How to Produce More Olympic Skiers & Snowboarders, Grow Participation, & Support Rural Mtn Town Communities (Ep.219)
How do we grow participation in snowsports, support rural mountain communities, and produce more Olympic skiers and snowboarders? We sat down with Will Brandenburg of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation to discuss all of the above.
On the James Webb Space Telescope (Ep.218)
We’re still trying to process what we’re seeing, and what this all means. So today, we’re offering another brief attempt to wrap our heads around the images — and the significance — of the James Webb Space Telescope, and I provide a few recommendations for further reading & listening.
Blister Summit ’23: New Info, Dates, & Details (Ep.217)
On our Blister Podcast, Jonathan and Blister Summit Director, Kristin Sinnott, discuss the new format for our next Blister Summit; how to get the best pricing; what we learned from past Blister Summits; and who ought to come. (Answer: YOU.)
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (June 2022) (Ep.216)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the Mountain Gazette story about outdoor influencers & accountability; Matthew Fairbrother’s bikepacking — and enduro racing — across Europe; the ‘most Canadian’ news story; what we’re reading & watching; recent Supreme Court rulings; mountain-town advice; & more.
Snowboarding Pioneer, Kimmy Fasani (Ep.215)
Kimmy Fasani is a pioneer of women’s snowboarding, mother, partner of Chris Benchetler, and (among other things) someone who has been dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. So we checked in with Kimmy to talk about how she’s doing, what she’s been learning, and what we can learn from her.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (May 2022) (Ep.214)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the ethics of trail magic; wildfire management; how Cody broke his toe; a new segment for Reviewing the News; and a whole lot more.
Blister Editors & Podcast Hosts, David Golay & Matt Mitchell (Ep.213)
Jonathan sits down with our Bike Editor and ‘Bikes & Big Ideas’ host, David Golay, and our Running Editor and ‘Off The Couch’ host, Matt Mitchell, to discuss Blister Labs; their backgrounds; and some of their recent favorite episodes on Bikes & Big Ideas and Off The Couch.
Johnny Collinson, Wendy Fisher, Sander Hadley, & Drew Petersen on The Mental Game (Ep.212)
Professional skiers are often asked about the mental preparation it takes to ski big lines and perform at a high level. But in this conversation (recorded at our Blister Summit), John Collinson, Wendy Fisher, Sander Hadley, and Drew Petersen offer a much broader perspective on ‘the mental game’ as it relates to dealing with injury and adversity; self identity; mental health; and much more.
The Guide Life, with Ian Havlick (Ep.211)
Jonathan is in Iceland this week, skiing at Deplar Farm and being guided by AMGA-certified guide, Ian Havlick. They sat down to talk about Ian’s path to becoming a professional guide; the misperceptions about the profession; recommendations for how to get into guiding; the confusion around tipping; and more.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (April 2022)
We talk with Cody about what he’s been up to and get an update on the Fifty Project, then we run through some of the latest news, including faked plane crashes; Vail Resorts’ minimum wage increase; fuel for backcountry skiing; golf; and what we’re reading & watching.
Connor Ryan on Rebellious Acts & The Spirit of the Peaks (Ep.209)
We talk to Hunkpapa Lakota skier, Connor Ryan, about his film, Spirit of the Peaks; his vision for skiing and the ski community; radical and rebellious acts; the ‘kiss before the dance’; and more.
On Our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow Blade Video (Ep.208)
We take you behind the scenes of our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow Blade video, and answer all the big questions, like: why no ski poles?; telemark vs. snowblading; & more.
Sander Hadley on Expectations, Evolving, & Longevity (Ep.207)
We sat down with Sander Hadley to talk about his entrance into the world of professional skiing; shifting expectations; his gear setup; and more.
Mountain Gazette editor, Mike Rogge (Ep.206)
Jonathan talks with Mountain Gazette editor, Mike Rogge, about the current state of outdoor media; the revival and future of Mountain Gazette; which non-outdoor publications inspire him; and more.
Benji Alexander on the Olympics, the Aftermath, & What’s Next (Ep.205)
Benji Alexander is back on the podcast to talk about becoming Jamaica’s first Olympian alpine ski racer; his experience in Beijing and his race runs; competition and representation at the Olympic games; and more.
Jason Blevins & Chris Davenport (Ep.204)
We talk to Colorado Sun journalist, Jason Blevins, about this ski season & his predictions for next year’s, then we’re joined by Chris Davenport to talk about the 30th anniversary of the US Extreme Championships in Mt. Crested Butte; the Winter Olympics in Beijing; and more.
