Climate Change Archives - Winter Wildlands Alliance

Calling All Mountain Weather Watchers

Emily Scott — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 22:33:44 +0000

Calling All Mountain Weather Watchers!

Scientists need your help to better understand winter weather.

From Meghan Collins with “Mountain Rain or Snow” (1/8/25)

A longtime partner of the Winter Wildlands Alliance SnowSchool program, Mountain Rain or Snow has expanded its winter weather citizen science project into the intermountain region of Idaho, Eastern Washington, and Eastern Oregon. This year, we need your help tracking winter weather!

When it’s snowing or raining, you can put the your region on the map by participating in Mountain Rain or Snow, a project that tracks snowstorms at temperatures around freezing. Send reports of rain, snow, or mixed precipitation through Mountain Rain or Snow’s mobile phone app. On your phone, visit www.rainorsnow.org/signup to get started.

Why track winter weather?

Normally, we think of snow falling at air temperatures below 32°F – but in the world of weather forecasting, that isn’t always the case. In some mountain regions like ours, the shift from snow to rain during winter storms may actually occur at warmer temperatures approaching 38°F. It’s notoriously difficult to track winter precipitation in the mountains because it can vary over the course of minutes and across short distances.

That’s where you come in. Your real-time reports of rain, snow, or mixed precipitation help improve snow accumulation predictions. Direct observations, made by people, are the most accurate way to update the technologies that drive our weather forecasts, making them more accurate for mountain communities like yours. Sending ground-truthed observations of what is falling from the sky right now is helping to advance these technologies. Send reports from work or home, while out in the mountains or on the range, or from the passenger seat of car.

How can I get started?

Sign up: Text INTERMOUNTAIN to 855-909-0798 or visit www.rainorsnow.org/signup. There’s no app download required—everything works through your phone’s browser.
Send a report: When it’s raining, snowing, or there’s a wintry mix, open the app and select the precipitation type. Then hit “Send it!”
Identify mixed precipitation: Mixed precipitation looks like rain starting to crystallize or snow beginning to melt and fall faster.

The Mountain Rain or Snow team sends weather alerts by text message so you will know which storms are the most important to send observations.

Last year, observers shared over 32,000 reports of precipitation nationwide. Join the community of observers to put our region on the map!

For more information about the project, visit www.rainorsnow.org. This project is a collaboration between DRI, UNR, and Lynker. The Mountain Rain or Snow team is supported by a grant from NASA.

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Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Policy Update – Nov 2024

Emily Scott — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 00:56:04 +0000

Policy Update – November 2024

Explore the latest on post-election public lands policy, conservation funding, Teton bighorn sheep, California’s climate resilience, and Colorado’s snowsports economy.

Photo by Michael Hoyt

Policy Director Letter

Hilary Eisen

(11/27/2024)

Election Debrief: What does the crystal ball show?

I suppose I should kick this policy update off by talking about the election. In case you missed it, David shared some early thoughts following election day. Since then, it has been confirmed that the Republican party will control both the Senate and the House, and President-elect Trump has named his initial Cabinet picks (the Senate will vote to confirm the new Cabinet in January).

Most relevant to our work are his choices of Brooke Rollins for Secretary of Agriculture and Doug Burgum for Secretary of Interior.

If your neck hurts reading this, that’s just the whiplash as the political pendulum takes a sharp swing, again. The next four years will likely be a repeat of many of the same challenges we dealt with between 2016 and 2020, but with fewer legal and regulatory guardrails. Looking to Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute agenda as our crystal balls, we expect (among other things):

Significantly increased timber activity on U.S. Forest Service lands, with reduced emphasis on prescribed fire, potentially rolling back protections for roadless areas and old-growth forests.
Expanded mineral and fossil fuel development with streamlined permitting processes.
Reversal of efforts to protect federal lands and waters.
Efforts to revise, repeal, or undermine key environmental laws including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Energy Policy Conservation Act; Endangered Species Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); and Antiquities Act.
Commercialization of weather technologies (affecting climate research and avalanche forecasting) and downsizing the office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (targeting climate scientists).

Despite all of these challenges, however, we still see opportunities to work proactively to protect America’s wild snowscapes. Outdoor recreation is a bipartisan issue, and people aren’t going to stop skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling any time soon. Our work to steward public lands, support visitor education, and yes, protect wild snowscapes, will be more vital than ever.

Funding for Public Lands

Speaking of positive and proactive work in the coming year, we are excited that Senators Daines (R-MT) and King (I-ME), along with Senators Cramer (R-ND) and Warner (D-VA), have introduced the America the Beautiful Act. This bill reauthorizes the Legacy Restoration Fund, first established in 2020 through the Great American Outdoors Act to address the maintenance backlog that plagues public land agencies. The original Legacy Restoration Fund, which provided $1.9 billion for projects like trail maintenance, bridge reconstruction, and road repairs, is set to expire in 2025. The America the Beautiful Act would reauthorize and extend the fund for another 5 years and replenish its budget to $2 billion.

We look forward to working with legislators to get this bill through Congress next year.

Spread the Word: Protect Teton Bighorn Sheep

If you’re planning on skiing in the Tetons this winter, please be respectful of winter closures and bighorn sheep winter zones to give Teton bighorns the space they need to survive.

LEARN MORE AND DOWNLOAD MAPS

The Teton Range is legendary in the world of backcountry skiing and mountaineering. It’s also home to a diminishing population of bighorn sheep that have called the range home since time immemorial. Because of human development in the valley bottoms, the sheep have lost their traditional migration routes and winter ranges and now eke out a living in the heights of the Tetons all year long. Thus, our wintertime activities represent yet another challenge to Teton bighorn sheep survival.

In response, winter recreationists are asked to voluntarily avoid certain areas in the Tetons to protect bighorn sheep. We’ve worked with land managers, biologists, and local skiers (including our grassroots group Teton Backcountry Alliance) to identify and refine these sheep winter zones.

As an Alliance of people who care about winter and the wildlife that inhabits our favorite backcountry ski areas, we have a responsibility to know before we go which backcountry areas serve as critical winter habitat and migration pathways for wildlife as well as those that are closed seasonally to protect wildlife.

Want to learn more? This 7-minute film, Denizens of the Steep, explores the impact of backcountry recreation on migratory sheep, with professional ski mountaineer/guide/Winter Wildlands Alliance Ambassador Kim Havell and others discussing the importance of protecting and conserving the wild places in which we roam.

On the Ground in California

An update from our California Stewardship Manager, Megan Fiske:

Voters Approve $10 Billion for Water, Wildfire, and Climate

As the realities of the election results unfold, I’m happy to share a bit of positivity from the election here in California. Voters passed Proposition 4, a $10 million dollar bond to support water, wildfire and climate resiliency projects. While the fate of the national 30×30 movement, a global effort to conserve 30% of lands and waters by 2030, isn’t looking promising, California will continue to pursue its 30×30 goals with the added support of Prop 4.

