, collecting National Park stamps, and having a few beers with her awesome friends and family. Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at GraniteGear.com by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it.  Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this podcast one and two.  Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek.  < sign up for our newsletter > Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. 

Aired Monday, 15 January 2018, 4:00 PM ET Planting the Seeds of Wealth and Prosperity Are you planting the seeds for your future to be full of wealth and prosperity? What actions can you take and what tools can you put to work that will change and enhance your wealth and prosperity? Join Maggie Emerson as she walks you through some fun tools and ways to planting and watering the seeds of wealth and prosperity. About the Guest: Maggie Emerson Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com

Aired Monday, 25 December 2017, 4:00 PM ET Are You A Savvy Entrepreneur Join Emerson as she interviews Devarati Angela Salmon about her 3 top ways of being a Savvy Entrepreneur. Find out how meditation, accounting, and creativity actually work together to create more in your life and business. In this episode you will also discover different and speedy ways to let go and allow all your asks to come to you with ease. Guest Bios: Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com Devarati Angela Sammon invites you to awareness from a space of Joy with her contagious laughter and a space of greater possibilities and total presence. Devarati is a business mentor, personal development speaker, meditation instructor, event organizer and a celebrated jewellery designer. She draws some of her capacities from being an Access Consciousness Facilitator as well as a Right Body for You Taster Facilitator, Joy of Business and Being You Facilitator and a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA). Able to balance the logic of accounting with the creativity of design and the mindfulness of spiritual practice, Devarati is renowned for both her joie de vivre, and her ability to bring a broader perspective to any situation.

