How To Avoid and Survive an Avalanche

How To Avoid and Survive an Avalanche

Author: Francis Tapon September 30, 2019 Duration: 2:07:07

What would you do if you were caught in an avalanche? How do you minimize your risk when you're traveling in the snowy mountains?


Robert Hahn has studied avalanches and still managed to get caught in one. 


He works for the Northwest Avalanche Center


He shares his personal avalanche survival story.


He also shares tips on how you can avoid repeating his fate.


After 50 mins, we shift away from talking about avalanches and we talk about his harrowing experiences in the Himalayas.


After 70 minutes, we talk about his fascinating time in Africa, which includes two years in the Peace Corps in Uganda, climbing the 3rd tallest peak in Africa, and several cultural insights, including the importance (or lack thereof) of honesty.


I briefly mention my podcast with Sym Blanchard, who talks about how to live a meaningful life.


About Robert Hahn

Robert Hahn is an Avalanche Forecasting Meteorologist who has worked at NWAC since 2017. Robert is responsible for twice-daily mountain weather forecasts for all zones and daily avalanche forecasts for the Olympics, Mt. Hood, Washington Cascades East South, and other zones as needed, while helping to coordinate the avalanche products throughout the region.


Robert believes that quality mountain weather and avalanche products will help backcountry travelers inform their decisions in the mountains, ultimately saving lives. Robert holds a master’s degree in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington.


When Robert is not working, you’ll find him backcountry skiing in remote corners of the Cascades or Canada and exploring tropical jungles when the snow melts.


WanderLearn fans get a special chance to win $1000 in travel credits on TourRadar by going here:


https://www.tourradar.com/wanderlearn 


Share, rate, and review the WanderLearn podcast!


3 Sponsors


1. Tour Radar

Do you want to take a life-changing travel adventure but you either hate planning or you don't know where to start?


TourRadar is a trusted online marketplace that helps you find, compare and book multi-day tours that will expand your horizons through life-enriching travel experiences.


Just type in a region you have always wanted to visit or your preferred travel style and TourRadar will do the rest.


And right now, WanderLearn listeners can visit TourRadar for a chance to win $1,000 in travel credits! Enter at https://www.tourradar.com/wanderlearn 


2. The Steelman Family Foundation

Rene Steelman leads the Steelman Family Foundation which helps families with non-ambulatory children to acquire wheelchair-accessible vehicles.


Their mission is to help families with children diagnosed with a permanent disability participate in the community. The Steelman Family Foundation also supports events to benefit cerebral palsy education and activities. They work exclusively with United Access and serve families nationally.


Learn more and donate at https://steelmanfamilyfoundation.org


3. Health Access Sumbawa

One of WanderLearn's top patrons, Kathy Kennedy Enger, asked me to draw attention to Health Access Sumbawa. I am happy to promote this remarkable nonprofit.


In 2014, Jack Kennedy founded the organization to bring malaria control and healthcare to remote, impoverished communities. It started on the remote island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. Since then, it's expanded thanks to generous donations. Visit their website to learn more and to donate: https://healthaccesssumbawa.org


More info

You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com.


If you like this podcast, subscribe and share! 


On social media, my username is always ftapon. Follow me on:



Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon


Rewards start at just $2/month!


If you prefer to do a one-time contribution, you can send it to my PayPal at FT@FrancisTapon.com


If you prefer giving me Bitcoin, then please send BTC to my tip jar: 3EiSBC2bv2bYtYEXAKTkgqZohjF27DGjnV



Get full access to Francis Tapon at ftapon.substack.com/subscribe

There's a certain kind of travel that changes you, not just your location. It’s the slow, immersive kind where the journey itself becomes the teacher. In WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life, Francis Tapon acts as your guide into this world, exploring how leaving familiar ground can fundamentally reshape your perspective. This isn't about quick tips or itineraries; it's about the deeper conversations that happen at the crossroads of culture, society, and personal growth. Each episode delves into how we engage with places and people, often weaving in discussions about the role of modern technology in both enabling and complicating these profound experiences. You'll hear stories and insights that challenge the conventional tourist mindset, pushing toward a more thoughtful, engaged way of moving through the world. Francis draws from a wealth of experience to discuss concepts like vagabonding and deep travel, making the case that the greatest souvenirs aren't trinkets, but transformed thoughts. Tuning into this podcast feels like sitting down with a well-traveled friend who understands that the real destination is often a shift within yourself. It’s for anyone who believes that travel, at its best, is a powerful catalyst for learning and living differently.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 388

WanderLearn: Travel to Transform Your Mind & Life
Podcast Episodes
You're Wrong! You CAN compare X with Y! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21
I attack the expression that says, "You can't compare...." About 99% of the time, you CAN compare anything with anything.You may dislike the comparison or believe the two things are vastly different, but that doesn't mea…
Ege's Dad Was Killed When She Was 5. How To Forgive? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:02
Forgive me for rushing through this interview. We were under time pressure. But if you would like, send me a message encouraging me to interview Ege Riitsalu again in greater depth.In this episode, Ege Riitsalu shares he…
Radical Forgiveness Therapy with Ege Riiitsalu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:43
How do you get out of a rut and onto a ridge? Although my book, Hike Your Own Hike, offers ideas, it doesn't discuss radical forgiveness, which can lead to breakthroughs. Watch the VideoIn my first TEDx Talk, I discussed…
Is Voting for a Third-Party Candidate Throwing Away Your Vote? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:10
Who you vote for in the 2024 US Presidential election matters little if you don't live in Maine, Nebraska, or a battleground state. If you want to be highly pedantic and annoying, you could argue that your vote matters e…
Following Sunshine with Niamh McAnally [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:25
Niamh McAnally's memoir, Following Sunshine: A Voyage Around the Mind, Around the World, Around the Heart, offers readers a rich tapestry of travel, personal growth, and introspection.This book transcends the typical tra…
Snow Kiting Across Greenland + 4 First Ascents with Eric Gilbertson! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:55
Eric Gilbertson is back!Eric Gilbertson and Branden Joy dragged 400 pounds (180 kg) of gear on 4 sleds across Greenland.They covered 1,539 miles (1,420 snow kiting, 119 man hauling) in 40 days.On his biggest day, he cove…
2 K2 & Everest Climbers Swap Mountain Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:06
Everyone loves coincidences. During my month in Estonia, I bumbled into Krisli Melesk, who bumbled into Eric Gilbertson on K2. Eric & I were scheduled to record a podcast a few days after I met Krisli, so I invited her t…
Talking with a Dane About Greenland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:43
Palle Bo is from Denmark, which controls Greenland. He's been to Greenland twice, and I was blessed to visit it in 2024. We share our thoughts.Palle hosts the Radio Vagabond podcast! Subscribe to it!Enjoy other Palle Bo…
What's Your Travel Style? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:50
What kind of traveler are you? Palle Bo and I discuss the variety of travel styles and the myth of how people who have been to many countries travel.Palle hosts the Radio Vagabond podcast! Subscribe to it!Enjoy our other…