Seeking Impeccability with Lynne Wolfe

We’re titling this the "Seeking Impeccability" epsiode for a few sound reasons. Lynne Wolfe, the guest on our first 2024 episode of The High Route Podcast, is aspirationally impeccable. She has decades of experience as an avalanche educator and a former guide for Jackson Hole Mountain Guides and Exum. Such a pedigree includes both mastery and a willingness to learn and improve. By all accounts, Lynne has these attributes. Over the years, she has aspired to be impeccable. Yet, she recognizes life is an arc where we illustrate moments of mastery on an endless continuum towards perfection—which we might as well call impeccability. (Listen to the podcast; this trait comes up eventually.)

My lack of mastery was on full display during my initial communication with Lynne. I spaced the “e” and addressed Lynne as Lynn. Recently, I again fell short of impeccability, and the “Wolfe” was absent the “e” on a Google Doc I prepared with some questions for our interview. I’m blaming Google Docs’ autocorrect. The point is this: don’t forget the “e” and be on your game.

In this episode, we run through most of it: how Wolfe left Tennessee for Wyoming, forged her path, and became a leader and a sought-after mentor for countless backcountry aspirants. In the realm of avalanche education, Wolfe is revered. Her bio on the A3 site (American Avalanche Association) states she began working at The Avalanche Review in 2002, becoming the chief editor in 2006. The Avalanche Review is a quarterly focusing on snow safety—and for any winter backcountry user, it remains a solid resource under Lynne’s guidance.

On The High Route you can find Lynne's republished piece called "Taylor Musings" in which she explores a 2012 avalanche incident on Taylor Mountain just off of Teton Pass. She discusses the incident on the podcast.

Thanks for listening.

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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.