Stories From the Skintrack with The Caroline Gleich Show
We’re excited to introduce Stories From the Skintrack, a special 4-part podcast series in partnership with The Caroline Gleich Show. Tune in this season for some unforgettable stories and chats about life along the skintrack with experts on avalanche safety, splitboarding, climate change, adaptive touring, and mentorship in ski mountaineering.
In case you don’t know Caroline, she’s a Utah local, pro ski mountaineer and adventure athlete, climate activist, speaker, and writer. Caroline’s accomplishments include everything from summiting Mt. Everest in 2019 to testifying in front of congress in support of Public Lands & Climate Change. Check back here for new episodes and to get stoked on getting after it this winter!
In the inaugural episode, Caroline speaks with Bruce Tremper, Utah Avalanche Center director for nearly 30 years and author of Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain.
Tragically, Caroline first met Bruce when she was 15 years old, at the site where her half brother’s body was recovered after his ski party encountered a glide avalanche during their ascent into Stairs Gulch in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon.
This moment shaped Caroline’s trajectory in ski mountaineering, and lends a sobering reality to a topic Bruce has been intimately versed in since his youth. Bruce imparts advice for beginners, the implications of climate change on avalanche safety, and how to get more women and people of color into the backcountry.
Caroline chats with Rafael Pease, professional splitboarder, environmentalist, filmmaker, and founder of Connections Movement, an award-winning production company that elevates stories from around the world.
For the last nine years, Rafael has had an endless winter, splitting seasons between Colorado and his home country of Chile, while pursuing first descents across the globe on his splitboard.
Caroline and Rafael talk about his travels to Kyrgyzstan, how to get into splitboarding, what goes into planning his peak objectives, and social responsibility in the time of climate change.
Episode 3: Mentorship & Inclusivity in Avalanche Safety With Brooklyn Bell
Listen to this episode on spotify
Caroline speaks with Brooklyn Bell, artist, pro-mountain biker, and backcountry skier based in the Pacific Northwest. Brooklyn has been skiing for six seasons, two of which have been in the backcountry.
Brooklyn and Caroline share their experiences of being the only women in avalanche training courses, the difference it makes to have an all-women ski crew, and how to navigate ski-partner relationships—including red flags, and the best ways to show up as a mentee.
Caroline chats with Janelle Smiley, a five time National Ski Mountaineering Champion that got first descent on Huandoy East, Peru, ski toured across the entire Alps Range in 36 days, climbed all 48 classic climbs in North America, and is a new mom.
In this episode, Janelle shares her inspiring insights into her ski mountaineering career and her international accomplishments, and sheds light on her experience of becoming a mother while balancing her athletic goals.
Bonus Episode: Environmental Advocacy for Backcountry Skiers With Winter Wildlands Alliance
Listen to this episode on Spotify
Caroline speaks with Hilary Eisen and David Page from the nonprofit Winter Wildlands Alliance on advocating for the environment, creating inclusive public lands, and getting involved with public lands policy.
If you’ve ever wanted to have your voice heard in the land management space, or learn more about how public land policy is