The money will be distributed fairly evenly between drinking water improvements, wildfire and extreme heat projects, parks and wildlife projects, and drought and flood protections, including restoring rivers and lakes. Just shy of $1 billion will go towards clean energy projects and enhancing green spaces and public access to the outdoors.

Wildfire has taken center stage recently in California, but it is critical to address all aspects of climate change. Restoring rivers and lakes will help conserve biodiversity while reducing reliance on surface water storage reservoirs that can degrade watersheds. Shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy reduces emissions and helps to slow climate warming, preserving our snowy winters and improving our snowpack.

While there are many aspects of climate change, wildfire and forest health have emerged as particularly critical and urgent issues in California. There are opportunities for growth and collaboration in both the way we prepare for wildfires and the way we respond to them. The interface between recreation and the various efforts to address the wildfire crisis offers a lot of potential for collaboration and enhanced benefits for all.

Can we incorporate fire hardened trails into our fuel break networks? Where are there new opportunities for access and infrastructure in the post-fire landscape? How can the growing recreation economy be leveraged for multiple benefits, including climate resilience?

While it is a long road ahead, it’s inspiring to see that the majority of California voters support investing in climate resilience. Proposition 4 had broad support, ranging from the National Wildlife Federation to the California Professional Firefighters Association. This bond truly is for all Californians, and we look forward to seeing how far we can make the dollars go in support of climate resilience.

Call to Action: Advocate for projects that benefit your community and protect wild snowscapes! Contact your representatives or attend planning meetings to support wildfire prevention, renewable energy, and wildlife conservation. For more ways to take action, email Megan at mfiske@winterwildlands.org.

From the Field in Colorado

An update from our Colorado Policy Coordinator, Brittany Leffel:

Winter Recreation’s Economic Impact

Winter recreation is a massive economic powerhouse in Colorado, and we have the numbers to prove it! The latest Outdoor Recreation report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) highlights just how important snow activities are in Colorado. Nationwide, snow-based recreation generated a whopping $7.7 billion in 2022, with Colorado leading the pack. Snowsports contributed $1.6 billion to the state’s economy—more than any other activity! I’m feeling pretty hopeful about the impact our favorite winter activities have on local economies.

Now that we know that snowsports are a bright spot in our state’s economy, what can we do to demonstrate to state leaders and land managers that investing in equitable and sustainable winter recreation access is good for everyone?

Here’s where you come in! We need to understand how and where people are enjoying these activities. That’s why Winter Wildlands Alliance is bolstering our data collection program in southwest Colorado this season using the RIMS app. This easy-to-use tool helps us track recreation trends, which we can use to advocate for the quiet-use areas and backcountry experiences that make winter in Colorado so special.

Call to Action: If you live in Colorado and want to get involved with this season’s data collection effort, fill out this survey, and Brittany will be in touch to work on a localized data plan that works for your community. For questions, please reach out to Brittany at: bleffel@winterwildlands.org.

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Weak Winter or Feeling Snow-ptimistic? Seasonal Predictions from SnowSchool

Emily Scott — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 06:54:09 +0000

Weak Winter or Feeling Snow-ptimistic? Seasonal Predictions from SnowSchool

Whatever amount of snowfall Old Man Winter (or in this case La Niña) decides to bring forth this season, we are keeping our mittens crossed for deep snow!

Photo from NASA

By Kerry McClay, WWA SnowSchool Director (November 6, 2024)

It’s the early snow season, and we here at Winter Wildlands Alliance and SnowSchool have been getting a lot of questions about what our predictions are for the winter’s snowfall. When you are a winter-focused organization it naturally means you have special insight into the happenings of one of the most powerful, yet elusive, forces of nature on the planet. But it also tends to mean that, at least in the eyes of the general public, you are partially responsible for winter weather. So whatever amount of snowfall Old Man Winter (or in this case La Niña) decides to bring forth this season, we at WWA are simultaneously preparing to raise our frost-covered mittens in wintry triumph and/or apologize in slush-induced shame.

With the current NOAA chatter leaning toward the emergence of a “weak La Niña” pattern, it might seem like science is suggesting we should mostly plan on the latter scenario. But sit tight Snow White! More than one interpretation is possible…

What is a “weak La Niña” winter?

First off, in quick review, La Niña describes the global weather pattern that follows when ocean temps in the equatorial Pacific are cooler than average. This is the opposite of El Niño, which happens when ocean temps are warmer than average. During a typical La Niña winter in North America, the polar jet stream blasts across the northern United States bringing cold air and precipitation, while the southern United States is drier and warmer than average.

While last winter in North America saw an El Niño pattern, the previous three were La Niña events (read more about the rare Triple Dip La Niña here).

A “weak La Niña” occurs when Pacific ocean temps are only mildly cooler than normal, between -0.9° and -0.5°, compared to strong La Niña events (-1.5°C). These events typically form later in the fall and may fade by the end of winter, unlike stronger La Niña patterns, which can last well into the calendar year. For this season, the forecasted mild La Niña might signal a wetter winter in northern regions and a drier, warmer season in the southern U.S.

A big positive of this forecast for a mild La Niña is that our friends in the Great Lakes region can look forward to the end of their drought! But the glass-is-half-empty snow prediction would suggest a dry and warm winter in the southern United States and a slightly wetter than average winter up north. Ho-hum.

El Niño and La Niña graphic from NOAA

Snow Predictions from SnowSchool’s Favorite Snow Scientists:

Here at WWA we keep tabs on our favorite snow scientists—the experts who’ve helped us create hands-on snow science learning experiences for over 500,000 SnowSchool kids, especially when they make us smile with predictions about an impending big snow year! Here is what they are predicting for this season:

Ron Abramovich, retired head of the Idaho NRCS Snow Survey program, sees this year’s predictions in a multi-year context. “Strong or weak La Niña, it doesn’t really matter for years following a strong El Niño like last year. Years that follow seem to have a lot of energy to release,” says Abramovich.
Hans-Peter Marshall of NASA SnowEx program and the BSU CryoGARS group agrees, saying, “I’m going with Ron Abramovich… it might be most similar to 2017—hoping for a big year!”

“Nothing can be guaranteed,” Abramovich elaborated, “but with wild weather around us, there is no reason not to expect the extreme and wild weather to continue. We are not living in the calm and quiet doldrum years like the early 2000s. Pete Parsons from Oregon Department of Forestry takes an analytical approach, looking at past years with similar Pacific Ocean and atmospheric conditions. His analog years are 1967, 1993, and 2017—all of which brought near-normal to above-average snow years in central Idaho, with 2017 being a huge winter with 45 Atmospheric Rivers hitting the West coast.”

NRCS Snow and Water Interactive Map!