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-377 – Alex Runs Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc  (Audio: link) audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4377.mp3] Link MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -   Hello, and welcome to the RunRunLive Podcast episode 4-377, I will be Chris your host, thank you for joining me.  I am speaking with you the day after US Thanksgiving.  The weather has finally started to turn here and it is below freezing outside.  Teresa and I went and ran the Ayer Fire Dept 5K on Thanksgiving morning.  I get to see many of my friends from the running club.  One of our members, Anthony was the original race director who created the race.  I used to go up and run the Feaster 5 miler in Andover but this is so much more convenient.  The Feaster gets almost 10,000 runners and a bunch of local running celebrities show up to take pictures with McGilvary.  It's a good race but Ayer is less hassle for us being the next town over.  I can't say I had a good race.  I can't say I had a bad race either.  In terms of how I felt and the pace I ran it wasn't my best effort, given how I actually tried to train for the race and am coming off a successful marathon campaign. But, on the other hand, being out on a cold, sunny morning with my daughter and all my friends – there's really no complaining about that! Today, we speak with friend of the show, Alex, about his epic adventure at the Ultra-trail du Mont Blanc at the end of the summer.  If you pay attention to the ultra world you may have heard of Leadville or Western States.  UTMB is the Western States of Europe, if you will.  It gets all the best international mountain and trail runners.  It's over 100 miles long and has an insane amount of vertical.  Alex, used to volunteer to edit the audio for the interviews on RunRunLive.  Another one of those Sympatico friendships I've been graced with through the podcast.  I think you'll enjoy it.  Remember a couple episodes back when I gave you my new Apple sauce recipe?  Well, I tried an excellent variation.  I've started putting overripe bananas and ripe peaches in with the apples. And I've discovered you don't have to peel the apples either.  Just throw it all into an oven-safe dish, covered and bake it on low all day long and you get amazing, healthy apple sauce for your morning oatmeal.  In section one of this episode I'll talk a little about how I attempted to pivot from the marathon to the 5K and in section two I'll write about running in the city of Boston.  … I finally got around to getting my flu shot.  I try to get in each fall because I think it's important to do my part in keeping the herd healthy.  I usually don't' get sick since I started training regularly.  A number of people I know, work with and even my wife who is usually healthy as a horse came down with this nasty chest cold this fall that seemed to last for 2-3 weeks.  I went down to the local drug store, CVS, where they give the shots on a Saturday.  It wasn't a very productive day for me.  The dump was closed because of veterans' day and I didn't know it until I loaded up my truck and drove over there.  I found it impossible to get in for a haircut two weekends in a row due to some bizarre spike in the demand for haircuts locally.  But, I did manage to get the flu shot.  While I was sitting there an old man came in and joined me.  It was veterans' Day and he was wearing a WWII commemorative hat.  He told me that he enlisted in 1942 at the age of 17.  He was in Normandy 6 days after D-day.  He was stationed in Czechoslovakia.  Then he went to the Pacific theatre and was in the Philippines and Japan.  He'd be about the same age as my Dad would be if he were still alive.  Local guy.  Grew up in the town.  Lived his life there.  Still there.  Getting his flu shot.  Imagine the changes he's seen? That was a couple weeks ago.  Today is thanksgiving.  I find myself thankful.  On with the show. … I'll remind you that the RunRunLive podcast is ad free and listener supported.  What does that mean? It means you don't have to listen to me trying to sound sincere about Stamps.com or Audible.. (although, fyi, my MarathonBQ book is on audible) We do have a membership option where you can become a member and as a special thank you, you will get access to member's only audio. There are book reviews, odd philosophical thoughts, zombie stories and I curate old episodes for you to listen to.  I recently added that guy who cut off is foot so he could keep training and my first call with Geoff Galloway.   “Curated” means I add some introductory comments and edit them up a bit.  So anyhow – become a member so I can keep paying my bills.   … The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access to Exclusive Members Only audio and articles. Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com … Section one – Pivoting from the Marathon to a 5K - Voices of reason – the conversation Alex Cooke Alex is 43 and hails from Birmingham in the UK. Like many of us, he started running in early middle age to improve his health, but quickly found benefits in multiple dimensions. He's got a busy life, and uses running dreams to keep him motivated to train and live a bit cleaner. After [not quite] conquering the Boston marathon and falling in love with the European Alps on a family holiday, he set his sights on trail running and, specifically, the Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc -  a 106 mile, 33,000 feet mountain race as his next goal. Three years after setting the goal, did the reality live up to the dream? Twitter: @TrustCooker Instagram: trustcooker UTMB stats and videos:  Section two – Running in the City - Outro Excellent job my friends, you have slipped, crawled and struggled through 30 hours of the RunRunLive podcast Episode 4-377.  The intro for this podcast was written just around Thanksgiving.  Now it is 2 weeks later.  Apologies for the tardy publishing cadence.  My new gig in the city is very intense and time consuming.  I don't have any place to record.  By the time I get to the weekend I have a full slate of other activities and no time to record either – I'm also fairly wrung out intellectually.  But that's not your problem!  It's not a problem for me either.  I'll figure it out.  I have spent these few weeks well and wisely.  I ran my turkey trot 5K and it was as struggle but I did ok.  I got to spend some time with my friends and Teresa. It's a nice event to kick off the day.  Last weekend I ran the 4.7 mile leg, leg 2, of the Mill Cities Relay.  I ran 7:30's as I predicted but it was hard work and I was fairly sore on Monday of this week.  Basically I'm feeling the effects of a active fall racing season.  Coach wants me to start training for Boston but I kind of want to take some time off and do something different.  I was looking at Comrades Marathon in June – but that's probably outside my reach – as epic as it is.  I'll figure something out.  I'm so busy I find I'm falling into the ‘switching cost' trap. This is what happens when you work on many important things in parallel.  Every time you go from focusing on one important thing to focusing on the next important thing you pay a penalty.  It takes your brain a certain period of time to transition out of the one thing and then refocus on the next.  It's like when you're working on a project and you are deeply focused and the phone rings.  It's important so you answer.  Now you've lost the flow of that project. What ends up happening eventually, as you try to string more projects in parallel, is the time spent switching and absorbing the impact of the switch begins to outweigh the value of the thing you switched to.  They discovered this concept in the early computers.  Eventually the entire CPU is tied up switching tasks and nothing gets done.  What do you do?  Unfortunately, the answer is to work longer and try to carve out appropriately large and specific chunks of time for important tasks.  You may find that the only time you can find is outside of work hours.  Or, you can say no.  You can identify those things that are not urgent but are important and make sure those get done.  Because those are the things that will pay off over the long run.  For example, you are having to deal with customers because you don't have enough qualified employees.  What should you do?  If you don't deal with the customers, you'll take a high profile hit for being unresponsive.  But, if you don't focus on hiring and training you will never get out of the trap. You'll be tempted to try to do both.  Deal with customers and hire and train in the spare time.  What happens? You end up being mediocre at both.  As painful as it is you have to focus on the thing that will give you the long term win, not the thing standing in front of you screaming.  It comes down to knowing what you're trying to accomplish and aligning your tradeoffs with those strategic goals.  Sounds strangely intellectual when I talk about it this way.  In reality it's the chaos of daily life.  I'm going to keep plugging along, doing the right thing, and I'll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-377 – Alex Runs Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc  (Audio: link) audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4377.mp3] Link MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -   Hello, and welcome to the RunRunLive Podcast episode 4-377, I will be Chris your host, thank you for joining me.  I am speaking with you the day after US Thanksgiving.  The weather has finally started to turn here and it is below freezing outside.  Teresa and I went and ran the Ayer Fire Dept 5K on Thanksgiving morning.  I get to see many of my friends from the running club.  One of our members, Anthony was the original race director who created the race.  I used to go up and run the Feaster 5 miler in Andover but this is so much more convenient.  The Feaster gets almost 10,000 runners and a bunch of local running celebrities show up to take pictures with McGilvary.  It’s a good race but Ayer is less hassle for us being the next town over.  I can’t say I had a good race.  I can’t say I had a bad race either.  In terms of how I felt and the pace I ran it wasn’t my best effort, given how I actually tried to train for the race and am coming off a successful marathon campaign. But, on the other hand, being out on a cold, sunny morning with my daughter and all my friends – there’s really no complaining about that! Today, we speak with friend of the show, Alex, about his epic adventure at the Ultra-trail du Mont Blanc at the end of the summer.  If you pay attention to the ultra world you may have heard of Leadville or Western States.  UTMB is the Western States of Europe, if you will.  It gets all the best international mountain and trail runners.  It’s over 100 miles long and has an insane amount of vertical.  Alex, used to volunteer to edit the audio for the interviews on RunRunLive.  Another one of those Sympatico friendships I’ve been graced with through the podcast.  I think you’ll enjoy it.  Remember a couple episodes back when I gave you my new Apple sauce recipe?  Well, I tried an excellent variation.  I’ve started putting overripe bananas and ripe peaches in with the apples. And I’ve discovered you don’t have to peel the apples either.  Just throw it all into an oven-safe dish, covered and bake it on low all day long and you get amazing, healthy apple sauce for your morning oatmeal.  In section one of this episode I’ll talk a little about how I attempted to pivot from the marathon to the 5K and in section two I’ll write about running in the city of Boston.  … I finally got around to getting my flu shot.  I try to get in each fall because I think it’s important to do my part in keeping the herd healthy.  I usually don’t’ get sick since I started training regularly.  A number of people I know, work with and even my wife who is usually healthy as a horse came down with this nasty chest cold this fall that seemed to last for 2-3 weeks.  I went down to the local drug store, CVS, where they give the shots on a Saturday.  It wasn’t a very productive day for me.  The dump was closed because of veterans’ day and I didn’t know it until I loaded up my truck and drove over there.  I found it impossible to get in for a haircut two weekends in a row due to some bizarre spike in the demand for haircuts locally.  But, I did manage to get the flu shot.  While I was sitting there an old man came in and joined me.  It was veterans’ Day and he was wearing a WWII commemorative hat.  He told me that he enlisted in 1942 at the age of 17.  He was in Normandy 6 days after D-day.  He was stationed in Czechoslovakia.  Then he went to the Pacific theatre and was in the Philippines and Japan.  He’d be about the same age as my Dad would be if he were still alive.  Local guy.  Grew up in the town.  Lived his life there.  Still there.  Getting his flu shot.  Imagine the changes he’s seen? That was a couple weeks ago.  Today is thanksgiving.  I find myself thankful.  On with the show. … I’ll remind you that the RunRunLive podcast is ad free and listener supported.  What does that mean? It means you don’t have to listen to me trying to sound sincere about Stamps.com or Audible.. (although, fyi, my MarathonBQ book is on audible) We do have a membership option where you can become a member and as a special thank you, you will get access to member’s only audio. There are book reviews, odd philosophical thoughts, zombie stories and I curate old episodes for you to listen to.  I recently added that guy who cut off is foot so he could keep training and my first call with Geoff Galloway.   “Curated” means I add some introductory comments and edit them up a bit.  So anyhow – become a member so I can keep paying my bills.   … The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access to Exclusive Members Only audio and articles. Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com … Section one – Pivoting from the Marathon to a 5K - Voices of reason – the conversation Alex Cooke Alex is 43 and hails from Birmingham in the UK. Like many of us, he started running in early middle age to improve his health, but quickly found benefits in multiple dimensions. He’s got a busy life, and uses running dreams to keep him motivated to train and live a bit cleaner. After [not quite] conquering the Boston marathon and falling in love with the European Alps on a family holiday, he set his sights on trail running and, specifically, the Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc -  a 106 mile, 33,000 feet mountain race as his next goal. Three years after setting the goal, did the reality live up to the dream? Twitter: @TrustCooker Instagram: trustcooker UTMB stats and videos:  Section two – Running in the City - Outro Excellent job my friends, you have slipped, crawled and struggled through 30 hours of the RunRunLive podcast Episode 4-377.  The intro for this podcast was written just around Thanksgiving.  Now it is 2 weeks later.  Apologies for the tardy publishing cadence.  My new gig in the city is very intense and time consuming.  I don’t have any place to record.  By the time I get to the weekend I have a full slate of other activities and no time to record either – I’m also fairly wrung out intellectually.  But that’s not your problem!  It’s not a problem for me either.  I’ll figure it out.  I have spent these few weeks well and wisely.  I ran my turkey trot 5K and it was as struggle but I did ok.  I got to spend some time with my friends and Teresa. It’s a nice event to kick off the day.  Last weekend I ran the 4.7 mile leg, leg 2, of the Mill Cities Relay.  I ran 7:30’s as I predicted but it was hard work and I was fairly sore on Monday of this week.  Basically I’m feeling the effects of a active fall racing season.  Coach wants me to start training for Boston but I kind of want to take some time off and do something different.  I was looking at Comrades Marathon in June – but that’s probably outside my reach – as epic as it is.  I’ll figure something out.  I’m so busy I find I’m falling into the ‘switching cost’ trap. This is what happens when you work on many important things in parallel.  Every time you go from focusing on one important thing to focusing on the next important thing you pay a penalty.  It takes your brain a certain period of time to transition out of the one thing and then refocus on the next.  It’s like when you’re working on a project and you are deeply focused and the phone rings.  It’s important so you answer.  Now you’ve lost the flow of that project. What ends up happening eventually, as you try to string more projects in parallel, is the time spent switching and absorbing the impact of the switch begins to outweigh the value of the thing you switched to.  They discovered this concept in the early computers.  Eventually the entire CPU is tied up switching tasks and nothing gets done.  What do you do?  Unfortunately, the answer is to work longer and try to carve out appropriately large and specific chunks of time for important tasks.  You may find that the only time you can find is outside of work hours.  Or, you can say no.  You can identify those things that are not urgent but are important and make sure those get done.  Because those are the things that will pay off over the long run.  For example, you are having to deal with customers because you don’t have enough qualified employees.  What should you do?  If you don’t deal with the customers, you’ll take a high profile hit for being unresponsive.  But, if you don’t focus on hiring and training you will never get out of the trap. You’ll be tempted to try to do both.  Deal with customers and hire and train in the spare time.  What happens? You end up being mediocre at both.  As painful as it is you have to focus on the thing that will give you the long term win, not the thing standing in front of you screaming.  It comes down to knowing what you’re trying to accomplish and aligning your tradeoffs with those strategic goals.  Sounds strangely intellectual when I talk about it this way.  In reality it’s the chaos of daily life.  I’m going to keep plugging along, doing the right thing, and I’ll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

