Showing Up for Winter in Washington, D.C.
Inside Outdoor Alliance’s annual D.C. fly-in
Photo Credit: Austin Corbett
By Anneka Williams & Addi Jenkins
September 25, 2026 — Will our presence matter? Will they listen? Can we actually enact change?
Those were some of the questions running through our heads as we headed to Washington D.C. last week to join Outdoor Alliance (OA) and outdoor advocates from across the country for OA’s annual D.C. fly-in.
For Ani, it was the second year making the trip. For Addi, it was her first. Over the course of the fly-in, 54 advocates attended nearly 100 meetings with members of Congress and their staff. Together, the two of us packed eight congressional meetings into two days, representing Winter Wildlands Alliance members and highlighting our concerns with the proposed Roadless Rule rescission, the revision of the Travel Management Rule, and the importance of keeping public lands in public hands.
It was busy. It was exhausting. There were a lot of hallways, security lines, quick lunches, and conversations squeezed into short windows of time. And by the end of it, we had an answer to at least one of those questions: showing up matters.
Why We Were There
A fly-in is pretty much what it sounds like. Advocates from the Outdoor Alliance member groups fly into D.C. to meet directly with lawmakers and their staff. It’s a chance to make the issues affecting winter landscapes personal, relatable, and understandable to our representatives at the Capitol. It’s sitting across from a Senate staffer and explaining what a change to the Travel Management Rule could mean for winter recreation in their state. Heck – it’s explaining what Travel Management IS!
It’s talking about roadless forests not simply as acres on a map, but as places people ski, snowshoe, hike, work, etc. And maybe most importantly, it’s a chance to build relationships. Most of our advocacy happens through virtual meetings and emails; being present in D.C. allows us to share what we know, listen, and hopefully leave a lasting impression.
Who Was in the Room
One of the things that makes the Outdoor Alliance fly-in special is that it brings together policy experts and recreationists. We’re grateful to have joined Kait Boyle’s Idaho lobby team for several meetings. Kait is part of Outdoor Alliance’s Grasstops Collective, a program that gives outdoor athletes, business owners, and community members the tools to become strong public lands advocates.
Having Kait in the room showed why that model works. We could explain the policy; she could help put a place and personal experience behind it, connecting it specifically to her home state of Idaho. Together, we could tell a much fuller story about why these decisions matter.
So, did it matter?
Throughout the meetings, we talked about the Roadless Rule, the Travel Management Rule, and public lands in general. Some offices knew these issues well. Others needed the basics. But people listened, asked questions, and shared more about what they’re hearing from their states and districts and the latest on the Hill.
Did we change federal policy in two days? Of course not. Advocacy is a long game. But we built relationships, made new connections, networked with our community and made sure winter recreation was represented!
Big thanks to the Outdoor Alliance for hosting another successful fly-in!
Inspired to take your advocacy to the next level? Check out our Advocacy 101 blog for ways to get involved. And if you haven’t already submitted a comment on the proposed Roadless Rule repeal, do so before October 6, 2026! Remember to personalize your comment; write it as if you were in the room speaking directly to your lawmaker about why this issue matters to you.
