The High Route Podcast

In this episode we speak with journalist Mitch Tobin. Tobin co-directs the Water Desk at CU Boulder’s Center for Environmental Journalism, and he also publishes his own excellent newsletter, Snow.News . I first learned about Tobin’s work while seeking resources to better understand climate change and its impacts in the West. As skiers and riders, we like snow, and without it, well, life simply is not as good. After last season’s historically low snow totals, I thought it was time to get a grasp on the broader context of the 2025-2026 snow-water cycle. Also, just like everyone else, I wanted Tobin’s insights into the predicted Super El Nino. However, both Tobin and I are die-hards—we’d love an epic snow season, but Super El Nino or not, we are somewhat easy to please when it comes to snow conditions. And we should note, we read many resources covering the water and snow scenes when it comes to policy, climate, and weather—Tobin's work has set a very high bar. CU Water Desk Tobin's Snow.News If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , ATK , Folkrm Poles , and Cripple Creek Bike and Backcountry for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can pre-order Issues 4 and 5 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Bozeman-based band Jampoke . We are psyched to feature young creative folks. Jam and twirl and tour on.

While this is the first episode of the new season, it’s part two of an interview we did with Zahan Billimoria earlier in the summer. (That episode focused more on training, so if you are feeling out of sorts coming into the new season— give it a listen .) (While Zahan still occasionally guides, he runs Samsara Experience which features their Big Mountain Snow Safety Workshop . A class some of our readers and listeners might benefit from.) This episode stems from a talk I heard Zahan gave last winter in Tahoe—he spoke about learning how to become more of a naturalist as moves into and within the mountains. That concept resonated with me for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is that it remains a personal reminder to slow down: to do the listening and looking and hearing. As this is the first episode of the season, and we truly are not here to proselytize or be prescriptive, we do, however, know that despite all the joy touring brings, there is some sorrow. Which is to say, we want you coming home at the end of the day. And if touring more like a naturalist helps support that—all the better. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , ATK , Folkrm Poles , and Cripple Creek Bike and Backcountry for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can pre-order Issues 4 and 5 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Bozeman-based band Jampoke . We are psyched to feature young creative folks. Jam and twirl and tour on.

In this episode, we connect with Teton-based IFMGA guide and founder/coach at Samsara Experience , Zahan Billimoria. Samsara offers online and in-person training for aspiring and well-established mountain athletes. Over the years, whenever I’ve engaged with a story, film, or post about Zahan, I’ve been drawn in. There’s something about his message that is motivating. Having heard about Zahan for years, I found that the 2020 film Solving for Z : A Calculus of Risk provided a more complete backstory. (Definitely take the time to watch this film.) What we see in the film is a glimpse into a person’s complex relationship with the mountains. This is a two-part podcast, with this episode primarily focused on Samsara’s training principles. I stopped skiing on June 7th, and promptly began trail running. That, I know, is not a great idea. But maybe I'm stubborn. Anyhow, I needed some schooling about reengaging my body with a higher-impact endeavor and, believe it or not, getting prepped for the next touring season. Part two of my interview with Zahan will drop in early September. This second part explores Zahan's path to ski/ride touring like a naturalist. I saw Zahan speak last spring in Tahoe, and his talk centered on how he evolved as a ski/ride tourist and, many years into his career, ultimately embraced a naturalist's mindset while touring. That, assure you, is good stuff. While listening to Zahan speak about training for mountain sports, there is certainly an element of connectedness, too. It is not simply about a climb, ticking off a higher grade, or the next summit. Which, to be a bit self-serving, was what I needed to hear this offseason, as we begin the reboot. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, we connect with the never-fatigued duo, the Dorais brothers…Andy and Jason Dorais. The brief backstory is this: Andy and Jason are both ER doctors in Salt Lake City. Which means that, through all their adventures, past and present, they were educating themselves, working long, strenuous hours in a stressful job, running on fumes, eventually juggling partners, kids, and their clan of like-minded endurance-junkie devotees in their pursuit of light and fast. For those of us further afield, we could latch onto Jason and Andy’s stories through their respective blogs, which often documented pre- or post-work epics. Back in 2010, when the Dorais brothers began their blogs, I was knee-deep in parenting, which meant real-deal adventures took a back seat to school drop-offs and shuttling kids here and there. For nearly seven years, the Dorais documented their epics in fine fashion and, like many others, offered a heavy dose of inspiration. Through their blogs, I was introduced to the meaning of fast and light: an intersection of ascending and descending, and speed, that melded Euro-fit clothes (yes, sometimes Lycra), skinny skis, and, oftentimes, mostly carbon boots. And a huge dose of lung power. Ultimately, in 2011, along with Jared Inouye, Jason and Andy scored an FKT for a Grand Teton round trip on skis. They continued their speed missions, culminating in a 2013 Mount Rainier round-trip on-skis FKT (with skis on and off—but mostly on). All this is not to say that Jason and Andy are not only concerned with speed. They enjoy powder snow, mountain running, and climbing…but it should be noted, it is often done at fast tempos relative to us mere mortals. And again, for many of us out there, the Dorais captured lightning in a bottle and helped define an era of moving through the hills lickety split. Links to the Dorais' Blogs: Jason Dorais Andy Dorais If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, we have the good fortune of speaking with all-around world-class mountain traveler, IFMGA guide, and dad, Vince Anderson. For those of you keen on high-end alpinism, in 2005, Anderson, along with his partner Steve House, climbed a direct, technical route on Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face . For their cutting-edge alpine ascent, they were awarded Piolets d'Or. Now, well into his 50s, Anderson has not slowed down. He still climbs at a very high level, having ascended Peru's Jirishanca with Josh Wharton in 2022. Along with all this technical climbing, Anderson runs Skyward Mountaineering from his Colorado base and is an accomplished backcountry skier/ski-mountaineer. Anderson is also part of the AMGA’s instructor team, ensuring that aspiring guides keep a tight ship as they progress through the course curriculum. The discussion in this episode is mostly focused on touring. But we get insight into how someone with highly developed alpinism skills brings those sensibilities to ski touring as a recreationalist, guide, and a guide instructor. Here's a huge thanks to Vince Anderson for taking the time to speak with us. We hope you, like us, come away from this episode with huge respect for Anderson's craft and some insight into how to make the most of a sweet day in the backcountry. As all this relates to tennis, which we note in the podcast title...maybe it doesn’t. In the documentary about the Jirishanca ascent, Anderson is asked, “Is it dangerous?” He replies, straight to the point, “I mean, it’s not tennis.” Links to learn more about Anderson: Jirishanca Doc: Josh Wharton & Vince Anderson Climb a New Route in Peru . Uphill Athlete Podcast with Vince Anderson . Anderson’s AAJ account of the team’s ascent of the Rupal Face . If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with the two folks behind the climbing skins at Big Sky Mountain Products , Jackson Keogh and Eric Haferman. These upstanding young men run the business from Bozeman, Montana, where they build their manufacturing equipment, and, yup, manufacture climbing skins. Many things drew us to the company, which we'll cover in the episode, but first and foremost, these are committed skiers who develop good products and ooze a genuine, down-to-earth, and very approachable vibe. They are the kind of folks I'd be psyched to run into on the skintrack. We explore the exciting world of climbing skins, how Eric and Jackson bonded on the slopes, and their early adventures sheltering from the elements in a Cooke City-based Airstream, and their exploration of the Beartooths. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Tina Haver Currin. Here’s some background. Currin is a crusher when it comes to long-distance thru-hikes…and that may be redundant, as we assume, lacking the background knowledge, that all thru-hikes are long. Currin has completed many epic hikes, including the Triple Crown: the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Appalachian Trail. She has also taken on some mighty tough trail running/scrambling FKT challenges of late . Which is to say that Currin is out and about in the mountains. She is, however, somewhat new to touring. If you have read Issue 2 of The High Route journal (if you haven’t, you should), she wrote a great piece on learning to tour, and about friendship, and partnership titled “Uphill Both Ways.” In it, she explores learning to tour while being mentored by the writer (and splitboarder) Jon Krakauer—he probably needs no introduction. Last year, we interviewed a Los Angeles Times journalist about his experience as a newcomer to the sport. That podcast was titled “ A Beginner's Dilemma .” The takeaway, as far as I was concerned, is that hearing from a newcomer can be a great learning opportunity for those with more experience. So I was compelled to have Currin on the podcast and to learn some things. Which I did. And I hope you do, too. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Tufts , a touring focused ski journalist and storyteller and photographer. To be clear, he is Vermont-raised, but at least for some of the year, he calls Revelstoke home. Tufts has roamed the dirtbag scene as a denizen in what he calls a 'cab over camper Ford," and along the way has documented the scenes and his adventures. If you have had an opportunity to read or see his work, you're likely better for it. On The High Route site, we have featured a few projects Tufts has been involved with. We’ve reviewed Painting the Mountains , a film that highlights Tufts and his approach to capturing moments in the mountains. And last month we commented on a video doc titled A Hundred Words for Wind that details an epic ski and backpacking journey, that involved a lot of wind, around Iceland. Tufts brings the full package to his craft: he is a fine writer and photographer. So, commissioning a piece from Tufts, which we did for our third issue in print, means the words and images both shine. In that piece, which we discuss on the podcast, he explores the why regarding his drive to take deep-dive trips seeking turns onto the Southern Patagonian Icecap. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode of The High Route Podcast, we feature part two of our interview with Ptor Spricenieks, a noted adventure skier, cosmic traveler, and family man who resides in La Grave, France. Be forewarned, for the best results, please listen to part 1 of our interview, because we jump right into it in this episode. Part II of the interview jumps off after we had been discussing Spricenieks’ relationship with Peter Chrzanowski, another iconic and timeless ski mountaineer—Chrzanowski was the first person to ski Mount Robson. Spricenieks grew up in eastern Canada, became restless, and moved to Whistler for a season, where his eyes were opened to the possibilities of mountain adventure. In part 2, we get the backstory of Spricenikes’ evolution into, using his words, a “shredding dirtbag.” During which, in this state of dirtbagdom, he and Troy Jungen made their bold first ski descent of Robson’s North Face in 1995. But, of course, since this is a part of Sprecnieks’ wrinkle in time, we detour into the metaphysical, the tension between selfishness and selflessness, the danger of a crowd mentality…and the 100% this-is-good-for-you mindfulness that is backcountry touring. Parts 1 and 2, in their entirety, are like the double rainbows of the ski mountaineering podcast scene. And for those eager to read more from Spricenieks, he writes a free-spirited Substack . Below are some select profiles of Spricenieks written over the years: Pique News— A Special Seeker in a Special Place Ski— Running From Babylon: Ptor Spricenieks Ski Mountaineer If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader- and listener-supported enterprise focused on human-powered turn-making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode of The High Route Podcast, we connect with Ptor Spricenieks, a noted ski mountaineer, husband, father, cosmic traveler, guide, and Canadian of Latvian descent, who has lived with his family in La Grave, France, since 2007. There, Spricenieks has carved a life for himself with some consistent themes. And in learning about Spricenieks, who is a contrarian, anti-establishment, thoughtful, and bold thinker, one begins to wonder what exactly we’re doing on this big rock hurtling through space. And thus the name of this episode, which is part one of our interview, A Wrinkle in Time . And through time, Spricenieks has maintained a devotion to adventure skiing. Although his name is most often associated with a bold first descent of Mount Robson’s North Face with Troy Jungen in 1995, he has explored uncharted steeps across the globe. There were expeditions to Shishapanga, South America, and into the far corners of the mind. Fun fact, one which we are still exploring, Spricenieks was in the first class of inductees (2013) into the Action Sports Hall of Fame. Part one of our interview dabbles in the shamanism Spricenieks holds close and the more grounded pathway in his life, where he began skiing in Ontario, pursued an engineering degree for three years, and then the serious mind-expansion began... and with that, came a trip west to Whistler. And then there were mountains, the development of an under-the-radar style, a devotion to doing things in a minimalist fashion, and a commitment to his core values, which often collided with the ever-increasing commercialization of adventure skiing as he cut his teeth and evolved into a low-key but hard-charging pioneer. We are grateful for Spricenieks' time. And for those eager to read more from Spricenieks, he has an excellent Substack . If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