Aired Monday, 4 December 2017, 4:00 PM ET Putting the YOU back in Your Business! Are you treating yourself as a valuable asset in your business? What is required to create a space of nourishment and joy for you so that you can have the joy of business in each moment? Join Maggie Emerson, JCF and Dr Nicola Dehlinger for a fun and dynamic conversation about nourishment and the many ways you can start to take care of you so you can not only show up for your business, but show up for you in a way that expands every area of your life. Guest Bios: Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com Dr. Nicola St. Mary received her B.A. in International Health from Brown University in 1997, graduating with honors. Dr. Nicola completed her Naturopathic Medical Degree from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2004. After completing medical school, Dr. Nicola worked with HIV+ patients at Phoenix Body Positive where she utilized her Spanish fluency working with the Latino community. In 2006, Dr. Nicola moved to Durango, CO to co-found Open Sky, a wilderness therapy program for young adults and adolescents coping with emotional health challenges. Today, Dr. Nicola sees clients in her naturopathic medical practice, Pura Vida Natural Healthcare, in Durango. She is highly trained to treat a wide variety of physical and emotional conditions but maintains a special focus on anxiety, depression, insomnia, and stress/fatigue-related disorders. In addition to seeing clients, Dr. Nicola teaches a variety of classes around the community. She also leads a variety of retreats where there is space to deepen into our wellness plans and ourselves. Dr. Nicola offers a variety of programs to support worksite wellness. From simple one-hour classes on Stress Management to full-day workshops on how Wellness at Work creates a more positive work environment while improving your bottom line, Dr. Nicola customizes her retreats to best suit the need of each company. In her free time, you can find her in the mountains, the garden, or the kitchen, enjoying time with her son and partner. Find out more at: doctornicola.com and puravidahealthcare.com