A fun experiment is to grab those years that match current conditions and plug them into the NRCS Interactive SNOTEL Map. For example, 2017 was relatively slow to start but really started to snowball mid winter. By April 1st you can see on the NRCS SNOTEL map (above) that almost every river basin across the western US was at or above the median historical snowpack level. April 1 is the date snow hydrologists have historically used to measure a season’s cumulative snowpack. And above average snowpack levels in many western watersheds were also observed for April 1st in 1993 and 1967. So bring on the snow!

It’s important to clarify that not all snow researchers in all locations are anticipating an enormous snow year.

Longtime SnowSchool collaborator Meghan Collins of the NASA-funded Mountain Rain or Snow citizen science project was inclined to stick with the NOAA forecast for modestly above average precipitation in the northern regions. “NOAA is my go-to” Collin said, “Their seasonal forecasts share the probability of snowfalls above or below average over the next several months, but the technology isn’t advanced enough to predict just how much we’ll receive. We’ll just have to wait for the near-term forecasts each week!”

And in California’s Sierra Nevada, our friend Ned Bair, climate scientist with Leidos and UC Santa Barbara snow researcher, would rather wait until April for this game. That not being an option, he responded: “For the Sierra, I think drier than normal but that’s just based on having one huge (2023) and one normal (2024) year in a row. Zero scientific evidence.”

Data from NRCS SNOTEL

David Foster-Hill of Community Snow Observations (a citizen science project focused on backcountry snowpack depth) weighed in with a prediction for his home range in Central Oregon. After running an analysis of his local Mt Hood SNOTEL station data (left) comparing El Niño to La Niña winters, he pointed out that most La Niña years are above the median snowpack. “Sure there is plenty of variability… but on average La Niñas are good to us…. Do I feel good about the ski season? I have already waxed my skis, if that is any indicator.”

In summary, it is still early to tell just how snowy this winter will be, but the signs are leaning toward at least a slightly above-average season in some areas. Whether you’re feeling “snow-ptimistic” or cautious, get ready to embrace whatever Old Man Winter brings our way!

What are your predictions for this season? Let us know, and let’s hope for deep snow!

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Policy Update – Oct 2024

Emily Scott — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 20:18:01 +0000

Policy Update – October 2024

Explore the latest updates on Colorado winter travel planning, Forest Service avalanche forecasting, efforts to protect the Sierra Nevada red fox, and more!

Photo from Canva

Policy Director Letter

Hilary Eisen

(10/30/2024)

Forest Service Avalanche Forecasting and Hiring Freeze

Thanks to action from Winter Wildlands Alliance members and partners, Forest Service avalanche centers will be fully staffed this winter. In September, USFS Chief Randy Moore announced the agency was placing a freeze on all seasonal hiring and overtime work starting October 1. In response, Winter Wildlands Alliance and 41 other organizations and businesses sent a letter to USFS Chief Randy Moore requesting that avalanche forecasters be exempted from the hiring freeze and other restrictions. Hundreds of Winter Wildands Alliance members and supporters sent in letters as well.

Since then, all but one seasonal forecaster has received a hiring exemption, which is encouraging! While we are very happy to know that almost all of the forecasters normally employed by the Forest Service will be working this winter, we are still pushing for the Chief (or Regional Foresters) to exempt the avalanche program from FY25 restrictions on working overtime and spending.

Ultimately, to solve these issues we need Congress to increase funding for Forest Service. Winter Wildlands Alliance is advocating for a $70 million budget increase for the the Forest Service’s Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness program in FY25. Congress has yet to pass a FY25 budget (which is another issue…) so there is still time to advocate for this request. We have created a form to make it easy to advocate for this request.

ASK CONGRESS TO FUND THE FOREST SERVICE

Backcountry Film Festival Season is Here!

Last week, the Winter Wildlands Alliance team gathered in Boise, ID for the premiere of our 20th annual Backcountry Film Festival, which longtime festival-goers have called our best season yet!

For the past 20 winters, the Backcountry Film Festival has been a resource for Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Grassroots Groups to raise funds for their efforts in protecting opportunities for human-powered winter recreation. It also helps to spread the word about the pleasures of backcountry skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and any other human-powered snow activity while building excitement for the fresh season.

Check out the Backcountry Film Festival website to watch the trailer and find a screening near you!

FIND YOUR LOCAL SCREENING

Don’t Forget to Vote!

I am sure you are more than aware that election day is Tuesday. And, being a winter advocate, I am sure you already have a plan to vote (or voted early) but just in case, consider this your reminder to vote! This election will have huge consequences for our public lands and the future of winter. Once the dust settles post-election, I will weigh in with our crystal ball on how the outcome will affect WWA’s work. Stay tuned.

While I will not try to predict elections outcomes, Congress does have a busy end-of-year agenda. In addition to hopefully passing a budget for the current fiscal year, we also expect Congress to take up a public lands package. Learn more from our friends at Outdoor Alliance!

PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION

On the Ground in California

An update from our California Stewardship Manager, Megan Fiske:

Photo by USFS

This month, both Sonora Pass and Tioga Pass closed briefly for the first snowfall in California’s Sierra Nevada. The storm left a light dusting of snow over the habitat of the federally endangered Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF). Unfortunately, a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) decision declined to designate critical habitat for this unique high-elevation fox population.

The Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Sierra Nevada red fox has a very limited range and may number fewer than 100 individuals. Although much of their habitat is within protected wilderness areas, a significant portion remains vulnerable to multiple threats. By not designating Critical Habitat, the USFWS places the burden on local land managers to assess impacts and restore habitats without the comprehensive guidance that critical habitat designation would provide.

On the Stanislaus National Forest, which includes much of the Sierra Nevada red fox habitat west of the Sierra crest, the 2019 Over Snow Vehicle (OSV) Use Management Plan included protections for the fox and its habitat. The Forest Supervisor’s decision established seasonal restrictions for motorized use, along with designated areas closed to motorized use to help prevent impacts this vulnerable fox population. While we appreciate these protections, questions remain: Are these measures enough? Could more be done? Or perhaps something different?

Critical habitat designation is indeed critical for protecting endangered species. While climate change may be the biggest threat to the Sierra Nevada red fox and other vulnerable species, certain management decisions could strengthen their habitat’s resilience to climate impacts and support reproductive success. When it comes to protecting endangered species, we should utilize all the tools in the toolbox—and critical habitat is a vital one.

Recently, Defenders of Wildlife filed a legal challenge to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s listing decision, specifically regarding the failure to designate critical habitat for the Sierra Nevada red fox. Meanwhile, we are working to ensure that the Stanislaus National Forest adheres to its OSV Plan monitoring commitments, so that the forest—and wildlife advocates—have the necessary data to determine if the plan is achieving its goal of protecting this species.

Call to Action: Stay informed and support ongoing work to monitor and advocate for species protection in the Sierra Nevada. Reach out Megan at mfiske@winterwildlands.org with your questions.

