Leadership and Culture in the Avalanche Industry

Our next episode is out! Joe Stock sits down with Mik Dalpes for a conversation centered around leadership and culture in the avalanche industry. Mik grew up in Minnesota where she formed a passion for skiing. Her career includes spending time as a ski patroller, Outward Bound Instructor, Park Ranger, avalanche educator, and Avalanche Forecaster for the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center. Mik had 2 children along the way and has become very interested in what types of leaders and cultures make people thrive in the avalanche industry. Interview Highlights: - Good leaders build a culture that is healthy, which includes treating people the same, handling mistakes well, and having a good balance of confidence and humility - Women should be treated the same as any other person who has a medical condition when they are pregnant and breastfeeding - A wide variety of skills are needed to be an avalanche professional and equal value should be placed on all of these skills including emotional and social skills. Resources from the conversation: - Women and Leadership Conference - Parenting Resource - "Is it a Man's World?" Thanks to the sponsors of the show. Legacy Sponsors: Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund AVSS Drone Amplified Partner Sponsors: CIL Avalanche Safeback onX Backcountry Episode Sponsor: Open Snow Music: Ketsa Artwork: Mike Tea Production: Caleb Merrill, Angie Lake

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Leadership and Culture in the Avalanche Industry is an episode from The Avalanche Hour Podcast by The Avalanche Hour.

This episode is 01:11:17 long.

This episode was published on Feb 15, 2026.

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