Aired Monday, 20 November 2017, 4:00 PM ET Finding Your Flow in Business & Life No business is ever the same, and you are not the same as any other business owner. There are so many formula’s out there to create business that we are told we MUST follow to have success? What if your true formula to success was (and is) following what works for you? What are your unique talents and abilities that are the keys to your success? In this show discover Maggie’s ease-filled ways of letting go and inviting yourself to follow the energy throughout each day to allow yourself to continuously create your life with ease, by way of following what works for you. About the Guest: Maggie Emerson Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com

Aired Monday, 16 October 2017, 4:00 PM ET Being Bad In Business What if being bad was your greatest asset? Join Maggie Schlarb and Gabrielle Vena where they share the tools that allow them to have the joy of creating business on their terms. What if everything you thought you did wrong in business was actually a strongness? Are you willing to see your gifts and talents in a whole new perspective? Guest Bios: Gabrielle’s “work” is also her greatest source for play, joy and fun! A former Psychotherapist, she is now an Access Consciousness Certified Facilitator specializing in Joy of Business. She has a gift for being present with clients and perceiving what someone could choose in their lives, with their business, and what they can be, even if they don’t see it themselves yet. She has a unique perspective on business, as she has re-created her career several times, always being willing to choose towards what is going to create more ease, fun and fulfillment, even in the face of judgment. Facilitating people to discover their unique brilliance and use it to their advantage lights her up. Gabrielle has an acute awareness of where people limit themselves; that, coupled with an allowance, openness and humor which puts people at ease creates a space where clients more easily uncover the source of obstacles, and use their awareness and the tools they are learning to create a different possibility. When she isn’t traveling the world sharing the brilliance of Access Consciousness she lives in a beach suburb of Los Angeles, with her 2 (wacky and wonderful) dogs. You can connect with her at: gabriellevena.com Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com

