As the snow blankets our favorite trails and peaks, we’re wrapping up 2024 with gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead. A quick note: the Winter Wildlands Alliance offices will be closed from December 23 through the end of the year. During this time, staff will take a well-deserved break to spend time with loved ones, celebrate holiday traditions, and, of course, enjoy the snow. We’ll be ready to jump back into action in 2025!

Breaking News: Congress Passes the EXPLORE Act!

We are super excited to report that in the 11th hour, Congress passed the EXPLORE Act before heading home for the holidays. This is the most comprehensive outdoor recreation bill, now law, ever considered by Congress and it will bring a multitude of benefits, from improving access to the outdoors to providing new tools for sustainable recreation management. It’s passage sends a clear message that outdoor recreation and public lands are bipartisan priorities. The EXPLORE Act would not have happened without years of sustained outreach, support, and advocacy from the outdoor recreation community. Now, help us thank Congress and set the stage for more recreation and conservation bills to pass in 2025.

On the Ground: Updates from the Field

Also this month, WWA’s policy staff have been focused on winter travel planning (and implementation of new travel plans!) across the country. Brittany and Megan have also both been busy with Backcountry Film Festival screenings!

California:

Megan is looking forward to getting out in the field with Stanislaus National Forest staff to help them post new winter recreation signs and trailhead maps as she begins her third season as WWA’s Winter Ambassador on the Stanislaus. We’re also excited to see that the Tahoe National Forest just published its long-awaited Over-Snow Vehicle Use Map—a major step for winter access!

Colorado:

Brittany is wrangling volunteers to collect winter recreation data throughout the San Juan mountains. This data will help to inform winter travel planning on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests, as well as on the San Juan and the Rio Grande. We’re looking forward to seeing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rio Grande Over Snow Vehicle plan in late 2025 and are hopeful that the GMUG will start winter travel planning next year.

Montana:

The Kootenai National Forest is working on a winter travel plan! I have been coordinating with local skiers and conservation organizations to advocate for quiet winter recreation access and wildlife habitat protections as the forest develops a draft EIS.

New Mexico:

At the other end of the Rockies, I also worked with skiers in Taos, New Mexico recently to review and object to the Carson National Forest’s preliminary approval of new development projects at Taos Ski Valley that threaten winter access to the Wheeler Peak Wilderness.

Looking Ahead to 2025

At this time, we can’t say for sure how the change in Administration will affect the projects that we work on, but I do know that the issues that drive our work—a love of winter recreation and a concern for the future of wild snowscapes—will remain constant.

We are deeply appreciative of our members and supporters. Here’s to a wonderful holiday season for all, and to working together to protect wild snowscapes in 2025!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.