From the Field in Colorado

An update from our Colorado Policy Coordinator, Brittany Leffel:

Winter Wildlands Alliance, together with grassroots partners—Tenth Mountain Division Huts, Colorado Mountain Club, High Country Conservation Advocates, Elk Mountain Backcountry Alliance, and 16 other organizations, backcountry hut owners, and local governments—signed a letter this month urging the GMUG National Forest to initiate forest-wide winter travel planning now that the Forest Revision is complete. This broad support underscores the need for a winter travel plan that promotes equitable access and reduces conflict to enhance the experience of all winter recreationists across the forest. We look forward to collaborating with this coalition to continue advocating for a comprehensive forest-wide approach and to develop a winter data collection strategy that will inform future decisions.

This month, I also had the opportunity to attend the Colorado Outdoor Industry Leadership Summit, where outdoor industry professionals from across the state gathered here in Durango to experience firsthand what makes Southwest Colorado so unique for a thriving outdoor recreation economy. During the conference, I attended panels focused on increasing representation of human-powered winter recreation within the Outdoor Strategy and Regional Partnership Initiatives (RPI). Winter recreation continues to be one of the region’s strongest economic drivers based on outdoor recreation-related activities, so we must have voices representing the human-powered winter recreation community on these statewide initiatives. I will be serving on the newly formed RPI in Pagosa and one in Durango while we await winter travel planning on the San Juan National Forest.

Call to Action: Get involved with your local RPI. Please reach out to our Colorado Policy Coordinator at: bleffel@winterwildlands.org.

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Policy Update – Sept 2024

Emily Scott — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:57:54 +0000

Policy Update – September 2024

Explore the latest updates on our trip to D.C., changes in the Forest Service, efforts to support wildlife conservation this winter, and more!

Photo by Nathan Anderson

Policy Director Letter

(9/27/2024)

To quote my neighbor’s lawn ornament, “happy fall, y’all!” Snow has dusted the tops of my local mountains a couple of times this month, and the leaves are starting to turn. Winter is just around the corner!

WWA Advocacy in D.C.

Earlier this month, David and I joined 76 other advocates from the larger Outdoor Alliance community—including Wasatch Backcountry Alliance’s Dani Poirier and WWA board member Denis Tuzinovic—to meet with lawmakers and Administration policymakers in Washington, D.C., to push for the legislative and policy priorities we’d like to see come to fruition before the year ends. These include the EXPLORE Act, the most comprehensive outdoor recreation package Congress has ever considered; funding for public land agencies to ensure they can meet the needs of increasing visitor numbers, maintain recreation resources, and tackle important tasks like winter travel planning; the BLM’s Public Lands Rule, which will balance conservation with resource extraction on 245 million acres of BLM land; and new protections for important public lands and waters.

It was also Outdoor Alliance’s 10-year anniversary, and we enjoyed catching up with longtime friends and colleagues as we all gathered to celebrate this important milestone.

READ THE TRIP REPORT

Backcountry skiers at the Capitol

Photo by Torch Pictures

Forest Service Hiring Freeze

As we met with lawmakers to advocate for increased funding for the Forest Service, the agency announced that, due to budget constraints, it will not be hiring any seasonal employees (except firefighters) in Fiscal Year 2025, which starts on October 1. Seasonal hires fill a variety of important roles in the Forest Service, including avalanche forecasters, snow (and river, climbing, and wilderness) rangers, trail crews, and science researchers. The effect of this hiring freeze will be felt acutely across the National Forest system.

Furthermore, any vacant permanent positions will only be filled by internal hires (thereby leaving gaps elsewhere in the system) and permanent seasonals (permanent employees who work on a seasonal basis) are prohibited from working longer than six months per year.

For good reason, the agency has stated that it will not try to “do more with less.” “We can’t get the same amount of work done with fewer employees,” said USFS Chief Randy Moore. “We’re going to do what we can with what we have. We’re not going to try to do everything that is expected of us with [fewer] people.”

We’ve already seen the Forest Service struggling to meet its obligations under the budget crisis Congress has created. For example, winter travel planning on the Inyo National Forest is paused until the Forest can hire a new planner.

This hiring freeze will have a significant and immediate impact on winter recreation. The Forest Service operates 14 Avalanche Centers, and many avalanche forecasters are seasonal employees. Without an exemption to the hiring freeze and flexibility for permanent seasonal forecasters to work beyond their designated season, avalanche centers will not be fully staffed or able to provide all the critical services the public relies on each winter. This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a serious public safety concern.

The Forest Service is considering whether to allow exemptions to the FY25 hiring restrictions on seasonal staff, especially in areas of health and safety or where positions are supported by partner funding. Please join us in asking the Forest Service to exempt avalanche forecasters from the FY25 hiring restrictions.

SIGN OUR LETTER

Partnering for Winter Recreation

With no seasonal hires in FY25, Forest Service partners will be more important than ever this winter. For example, the Bridger-Teton National Forest’s long-standing Teton Pass Ambassador position will go unfilled in 2025, so Teton Backcountry Alliance’s volunteer Pass Ambassadors will fill a major gap. Teton Backcountry Alliance is considering raising funds to hire the Forest Service’s Ambassador as well.

In California, Megan, our California Stewardship Manager, will be heading up our Winter Ambassador program, serving her third winter on the Stanislaus National Forest.

We’re also working with the Colorado Mountain Club to support their highly successful Snow Ranger program. We are exploring opportunities to expand these programs to provide more support for winter recreation management on National Forest lands.

Wildlife Conservation Initiatives

Finally, as we start to think about the winter ahead, take a moment to visit www.winteringwildlife.org. Winter is the most challenging time of year for many wildlife species, and it’s up to the winter recreation community to be responsible in how—or if—we recreate in wildlife habitats.

Last year, Winter Wildlands Alliance worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and the Colorado Mountain Club to develop the Wintering Wildlife Conservation Initiative (WWCI), aimed at educating people about how to avoid or minimize impacts on wintering wildlife. The WWCI website hosts a variety of social media slides, printable flyers, and other tools anyone can use to share this important information.

USE THE TOOLKIT

On the Ground in California

An update from our California Stewardship Manager, Megan Fiske:

This year, we’ve seen several winter travel planning processes delayed because of the immediate and long-lasting effects of major wildfires in California. I’ve been thinking a lot about how these climate-driven mega-fires affect winter recreation. Click here to read our latest blog post on this important topic.

While we’re still waiting for the Plumas National Forest to finish their winter travel plan—delayed due to staff capacity being diverted to post-Dixie Fire rehabilitation—and for the Eldorado National Forest to complete their winter travel plan (also delayed due to Caldor Fire impacts), we’re excited to work with other forests on implementing their over-snow vehicle plans. I look forward to helping the Stanislaus install new winter signs we created in collaboration with Tread Lightly, and we hope to expand these educational efforts as we develop new winter recreation materials with the Lassen National Forest.