Let’s put this out there up front. Before you listen to this episode, we don’t want any spoilers. We’ve got a conversation with Norway’s Nikolai Schirmer lined up, and we'll discuss, in some detail, his ski movie titled “ The Greatest Ski Tour of all Time .” Although Schirmer is well known for his 10-15 minute short ski docs (they feel more than just YouTube videos), the movie referenced above runs a full hour and thirty-five minutes. Yes, a legit movie. We also discuss his YouTube vid “ Cliff of the season, and the pinnacle of skiing ,” so you might as well watch that, too. We don’t want to ruin the plot for you. If Schirmer is new to you, here are some quick facts. He’s a 34-year-old freeskier based in Tromsø, Norway. He completed law school. He is a phenomenal skier, with a penchant for accessing his lines by skinning and then, when it gets steeper, using an assortment of sharp climbing tools and sometimes snow plates. Beyond the skiing, which is usually stunning in itself, Schirmer has developed into a master storyteller. His editing cuts are anything but stale; they are crisp, embrace the full spectrum of pacing, and keep the viewer on their toes. He also understands that to keep the viewer interested, rad ski shots won’t do it alone. Viewers become invested in the human beings that populate his videos and his feature-length film. In other words, we begin to care about Schirmer and his good-natured band of friends as they romp around in the hills. Which brings us to “The Greatest Ski Tour of all Time.” The film is a meditation on Schirmer and his childhood friend, Vegard Rye, who is an IFMGA guide and medical school student. Both were upstart ski park groms, but somewhere along the way, Rye and Schirmer became motivated by different fruits: Rye sought solitude in the mountains, whereas Schirmer harnessed his creative and ski talents and became very much a modern professional skier. Someone, he claims, very early in the film, who sought awards. Well, that’s that. We don’t want to spoil the film for you, so think about watching it before listening to this episode. Lastly, we do discuss suicidal thoughts and depression in the episode. We’ll link to some suicide prevention resources in the show notes. If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . In life-threatening situations, call 911. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, which comes fast on the heels of our last episode (we’re getting a bit ambitious over here), we explore some new research about the Safeback SBX system . The research paper we explore is titled "Respiratory Gas Shifts to Delay Asphyxiation in Critical Avalanche Burial." The research paper was published in the esteemed Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Our resident ER Doc and wilderness medicine expert, Dr. Patrick Fink, is our guest to help break down the research. Ok, what is the Safeback SBX system? Here’s how Fink explains it: “It’s a manually-triggered fan system that can be integrated into a backpack or vest that directs a flow of fresh air around a rider’s face during an avalanche burial." We have a few articles about the Safeback SBX system—you can find those stories here . If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

This episode goes deep with Andy Lewicky. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve likely, over the years, come across his ski touring blog, SierraDescents , which, as the name suggests, covers touring and ski mountaineering in California, and more specifically, in and around Southern California. If Lewicky is new to you, his writing and thoughts are well worth the time. We ran an interview last winter , shortly after Lewicky and his family lost their home in the Palisades fire. What was clear at the time was that Lewicky has a fondness for his adopted SoCal home (he’s originally from Flagstaff), and he has stories to tell. You’ll have to read it in print, but Lewicky has penned a fine post-fire essay titled "How the Story Ends," that melds touring, fire, and finding beauty in life. Which is to say, we are psyched to have Lewicky on the podcast. If you are new to The High Route , we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

