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Sasha Berkovich grew up in the Soviet Union at a time when nothing came easy, and nothing in skiing was handed to you. If you wanted gear, you had to barter for it. If you wanted to ride a rope tow, you had to build it, you had to scrap together old engines, scavenged parts, and whatever rope you could find. Sometimes the only currency that worked was vodka. Skiing wasn’t a hobby for Sasha back then; it was something you earned piece by piece in a world where there was never enough of anything.
Sasha chased skiing anyway. He built lifts out of scraps, traded bottles of vodka to get bindings, he found a way. And then, in 1988, he did something even harder – Sasha, his wife, and their two young children escaped the Soviet Union to make a life for themselves in the United States. No guarantees, no safety net, just a belief that freedom and skiing were worth risking everything for.
Today, we get to hear what he did, what skiing meant to him during those years, and how his story unfolded once he reached America. And I’m grateful to Sasha because one of his young children, whom he brought from the Soviet Union, is my very best ski buddy, Greggy, with whom I just spent 10 weeks in Patagonia ski mountaineering.
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About The SnowBrains Podcast:
- Top 12% of all podcasts
- Interviews the most intelligent people in the snowsports industry and passes their fascinating knowledge to you, our listeners.
- We explore skiing, snowboarding, snowsports, avalanches, technology, climate, snow science, medicine, nutrition, fitness, technique, and cutting-edge adventure with our listeners.
- The SnowBrains Podcast is hosted by professional freeskier, professional mountain guide, UC Berkeley Molecular Cell Biology graduate, and the Founder & CEO of SnowBrains, Miles Clark.
- The SnowBrains Podcast will publish new episodes with riveting guests weekly this winter.
- Please share with your friends and family, and please subscribe.
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The SnowBrains Podcast Season 6 Episodes:
- Episode #91 | Brian Lazar – Deputy Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center
- Episode #90 | Andrew Gast – General Manager of Mt. Ashland, OR
- Episode #89 | Dan Abrams – Co-Founder & CEO of Flylow
- Episode #88 | Mike Rogge – Editor & Owner of the Mountain Gazette
- Episode #87 | Madison Rose Ostergren – Ski Racer Turned Big Mountain Charger
- Episode #86 | Matt Sterbenz – Founder of 4FRNT Skis
- Episode #85 | Kilian Jornet – Trail Runner & Alpinist Redefining Endurance Challenges
The SnowBrains Podcast Season 5 Episodes:
- Episode #84 | Hilary Eisen – Policy Director for the Winter Wildlands Alliance
- Episode #83 | The Farmers’ Almanac – Early Winter Forecasters
- Episode #82 | Jeremy Bloom – CEO of X Games, World Cup Mogul Skier, NFL Player, CU Boulder Football Star, & Software Startup Founder
- Episode #81 | Sam Anthamatten – Professional Freeskier, Freeride World Tour Runner-Up, IFMGA Certified Mountain Guide, and World Champion Ice Climber
- Episode #80 | Anna DeMonte – Ski Mountaineer & Mont Blanc Women’s Ski FKT Record Holder
- Episode #79 | Erin Sprague – CEO of Protect Our Winters
- Episode #78 | Kai Jones – The Youngest Pro Skier on the Planet
- Episode #77 | Stephanie Cox – CEO of the National Ski Patrol
- Episode #76 | Ted Ligety – Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist & Five-Time World Cup Overall Giant Slalom Champion
- Episode #75 | Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association – A Group of 200 Taking on Vail Resorts
- Episode #74 | Chris Tomer – Emmy Award-Winning Meteorologist & Avid Backcountry Skier and Mountaineer
- Episode #73 | Dr. Ethan Greene – Director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center
- Episode #72 | Dr. Brent Hogarth – Clinical Sports Psychologist Who Specializes in Flow State
- Episode #71 | Dr. Bishara – Gut Health Specialist; Exploring How All Health Starts with the Gut
- Episode #70 | Josh Diaek – One of the Most Badass Freeskiers on Earth
- Episode #69 | Noah Dines – World Record Holder for Most Human-Powered Vertical Feet Skied in a Year
- Episode #68 | Paige Paguncco – Director of the Utah Avalanche Center
- Episode #67 | Jim Ryan – Hardcore Free Skier & High-Skilled Mountaineer Featured in 4 Warren Miller Movies and 3 TGR Films