Reach out Megan at mfiske@winterwildlands.org with your questions.

WILDFIRE AND WINTER RECREATION

From the Field in Colorado

An update from our Colorado Policy Coordinator, Brittany Leffel:

While we wait for snow to blanket the Colorado, we wanted to make sure you add Backcountry Snowsports Initiative Annual Hut Trip 2025 to your calendar!

If you are in Colorado or willing to travel to Colorado to talk policy and network with fellow backcountry skiing advocates, save the date for this trip! This event, which we co-host with Colorado Mountain Club and 10th Mountain Division Hut Association, will take place at the Fowler-Hilliard Hut, near Vail Pass, March 10-13, 2025. Staying at the hut is free, but reservations are first come first serve, so register today! If you have any questions, please reach out to our Colorado Policy Coordinator at: bleffel@winterwildlands.org.

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Wildfire and Winter Recreation – Sept 2024

Emily Scott — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 20:04:43 +0000

Navigating the New Normal: Wildfire and Winter Recreation

As wildfires and climate change reshape our landscapes, how do we adapt winter recreation management?

Photo by Brain Davis

(9/26/2024)

In 2013, California’s Rim Fire scorched over 250,000 acres, igniting a worrying trend of megafires across the West. Fast forward almost a decade later to 2021, and we witnessed another landmark moment in wildfire history as the Caldor Fire became the first to breach the Sierra crest. It burned through the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort and entered the Lake Tahoe Basin, impacting and threatening many beloved winter destinations.

The Vulnerability of Our Snow-Covered Forests

It’s difficult to imagine winter wonderlands ablaze, but these events highlight a stark reality: even our winter landscapes are vulnerable to the devastating effects of wildfires and climate change. As these forces reshape our forests and snowscapes, it’s vital for land managers and winter recreationists to consider the implications of these changes. Here are some pressing questions we should be asking ourselves:

Access and Boundaries: Has the loss of vegetation created new access points, potentially leading to boundary violations that weren’t an issue before the fire?
Post-Fire Resource Impacts: What new challenges are arising? Post-fire soils can be particularly sensitive—are the current minimum snow depths sufficient to protect these fragile areas?
Wildlife Concerns: How are local wildlife adapting? Are we adding undue stress to sensitive species at a challenging and critical time of year? With less vegetation on the landscape, does the sound of a snowmobile travel further?

A New Era of Management Considerations

These concerns extend beyond California; communities and winter ecosystems across the West are grappling with similar challenges. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are reducing snowpack and increasing the frequency of snow droughts nationwide. For example, the Pacific Northwest has experienced less reliable snowpack and less snowfall, limiting opportunities for snow-based activities.

The unprecedented combination of large wildfires, climate change, and the growing popularity of winter recreation calls for fresh management strategies. As forests continue to adopt and implement over-snow vehicle use management plans, it’s imperative that we ensure winter recreation has a seat at the table in these critical discussions.

At Winter Wildlands Alliance, we are committed to advocating for climate change solutions and forest management plans that enhance the resilience and accessibility of our snowscapes. Join us in this vital work—explore our initiatives, get involved in local conservation efforts, and help ensure our winter landscapes thrive for years to come.

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Policy Update – July 2024

Emily Scott — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 21:51:07 +0000

Policy Update – July 2024

This past month has seen some big news in the policy world, with important connections to all of our work.

Photo by Holly Mandarich, @holly.mandarich

Policy Director Letter

(7/30/2024)

Supreme Court Upends the Legal Landscape

For starters, you probably heard that the Supreme Court overturned Chevron but might be wondering what this means for our work. In short, the Chevron Doctrine was a longstanding legal principle that essentially said courts should defer to agency experts when ruling on cases involving administrative actions. This meant that courts would trust the expertise of government agencies when interpreting ambiguous laws related to their field. In a pair of new rulings, Loper Bright and Relentless, Inc., the Supreme Court has reversed course and now says that judges should interpret ambiguous statutory language.

This means that when we, or another organization, challenge an agency action, the Court will no longer defer to the agency (and its biologists, hydrologists, and other specialists) on issues such as whether a travel plan minimizes impacts to wildlife or whether a logging project needs to be structured a certain way to achieve its objectives.

This will be a mixed bag for us. When we are intervening to defend an agency action, generally Chevron has been helpful. But when challenging agency actions, Chevron has often led the Courts to side with the agency. It will take time to see how this plays out. There are many other tools in the legal toolbox, and this decision does not hamstring our ability to pursue legal actions.

For more on the overturning of Chevron, check out this explainer from EarthJustice.

Another Supreme Court case that received less attention but may be equally consequential for our work is the Corner Post decision. This effectively upends the statute of limitations (the time period within which legal action can be taken)– previously 6 years from an agency action – to be indefinite. Under Corner Post, the statute of limitations is now 6 years from when a plaintiff claim injury from the agency action.

This opens many long-decided regulations (like the Travel Management Rule, which manages off-road vehicle use on public lands) and decisions (like long-standing travel plans) to potential challenge from groups that possibly did not even exist at the time the regulation was finalized or decision was made.

Here is another helpful explainer from our friends at EarthJustice on how this Supreme Court decision on Corner Post jeopardizes environmental protections.

Project 2025 and Public Lands

You may have also heard about Project 2025, a policy platform crafted by an assortment of conservative D.C. think tanks. Although it is important to note that no Presidential candidates have endorsed Project 2025, the platform is clearly aimed at a second Trump administration.

High Country News recently published an article digging into what it would specifically mean for public lands and the agencies who manage them. It is a helpful read for those interested in public lands who do not want to review the entire 920-page document. Click here to read the High Country News article.

If Project 2025 were to be implemented, it would feel a lot like groundhog day for us. Achievements we have celebrated over the past 4 years (protecting the Tongass National Forest, stopping the Ambler Road project, saving NEPA – the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires environmental reviews of federal projects – and various national monuments, to name a few) would be up for discussion again. We would also once more be navigating the extremely difficult policy landscape of 2017-2021.

The good news is that we have been through this before and we are prepared for another round if need be. No matter who is President in 2025, our strong network of advocates will always be critical to protecting America’s wild snowscapes.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

On July 22, Senator Manchin (Independent, WV) introduced a last-ditch attempt to address permitting reform before he retires from Congress. The Energy Permitting Reform Act seeks to advance the transition to renewable energy but also includes many measures to benefit the fossil fuel industry. On the whole, the bill tilts more in favor of fossil fuels than renewables.

The bill also includes a number of provisions that would weaken environmental reviews under NEPA and sets a 150-day statute of limitations for court challenges on permitting decisions.

