What is a beacon park? It is a designated training area containing up to eight buried beacon-transmitting units. These parks feature a control box that allows you to turn on or off all (or some) of the transmitters to simulate different search scenarios. Avalanche...

Much of my previous writing has focused on the subject of risk. I’ve written a good amount about how we perceive it, tolerate it, manage it, and sometimes misjudge it. Over the years, my interest in human psychology and physiology has led me to think deeply about how...

Avalanche education is one of the most important steps anyone can take before spending time in winter mountain terrain. Whether you ski, snowboard, snowshoe, snowmobile, work on ski patrol, or respond as an EMS professional, understanding avalanche risk directly...

As a Mountain Guide for 45 yrs., I get calls all the time from folks looking for a mountain guide on the Mt. Whitney Trail. It usually starts because they know there’s a well-built summer trail to the top, so they assume it’s accessible year-round. But there are many...

As the year comes to a close, I suspect we all find ourselves pausing to reflect on what 2025 has meant for the avalanche, climbing, and broader mountain community. Not to neatly summarize it though.  Years like this don’t fit cleanly into highlights and low points,...

How It All Begins - The Storm Is Coming Many are feeling a mix of relief, excitement, and anticipation about this week’s snowstorm finally moving in along the West Coast. After a slow and inconsistent start to winter, fresh snow in the forecast (and an abundance of...

Finding Purpose Outside the Typical Path For a long time, I followed the path that felt expected. I finished school, stepped into a corporate job, bought a nice car, and started climbing the ladder. From the outside, everything looked good. On paper, it made sense....

Winter is finally starting to creep back into the mountains, so now is the perfect time to give your backcountry setup a little pre-season TLC. I thought it might be useful for me to go through my pre-season ski maintenance routine with everyone who is willing to...

Picture this: I’m sitting in the garage, door cracked open just enough for the cold air to sneak in, staring at skis that have been waxed so many times I’m pretty sure they’re shinier than my wife’s car. The bench is covered with the usual chaos: a half-gone bar of...

Have we lost something? After almost 50 years in professional guiding, I find myself pausing to ask this question more and more. When I look around today, everything seems so structured. The profession and mountaineering objectives are dominated by paperwork, risk...