- Episode #66 | Dr. Kevin Stone – Physician & Orthopedic Surgeon Talks About How Skiers and Snowboarders Can Optimize Off-Season Training
- Episode #65 | Sven Brunso – The Most Photographed & Published Skier in History
- Episode #64 | Kyle Siegel – Founder and Designer of Raide Research
- Episode #63 | Christian Pondella – Senior Photographer at Powder Magazine, Adventure Photographer, Extreme Ski Mountaineer, and Ice Climber
- Episode #62 | Jessica Baker – North American Freeskiing Champion, Alaska Heli-Ski Guide, Founder of Ski Divas Women’s Ski Camp, & AMGA Certified Ski Guide
The SnowBrains Podcast Season 4 Episodes:
- Episode #61 | Dr. Kevin Stone – Physician & Orthopedic Surgeon Focused on Repairing & Replacing Meniscus, Articular Cartilage, and Ligaments to Keep People Active
- Episode #60 | Dr. Daniel Swain – Climate Scientist/Meteorologist-Communicator Focused on Extreme Weather Events Like Floods, Droughts, & Wildfires on a Warming Planet
- Episode #59 | Mary Kate Buckley – President of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY
- Episode #58 | Harlan Sheppard – Alaska Heli-Ski Guide for 25 Years, Highway Avalanche Forecaster for Washington State, Hero’s Journey Mindfulness Advocate
- Episode #57 | Kevin Quinn – Points North Heli Founder, 20-Year Heli-Ski Guide, STOL-Pilot, Former Pro Hockey Player & All Around Certified Badass
- Episode #56 | Sophia Schwartz – Former U.S. Ski Team Member, Pro Freeskier, Ski Mountaineer, Mindfulness & Environmental Advocate
- Episode #55 | Dan Egan – Legendary Warren Miller Ski Movie Skier, Hall of Fame Inductee, Powder Magazine’s Most Influential People, & Author
- Episode #54 | Steven Nyman — 20-Year World Cup U.S. Ski Racer & 3-Time Olympian
- Episode #53 | Colby Stevenson – Olympic Silver Medalist in Big Air, 3-Time X-Games Gold Medalist, Life-Altering Car Accident Survivor
The SnowBrains Podcast Season 3 Episodes:
- Episode #52 | Errol Kerr – Jamaican Ski Team Olympic Skier, Cover of Ski Magazine, X-Games Competitor, Warren Miller Ski Movie Star
- Episode #51 | Vamonos Outside – Let’s Get More People of Color Skiing & Snowboarding in North America
- Episode #50 | Johnny Collinson – Pro Freeskier, Ski Movie Star, Youngest to Climb The 7 Summits, Fitness Guru
- Episode #49 | Nina Aragon – Climate Scientist Discusses the State of the Western US Snowpack
- Episode#48 | Kelly Pawlak – CEO of the National Ski Areas Association
- Episode #47 | Dr. Robb Gaffney, MD – The G in GNAR, Ski Movie Star, Former Pro Freeskier, Activist, Medical Doctor of Psychiatry, Cancer Survivor
- Episode #46 | Henri Rivers – President of the National Brotherhood of Skiers
- Episode #45 | Mike Douglas – The Godfather of Freeskiing
- Episode #44 | Zahan Billimoria – IFMGA Mountain Guide, TGR Ski & Snowboard Movie Guide, Samsara Experience CEO, Jackson Hole Local
- Episode #43 | Spot Insurance – US Health Insurance Sucks, Medical Bills Are The #1 Cause of Bankruptcy in America, Spot Can Help
- Episode #42 | Utah Avalanche Center – Should We Use Avalanche Airbag Backpacks?, How To Stay Out of Avalanches, Updated “Know Before You Go”
- Episode #41 | Kit DesLauriers – 1st Person to Ski All of the “Seven Summits,” National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, 2-Time Freeskiing Champion
The SnowBrains Podcast Season 2 Episodes:
- Episode #40 | Connery Lundin – Naked on Cover of Powder Magazine, Freeskiing World Tour Champ, MSP & Warren Miller Ski Movie Star
- Episode #39 | Jonny Moseley – Olympic Gold Medalist, Skiing Pioneer, Voice of Warren Miller, TV Personality
- Episode #38 | H.A.P.E. & The Ghost of La Anciana – Mexican Ghost Stories From 18,000 Feet
- Episode #37 | Elyse Saugstad – Ski Movie Star, Freeride World Tour Champion, Skier of the Year, 3x Best Line of the Year, In ESPN’s Top 50 Women in Action Sports
- Episode #36 | Scot Schmidt – The Original Freeskier
- Episode #35 | Lel Tone – Alaska Heli-Ski Guide for 23-Years, Winner of National Geographic’s “Ultimate Survival Alaska,” Ski Patroller for 28-Years, Avalanche Professional
- Episode #34 | Julian Carr – 210-Foot World Record Cliff Invert, Pro Freeskier, Discrete Founder, X-Games Gold Medalist, Cirque Series Founder
- Episode #33 | Park City Professional Ski Patrol – Battling Vail Resorts For a Living Wage
- Episode #32 | Eddie Taylor – Member of “Full Circle Everest” 1st All-Black Team to Attempt 29,032′ Mt. Everest
- Episode #31 | Dr. Russ Costa PhD – Why People Do Dumb Shit in the Mountains!!