On this podcast episode, we are going all in on... ZipFit liners. Specifically, we’ll be speaking with Jeff Colt, marketing and design go-to for the company. I’m going to lead with this and then make a quick exit. This November, ZipFit will release a new touring-specific liner called the Espresso. Ok. The exit. ZipFit: What does it stand for? And what is it good for? The easy part first. Evidently, the Zip stands for Zero Pressure Injection Fit. Ok then. ZipFit liners are traditionally foamless high-end liners constructed from neoprene, microfiber, and leather. ZipFit liners also have strategically placed pouches (the tongue and left/right side of each ankle, respectively) where a cork composite can be added (and removed) to customize the fit. From my experience, the cork composite is somewhat like the cork-soled Birkenstocks: the cork molds to each individual’s specific anatomy over time. Although I spent one full season in a pair of ZipFit prototypes last season, in my experience, the cork composite does add the ability to customize and fine-tune fit. In the past, ZipFit has catered more to the list-serve community than pure ski tourists. The company does sell the GFT, a robust and +500g boot liner. Too heavy for some. Enter the Espresso—the company’s first true touring liner. As this episode’s title suggests, “The Espesso Episode,” is all about the Espresso. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

In this episode, Chris Kussmaul is our guest. I’ve been aware of Chirs for a few years—a friend of a friend kind of thing. He is based in Bozeman, Montana and for the part of the year when snow is not on the ground, which is actually a limited time of year in Southwestern, Montana, he works as a geology consultant. When he’s not officially working during the late fall and winter, he’s ski touring, and trying to keep his work schedule limited to almost none. But that is not to say Kussmaul isn’t keeping his eyes open, and maybe doing some work, too. He’s the author of the Peaks and Couloirs of Southwest Montana—A Guide to Backcountry Skiing in the Gallatin, Madison, Bridger, Tobacco Root and Montana Absaroka Mountains . Yes, this is a guidebook. Yup, a traditional guidebook, not an atlas, which are guidebook adjacent, and can be supremely useful, but maybe lack the leave it on the coffee-table and pick up and just read it, every now and then. Peaks & Couloirs, the short title for the book, is now on its second edition, and if it hasn’t been released by the time your listening to this, it certainly is available for order. The main reason I wanted to interview Kussmaul, is that in a very noisy digital environment regarding apps and sites and the socials, it is rare that a touring guidebook comes along that seems to hit a sweet spot. He includes, in my opinion, a good balance between disclosing information and allowing for readers to have their own adventures. This book might help you find a trailhead, understand the human context of a line/objective, it will not get you up or down or back home. That is up to you. I appreciate that a person took the time to organize this information and make a real-deal guidebook: one, I assume, that will stand the test of time. So bottom line, I wanted to learn about his process, his drive to craft an in depth guidebook that is worthy of the mighty Greater YellowStone landscape, and how he handled the pushback from those in the community who desired to keep this type of touring beta under wraps. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

One thing was clear a few years back when watching the film “ Mind Over Mountain .” That film documents a team of three women on the classic Bugs to Rogers traverse, and Madleine Martin-Preney was pure fuel. This storied traverse presents a fine backdrop for a fine narrative arc, but much of the time, it is downright brutally hard work in an arena, if the weather cooperates, that is rewarded with good views. Martin-Preney seemed to have supernatural energy. She was breaking trail, acting as a guide, and, at least to my eyes, was a centering force. She seemed like the kind of partner we’d all wish to have on any mission. Her missions over the years have been epic. It seems that she has a proclivity for suffering (the Type II kind) and a knack for pulling off epics. In 2016, along with four partners, they became the first crew to complete a continuous ski traverse through the Canadian Selkirks. In total, they covered 323 miles and gained over 141,000 feet of elevation. We do chat traverses in this episode. But we also dive into the nature of mountain guiding, leadership, and how to be the best possible partner (and version of yourself) on a physically demanding and emotionally taxing adventure. Martin-Preney, as you will learn, leads by example. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real-deal calorie-burning to piece it all together. We’d like to thank Patagonia , Blue Ice , and ATK for supporting us. We are also excited to announce that you can subscribe to Issues 2 and 3 of our fine print journal ( The High Route journal) on our site. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

