The WildeBeat

Mon, Feb 26, 2007

Vox WildeBeat for February 26, 2007

Posted at 14:40

/vox [link ]

While we were away snow camping in our first good Sierra Nevada blizzard of the year, Jeremy Sullivan, editor of the Park Remark site, called in with some comments. His comments were in reference to the interview of Steve by Bob Cartright of the U.K.-based Backpacking Light podcast.

• Vox WildeBeat 12 [MP3 format; length 4:40; 1,122,244 bytes]

Thu, Feb 22, 2007

Yosemite Snow Vox Pop

Posted at 09:00

/shows/outings [link ]

This outings program is a Vox Pop where we ask: Are snow campers and winter wilderness visitors super-human?

Steve recorded the candid thoughts of several skiers, snowshoe hikers, and snow campers at Summit Meadow along the Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park. Summit Meadow is about a mile from the Badger Pass downhill ski area, a popular trailhead for winter access to the Yosemite backcountry.

First, we hear from Howard Weamer, the Hut Master for Yosemite Park's backcountry ski hut at Ostrander Lake (who we heard from in edition 72), about the history of cross country skiing in Yosemite. Then we hear the intermingled comments of Kevin Schwartz, Tazuo Han, Ken Branson, Karina Schwag, Rich Rasmussen, Chris Gorton, and Chris Clay.

At the end, Steve invites listeners to contribute their comments to Vox WildeBeat, our companion podcast of community conversation.

• Show number 77 [MP3 format; length 8:09; 1,959,939 bytes]
• Show number 77 script

Wed, Feb 21, 2007

Steve Interviewed by Bob Cartright

Posted at 21:55

/blog/recognition [link ]

Steve was interviewed a couple of weeks ago by Bob Cartright of BackpackingLight.CO.UK. Bob produces a podcast about backpacking in the U.K. and Europe. Bob did this as part of a series of shows interviewing other podcasters who focus on outdoor recreation topics.

Here's a link to the Backpackinglight.CO.Uk podcasts. Here's a link directly to the audio:

• Interview with the man behind Wildebeat [MP3 format; length 40:06; 19,993,258 bytes]

Thu, Feb 15, 2007

WildLink Program

Posted at 09:00

/shows/outings [link ]

This outings program is a visit to the WildLink program, a partnership between the Yosemite Institute and the Sierra Nevada Wilderness Education Project. This is the first follow-up to our original program on ethnic diversity among wilderness users.

WildLink is a program to expose teens from low-income, ethnically-diverse families to a wilderness experience. Nina Roberts, Ph.D, assistant professor at San Francisco State University, explains why a program like WildLink is necessary.

Steve visited one of WildLink's family weekends in November of 2005. He goes on a day hike to the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoia trees, and talks to:

• Mandy Vance, the director of the WildLink program.
• Lawrence, a WildLink student from Sanger, CA.
• Lawrence's mother.
• Lawrence's sister, Christella.
• Jonathon, a WildLink student from Traver, CA.

In the bonus interview segment, linked below, Mandy Vance talks about the origin of WildLink, why she thinks minorities are under-represented in the wilderness, and her thoughts on how others can help her efforts.

• Show number 76 [MP3 format; length 9:58; 2,395,766 bytes]
• Show number 76, extended high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 10:31; 10,112,589 bytes]
• Show number 76 script
• Bonus interview segment, Mandy Vance [MP3 format; length 9:28; 1,137.604 bytes]

Thu, Feb 08, 2007

Winter OR 2007

Posted at 09:00

/shows/gear [link ]

This gear program is a report on the Winter 2007 Outdoor Retailer's Expo. When the outdoor industry gathers, it's a major expedition for the folks at Backpack Gear Test; but it isn't all about the toys.

Jason Boyle¹, Raymond Estrella², and Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd³ report on the most interesting gear they hope to test for BackpackGearTest.ORG. They comment on products by: GoLite¹, Snow Peak¹, MSR¹, Primus¹, Fox River¹, Injinji¹, Sierra Designs², Osprey Packs², Blue Desert³, MontBell³, and Go Pro³.

Backpack Gear Test has more gear to review than reviewers. You might be able to get free gear to review. Read: How to become a tester.

As a wrap-up, we invited Kurt Repanshek to comment on a larger issue facing the outdoor industry. His commentary includes a statement by Peter Metcalf, president of Black Diamond Equipment. More of Kurt's commentary is available on his web site, National Parks Traveler.

• Show number 75 [MP3 format; length 9:42; 2,331,316 bytes]
• Show number 75, extended version [MP3 format; length 11:16; 5,416,178 bytes]
• Show number 75 script
• Bonus segment, original reports from BGT [MP3 format; length 14:22; 1,724,628 bytes]

Thu, Feb 01, 2007

Reprise: Staying On Top of the Snow

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

This skills program is a reprise of our February 2nd, 2006 introduction to avalanche safety.

Gary Bard, an avalanche safety instructor for Mountain Adventure Seminars, talks about easy ways to stay out of avalanches, and describes a rescue. Brandon Schwartz of the Sierra Avalanche Center talks about avalanche forecasting and the Snow Condition Report. Tom Murphy, of the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), talks about avalanche safety education.

There's a lot of additonal information about avalanche-related organizations, and avalanche safety, under the To find out more... link, below.

• Show number 74 [MP3 format; length 9:57; 2,389,645 bytes]
• Show number 74, extended version [MP3 format; length 12:55; 6,203,212 bytes]
• Show number 74 script
• To find out more...

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