Waiting for Winter | E74

Nov 14, 2025

As winter takes its time to arrive in Lake Tahoe, the hosts dive into the awkward transition from fall to skiing. They explore the best sports in the region, debate the merits of blue square flow trails, and tackle the escalating risks in extreme sports like Red Bull Rampage. A historic ski descent by Jim Morrison on Everest sparks fascinating discussions, alongside rants about social media's visual clutter. Fitness challenges with aging and excitement for upcoming adventures round out this lively conversation.

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ANECDOTE

Wolves Euthanized After Cattle Attacks

Pow Bot summarized the Sierra Valley wolf problem where hazing failed and CDFW euthanized four wolves after ~75 cattle kills.
He conveyed sympathy for ranchers and the tragedy of a no-win wildlife-livestock conflict.

ADVICE

Ask For Swag To Shape Runs

The hosts plan new swag runs and suggest listeners will motivate merch creation, hinting at holiday releases.
They encourage fans to request items to influence what gets made.

INSIGHT

Best Sport Depends On Conditions

Trail Whisperer argued no single 'best sport' exists in Tahoe; it's condition-dependent and driven by what's under your feet.
He noted finite-condition sports (powder, winging) feel more rewarding because they're scarce and time-sensitive.

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Halfway through November and there’s no sign of Old Man Winter in Lake Tahoe. As the boys await a proper early season dump to whiten the mountains, they catch up on life and a bunch of listener feedback. Topics of discussion include what activities do you do in the transition between fall riding and winter skiing, what is the single best sport in the Tahoe region, helicopter skiing in the Sweetwater range, Jim Morrison’s historic first ski descent on the north face of Mount Everest, listener feedback on rescinding the Roadless Rule, are blue square flow trails DOPE or DERP and has Red Bull Rampage gone too far? In classic old man Statler and Waldorf fashion, PowBot rants about text laid over Instagram Reels and Trail Whisperer rants about a rope swinger getting arrested in order to get more Instagram followers and sell a bunch of t-shirts.

3:30 – Slurp Man and Snack Man not so popular

4:40 – Pow Bot talks about ASMR – Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

5:50 – The etymology of fingernails on a chalkboard

7:00 – The dangers of using a claw hammer

9:30 – Getting out of shape, fitness and getting older. It’s harder to off-the-couch adventures.

11:00 – Recap on Fred Stamm’s Giro di StaMMina mountain bike adventure near Quincy

13:40 – The weird transitional time between Fall and Winter. What activities do you do?

19:00 – The Slugfest mountain bike ride in Reno

21:45 – Shout out to Truckee Dirt Union – benefactor of the Alpenglow Speaker Series on 12/5

23:25 – NEWS THAT MATTERS – Jim Morrison the first to ski the North Face of Mount Everest

30:00 – Sweetwater Heli launches as the only helicopter skiing business in California

33:00 – Four wolves in Sierra Valley euthanized by CDFW after killing 75+ cattle

37:00 – Hiker dies falling off a cliff on Mount Whitney in icy conditions

38:55 – LISTENER FEEDBACK – Rachael from Australia

40:50 – Kurt G asks – what is the single best sport in the Lake Tahoe basin?

44:30 – DOPE OR DERP – Landon – Riding blue square flow trails?

49:40 – POWBOT RANT – Text laid over in the video of an Instagram Reel.

54:00 – PJ wants some discussion around Red Bull Rampage. Has it gone too far?

1:07:00 – Follow up to the Lake Tahoe rope swingers – rope swinger got arrested

1:12:50 – Rescinding of the Roadless Rule update

1:20:40 – Early season snow chasing. Shasta or the central Sierra might be in.

1:23:00 – Low confidence in long range weather forecasting – shout out to Michael Snyder – California Weather Watch.

1:27:10 – Trail Whisperer is going on his first BC hut trip to Ice Creek Lodge.