Here at The High Route Podcast we’ve come to the conclusion of season 2 here on the podcast. We’ll pick back up again with season three in late summer. On this episode, we have the privilege of checking in with Billy Haas. Haas is an IFMGA guide, professional avalanche educator, and ski mountaineer. If you are someone who skims the surface of the ski mountaineering scene, it’s easy to see how Haas may not have caught your attention. He barely posts on social media. Google his name, and what populates, mostly are his professional bios—yes, you can find him guiding in the Wasatch, Tetons, and Alaska Range, and other places that require focus and a love for type II fun. But you’ll have to dig a bit deeper to get the full picture of Haas and the breadth of his adventuring. Now and then, Haas may author a trip report in the American Alpine Journal , or be part of a crew reporting on a significant descent on, no doubt, complex and steep terrain. What you’ll hear about in this podcast is not a “there I was” reflection on this or that steep line. You will, however, learn about Haas’ path into guiding, how he once maybe skipped a few lacrosse practices to take an avalanche course on Mount Washington and found a lifelong mountain partnership with Adam Fabrikant. Along the way, there was dishwashing, road trips, lots of aspirational clients, and a vision to be the best he could be practicing his mountain craft. Lastly, we touch upon Haas’ story in Issue One of The High Route Journal…titled The Patient . Haas explores his two major heart surgeries— intermittent diversions on his path toward excellence, and climbing and skiing— in good style—Gasherbrum I and II. Thanks for listening, and have a good day, The High Route Team. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together. We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is shipping. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

There’s something a bit different on today’s episode. It all started back in March when I Googled a general term like “backcountry skiing in the news.” A February article from the LA Times was indexed. The piece was by LA Times writer Jack Dolan, and it was titled: “ Backcountry skiing is growing in popularity, but experts warn it’s more dangerous than you think .” LINK TO VIDEO Dolan wrote a story and included an accompanying video. I’d give the video a watch if you’ve got a moment before listening to the podcast, as it provides some context for the episode during which I interview Dolan. The video is linked in the show notes and on The High Route website. For some skiers and boarders, backcountry touring begins when they realize lift-serve skiing is either too expensive, too crowded, or a combo of the two. Dolan says in the video that a day at an area can feel “like a Day at Disneyland, not the Great Outdoors.” About 30 seconds into the video, the piece pivots from images of skiers in a way-too-long lift line to serene images of powder skiing on some sun-kissed backcountry mountain slope. Yes, the backcountry. A minute into the video, the tone changes. The music becomes more intense, and we learn, through Dolan’s careful language, that ski areas are what we already know, somewhat curated and controlled mountainscapes. Soon enough, Dolan begins to explore snow instabilities and avalanches. Topics you are likely aware of if you are a regular THR reader or listener. The combination of the music, the narrative, and the images, at least to me, presents a forbidding vibe. A vibe so intense that I came away from the video thinking, “Why do I partake in backcountry touring?” Mine is just one perspective, I get that Dolan’s is another. After asking myself this somewhat rhetorical question, I then found myself asking, why would anyone half interested in backcountry touring want to try the endeavor after seeing the LA Time’s video: certainly, some enticing moments in the video capture what most of us seek in the backcountry, but if one word can surmise what I was seeing: that word is scary. More to the point, what I saw in the video seemed dissonant from 99% of my backcountry time. Which isn’t and wasn’t scary at all, but rather, blissful, cleansing, and frankly, great for my mental health. I suppose, if the general public does a somewhat casual search of the backcountry scene, what populates, most often, is the more extreme: the steep selfy-stick lines, the avalanche incidents, the heroes and heroines dancing along spines, or the way-to-close snap and crack of a weak layer that then cascades to the left as the snowboarder sweeps to the right—all by design. Maybe the algorithm selects for extreme over serene. I’ll preface the interview with Dolan by stating that backcountry touring can be dangerous. But, it can also be super safe, outside the possibility of twisting a knee or breaking a bone, which, for that matter, is something that can happen on any sports field or mountain bike trail. Or city street. Part of my motivation for reaching out to Dolan had more to do with explaining that touring can be the opposite of forbidding. And that it’s ok and not a ton of work to ski or ride very mellow terrain on any given day. Which is what most of us do anyway. So, in the episode, we get a beginner’s perspective on backcountry touring. We should note, as you’ll learn, Dolan is no stranger to taking calculated risks. Thanks for listening, and have a good day, The High Route Team. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together. We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is shipping. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

Welcome to mid-spring here at The High Route Podcast. Here in the Pacific Northwest, ski crampon season. It is also the season to unearth an interview with Fay Manners, a British alpinist and ski mountaineer, recorded late last summer. Manners caught my attention for one reason: she practices the aforementioned mountain disciplines at a high level. To optimize mountain conditions in winter and the shoulder seasons, it helps to be skilled at rock, ice, and mixed climbing, and when the snow is stable and conditions prime, slapping skis or a snowboard on the feet makes sense, too. Over the years, British alpinist/ski-alpinist Fay Manners has built up a reputation as a go-getter. Which is to say that Manners comes with the full mountain-skills package. In 2024, Manners and Tom Lafaille opened up the Stratonspherique ski line on the Aiguille d’Argentière . On the alpinism side, Manners has the first female ascent of the Phantom Direct route on the south face of the Grand Jorasses. She also climbed the North Face of the Eiger, the American Direct on the Dru, and the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses. Far from exuding the vibe of an adrenaline junkie, Manners imparts an ethos of building skills, becoming fit, and knowing when one is at their limits, and using those skills to—and again, we’ll emphasize multi-disciplinarian skills—to move efficiently and safely in the hills. Manners has had her share of close calls. Having recorded this interview last summer, we had kept an eye on Manners and her adventures. When this headline came across a newsfeed, there was a sinking feeling: Two climbers go missing . These stories often don’t end well. Manners and her partner, American alpinist Michelle Dvorak, were rescued three days later . The pair lost much of their gear, including their shelter, when rockfall severed a haul line. For those of us following thousands of miles away, the rescue came as a huge relief. On flat ground, Manners is trained and has worked as a data analyst; on less flat ground, she’s come into her own as a mountain athlete. But for those just being introduced to the mountains, Manners is a reminder that mountain pedigree is what you make of it. In her twenties, Manners began tapping into snow and climbing while working as a data analyst in New York City. From Vermont’s Jay Peak to New York’s Gunks, she’s lived a full-value life in Alaska, Pakistan, and near her adopted home in Chamonix. Thanks for listening, and have a good day, The High Route Team. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together. We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is shipping. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.

For those of you keen on backcountry skiing podcasts, you will hear a familiar voice on this episoide. Doug Stenclik is our guest—he’s part owner of Cripple Creek Backcountry and the host of Totally Deep , Cripple Creek’s podcast. The past several years have seen a topsy-turvy world generally and a boom-bust cycle regarding backcountry skiing/riding business. Stenclik offers insight into the business operations of selling items like touring boots and bindings. Business, when it comes to skins and skimo, for example, isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. There are supply chain snafus, dry winters, and the undeniable fact that backcountry touring requires some know how and elevated heart rates. Thanks for listening, and have a good day, The High Route Team. If you are new to The High Route, we are a reader and listener-supported enterprise focusing on human-powered turn making. Our mission is simple, but it takes real deal calorie burning to piece it all together. We are also excited to announce Issue 1.0 of The High Route magazine is shipping. Fancy paper. Good reads. High-octane photos. And some fine mountain ranges. And turns. You can learn more about our subscription options here . The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here —there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.