Many folks make up the backcountry community. Sliding skis or a splitboard uphill takes some discomfort tolerance (until you feel sufficiently fit) and a commitment to the unknown, even in small doses. Throw other people into the mix, and the recipe for joy, disaster, and all the combos in between are possibilities. When we came across Sophia Schwartz's talk at this year's Wyoming Snow and Avalanche Workshop (WYSAW) and gave it a view, things resonated. The title of her talk, Meaning in the Mountains: Using Purpose to Guide Risk and Decision Making in the Backcountry, is spot on considering what you'll hear about.

Coming into all things with an open mind is a solid tenant. While listening to Schwartz and her take on backcountry skiing, partnership, hardship, transitioning from a mogul/freestyle career into remote mountain questing, and her affinity for finding joy, we knew we wanted to connect with her on The High Route Podcast. In our estimation, Schwartz seems to be someone who cuts to the chase and is direct in a way that sidesteps the BS. I can recall several moments during her talk when I could reflect on my practices in the backcountry and how I could be a better partner. Was I the person who hammered up the skintrack on their own, although I was in a group, or did I take the time to connect with others in the group, to be and feel more present? For me, it's something to think about.

Anyhow, I hope you have a moment like that during the podcast or while watching Schwartz's talk. Embrace the growth mindset.

I didn't know a thing about Schwartz before watching her WYSAW talk. Which, I suppose, isn't a bad thing—I'm coming in eyes wide open. She was a member of the U.S. Ski Team as a freestyle skier, where she excelled as a mogul skier. In 2017, she concluded her career as a freestyle competitor, moved to the Tetons, and began finding her groove in the backcountry. We're glad she did and glad to have made the connection with her on the podcast.

Thanks for listening.

You can find us at the-high-route.com. Yeah, there are two hyphens for redundancy, which is a good policy in the mountains. For weight weenies, hyphens weigh next to nothing. We are a reader supported website with free podcasts. Our podcasts are not free to produce or store on a server. If you are enjoying the podcasts, please consider supporting The High Route, you can find subscription information here.

The theme music for The High Route Podcast comes from Storms in the Hill Country and the album The Self Transforming (Thank you, Jens Langsjoen). You can find a link to the album here—there are so many good songs on this album. And if you think you've spotted a UFO in the past or visited the 7th dimension, "Beautiful Alien" is a good tune to start with.