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603Podcast with Dan EganAuthor: The people places of New Hampshire, Hosted by Dan Egan
603podcast explores the people, places and things that create the culture of New Hampshire. From the Great North Woods to the peaks and valleys of White Mountains, in and around the Lakes, on and off the Seacoast, throughout the Merrimack the Monadnock Regions, to the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee area. This podcast educates, motivates and discovers the stories that shape the "Granite State" and its impact on the country and the world. Hosted by extreme sports pioneer Dan Egan, youll hear inspiring in-depth stories, from our featured guests that are the heartbeat of the Granite State through conversationally discussions with New Hampshires most notable, need to know folks and characters make New Hampshire truly special place. Language: en-us Genres: Places & Travel, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Avalanche Safety with Charlotte MacDonald: Inside the Mount Washington Avalanche Center
Episode 7
Friday, 21 November, 2025
Note: This episode was recorded in later spring of 2025. On this episode of the 603podcast, Charlotte MacDonald talks with host Dan Egan and opens a window into the work of the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, where life-saving forecasts are crafted in pre-dawn darkness and tested daily against the mountain's unpredictable temperament. Rising at 4:30am to analyze weather data, MacDonald collaborates with fellow forecasters to publish early a.m. advisories that backcountry enthusiasts depend on before heading into avalanche terrain.The White Mountains present unique forecasting challenges with wind-driven snowpacks that transform hourly. "In some ways it's easy to get into our terrain," MacDonald explains, "but it's also challenging." Unlike static snowpacks in other regions, Mount Washington's snow constantly shifts with hurricane-force winds that alternately stabilize and destabilize slopes. This dynamic environment requires forecasters to develop intimate knowledge of how wind, temperature, and precipitation interact across the mountain's complex terrain.MacDonald's journey from recreational skier with little avalanche knowledge to professional forecaster offers a compelling narrative about the importance of education and mentorship. Today, she's pioneering mentorship programs to help others develop crucial safety skills, emphasizing that education shouldn't end with a basic avalanche course.The increasing popularity of backcountry skiing has transformed the forecaster's role beyond simply predicting avalanche conditions. As more adventurers explore remote terrain year-round, MacDonald and her colleagues balance forecasting duties with search and rescue responsibilities, community education, and cultivating a culture of information sharing. Her simple request? Send photos and observations from your adventures—they provide vital data that might save lives.Whether you're an experienced backcountry traveler or simply curious about how avalanche professionals protect mountain communities, this conversation offers rare insight into the elements behind every forecast. To learn more about the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, visit https://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/ where you can find information on upcoming workshops, news, and the MWAC App for easy access to avalanche information and observations on-the-go. Send us a textGet your tickets to Warren Miller's Sno-ciety at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth on Nov 28 at 3 or 7 p.m. Purchase your tickets here. For more information about the 603podcast visit 603podcast.com