Let our three hosts and intrepid travelers, David M Frees, Somnath Sikdar, and Alex Frees, show you how to take your travel from fantasy to reality with over thirty planning tips, hacks and tools to give you the trip of a lifetime. Cabeau neck pillow https://www.amazon.com/Cabeau-Evolution-Cool-Travel-Pillow/dp/B01B7NG782/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1498418016&sr=8-4&keywords=evolution+pillow+cabeau Ear plugs https://www.amazon.com/Ear-Plugs-Sleeping-Shooting-Study/dp/B00ZU2VIR2/ref=sr_1_23_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1498418105&sr=1-23&keywords=ear+plugs+for+sleeping sleep mask https://www.amazon.com/Revolutionary-Patented-SLEEP-MASTER-Sleep/dp/B0015NZ6FK/ref=sr_1_19_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1498418195&sr=1-19&keywords=sleep+mask+comfortable https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/06/22/fly-almost-free-using-credit-card-points/?source=91&u=4UNFXRAKPL&nltv=&nl_cs=35784533%3A%3A%3A%3A%3A%3A https://www.afar.com/magazine/where-to-watch-the-total-solar-eclipse-in-august https://www.afar.com/travel-tips/21-of-the-worlds-most-exotic-luxury-beach-resorts?email=dmfiii%40aol.com&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Where%20to%20Watch%20this%20Summer%27s%20Rare%20Solar%20Eclipse&utm_term=Daily%20Wander%20Newsletter 10 Ways to Make the Most of an Epic Trip A big trip can mean lots of logistics and planning—here’s what you need to consider. When it’s time to start planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip, whether it’s for a honeymoon, a family reunion, a solo adventure, or a multiweek (or longer!) grand tour, choosing the right mix of destinations and activities will ensure that your holiday is an unforgettable one. Finding that perfect combination depends, of course, on where you want to go, the length of your trip, what you want to do, who’s coming with you, and how far you need your budget to stretch. Here are 10 things to consider as your starting point. Think about your budget. It’s hard to relax and enjoy your time away if you’re constantly worried about the bill. Luckily, the world is a big place, and what you want out of one pricey destination might be accomplished with a more affordable option. If, say, an African safari sounds dreamy but it’s not in the cards, you might want to consider another destination that offers a similar rustic wildlife experience, such as Costa Rica or Nicaragua.  Try a travel advisor. Keep in mind that travel advisors are more than just transactional tools. The best advisors can be your secret weapon for complicated trips. They’re destination experts who can handle time-consuming logistics so you don’t have to. They’re also there for you when disaster strikes and have the pull to help wrangle you perks and upgrades. Be open to destinations. It’s perfectly fine, of course, to have a clear picture of where you want to go, but don’t limit yourself too early. Be sure to think about what you really want out of your trip. If the purpose of your getaway is quality time with your extended family, think about going off the beaten path. Check out a few family travel ideas here.   Timing is everything.Planning is key when it comes to weather, pricing, availability, and crowds. Rates start to drop at Mediterranean resorts in October, for example, but there’s still plenty of sun, while the European Alps are ideal in April because there are fewer crowds. Even hurricane season in the Caribbean is worth considering—rates are lower and most resorts and airlines have good cancellation policies. Arrange something special to mark the occasion. Going the extra mile to plan a singular experience on your trip will make it all the more memorable. Again, this is when you might want to call in a trusted travel expert for his or her advice and insider contacts. If you’re on your honeymoon, this might mean a secluded beachside dinner. Family reunion? Perhaps a hot air balloon ride or even a private cruise. When it comes to your itinerary, sometimes less can be more. The idea of an “epic vacation” might conjure up a laundry list of places. But consider the actual experience—are you allowing enough time in your itinerary to actually soak in the places you want to explore? Think of a destination like a friendship: the more time you put into it, the more you get out of it. Consider your company. Choosing the right partner—and deciding when to travel alone—can have a huge impact on your experience of a place. Maybe you don’t need a travel companion on that yoga retreat in India, but a friend could be great when you’re exploring Berlin. If you’ve got a new travel partner in mind, try a quick weekend trip together to compare your travel styles before committing to something more lengthy and far-flung.   Consider a house or apartment rental. Sites like Airbnb, OneFineStay, and the family-friendly Kid and Coe allow you to live like a local in your destination. You’ll often have access to more residential parts of a city and amenities such as a kitchen. This option is especially great for multigenerational groups in need of a base of operations for exploring a destination. Record your memories. The experiences on your trip might feel exciting in the moment, but keep those precious moments from fading forever when you’re back in your daily grind. This goes beyond pictures: Write your thoughts in a journal. You don’t necessarily have to record a play-by-play of your trip, but if a idea, a revelation, or an insight comes to mind, take note of it. Keep the post-travel blues away. Returning home and reentering your routine after a life-changing trip can be a bit of a downer. Ease back into the daily grind by having something fun planned on your return—maybe it’s dinner with friends to catch up and share your trip stories. If you can, try to work in an extra rest day between your flight home and your first day back at work to take off some of the pressure.

