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August 2021

Stanislaus National Forest is First Winter Travel Plan

After six years of meetings, field trips, 670 individual comments from individuals and organizations, dozens of maps, reams of documents, and more meetings — the Stanislaus National Forest completed its Over-Snow Vehicle Use Designation Project. 2015 marked a new era in Forest Service winter travel planning, and 2021 is an important milestone in bringing balance to the backcountry.

Submit Your Backcountry Film

The Backcountry Film Festival is produced each year by Winter Wildlands Alliance as a celebration of the human-powered experience and a gathering place for the backcountry snowsports community. We are currently planning to have both in-person and virtual event experiences for the upcoming season. Do you have a film that captures the spirit of winter, adventure, environment and climate, youth outdoors, ski culture? Use the code HUMANPOWER to submit your film today!

Policy Update – July 2021

In this month’s policy update from our Policy Director, Hilary Eisen: The first OSV plan, a virtual trip to DC with Outdoor Alliance, our 2021 Grassroots Advocacy Conference, and NEPA news.

Tongass National Forest Win

Thanks to everyone who shared their voice: we are thrilled the US Department of Agriculture announced their Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy. The newly announced Strategy ends large-scale old growth timber sales on the Tongass National Forest and focuses management resources to support forest restoration, recreation and resilience, including for climate, wildlife habit and watershed improvement.

Represent Ski Kind Every Season

Help promote backcountry responsibility this winter… and every season for that matter! Get this sweet trucker and spread the word to backcountry adventures of all kinds. All funds raised through swag sales go back into local stewardship projects across the snow belt.

Wild Winter Events

Don’t miss out on the following upcoming wild winter events hosted by us and our partners! Make sure to bookmark our website calendar or follow us as we post events in the next few weeks.

Can we save the backcountry from ourselves? We’re thrilled to announce our 9th Biennial Grassroots Advocacy Conference! It will be hosted virtually on Tuesday, Aug 24 and Wednesday, Aug 25 with three one-hour sessions per day. Get the latest developments in national policy, advocacy and planning issues, share regional grassroots successes and strategies, meet with public land managers and fellow activists, and gain new advocacy tools. Help us find a way forward together. WWA grassroots groups, backcountry partners, Alliance members, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds are welcome to join.

#KEEPWINTERWILD

“⚡ ACTION UPDATE ⚡ This week, WWA Policy Director Hilary Eisen visited with @save.tetoncanyon alongside WWA Grassroots Groups @TetonBackcountryAlliance and @wyomingwilderness to discuss the @grandtargheeresort expansion plans into Teton Canyon, a beloved backcountry ski zone. Grand Targhee has long been Teton Valley’s community ski hill, known for it’s laid-back atmosphere and uncrowded slopes. However, in 2020, the Resort submitted an expansion proposal to the Forest Service that could turn Grand Targhee into a busy resort along the lines of Teton Village and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. We believe there are many opportunities for Grand Targhee Resort to expand within their present boundaries.

The proposed development has serious implications for backcountry skiing, wildlife, and wilderness on the west side of the Tetons. We are particularly concerned about the resort’s proposal to expand into Teton Canyon. Many lift improvements, ski runs, snowmaking and restaurants are proposed in current master development plan.”

Read more at our Instagram profile.