Season 3, Episode 7 || Wednesday, January 24th, 2024 || A Fatal Avalanche, Our Sketchy Snowpack, and Important Observations

01/24/24 • 40 min

This episode was a tough one. We’ve had a number of avalanche incidents that should serve as a wake up call to us all, culminating in the first fatal avalanche in Colorado this season, right here in the San Juans. In this episode, I give a quick recap of the weather, the snowpack, and the sheer amount of avalanches that have occurred so far in January. Then, I jump into a conversation with my friend and fellow guide/educator, Chris Trullaz. Chris and I discuss the current conditions around the San Juans, how to handle spooky persistent slab problems, and how to submit a good observation to the CAIC.
Thanks for listening.
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: [email protected]
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cissy Strut” by The Meters
“The Encouragement Stick” by Doctor Turtle

Previous Episode

Season 3, Episode 6 || Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 || The “Sunday Surprise” Storm + Public Lands and Backcountry Advocacy

What a week of weather it has been across the Juans! I’ll kick things off this week with a storm recap and an investigation as to why Sunday’s storm caught so many of us off guard. Then we’ll dive into a super informative conversation about public land management and some of the local issues facing the San Juans, with Hilary Eisen of the Winter Wildlands Alliance and Mason Osgood of the Sheep Mountain Alliance. These folks advocate for the continued access and preservation of our backcountry recreation areas and, not only that, they’re backcountry skiers too! Give it a listen, I guarantee you’ll learn a thing or two.
Learn more at:
winterwildlands.org
sheepmountainalliance.org
More storms are coming in the next few days and Juanuary is off to the races...
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: [email protected]
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Cissy Strut” by The Meters
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos

Next Episode

Season 3, Episode 8 || Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 || Local Avalanches Recap + The Do’s and Dont’s of Ski Cutting

It’s been a HOT ONE! Warm temps and strong sunshine prompted a natural avalanche cycle this past week across the Juans. In this week’s episode, I recap the natural and human-triggered avalanche activity we had this past week, before diving into a chat with my buddy Karl Welter, a ski patroller with the Telluride Ski Resort. Hot Karl walks us through the nuances of ski cutting and when it’s appropriate for the backcountry. Then I wrap things up with a look at the forecast (spoiler alert: its looking stormy!). Let’s hope that June-uary comes to a quick close, and February starts with a bang!
THINK SNOW!
Instagram: @sanjuansnowcast
Email: [email protected]
Venmo: @Chris-Dickson
Thanks as always to my sponsors!
- Mountain Trip
- Silverton Avalanche School
- The Peter Inglis Avalanche Education Fund
- Jagged Edge Mountain Gear
- Telluride Mountain Club
Music on this week’s show:
“Ghetto Funk” by Queens Community Show Band
“Rugged Walk” by The Rugged Nuggets
“Cool Reggae Party” by Juanitos
“Suave” by Offthewally
“Mondo Whack” by Juanitos