If you are feeling like it has been extra hot lately, you are not off base. July 22 was the hottest day ever recorded on Earth. Time is ticking on whether we will be able to pull out of a complete climate catastrophe. The last thing we need to be doing is making it easier to develop fossil fuels.

And Finally, Some Good News!

It is not all doom and gloom in the policy world. We are excited by Senator Padilla’s RESERVE Act, which would explore how well public land reservation systems are working in order to improve transparency and equity in these systems. The bill directs a study of reservation systems, including campsites, hiking permits, climbing passes, river permits, and more. Reservation systems can be helpful for managing popular sites, but there is a strong need to review and improve the current system. Read more about this bill on the Outdoor Alliance blog, here.

On the Ground in California

An update from our California Stewardship Manager, Megan Fiske:

Great news for the climate and for California: SB 867, a $10 billion Climate Resilience bond, passed both houses this month. It will be up to California voters in November to commit to this significant investment in climate resilience. As wildfires burn across the state, California residents need no further reminders about the potential consequences if we do not act on climate now.

The bond would provide $700 million to support parks, including funding specifically to improve equitable access to public lands. There would be $1.2 billion devoted to protecting biodiversity, with some funds supporting conservancies but the majority going towards wildlife conservation, habitat connectivity, and ecosystem restoration. The $800 million allocated for clean energy would help ensure the future of snow by reducing climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

Winter Wildlands Alliance joined climate, environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, conservation, business, labor organizations, tribes, and local government organizations in signing a letter urging the State to approve the bond being put on the November 2024 ballot.

“California’s future sits on the edge of a knife. We cannot credibly provide Californians with clean water, clean air, healthy lands, and protection from floods, fires, extreme heat, and other devastating climate impacts with a second year of budget cuts and funding delays. The truth is, even with this bond, every year the legislature and Administration will need to prioritize investments in making vulnerable communities safer and more resilient…..Polling confirms that California voters want our state government to ensure clean water, clean air, access to open lands and waters, and healthy sustainably grown food. California voters should have the opportunity to vote for a strong climate bond this November, so they don’t have to endure the consequences later. We respectfully urge you to approve the Climate Resilience bond to place the measure on the November 5, 2024 ballot for voter approval.”

If you have any questions, please reach out to our CA Stewardship Manager at: mfiske@winterwildlands.org.

From the Field in Colorado

An update from our Colorado Policy Coordinator, Brittany Leffel:

In Colorado, we have been reviewing the new Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison Forest Plan (GMUG). We are looking ahead to winter travel planning on the GMUG, and the new Forest Plan provides direction for how this will occur.

Stay tuned for more information and ways to get involved!

If you have any questions, please reach out to our CO Policy Coordinator at: bleffel@winterwildlands.org.

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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NEPA Restored

Emily Scott — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 21:34:41 +0000

NEPA Restored: With an Improved Focus on Climate and Environmental Justice

New rule strengthens our bedrock environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act.

Photo by Alessio Soggetti on Unsplash

(4/30/2024)

What is happening today?

This morning, the Biden Administration’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published the final part of a two-phase effort to restore and modernize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Today’s rule, called the Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule, gives the public a stronger voice in public lands management and government decisions that affect public health. It also strengthens requirements assessing climate and environmental justice impacts, while centering science in government decision-making.

What happened in 2020?

The Trump Administration gutted NEPA, our nation’s bedrock environmental law, in 2020, and we have been working to #ProtectNEPA ever since.

What actions were taken to protect NEPA?

Shortly after the 2020 debacle, Winter Wildlands Alliance joined a lawsuit to challenge the Trump administration’s actions on NEPA. That case was placed on hold while the Biden administration finalized this new rule. CEQ completed Phase 1 of the NEPA restoration effort in April 2022, during which they published a preliminary rule restoring the fundamental elements of NEPA. These elements have given citizens a voice in government decision-making and helped to protect our environment since 1970. Over the past two years, CEQ has been working to modernize application of NEPA to address 21st-century challenges, with a particular focus on how it should be applied to fight climate change and promote environmental justice.

Why does NEPA matter?

‘Look before you leap’ is a fundamental purpose of NEPA, and this new rule will ensure, among other things, that our nation can rapidly transition to a clean energy future without sacrificing public lands, the larger environment, or the health of frontline communities.”

Hilary Eisen, Policy Director at Winter Wildlands Alliance

NEPA is at the heart of the work Winter Wildlands Alliance does to protect America’s wild snowscapes and we applaud the Biden Administration for restoring transparency, science, and meaningful public engagement to federal decision-making.

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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The Legacy of Whitebark Pine

Emily Scott — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:27:51 +0000

The Legacy of Whitebark Pine

Past, present, and future: how can we protect this snowscape staple?
By Paul Lask

Whitebark pine researcher, Nancy Bockino, shares a moment with a whitebark pine on Grand Teton National Park. Unceded Eastern Shoshone, Cayuse, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Cheyenne, and Shoshone-Bannock lands.
Photo by Colin Wann @creativeascents

This write-up was originally featured in our Spring 2024 Trail Break issue.

Imagine for a moment the very beginning of the potential 1,000 year lifespan of the whitebark pine, a tree that grows along high mountain slopes and ridges throughout western North America.

It starts with a bird called a Clark’s nutcracker. When whitebark pine seeds are ripe for dispersal, the nutcracker arrives with its dagger like bill, pries open the scales of tightly sealed cones, and transports the pea-sized seeds under its tongue to shallow soil caches all over the high mountain landscape. Throughout a summer, a single bird can stash tens of thousands of seeds.

In winter, by mysterious feats of navigation and memory, the nutcracker locates its hoards, unearthing the tiny mounds now buried deep under the snow. These seeds are hot commodities. One field guide notes that they have, ounce for ounce, more calories than chocolate. They contain minerals like iron and zinc and are over 50% fat.

Nancy Bockino admires the tree that fuels her conservation passion. Grand Teton National Park. Unceded Eastern Shoshone, Cayuse, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Cheyenne, and Shoshone-Bannock lands. Photo by Colin Wann @creativeascents

The Whitebark provides the backdrop for some of our greatest adventures. Unceded Eastern Shoshone, Cayuse, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Cheyenne, and Shoshone-Bannock lands. Photo by Colin Wann @creativeascent

A whitebark pine’s odds narrow when we take into account the dozen other birds and eight species of mammal relying on its seeds. These include the red squirrel, whose seed caches are raided by grizzly bears fattening up for winter. All this is going down in a harsh montane environment. Up at timberline, between five and twelve thousand feet, the soil is rocky and thin. The fortunate seeds that germinate and emerge as seedlings are hammered by winter storms, desiccated by harsh summer winds, and face multiple stressors which have contributed to their listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2022.

The lucky few that survive face risks as well, including a fatal invasive fungal infection called white pine blister rust, pine beetle outbreaks, and larger, hotter wildfires. Climate change is exacerbating all of this.

