I met New York Times reporter John Branch when he was writing a story on the fatal avalanche at Stevens Pass, Washington, in 2012, that I was involved in. He was the kind of journalist I've always strived to be—honest, forthright, and with a strong sense of empathy. He first reached out to ask a few basic questions about the avalanche, a horrific event that shook my life to its core, and after speaking to a number of us involved in the slide that day, Branch recognized that there was a much bigger story to tell about what happened that day. The multi-media piece he wrote, Snow Fall, wound up winning Branch a Pulitzer Prize.

I recently had a chance to call Branch and turn the tables: This time I was interviewing him. And thankfully, our conversation this time was much lighter in tone.

You can read advice, habits, and rituals from Branch in this story on Outside Online.