Cody and I discuss the introduction of criminal charges for triggering avalanches; the case against straight lining; ski area news; our media recommendations; & more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
- Criminal charges for Triggering Avalanches (3:01)
- The Result of the Avalanche Trial (12:23)
- Straight Lining vs. Turning (14:42)
- Most US Ski Areas made it through COVID! (19:42)
- Ski Areas might have to publish injury stats? (24:48)
- Helicopter Crash in AK (35:17)
- Media Recommendations (45:52)
- ZeroZeroZero (45:58)
- Beartown (Bjarnstad) (47:54)
- Drive To Survive (51:45)
- Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer (53:53)
- How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, by Bill Gates (56:57)
- Reading books vs. listening to them (58:51)
I almost certainly caught Covid-19 at Schweitzer in N. Idaho. It would take too long to explain how I determined that, but I’d put the chances at about 90%. Despite a face covering mandate only in buildings and lift lines, I’d say they usually had less than 50% compliance and no enforcement. Our local health department does not contact trace, so it’s impossible to determine how many other people caught Covid-19 at Schweitzer…but I would bet a significant number have caught it there.
I’m loving these episodes. It just makes me wish it was a call in show. Long time listener, first time caller.
Here’s what I’ve been wondering about this avalanche case all along, and their lawyer referred to it in the Blevins article: why was this avalanche control device placed where it could be destroyed by the very thing it’s meant to cause in I believe the first year of operation? Do you think maybe this court case is a red herring to distract from the fact that the state of CO was so inept in putting it there? If the device itself was $168k, the planning, and engineering, and procurement, and site prep, etc. has to have added up to close to a million dollars. And now they’ll have to do it again, cause there’s no way they can just bolt a new one onto the same place. If it was taken out in a human caused avy, I’d say it’s pretty likely it would’ve eventually been taken out naturally, and then what? Would the state garnish the wages of everyone involved in siting it there? Of course not.
But, skiers have to take responsibility and not trigger slides that hit roads and infrastructure. The state of WY is about 1 road-hitting slide away from closing access on Teton Pass, and if a family gets taken out by a skier-triggered slide on a high hazard day that’ll definitely be the end of parking on the pass.
Yo Cody, Drive to Survive is the best sports doc right now if not ever, does it beat the All Blacks all or nothing? I think it does. You don’t need to be a F1 fan to enjoy it either, love it, after the Fifty of course ;)
Jonathan and Cody, I love your podcast and the topics. Cody I also enjoy the 50, keep up the great work guys.
Matt Stapleton