In a 2018 survey, American Forests noted there are as many dead whitebark pines as there are living ones with an estimated 325 million trees killed. With fewer trees on the landscape, each one that remains is “now at greater risk to any or all of the potentially damaging agents, simply due to the shrinking number of trees,” writes Kristen Legg, an ecologist with the National Park Service.

Because its range is stitched across majestic snowscapes in national parks and forests, the whitebark is often part of the setting for those of us who ski, climb, and recreate in the mountains. Yet many of us overlook or take for granted the pretty backdrop of gnarled old trees.

We might not realize or think too much about the fact that the shade of their crowns stabilizes and preserves snowpack, which is vital for watershed health; that their roots protect against erosion; and that they are entwined with wildlife through their harbors of habitat. Back in the early 1960s, Rachel Carson famously painted a nightmarishly quiet world robbed of songbirds. Scan a blanched whitebark forest and a similar dystopia begins to emerge.

To ward off a coming extinction, federal and tribal agencies have teamed up with conservation organizations and researchers to protect and restore whitebark pine forests. In 2017, the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation (WPEF) published a roadmap to guide restoration called the “National Whitebark Pine Restoration Plan.”

Guide and naturalist, Jesse A Logan, hugs a whitebark pine on a day out on Custer-Gallatin National Forest. Unceded Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Cheyenne, and Crow lands. Photo by Colin Wann @creativeascents

A skier glides through whitebark pine snowscapes. Grand Teton National Park. Unceded Eastern Shoshone, Cayuse, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Cheyenne, and Shoshone-Bannock lands. Photo by Colin Wann @creativeascents

This is a multifaceted project whose timeline is on the scale of centuries. Trees that are naturally resistant to blister rust are being caged, their cones shipped to nurseries, their seedlings planted back on the landscape. Living whitebark pines can be treated to protect against beetles. Surrounding timberlands can be managed in a way that reduces fire severity. The knowledge and tools are available, but inspiring the passion, getting people to care about a tree’s fate, arguably starts at the level of recreation.

In 2016, WPEF launched a ski area certification program to encourage ski areas and resorts to participate in the recovery of whitebark pine. Their approach includes recognizing the areas already participating in whitebark conservation, educating staff and managers on the ways they can help protect and restore, and offering guided snowshoe walks in which the whitebark is discussed. To date, WPEF has certified half a dozen ski areas—including the Yellowstone Club, which was the first area certified on private lands.

Jeff Cadry, environmental manager for the Yellowstone Club, says they have been transporting whitebark pines away from ski runs where they’re susceptible to damage from snow grooming machines. They have relocated over 500 hundred trees, and are looking to expand the operation.

Skiing, hiking, and camping under the canopy of a whitebark forest “feels magical,” Wes Swaffar, director of the Northern Rockies at American Forests told me over the phone. “Backcountry recreationists know this, and they need to share this with people.”

This sentiment was echoed by Dr. Andrew Bower, Climate Adaptation Specialist with the Forest Service in Washington state: “Ski areas throughout the west are probably the best opportunities for the public to see and appreciate and learn about whitebark pine.”

Nancy Bockino ponders legacy, transendence, and stewardship on Grand Teton National Park. Unceded Eastern Shoshone, Cayuse, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Cheyenne, and Shoshone-Bannock lands.

Photo by Colin Wann @creativeascents

WWA’s mission to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes is grown on this fertile political ground where recreation and conservation overlap. Given about 90% of whitebark pine forests are on public land in theUnited States, lovers of the snowy wilds currently hold a fragile multigenerational gift, whether or not they know it.

Say that tiny seed squeezed through its bottleneck of early challenges. It elbowed up, held on to its place in the ground, and in thirty years produced its first cone. This cone will take two years to fully mature. Fifty years later, a tree enters “peak cone production,” a manufacturing cycle that goes on for centuries. The tree just needs to remain. To do what it has always done.

Buffeted by screaming winds, pummeled by blizzards, “every tree is an expression of time and struggle,” nature photographer Quinn Lowrey notes in an interview with WPEF in 2022. Whitebark don’t “hide their past but wear it openly in the exposition of their form,” he adds. Its past consists of centuries of nourishment, safety, and stabilization for whole ecosystems. To bend from the weight of such shouldering is understandable.

The tenacity of this keystone species is what makes it so hard to fathom its endangered state. If we could learn to love something as more than a decorative screen we whiz past down mountainsides, bird watched, or walked alongside as we contemplate transcendence. If we could fully understand that in those moments we are having an impact. If we saw we had the potential to course correct. There’s precedent here—we’ve restored redwood forests, pulled the bald eagle and the American bison back from the edge of extinction; wolf packs move again across lands from which they were exterminated a century ago.

The group of whitebark pine’s human protectors are just as steadfast as the tree itself. Since the mid-90s, Legg, the National Park Service ecologist, has interacted with many of the same people in her research over the past three decades. Whole careers have been dedicated to this tree. “Like the tree,” Legg said, “these people are hardy, tough, steadfast, and so committed.”

Raising awareness that protection of this tree can start where we recreate. The lucky humans who recreate in whitebark forests can themselves be seeds. You can help grow a legacy, a hopeful tale of returning vitality to the mountains, something future generations will study as they too learn how to better relate to the natural world.

For more information, follow @fortheloveofwhitebark and catch the film, “Beloved Whitebark: Stalwart Witness” in this season’s Backcountry Film Festival program.

Read the Spring 2024 Trail Break

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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Skiing Through Change

Emily Scott — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 06:29:26 +0000

Skiing Through Change

Navigating uncharted territories through shifting environments
By Anneka Williams and Jack Stauss

Skiers slalom past patches of dry ground at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort, March 21, 2015 in Olympic Valley, California.

Photo by Max Whittaker, The New York Times, @maxwhittaker

This write-up was originally featured in our Fall 2023 Trail Break issue.

This past winter, Utah’s Wasatch range open into August. As Utah-based climate was buried under a historic height of snow. Our home mountains became terra incognita as storms swallowed forests, erased terrain features, and eliminated familiar landmarks. Couloirs that were normally un-skiable filled in completely, and gave us access to enticing new objectives.

On an early morning in April, we headed to the mountains hoping to discover some of these new, previously untracked lines. Our headlamps cast bubbles of light on freshly fallen powder as we chopped kick turns through thigh-deep drifts, climbing up a steep forested slope to a ridge, racing the sun.

We skied two runs on an east face as the morning light went from a deep golden glow to the warm blue of daylight. The early spring snow pulled at our skis, getting heavier and damper as it warmed. We shifted aspects, orienting west. Limestone cliffs created steep, craggy fingers that, in most winters, look like ice or mixed climbing routes at best. Definitely not skiable. But, thanks to storm after storm creating a massive base this year, the fingers were filled-in chutes that seemed to go clean. We scouted the lines and then, one at a time, dropped into the unknown.

