The SnowBrains Podcast

Season 6, Episode 87Madison Rose Ostergren is a ski racer turned big mountain charger, redefining what it means to ski with style, power, and soul. She's starred in Warren Miller films, Teton Gravity Research films, she drops massive Teton lines, and she's built a life that blends art, grit, and fearless creativity. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snowbrainspodcast/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowbrainspodcast/?hl=enOn Threads: https://www.threads.com/@snowbrainspodcastOn SnowBrains.com: https://snowbrains.com/category/podcast/This episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 86Matt Sterbenz is the guy who lit a fire under modern freeskiing. He founded 4FRNT skis, built a brand out of a Salt Lake City garage, and proved that when riders design the gear, the whole sport changes. Matt turned rebellion into innovation, built a cult following, and helped define the look and feel of independent skiing. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Mt. Bachelor.Mt. Bachelor is North America’s 7th largest ski resort, located only 30 minutes from Bend, Oregon. Known for its many breweries, scenic river trails, and year-round festivities, Bend isn’t your typical sleepy ski town. Bend’s upbeat adventure lifestyle, paired with Mt. Bachelor’s epic volcanic terrain and world-class tree skiing, make for the perfect winter getaway. Lift tickets start at $99, or scan your Ikon Pass.Book your trip today at mtbachelor.com.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snowbrainspodcast/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowbrainspodcast/?hl=enOn Threads: https://www.threads.com/@snowbrainspodcastOn SnowBrains.com: https://snowbrains.com/category/podcast/This episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 93Denis Lee is a Co-Founder of AirFlare, a company built around a simple idea with lifesaving potential – turning the smartphone people already carry in their pockets every single day into a powerful search and rescue tool, and a powerful tool to help ski patrol save time and energy. He left his traditional corporate career to pursue his passions in the outdoors, motivated in part by the passing of a friend who went missing during a winter trip in Washington state. That experience sparked a desire to rethink how technology could help rescuers locate people faster and more accurately. Working with his co-founder, Lee developed AirFlare into an accessible safety platform that allows adventures to share their location with friends and family and give ski patrols and search and rescue teams new tools that work even without cell service.His mission is to make mountain safety easier, more modern, and available to everyone, not just those with specialized equipment.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn Threads On SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott. Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 92Sasha Berkovich grew up in the Soviet Union at a time when nothing came easy, and nothing in skiing was handed to you. If you wanted gear, you had to barter for it. If you wanted to ride a rope tow, you had to build it, you had to scrap together old engines, scavenged parts, and whatever rope you could find. Sometimes the only currency that worked was vodka. Skiing wasn't a hobby for Sasha back then; it was something you earned piece by piece in a world where there was never enough of anything. Sasha chased skiing anyway. He built lifts out of scraps, traded bottles of vodka to get bindings, he found a way. And then, in 1988, he did something even harder – Sasha, his wife, and their two young children escaped the Soviet Union to make a life for themselves in the United States. No guarantees, no safety net, just a belief that freedom and skiing were worth risking everything for. Today, we get to hear what he did, what skiing meant to him during those years, and how his story unfolded once he reached America. And I'm grateful to Sasha because one of his young children, whom he brought from the Soviet Union, is my very best ski buddy, Greggy, with whom I just spent 10 weeks in Patagonia ski mountaineering. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 91Brian Lazar is the Deputy Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. He's been studying snow and avalanches for more than two decades, working as a forecaster, guide, educator, and researcher across Colorado, Alaska, all of the mountain west, all over South America, including Patagonia. At the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, he's one of the people responsible for the avalanche forecasts we all rely on throughout the winter. Brian's background spans snow science, hazard mitigation, backcountry travel, and the human factor side of avalanche accidents. He's taught with AIARE and has helped shape how we understand risk in the mountains. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 90Andrew Gast is the General Manager of Mt. Ashland ski area in southern Oregon. This is a very special ski resort because it is not-for-profit. Its one and only goal is to serve its community to the best of its abilities. This episode explores everything Mt. Ashland, along with how non-profit ski areas work in general.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn Instagram On ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 89Dan Abrams is the Co-founder and CEO of Flylow. Dan started Flylow with a simple idea—make ski gear that can actually survive the kind of abuse real skiers are putting it through. What began as a garage project between ski buddies has become one of the most respected independent outerwear brands in the mountains, built by skiers, for skiers. Dan is a lifelong skier, gear nerd, and entrepreneur who has helped define what modern freeride culture looks like, blending backcountry function with everyday style. On this episode, SnowBrains CEO & Founder Miles Clark talks to Dan about how Flylow grew from duct tape prototypes to global recognition, what it means to build an authentic brand in the outdoor industry, and how skiing still drives everything he does. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.com This episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 88Mike Rogge is the editor and owner of the Mountain Gazette, one of the most iconic outdoor publications ever made. Rogge revived the Gazette from dormancy in 2020 and turned it into something truly special - a huge format, beautifully written, unapologetically independent magazine that celebrates mountain life in its rawest form. He is also a lifelong skier, storyteller, and creative force who has helped shape ski culture through work at Powder Magazine, Ski the East, Ski Journal, Newschoolers, Freeskier Magazine, Meathead Films, and his own production company called Verb Cabin. In this episode, Miles Clark talks with Mike about how he brought Mountain Gazette back from the dead, what "independent media" really means in 2025, and where the soul of mountain culture is headed next. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snowbrainspodcast/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowbrainspodcast/?hl=enOn Threads: https://www.threads.com/@snowbrainspodcastOn SnowBrains.com: https://snowbrains.com/category/podcast/This episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 6, Episode 85Kilian Jornet is one of the greatest mountain athletes in history, a world champion sky runner, legendary alpinist, and endurance icon who keeps redefining what's possible in the mountains. His latest project, States of Elevation, is a staggering 31-day journey linking 72 14,000-foot peaks across the continental United States, all under human power. He crossed some of North America's most rugged terrain, including Colorado's endless mountain ranges and the Nolan's 14 route, to the rugged Sierra Nevada of California, to Washington's volcanic giants like Mt. Rainier. It was a monumental test of endurance, resilience, and spirit, but it was also reflective of Kilian's deep connection to wild places and his ongoing search for meaning through effort and exploration. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Mt. Bachelor. Mt. Bachelor is North America’s 7th largest ski resort, located only 30 minutes from Bend, Oregon. Known for its many breweries, scenic river trails, and year-round festivities, Bend isn’t your typical sleepy ski town. Bend’s upbeat adventure lifestyle, paired with Mt. Bachelor’s epic volcanic terrain and world-class tree skiing, make for the perfect winter getaway. Lift tickets start at $99, or scan your Ikon Pass. Book your trip today at mtbachelor.com.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Hosted by Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 84Hilary Eisen is the Policy Director for the Winter Wildlands Alliance and is a passionate backcountry skier and ice climber. In her role at Winter Wildlands Alliance, she leads the organization's policy work, focusing on the protection of wild winter landscapes while advocating for quality human-powered snowsports experiences. Her responsibilities include analyzing and responding to public land management proposals, engaging in National Forest winter travel management, and collaborating with partner organizations to advance conservation and recreation policy. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med’s more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you’ll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you’ll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 83This week, the Manging Editor of the Farmers' Almanac, Sandi Duncan, sat down with SnowBrains CEO & Founder Miles Clark to talk about all things long-range winter weather forecasting. The Farmers' Almanac releases a yearly winter weather prediction every August that signals the looming start of the ski season in North America. Their winter forecast is generally SnowBrains.com's most popular article of the year, every year.This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med’s more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you’ll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you’ll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark

Andrew McLean is a legendary ski mountaineer, author, inventor, and Big Mountain Scientist. In 2017, Powder Magazine voted Andrew as one of the "48 Most Influential Skiers of All Time." Andrew is one of the best ski mountaineers on the planet, having skied first descents on every continent and has been featured in a myriad of ski movies, including the Big Mountain Skiing documentary "Steep." Andrew is the inventor of the "Whippet Self Arrest Ski Pole," among many other groundbreaking inventions in the mountaineering universe. Andrew has skied over 100 first descents all over the world. Andrew graduated from the very prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and went on to become a product designer for Black Diamond in Salt Lake City, UT for 14 years. Andrew was even an avalanche forecaster for the Utah Avalanche Center for a year. Andrew wrote the most legendary, hilarious guidebook ever created called "The Chuting Gallery – A Guide To Steep Skiing in the Wasatch" that is simultaneously considered the Bible & Holy Grail of steep skiing in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Andrew is a gifted writer and has written articles for Powder Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, Skiing Magazine, and many other publications. Andrew is most likely the very first professional ski mountaineer on Earth. Andrew McLean lives in Park City, Utah with his wife Polly, their 2 daughters, and 2 poorly behaved canines. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med’s more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you’ll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you’ll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark

Season 5, Episode 82Jeremy recently became the CEO of the X Games and has been tasked with revolutionizing the company to create the first action-sports league. He is a former World Cup Freestyle Mogul skier who saw a number of World Cup wins and two appearances in the Olympics. At the same time, he attended the University of Colorado Boulder and was an All-American wide receiver and return specialist. After retiring from Freestyle skiing at the age of 23, he was drafted into the NFL where he played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburg Steelers. After his NFL career, he started a software start-up called Integrate, which he built for over 10 years to become a company that does over nine figures of revenue a year. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med’s more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you’ll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you’ll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 81Sam Anthamatten is a fully certified IFMGA Mountain Guide and one of the very best freeskiers on Earth. Sam competed on the Freeride World Tour, where he finished 2nd overall in his first season. Sam is very adept in big, steep, technical skiing, but he can do it all in the freeride style. Sam paired up with Jeremy Heights to create the hugely successful La Liste movie, where they attempt to ski 15 of the biggest faces in the European Alps. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med’s more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you’ll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you’ll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 80Anna DeMonte is a ski mountaineering athlete who in June 2024 captured the Women's Ski Fastest Known Time (FKT) on 15,766' Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France. 9,000' vertical backcountry days are normal for her and recently she has been average over 25,000' of human-powered vertical a week. The craziest part - she's only really been skiing for 5 years.This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med’s more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you’ll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you’ll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:On FacebookOn InstagramOn ThreadsOn SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 79Erin Sprague became Protect Our Winters' (POW's) CEO at the beginning of 2024. Since then, she has spearheaded the organization and movement of outdoor recreationists fighting climate change. POW's mission is to "depoliticize the climate discussion and bring together those from all backgrounds to advocate for the outdoor spaces we love most." Before working at POW, Erin was the youngest woman to run a marathon on every continent and spent time in the finance world along with a tenure at Aspen Skiing Company. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med's more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you'll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you'll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities. Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast: On Facebook On Instagram On Threads On SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 78Kai Jones has been in Teton Gravity Research films since he was 11 years old. He went pro at 12, signing with Red Bull, one of the most sought-after athlete sponsors in the world. He is now a mere 18 years old yet is one of the most famous freeskiers on the planet. He just released his first-ever documentary, Falling Into Place, which documents his big injury and recovery and return to skiing. This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med's more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you'll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you'll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast: On Facebook On Instagram On Threads On SnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 77After spending over two decades in the non-profit and start-up spaces, Stephanie Cox took over as CEO of the National Ski Patrol with the goal of modernizing and advancing the organization. She has been focused on revitalizing the operations, recruitment, training, and inclusiveness of the National Ski Patrol while shifting the organization in alignment with the growing outdoor industry.This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med.Escape to one of Club Med's more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you'll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you'll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities.Visit ⁠www.clubmed.us⁠, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today.Follow The SnowBrains Podcast:OnFacebookOnInstagramOnThreadsOnSnowBrains.comThis episode was edited by Liam Abbott.Music by Chad Croutch.Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 76 Ted Ligety is one of the most iconic figures in US Alpine Skiing. He's a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist as well as a five-time World Cup Overall Giant Slalom Champion. Ted dominated the World Cup between 2004-2018 with 25 World Cup wins and 52 podiums across five disciplines. This past October, Ted joined DPS Skis as the Head of Product Performance, where he is helping to create and test skis at their headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT. This episode of The SnowBrains Podcast is brought to you by Club Med. Escape to one of Club Med's more than 20 mountain resorts in Europe, Japan, Canada, or China, where you'll find world-class ski and snowboard terrain, exceptional service, and endless adventure. With their all-inclusive packages, you'll get everything you need for an unforgettable ski vacation, all taken care of. Lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and ski levels, gourmet meals, lively apres-ski activities. Visit www.clubmed.us, call one eight hundred CLUB MED, or your travel advisor today. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast: On Facebook On Instagram On Threads On SnowBrains.com This episode was edited by Liam Abbott. Music by Chad Croutch. Host & Creator: Miles Clark.

Season 5, Episode 75 This week, two representatives joined us from the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) to discuss its current conflict with Park City Mountain Resort owner Vail Resorts. Katie Lips is the President of the PCPSPA and Quinn Graves is a business manager of the PCPSPA. In addition, Katie and Quinn highlighted what it takes for the ski patrollers of the largest ski resort in the United States to keep skiers and riders safe and out of harm's way. Since recording this podcast, a lot has changed in the current standoff between the PCPSPA and Vail Resorts, most notably that as of Friday, December, 27th, the PCPSPA went on strike. This has resulted in Vail Resorts having to turn to scabs by flying in other Vail Resort ski patrollers to keep Park City Mountain Resort operational. This is a developing story, but all of the latest updates can be found on SnowBrains.com. You can support the PCPSPA during its current strike with its GoFundMe here. Follow The SnowBrains Podcast: On Facebook On Instagram On Threads On SnowBrains.com This episode was edited by Liam Abbott. Music by Chad Croutch. Host & Creator: Miles Clark.