November 2020
Dear Alliance member,
There’s a lot going on in the world these days. There’s a lot that will be going on tomorrow, too.
For today, we say get outside. As the seasons continue to turn and we start the countdown to Winter Solstice – while recognizing all that may happen between now and then – we are grateful for our wild community. Being able to experience our public lands and rejuvenate our souls and minds with a cold blast of winter is what our work at Winter Wildlands is all about.
As we dive further into our favorite season, we recognize the opportunities for refuge from stress and uncertainty are few and far between right now. For our November Stash Blast, all we want to do is provide you with a moment or two (or three!) of solitude reminiscent of the snowy moments to come.
So here it is: a few days early, full of inspiration and restoration. We hope you find a moment or few moments of refuge throughout what we’ve created below. Thanks for being a part of our Alliance – your support, your membership, and your presence matters.
Stay wild,
Winter Wildlands Alliance
Snow Poetry and Photography
Take a break and seek solstice in these words by backcountry skier and writer, Sean Prentiss, with photography by Jason Hummel and Adam Clark. Sean’s words are sure to remind you of all that we cherish and what’s to come with the first deep snowfall.
Why Kids Love SnowSchool
Winter is a powerful learning environment. Snow is magic. As students hike into the forest on snowshoes, there are plenty of teachable moments when the natural world presents something exquisite. We’ve compiled inspiration and reflections from SnowSchool students who experienced the wilds of winter for the very first time. We hope it inspires and reminds you how magical snow is, too, even from the comfort of your own home.
Watch the BCFF 2020-21 Trailer!
It’s been a long time coming, but our 16th annual season is here! Watch the trailer and find your local (virtual) screening now. Hosted virtually by local grassroots groups, backcountry retailers, and other community members, we highly encourage you to attend your local screening or intentionally choose which screening you purchase tickets for. Funds raised go back to your local backcountry community, so it’s vital you “show up” from the comfort of your own home for the host and/or location that is near and dear to your heart and backcountry community.
Winter Refuge Playlist
A playlist inspired by the up and coming winter season: full of Backcountry Film Festival screenings, SnowSchool at home, kick turns, skin tracks, deep pow, and our year-round dedication to protecting and preserving wild winter spaces. Turn up the volume, find a pile of snow, jump into it, and ski kind this season.
Mock/Cocktails for your Solstice Soul
We’re looking forward to long, cold days in the snow and cozy, warm nights. The Winter Wildlands staff is typically found next to a hot fire with warm drinks in hand on winter evenings after another day in the backcountry. As a team, we all agree the hot toddy is the perfect recipe to jumpstart your season. A classic for all winter communities, the hot toddy keeps your spirits high all winter long. (For mock-toddies, sub out bourbon or whiskey with Ritual Zero Proof’s whiskey or enjoy with a favorite tea.) Check out the variety of hot toddy recipes at the button below.
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.
Looking for your Backcountry Film Festival screening? Check out our tour schedule here. If your local screening is listed as “TBA” or your home base is not listed, let us know you’re interested in a screening and we’ll make sure you get notified when ticket sales are live.
Granite Backcountry Alliance Cinema kicks off tonight! A four-part virtual series over the next four Thursdays, tonight features a screening of “Purple Mountains” with Jeremy Jones and stokes the vote within GBA’s local communities.
WWA Ambassador Vasu Sojitra hosts “I’m a Voter: Montana Values Talk Series – Week 2” via Instagram Live. Today, Vasu meets with Mike Cooney (candidate for Montana Governor) at 11:00am MT; Mike Black (candidate for Montana Supreme Court) at 1:30pm MT; and Raph Graybill (candidate for Montana Attorney General) at 3:00pm MT. Friday, Oct 30, Vasu meets with Meg Fisher (Physical Therapist, Coach, and Adaptive Athlete) at 10:00am MT; Maria Lovely (Hunter, Skier, and Pilot) at 12:00pm MT; and Zach Brown (candidate for Gallatin County Commission) at 1:30pm MT. Week 3 continues next week, 11/2 – 11/7.
#KEEPWINTERWILD
“Taking a moment to pause in the skin track and say hello to you: our followers! If you’re new here, we are advocates for human-powered recreation in the winter. That looks like skiing or snowboarding or fat-biking to ski or snowboard. It’s sledding. It’s snowshoeing. It’s being known as the resident snowball warrior. It’s whatever you want to do with your own strength in the snow. Everything we do is focused on protecting the places that you love to explore and adventure in come winter. To make that happen, our policy and advocacy work doesn’t just apply to the time of year when snow falls on the ground. It’s all year long.” Read more at our Instagram profile.
Thank You to our Ski Kind Partners
10th Mountain Division Hut Association (Colorado)