When the winter finally lifted, Alta Ski Area measured just over 900 inches (75 feet) for the season. And, in the backcountry, we were consistently skiing on a 25-foot base. Utah wasn’t the only place pummeled by unusually high precipitation during the 2023 season. Mountains across Arizona recorded double their seasonal averages, while intense flows of moisture blanketed California’s Sierra Range, providing enough of a base for Palisades Tahoe to remain open into July and Mammoth Mountain to remain scientists and environmental advocates, we spend our professional lives thinking about the past, present, and future of our ecosystems–both watching and anticipating changes and advocating for climate solutions. We also spend a lot of our time ski touring. This past winter, our professional lives converged with our passions, and we got to live some of those changes in a big way while exploring our home mountains.

Contrary to what the concept of warming temperatures might suggest, climate change can actually play a role in driving more extremely wet storms, and, in mountainous regions, this can equate to above average snowfall. According to NOAA, “The frequency of extreme snowstorms in the eastern two-thirds of the contiguous United States has increased over the past century,” and the latter half of the 20th Century saw twice as many extreme snow storms in the U.S. than the first half of the century. ¹ Even as extreme storms are becoming more frequent, however, average snowpack in the American West has declined by almost 20% since 1955.² So, while, for now, big winters may actually be a hallmark of climate change, our snowpack is still diminishing.

Warmer temperatures across the globe drive higher rates of evaporation into the atmosphere. More moisture in the atmosphere then creates a greater potential for bigger precipitation events. This leads to more extreme storms in the winter in places where temperature is cold enough for moisture to fall as snow and heavier rain events in warmer climes.³ In areas closer to the coast, warming ocean surface temperatures can also drive the flow of moisture onto land and intensify storms.⁴

Anneka flies down Cardiff Fork Creek during last winter’s deep season in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

Photo by Adam Clark @acpictures

As far as temperatures cold enough to drop snow, it’s important to understand the shift in weather patterns around the poles. Warming temperatures are disrupting patterns such as the polar vortex and bringing colder weather from the Arctic down to mid-latitudes. This diverts cold air from the Arctic, leading to warmer than average temperatures in the north and colder temperatures in the mid-latitudes.⁵

While it’s still hard to say for sure if it was climate change that added this increase in moisture to Utah’s atmosphere last season, it’s not hard to say that almost everywhere, we are experiencing extreme and unusual weather more frequently.

“Heat waves are torching the United States from coast to coast, our home state of Vermont is working to build back from significant flood damage, and ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida are rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Sunset above the Athabasca river with smoke caused by the 2023 wildfires in Jasper, Canada.

Photo by Martin Capek, Adobe Stock

An orchard of dying trees in Clovis, California during the 2011-2017 California Drought.
Photo by Max Whittaker, The New York Times, @maxwhittaker

Through all of this, it’s important to remember that weather and climate are not one and the same. Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions a region experiences in the short term while climate refers to prevailing weather conditions (i.e. the average) over longer periods of time. Holding an understanding of both is valuable for backcountry skiers as we navigate a rapidly-changing world with dramatic extremes in each season. Sure, climate change may fuel deeper winters in certain places in the near future. But this isn’t guaranteed year to year. Just a year before our unprecedented Utah winter, we had a season that saw weeks with no precipitation at all. In either case, we have to be ready for the mountains to look different than they did in decades prior.

Ski touring requires an intimate connection to the landscapes around you. From reading snowpack to paying attention to daily, weekly, and monthly weather patterns, to making field observations, it is an activity that invites you into sync with the landscapes around you. All of this offers an important perspective in relating to the broader ecosystems of which we are a part, challenging us to be as present as possible each day while still considering the past and future of place.

The long-term climate prognosis for winter does not bode well for skiing in classic American locations. As temperatures continue to warm, there will be even more moisture in the atmosphere but there’s a good chance it won’t fall as the record- breaking storms we saw in 2023. Rather, we should expect storms to trend warmer– with wet, heavy snow, making the powder we all love a more elusive phenomenon. Furthermore, the snowline will likely migrate to higher elevations. In Tahoe, for example, it’s expected that, by 2100, precipitation will be more likely to fall as rain than snow up to 9000 feet.⁶ And, here in Utah, research suggests that, by 2075, the snowline in Park City will have migrated 1300 feet higher than it is today, making snow unlikely at elevations below 8,500 feet, well above the base of the ski areas.⁷

Buried in Mammoth Mountain, California, 2022-23. While deep snow is often celebrated by skiers of all kinds, last season’s extreme weather reminds us that climate change impacts our ride through all kinds of seasons.

Photo by Peter Morning @petermorning

Coming off of our cold and snowy Utah winter, we’re now witnessing extremes at the opposite end of the spectrum. As we write this, heat waves are torching the United States from coast to coast, our home state of Vermont is working to build back from significant flood damage, and ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida are rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Fires have already decimated 27 million acres of Canadian forest, the largest in the country’s history, with smoke choking much of the Eastern Seaboard. It’s hard to know how to face these present challenges and scary to think about what the future may hold. Backcountry skiing may help us learn how to do this.

The untracked couloir we found on that early April morning took us through white spires of rock and old growth conifers before spitting us out into an apron that dropped us into Cardiff Fork Creek. Pillows of snow guarded the river, some towering more than 20 feet over our heads. As we craned our necks to look up at the line we’d just skied, we shook our heads in awe, unable to believe how the snow had transformed a familiar area. But what will it look like next winter? In ten years? In twenty years?

ANNEKA WILLIAMS is a climate scientist, writer, and backcountry skier. Her research explores how climate change is impacting high-latitude and high-altitude ecosystems and communities.

JACK STAUSS is a skier and writer who works with the non-profit Glen Canyon Institute in Utah, focusing on public lands and environmental protection.

1. NOAA. (2021). Climate change and extreme snow in the U.S. retrieved from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/ news/climate-change-and-extreme-snow-us

2. Scott, M., and Lindsey, R. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding- climate/large-declines-snowpack-across-us-west

3. Environmental Defense Fund. Retrieved from https:// www.edf.org/card/4-reasons-climate-change-still- happening-despite-cold-weather

4. NOAA. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.ncei. noaa.gov/news/climate-change-and-extreme- snow-us

5. NOAA. (2021). Retrieved from https://cpo.noaa.gov/ Divisions-Programs/Communication-Education-and- Engagement/CEE-News/ArtMID/8293/ArticleID/2369/ Research-Links-Extreme-Cold-Weather-in-the-United- States-to-Arctic-Warming

6. Tahoe Environmental Research Center. (2022). Retrieved from https://tahoe.ucdavis.edu/changing- winters

7. Lazar, B., and Williams, M.W. (2010). Retrieved from https://arc.lib.montana.edu/snow-science/item/421

Read the Fall 2023 Trail Break

Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes.

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