Keynote (Night One)
Thursday, September 14 at 7:30 PM
PETE MCBRIDE
“Silence: The Beauty of the World’s Most Quiet Places”
Award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and writer Pete McBride has spent more than two decades studying the world with his camera. He has traveled on assignment to all seven continents and over 75 countries for National Geographic, Outside, Smithsonian, The Nature Conservancy and others, and spoken on stages for TedX, The World Economic Forum, USAID, The Conservation Alliance and more.
His latest project, Seeing Silence, explores the power and fragility of natural soundscapes and quietude, and was named one of the top photo books of 2021.
Keynote (Night Two)
Friday, September 15 at 7:30 PM
LUIS BENITEZ
“Policy and Mountaineering”
Luis spent his early career conducting mountaineering, climbing, and skiing courses. As a byproduct of his guiding work with governments around the world, Luis pivoted to full time government affairs and global impact work. He also served as the youngest Councilman for Eagle, Colorado, lead the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office for the state of Colorado, and currently runs his own consulting firm, Endeavor Consulting. Luis believes that a major shift is taking place, one in which the outdoor industry will transform into a powerful force for economic development, conservation and stewardship, education and workforce development and the intersection between public health and wellness, and spending time outside.
Recognition
Thursday, September 14 at 7:00 PM
CONNOR RYAN
“Spirit of the Peaks: Levels of Obligation”
Proud Hunkpapa Lakota and passionate skier—in 2022 named one of the “20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry” by Outside Magazine—Connor was born and raised in the homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute peoples, who have become some of his biggest inspirations and closest relatives, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Skiing is his dance and prayer, a ceremony of its own, one that offers a chance to center himself within nature and the Great Mystery of the universe surrounding him. Connor works to inspire others to deepen their connection to the places they live and play in order for us all to be better relatives to our planet, our communities, and ourselves.
Moderators
DAVID PAGE
NICOLE BROWN
HILARY EISEN
JAMIE ERVIN
PANELS/CONVERSATIONS
Friday, September 15
Wildfire, Forest Health and Winter Recreation
9:00 AM
Exploring the overlap between managing climate resilient forests and improving opportunities for sustainable recreation and backcountry skiing.
- Jamie Ervin, Outdoor Alliance Policy Associate (moderator)
- Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands, Washington State
- Jason Kuiken, Supervisor, Stanislaus National Forest
- Matt Williams, Executive Director, Catamount Trail Association
Sustainable Recreation Planning for Public Lands
10:15 AM
Forest planning, over-snow vehicle planning, and more — what is sustainable recreation and how do we write it into land management policy in a way that actually makes a difference on the ground?
- David Page, Executive Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance (moderator)
- Hilary Eisen, Policy Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance
- Jamie Ervin, Policy Associate, Outdoor Alliance
- Penny Wu, Assistant Director of Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources, United States Forest Service
Transit to Trailheads
11:30 AM
From microtransit to gondolas to reservation systems, how do we ensure access to the woods is sustainable and equitable? Do we build parking lots and infrastructure to improve access? Or do we limit infrastructure to give greater opportunities for solitude and to give the resource a rest?
- David Page, Executive Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance (moderator)
- Gary Kofinas, Steering Committee Member, Teton Backcountry Alliance
- Jason Erickson, Board Member, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance
- Anthony Cupaiuolo, Executive Director, Tahoe Backcountry Alliance
Out of Bounds: Corporate Ski Resort Development and the Public Good
2:00 PM
More than 20 years after the publication of Hal Clifford’s seminal book, Downhill Slide: Why the Corporate Ski Industry is Bad for Skiing, Ski Towns, and the Environment, the number of annual skier days has remained flat. The number of people participating in resort skiing is actually on the decline, while the number of backcountry skiers and riders has exploded. And yet we are now seeing a significant spike in proposed ski resort development and expansion onto wild public lands. What’s going on here? And what can we do to keep things in check?