- Episode #30 | Tom Day – Emmy Winning Cinematographer, 38 Years as Warren Miller Director/Filmer/Skier, “Blizzard of Aahhhs” Ski Movie Star, Smoothest Skier on Earth
- Episode #29 | Doug Fish – The Genius Who Created the Indy Pass, the Fastest Growing Multi-Mountain Pass on Earth With Over 80 Ski Resorts
- Episode #28 | Tommy Moe – Olympic Gold Medal Ski Racer, Alaska Heli-Ski Guide, Co-Founder of Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in Alaska
- Episode #27 | Travis Ganong – Badass World Cup & Olympic Ski Racer, World-Class Freeskier
- Episode #26 | Dr. Ethan Greene, Director of CAIC – Why Did the USA Have the Most Avalanche Deaths in History Last Season?
- Episode #25 | Ingrid Backstrom – Legendary Freeskier, Fierce Competitor, Game-Changer, Ski Movie Star
- Episode #24 | Scott Gaffney – Matchstick Productions Editor, Producer, Filmer, the G in Shane McConkey’s GNAR, Lake Tahoe Surfer, & Badass Freeskier
- Episode #23 | Todd Offenbacher – Comedian, Mountain Guide, Body Builder, Badass Rock Climber, TV Personality, Climbing Community Builder
- Episode #22 | Bjarne Salen – Filmer of “The Fifty” w/ Cody Townsend, Hardcore Ski Mountaineer, Adventurer, Philosopher
- Episode #21 | Doug Stoup – More North & South Poles Than Anyone on Earth, Pro Soccer Player, Mountain Guide, Founder Ice Axe Expeditions
The SnowBrains Podcast Season 1 Episodes:
- Episode #20: Daron Rahlves – 4 Time Olympian, King of Kitzbühel, and World Jet Ski Champion
- Episode #19: Angela Hawse – President of the American Mountain Guide Association
- Episode #18: Jeremy Jones – Legendary Big Mountain Snowboarder, Climate Change Activist, CEO/Founder of Jones Snowboards
- Episode #17: Dr. Michael Fischman: COVID Vaccine – When Will Ski Resorts Go Back To Normal?
- Episode #16: 27 Avalanche Deaths in Only 29-Days in the USA… Why Did the US Just See Its Deadliest Avalanche Cycle of All-Time?
- Episode #15: Dr. Ethan Greene – Why Did The USA Just Have Its Deadliest Avalanche Cycle in History?
- Episode #14: Bode Miller – The Winningest American Male Ski Racer of All-Time
- Episode #13: Adrian Ballinger – Climbing Mt. Everest & K2 Without Supplemental Oxygen
- Episode #12: Randall Osterhuber – Winter Survival Instructor, Search & Rescue Badass, Snow Scientist, Avalanche Forecaster, Mountain Guide
- Episode #11: Cody Townsend – Star & Producer of The Fifty Project
- Episode #10: Chris Davenport – Legendary Freeskier, Ski Mountaineer, Mountain Guide
- Episode #9: Whistler Blackcomb – Climate Change, The Future of Summer Skiing, COVID
- Episode #8: Andrew McLean, The Big Mountain Scientist [Part 2]
- Episode #7: Andrew McLean, The Big Mountain Scientist [Part 1]
- Episode #6: Alta Ski Area – Skiing First, COVID, Canyon Traffic, & Possible Mt. Baldy Tram
- Episode #5: Renaming Squaw Valley, CA & Squaw Alpine’s 2020/21 COVID Strategy
- Episode #4: What’s The #1 Tool Available To Skiers & Riders in Avalanche Terrain?
- Episode #3: Why Do Skiers Tear Their ACLs So Frequently?
- Episode #2: Are Ski Resorts Safe To Visit During COVID-19?
- Episode #1: Why Is The Colorado Backcountry the Deadliest in the USA?
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