Avalanche! The Psychology of Risk
Avalanche! The Psychology of Risk  
Podcast: The House of Pod
Published On: Tue Feb 24 2026
Description: After a tragic avalanche in Lake Tahoe killed 9 people and multiple skiers died in the same week, Dr. Kaveh Hoda sits down with two wilderness experts to discuss what went wrong and how to stay safe in the backcountry.Joined by Scott Gaber (lead instructor at Teton Rescue, former Tahoe SAR team leader) and Michael Novak (PA, wilderness medicine instructor, 7-year SAR veteran), they break down:The Swiss cheese model of risk mitigationGroup dynamics that lead to dangerous decisionsEssential avalanche safety equipment (beacons, airbags, Avalon)Why 70% of avalanche deaths happen to trained peopleHow to have honest conversations about risk in high-pressure situations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.