- Hilary Eisen, Policy Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance (moderator)
- Cindy Riegel, County Commissioner, Teton County, ID
- Chris Pitcher, Wolf Creek Ski Area
- Erik Lambert, Bluebird Backcountry and Bonfire Collective
Saturday, September 16
Athlete Advocacy
9:00 AM
How can athletes support local and national advocacy efforts, contribute to advocacy outside of social media influencer-ship, and more? What are the challenges and opportunities of working with brand names and big-name advocacy orgs?
- Nicole Brown, Communications and Marketing Associate, Outdoor Alliance (moderator)
- Caroline Gleich, Ski Mountaineer, Athlete, and WWA/POW Ambassador
- Connor Ryan, Skier, Athlete, Natives Outdoors staff member, and POW Ambassador
Strength in Numbers: Winter Recreation Data
10:15 AM
Last year’s participation numbers from Snowsports Industries America pointed to more than 22 million unique human-powered winter recreationists, including more than 4 million backcountry skiers and splitboarders. How accurate are those numbers? How do we actually count backcountry users? And what’s the importance of reliable use data when advocating for protecting wild snowscapes and quiet winter recreation zones?
- David Page, Executive Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance (moderator)
- Nicole Budine, Conservation Policy Director, Colorado Mountain Club
- Chelsea Phillippe, Trails Inventory and Planner, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
- Will Sladek, General Manager, onX Backcountry
Wildlife and Winter Recreation
11:30 AM
Backcountry snowsports are among the fastest-growing sectors of outdoor recreation. How can we mitigate new stresses on wildlife during their most sensitive season?
- Hilary Eisen, Policy Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance (moderator)
- Mike Crosby, Wintering Wildlife Conservation Initiative
- Kurt Hellmann, Senior Coordinator for Wildlife and Recreation, Conservation Northwest
- Sarah Dewey, Wildlife Biologist, Grand Teton National Park
Stewarding Winter
2:00 PM
How can we work in partnership with land managers and other users to educate winter recreationists and reduce our collective impact on the lands where we recreate?
- David Page, Executive Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance (moderator)
- Shane Tulp, Colorado Mountain Club Snow Ranger and Great American Outdoors Act Coordinator
- Anne Gaspar, Vail Pass Program Manager and USFS Snow Ranger, White River National Forest
- Tyler Ray, Founder, Granite Backcountry Alliance
COFFEE COHORTS
Nonprofit Strategic Planning
Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16 at 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Meet with Katie Davis, who founded 5 Branches Consulting. With over twenty years’ experience in systems and process improvement, fundraising and strategic visioning, Katie also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management and is a Society for Human Resources (SHRM-CP) certified professional. She has dedicated her entire career to helping organizations and businesses across multiple sectors achieve impact while remaining resilient during challenging times.
Outdoor Education
Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16 at 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Meet with Kerry McClay to discuss how you can bring Outdoor Education to your local community. Winter Wildlands Alliance’s National SnowSchool Director, Kerry is a graduate of the University of Montana and Prescott College, and completed a Doctorate of Education at Boise State University. Kerry designed the innovative SnowSchool curriculum that introduces thousands of children to the joy of exploring their local winter wildlands every season across the snowbelt.
Nonprofit Fundraising and Membership
Friday, September 15 at 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM and Saturday, September 16 at 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Meet with Kate Thorpe, Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Membership Director. Kate has worked for Conservation Voters of Idaho, the Energy Policy Institute at Boise State, the Idaho Conservation League, the Idaho Nonprofit Center, the New York State Department of Environment Conservation, Environment Connecticut, and served on the board of the Snake River Alliance. She holds a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in environmental and natural resource policy from Boise State University.
Nonprofit Events and Engagement
Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16 at 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Meet with Melinda Quick, Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Events and Marketing Director. She is the force behind our nationally touring Backcountry Film Festival, biennial Grassroots Advocacy Conference, monthly Stash Blast, digital and print marketing campaigns, and so much more. She has over a decade of experience in marketing, film, and events around the world and holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College.
10th BIENNIAL SPONSORS
