Protecting the Backcountry

In 2015, in part because of our work, the Forest Service issued new national guidelines for planning how and where winter motorized use can occur on our National Forests. This new rule was a huge step forward for human-powered recreation, because for the first time the Forest Service is required to implement a “zoning” approach to the backcountry, with some trails and areas designated for motorized use and other areas set aside for non-motorized users or wildlife. Please visit our Winter Travel Management page to learn more.

Montana

• Bitterroot National Forest – completed 2016
• Kootenai National Forest

Wyoming

• Shoshone National Forest

Idaho

• Idaho Panhandle National Forest (north zone)
• Sawtooth National Forest (north zone of the Fairfield Ranger District) – completed 2018

California

• Lassen National Forest
• Tahoe National Forest
• Eldorado National Forest
• Stanislaus National Forest – completed 2021
• Plumas National Forest
• Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
• Inyo National Forest

Winter Wildlands Alliance is directly engaged in collaborative land and recreation management planning in all of the places where our staff are located. These include:

• North Idaho Working Group (ID)
• Gallatin Forest Partnership (MT)
• Custer Gallatin Working Group (MT)
• Eastern Sierra Recreation Collaborative (CA)

The human-powered winter sports community, one of the fastest growing segments of the recreation economy, is on the front lines of climate change. Our members—backcountry skiers and snowboarders, Nordic skiers, polar explorers, mountain guides, ice climbers, winter fat bikers, snowshoers and snow scientists—live and work and play in some of the most climate-impacted regions on the planet. Working with land managers, outdoor industry partners, and 33 grassroots groups in 14 states, we advocate for public lands policies that mitigate and respond to a shifting climate, protecting threatened winter ecosystems, accessible non-motorized snowscapes, critical watersheds, healthy forests, biodiversity and sustainable mountain town economies. We are also committed to climate education and outreach through our national SnowSchool program, engaging more than 33,000 kids annually across 65 outdoor education sites, and our Backcountry Film Festival, which tours 100 communities nationwide and reaches more than 30,000 people each season.