Aired Monday, 18 September 2017, 4:00 PM ET Are You An Adventurous Entrepreneur? What are the elements of adventure that you can add to your business? Do you know? Join Maggie Schlarb, Joy of Business Facilitator and adventurer extraordinaire and discover the six qualities of adventure that can lead to better business growth and success. About Maggie Schlarb: Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com

Aired Monday, 18 September 2017, 4:00 PM ET Are You An Adventurous Entrepreneur? What are the elements of adventure that you can add to your business? Do you know? Join Maggie Schlarb, Joy of Business Facilitator and adventurer extraordinaire and discover the six qualities of adventure that can lead to better business growth and success. About Maggie Schlarb: Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: http://maggieschlarb.com

Aired Monday, 21 August 2017, 4:00 PM ET Creating A Business That Works For You Is it time to get out of the box and create a business that works for you? What if the way you do business is totally different than even those in the same type of business as you? There are so many formula’s and ‘how-to’s’ in business. What if you could pick and choose from these formula’s and create the recipe that works just for you and your lifestyle? Join Heather Nichols and Maggie Schlarb for a conversation on how you too can create a business that works for you and your desired lifestyle. Guest Bios: Heather Nichols born and raised in California, Heather Nichols is a creator of magnitude, never taking ‘no’ for an answer. She has a capacity to see what she can add, create, tweak, change, and expand to make her life– and the lives of those around her– greater than imaginable. Heather has owned a large movement studio and healing spa, run a private practice as a Psychotherapist, taught mind-body movement, and facilitated countless workshops and trainings in the field of transformation. Today, Heather’s work is largely informed by the tools and practices of Access Consciousness, her extensive background in the healing arts, and her own personal willingness to do whatever it takes to effect change. She brings to her work a fierce commitment to create joy, ease, and wealth on the planet–in every area of life. Website: www.heathernichols.com Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: maggieschlarb.com

Aired Monday, 31 July 2017, 4:00 PM ET Business On The Move Guest Bios: Maggie Schlarb Are you an adventurer at heart? Maggie sure is!!! One of Maggie’s greatest joys and gifts is to assist others to use question, choice, possibility, and contribution as a way to create greater in business and in the world. When Maggie is not facilitating classes or one on one sessions, you will find her traveling the world, discovering trails to explore and adventuring wherever she may roam. Some of Maggie’s favorite adventures have included cycle touring New Zealand while pulling her then two year old son behind her and spending three months living in a VW camper van touring the European Alps while hiking, biking, and truly enjoying the thrill living an adventurous life. Maggie believes business truly can be done anywhere, at any time and with great amounts of fun and joy. And best of all, if you include your body in the creation of your life, living and business, it gets better by the day!! What if you too could have the joy and adventure of living that is possible when you put the tools of the Joy of Business and Access Consciousness into action? You can find Maggie at: maggieschlarb.com Rebecca Hulse Rebecca Hulse is an author, speaker, Joy of Business Certified Facilitator and possibility-maker. She is an Access Consciousness® Certified Facilitator, event organiser and consultant, who revels in shaking up the realities and limiting paradigms of her clients. Having completed her first “bucket list” by age 20, Rebecca is the personification of her motto “Impossible is Temporary”. Rebecca is the author of three books and regularly speaks to a global audience on business, consciousness, bodies, being and sex. At 24 years of age, she is a go-getting, jet-setting millennial. She has experienced firsthand the power of opportunity and strives to constantly push the boundaries of what she is capable of, both personally and professionally. Her writing has been featured in MindBodyGreen, NotSalmon, Wild Sister, My Yoga Online, Elephant Journal, Girlfriendology, Classy Career Girl, TeraWarner.com, OM Times, and AccessConsiousness.com just to name a few. You can explore possibilities with Rebecca casually on Facebook, in a private session any time via skype or in person wherever she is, through her online programs, classes and recordings available at rebeccahulse.com and in her Joy of Business classes.

