Help Protect Colorado’s Winter Wildlands

Turn your winter adventures into action! From January 1 – April 30, 2025, Winter Wildlands Alliance (WWA) is teaming up with volunteers and winter recreationists to collect essential data that helps protect Colorado’s wild winter landscapes. And there’s a prize up for grabs!

Why does your data matter?

WWA, alongside volunteers and nonprofit partners, is gathering winter visitor use data across the following national forests:

• Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests
• Rio Grande National Forest
• San Juan National Forest

This data helps the Forest Service better understand winter recreation trends and address important issues like trailhead access, user conflicts, and infrastructure needs. Is the parking lot full? Is access to the trail blocked? Are the restrooms open or closed? Is the signage adequate? Is everyone being respectful of designations and other uses? We need accurate, on-the-ground data to support thoughtful winter travel planning and advocacy.

The Tool: Recreation Impact Monitoring System (RIMS)

We’re using the Colorado Mountain Club’s RIMS mobile app. This user-friendly tool aligns with the Forest Service’s data collection methods, ensuring consistency and accuracy.

With the RIMS app, you can:

• Record trailhead conditions, parking availability, and restroom access
• Report conflicts, violations, or signage issues
• Log your observations with GPS coordinates and photos

The app even works offline! Simply download winter recreation maps within RIMS before heading out, and upload your assessments once you’re back in cell service. For more information on the CMC RIMS app, please click here.

Where does the data go?

WWA and CMC will share reports with the Forest Service on a regular basis. In addition, most visitor use/facilities assessments are visible on the app for all users, so if you are monitoring a particular area with some frequency you will be able to track issues like parking and plowing. Violation and conflict reports are confidential but will be shared with Forest Service staff (for the purposes of planning, plan implementation, monitoring and management rather than for direct enforcement).

By providing a systematic method for volunteers to monitor winter recreation use on public lands, and to report specific issues and conflicts, we hope to help land managers better understand winter recreation use and trends in specific places. This will support our efforts to advocate for thoughtful winter travel planning, for additional Forest Service enforcement capacity in places where persistent Wilderness/non-motorized incursions occur, and investments in winter recreation infrastructure such as trailhead plowing, signage and educational resources, and facilities. This monitoring is also an essential component to implementation of new winter travel plans.

How do I start?

To ensure consistent, high-quality data collection, and help us plan the best trainings, we’re offering free, tailored trainings for volunteers and partner organizations. Trainings focus on forest-specific challenges and high-use areas.

Can’t find a date that works? No problem! We’ll coordinate with you to schedule a time that fits.

Win a Sweet Prize Package!

From January 1 – April 30, 2025, every time you use the RIMS app, you’re not only helping protect wild winter spaces—you’re entering to win a sweet prize package!

1. Download the app to your phone via Google Play Store here or the Apple Store here. 
2. Watch this short training video, take this online quiz, and fill out this form to get in touch with us and sign up for a free training.
3. Get outside on public lands on skis, splitboard, snowshoes, snowmobile, fatbike, or however you enjoy wild winter landscapes. Starting at the trailhead, submit quick detailed assessments on your phone using the RIMS app, including coordinates and pictures. Note: Downloadable winter recreation maps will be available to download within the app. Once maps are downloaded, the app can be used in the backcountry where there is no cell service. Reports are saved and uploaded when you return to service.

WWA will choose a winner based on the highest number of quality, detailed RIMS Assessments submitted on Colorado’s national forests during the contest timeframe. This contest is open to the public.

Remember, we all win by collecting data to help protect, sustain and give back to our public lands!