Search And Rescue: What You Need to Know, and How / Why You Should Get Involved (Ep.203)
When things go wrong in the backcountry, your local Search And Rescue organization becomes crucial. But what do you know about how Search And Rescue actually works? We talk with our friend, Cy Whitling, about how and why he got involved in Search And Rescue, why we all need to understand how SAR units operate, and why you should consider getting involved.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Jan 2022) (Ep.202)
Cody & Jonathan discuss skiing inbounds on touring gear; alpinism, obsession, & our top-5 climbing movies; a recent interview with Vail’s executive chairman, Rob Katz; Jerry of the Day & inclusivity; Eileen Gu & geopolitics; the future of Outdoor Retailer; & what we’re reading & watching.
On Our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Telemark Video & Future Crash Course Videos (Ep.201)
Last week, we released our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Telemark video, and today, Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, and Dylan Wood talk about their experience tele’ing for the first time. We’re also joined by the star of the video, Kristin Sinnott, to learn why she was a million times better than the rest of us. Then we discuss ideas for future Blister Crash Course videos, so check the conversation, then let us know what you think we ought to do for our next Crash Course videos.
Nick Russell on Splitboarding and ‘Light Bulb’ Moments (Ep.200)
On the Blister Podcast,we talk with Nick Russell about The Fifty Project and sharing a tent with Cody Townsend; Nick’s background and a number of his ‘light bulb’ moments; how he came to be a splitboarder sponsored by Red Bull; and how his recent signing with WNDR Alpine came about.
Tatum Monod on Passage, Passion, Her Trajectory, & More (Ep.199)
We’re talking with one of our favorite skiers, Tatum Monod, about her film, Passage; the trajectory of her career; her ski, the Rossignol Black Ops 118; music; graphics; fishing; design; and more.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Dec 2021) (Ep.197)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the current situation of under-staffed & overcrowded ski areas; national parks and Native American tribes; the looming shortage of lithium batteries for electric vehicles; whether or not to ski the backcountry with your dog; what we’re watching; and more.
The Current Storm, Backcountry Travel, & Best Practices (Ep.196)
Many areas are currently getting hammered with snow, and the consequences of backcountry travel are high. So we asked Zach Guy, lead forecaster for the CBAC, to come back on the podcast to discuss some best practices and important reminders for anyone venturing out.
Eric Jackson on the Past, Present, & Future of Paddlesports (Ep.195)
Eric Jackson is a visionary, iconoclast, designer, founder, and one of the most successful and influential kayakers in history. In this conversation, Eric provides a masterclass on the history and evolution of paddlesports, and there are lessons here for how to grow — and preserve the best aspects of — other sports, communities, and industries like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, trail running, etc.
Lou Dawson: Ski Mountaineer, WildSnow.com founder, & Author (Ep.194)
Lou Dawson is a ski mountaineer, founder of WildSnow.com, author, and the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. We discuss all of the above; the current state of backcountry skiing; and his new guidebook, Light Tours of Colorado.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Nov 2021) (Ep.193)
Cody and Jonathan debate the greatest ski edit of all time; the definition of “ski mountaineering”; whether humans will visit earth as a tourist destination; Alex Honnold & the Fifty Project; and more.
Marcus Caston on the Return of the Turn (Ep.192)
When it comes to true ‘all-mountain’ skiing, Marcus Caston makes one of the nicest turns in the game. He’s also got one of our favorite video series, Return of the Turn. So we talked to Marcus about the new episode; coaching; why people think he’s from the East Coast; and we discuss some Best / Worst episode ideas. (Paging Glen Plake…)
A Life Lived Wild: Rick Ridgeway (Ep.191)
Rick Ridgeway has lived right at the center of the modern outdoor recreation movement. He was a part of the first American ascent of K2; he has gone on numerous adventures with his friends, Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard and The North Face founder, Doug Tompkins, and filmmaker, Jimmy Chin; and he has been right there working to protect wild places with them, Kristine Tompkins, and others.
Ski Patroller & Surprise Ski-Movie Star, Adrien Grabinski (Ep.190)
Adrien Grabinski lives to ski, and Mark Abma calls him, “the most responsible 21-year-old I have ever met.” Adrien is the ski patrol director (plus a lot of other things) at Shames Mountain in BC, and he’s a surprise star of Matchstick Productions’ film, The Stomping Grounds.
Angel Collinson on Her Retirement from Skiing, Processing Change, & More (Ep.189)
We talk to one of our all-time favorite skiers (and people), Angel Collinson, about her recent announcement of her retirement from professional skiing; why she felt that now was the time; the factors that led to her decision; how she thinks about and processes change; what she’s up to now, and what might be next.