Today I share a few fun stories from my time trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc in the European Alps, and provide an in-depth look at the most critical pieces of gear that you'll need if you're thinking about trekking in the mountains. Enjoy! Special Thanks to Jason Shaw for his song “Solo Acoustic Guitar” used in today's episode: You can find more information here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Shaw/Audionautix_Acoustic/SOLO_ACOUSTIC_GUITAR_3-11 “Solo Acoustic Guitar” is protected by a Creative Commons attribution license, and is used without the author's prior consent. For more information, see the license here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Cathy O'Dowd is a South African rock climber, mountaineer, author and motivational speaker. She was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest from both the north and south sides. She has traversed the Norwegian Arctic and has climbed towering mountains throughout central and southern Africa, the European Alps, South America and the Himalaya. She has led a life rich in mountaineering epics and outdoor wonder. She is an inspiration to many. Today she shares her enthusiasm for the wilderness and what she has learned while step-kicking and front-pointing her way into the ranks of mountaineering royalty. You can find Cathy on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @cathyodowd. Her website for speaking engagements is cathyodowd.com. The business of adventure is a fabulous resource for anyone thinking about how to effectively get their next expedition up and running. Follow along on twitter @bizofadventure and sign up to the mailing list at thebusinessofadventure.com. This is Frost and Cinder. Subscribe on iTunes, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Also, check out our adventure gear store at frostandcinder.com. Type in the code FROSTY at checkout for 10% off. Our music is by William French and Parallel View. Find and follow them on Soundcloud. soundcloud.com/williamfrenchmusic soundcloud.com/parallel-view-music If you like what we're doing, feel free to support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/FrostCinder Thanks!

For the snowboarder that travels, there is no debate – the European Alps are at the top of the destination bucket list. Simply put, there is just no other place like it.

We talk to Professor Robin Bell of Lamont- Doherty Earth Observatory, about the Gamburtsev Mountains in Antartica, a sub-glacial range the size of the European Alps, hidden beneath the ice sheet.

This year Jesse focused his energy towards making his first urban Full Part. Spending the first 2 months of 2016 putting in work in the European Alps and getting results. Back in Australia it was the good old injury story restricting the same level, that Europe showed, of stacking footy. Regardless it was a great year setting the mood for whats to come. Editor - Jesse Kennedy Filmer - Jakob Kennedy

EXCLUSIVE Sneak Peek at VÖLKL's fresh BMT episode 'Locals" Plenty of freeski in the European Alps backcountry with skiers Austin Ross, Stian Hagen, Christina Lusti, Lucas Swiekowski and Nadine Wallner Film and Edit : Legs Of Steel Full episode drops Wed 18th Jan only on www.skuff.tv Image - Pally Learmond

Brian Warren is a year-round professional mountain guide based out of Jackson, WY. He guides in various parts of the world including Jackson Hole, the Pacific Northwest, and the European Alps. He has also climbed and guided in Alaska, Canada, South America and the Himalaya. Brian presently holds IFMGA and AMGA Aspirant status and an Avalanche level III certification.

Brian Warren is a year-round professional mountain guide based out of Jackson, WY. He guides in various parts of the world including Jackson Hole, the Pacific Northwest, and the European Alps. He has also climbed and guided in Alaska, Canada, South America and the Himalaya. Brian presently holds IFMGA and AMGA Aspirant status and an Avalanche level III certification.

Glaciers and ice sheets play an important role in the global environment. They are storage systems of most of the world's fresh water, dramatically alter the landscape and sea level, affect ecosystems and provide us with unique records of climate and atmospheric conditions that go back hundreds of thousands of years. Global climate change has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on fresh water availability, causes global sea level rise and affects climate and ecosystems at the local and global scales. In order to understand how glaciers affect life on earth, it is important to understand how glaciers work and what causes them to change. By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can understand why some changes in nature happen fast while others take longer, and why snapshots do not always reflect the big picture. This presentation will address recent measurements and predictions of glacier shrinkage and sea level rise, as well as local and global effects thereof, and will explain more complex issues such as ‘Why have a handful of glaciers advanced in recent years and why does this not contradict records of global warming?' Speaker: Hester Jiskoot PhD Dr Hester Jiskoot is Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Lethbridge and holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Geography (University of Amsterdam, NL) and a PhD in Glaciology (University of Leeds, UK). She is an award winning NSERC-funded glaciologist, is one of the world experts on glacier surging and has published widely. Her main research interests are in ice flow dynamics, glacier-environment and glacier-climate interactions. Since 1991, Dr Jiskoot has been a member and leader of glaciological expedition teams, and has been on glaciers in Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Iceland, the Yukon Territory, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the Himalayas. In 2005 Dr Jiskoot was invited by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to advise about the role of glaciers in the water supply prognosis for western Canada. In 2009 she was elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and in 2010 she became Associate Editor of the scientific journal Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research.

Glaciers and ice sheets play an important role in the global environment. They are storage systems of most of the world's fresh water, dramatically alter the landscape and sea level, affect ecosystems and provide us with unique records of climate and atmospheric conditions that go back hundreds of thousands of years. Global climate change has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on fresh water availability, causes global sea level rise and affects climate and ecosystems at the local and global scales. In order to understand how glaciers affect life on earth, it is important to understand how glaciers work and what causes them to change. By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can understand why some changes in nature happen fast while others take longer, and why snapshots do not always reflect the big picture. This presentation will address recent measurements and predictions of glacier shrinkage and sea level rise, as well as local and global effects thereof, and will explain more complex issues such as ‘Why have a handful of glaciers advanced in recent years and why does this not contradict records of global warming?' Speaker: Hester Jiskoot PhD Dr Hester Jiskoot is Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Lethbridge and holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Geography (University of Amsterdam, NL) and a PhD in Glaciology (University of Leeds, UK). She is an award winning NSERC-funded glaciologist, is one of the world experts on glacier surging and has published widely. Her main research interests are in ice flow dynamics, glacier-environment and glacier-climate interactions. Since 1991, Dr Jiskoot has been a member and leader of glaciological expedition teams, and has been on glaciers in Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Iceland, the Yukon Territory, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the Himalayas. In 2005 Dr Jiskoot was invited by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to advise about the role of glaciers in the water supply prognosis for western Canada. In 2009 she was elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and in 2010 she became Associate Editor of the scientific journal Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research.

Glaciers and ice sheets play an important role in the global environment. They are storage systems of most of the world's fresh water, dramatically alter the landscape and sea level, affect ecosystems and provide us with unique records of climate and atmospheric conditions that go back hundreds of thousands of years. Global climate change has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on fresh water availability, causes global sea level rise and affects climate and ecosystems at the local and global scales. In order to understand how glaciers affect life on earth, it is important to understand how glaciers work and what causes them to change. By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can understand why some changes in nature happen fast while others take longer, and why snapshots do not always reflect the big picture. This presentation will address recent measurements and predictions of glacier shrinkage and sea level rise, as well as local and global effects thereof, and will explain more complex issues such as ‘Why have a handful of glaciers advanced in recent years and why does this not contradict records of global warming?' Speaker: Hester Jiskoot PhD Dr Hester Jiskoot is Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Lethbridge and holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Geography (University of Amsterdam, NL) and a PhD in Glaciology (University of Leeds, UK). She is an award winning NSERC-funded glaciologist, is one of the world experts on glacier surging and has published widely. Her main research interests are in ice flow dynamics, glacier-environment and glacier-climate interactions. Since 1991, Dr Jiskoot has been a member and leader of glaciological expedition teams, and has been on glaciers in Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Iceland, the Yukon Territory, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the Himalayas. In 2005 Dr Jiskoot was invited by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to advise about the role of glaciers in the water supply prognosis for western Canada. In 2009 she was elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and in 2010 she became Associate Editor of the scientific journal Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research.

Glaciers and ice sheets play an important role in the global environment. They are storage systems of most of the world's fresh water, dramatically alter the landscape and sea level, affect ecosystems and provide us with unique records of climate and atmospheric conditions that go back hundreds of thousands of years. Global climate change has caused widespread accelerated glacier retreat, which has negative effects on fresh water availability, causes global sea level rise and affects climate and ecosystems at the local and global scales. In order to understand how glaciers affect life on earth, it is important to understand how glaciers work and what causes them to change. By being informed about natural systems such as glaciers we can understand why some changes in nature happen fast while others take longer, and why snapshots do not always reflect the big picture. This presentation will address recent measurements and predictions of glacier shrinkage and sea level rise, as well as local and global effects thereof, and will explain more complex issues such as ‘Why have a handful of glaciers advanced in recent years and why does this not contradict records of global warming?' Speaker: Hester Jiskoot PhD Dr Hester Jiskoot is Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Lethbridge and holds a BSc and MSc in Physical Geography (University of Amsterdam, NL) and a PhD in Glaciology (University of Leeds, UK). She is an award winning NSERC-funded glaciologist, is one of the world experts on glacier surging and has published widely. Her main research interests are in ice flow dynamics, glacier-environment and glacier-climate interactions. Since 1991, Dr Jiskoot has been a member and leader of glaciological expedition teams, and has been on glaciers in Greenland, Svalbard (Spitsbergen), Iceland, the Yukon Territory, Alaska, the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, and the Himalayas. In 2005 Dr Jiskoot was invited by the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to advise about the role of glaciers in the water supply prognosis for western Canada. In 2009 she was elected Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and in 2010 she became Associate Editor of the scientific journal Arctic, Antarctic & Alpine Research.

Judy Armstrong is almost ready to head out on the first 3300 mile continuous hike around the European Alps in aid of Cancer Research. Andy Howell and I catch up with her as she makes her final preparations before the off, and we see just how lightweight she is intending to make the trip. We also check out her celebrity status in Europe as news of her trailblazing endeavors starts to filter through the Alpine climbing community.