What does it take to protect your favorite wild snowscapes—and who’s actually making those decisions?

Hilary Eisen, our National Policy Director at Winter Wildlands Alliance, joins the SnowBrains podcast with Miles Clark to peel back the curtain on how we're advocating for backcountry recreation access for all, how grassroots organizations play a vital role in public land management, the challenges and successes of navigating winter policy, and much more.

MEET HILARY EISEN:

Hilary is an avid backcountry skier and ice climber with a passion for wild landscapes. She leads Winter Wildlands Alliance's work on National Forest winter travel management, forest planning, and other policy issues. Hilary works with our members, grassroots and grasstops partners, agency staff, and elected officials to protect wild snowscapes across the United States.

Hilary started her career in public lands in the backcountry, maintaining Forest Service trails and educating the public about Wilderness stewardship as a Wilderness Ranger while spending winters working on wildlife research projects. Prior to joining WWA in 2014, she worked on public lands conservation in Wyoming and Montana. She received her B.A. in conservation biology from Middlebury College and a Master’s degree in wildlife biology from the University of Montana.

Email Hilary at heisen@winterwildlands.org.

LINKS:

• The SnowBrains Podcast
• Learn more and support our policy work
• Follow @winterwildlandsalliance on Instagram
• Pledge to Ski Kind

CREDITS:

Trail Break Radio Producer: Emily Scott

SnowBrains Podcast: Created by Miles Clark, Edited by Liam Abbott, and music by Chad Croutch

Theme music:⁠ ⁠Rattlesnake Preachers⁠⁠ feat. Kerry McClay

How do we break down barriers to winter access and inspire the next generation of outdoor stewards? What does it take to connect 35,000 kids annually to snow, science, and conservation?

Kerry McClay, the founder and director of SnowSchool at Winter Wildlands Alliance, sits down with Life in Motion host Jeremy Lux to explore how SnowSchool has grown into a national program. Kerry shares his journey into outdoor education and conservation, discusses the importance of introducing kids to wild snowscapes, and highlights the challenges of making winter recreation accessible to all.

MEET KERRY MCCLAY:

Kerry joined Winter Wildlands Alliance in 2013 after helping establish the National Flagship SnowSchool site with Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area and the Boise National Forest. Kerry is a graduate of the University of Montana and Prescott College, and completed a Doctorate of Education at Boise State University. Working collaboratively with snow scientists and educators, Kerry designed the innovative SnowSchool curriculum now utilized across the US snow-belt to introduce thousands of children to the joy of exploring their local winter wildlands every season. Kerry lives in Boise and enjoys being outside whenever possible with his wife and their young daughter.

Email Kerry at kmcclay@winterwildlands.org.

LINKS:

⁠Life in Motion podcast

Learn more and support SnowSchool

@WWASnowSchool on Instagram

SPONSORED BY⁠:

Actual Outdoors

CREDITS:

Trail Break Radio Producer: Emily Scott

Life in Motion Host: Jeremy Lux with Illumine Collect

Theme music:⁠ ⁠Rattlesnake Preachers⁠⁠ feat. Kerry McClay

What does winter recreation have to do with wildfire? What if backcountry skiers could help improve skiable terrain and climate resiliency at the same time?

Jamie Ervin, Jason Kuiken, and Matt Williams discuss the complex drivers of wildfires and a system out of balance. Tune in to hear solutions and reimagine the role recreation can play in re-establishing wildfire resilience.

Speaker Bios: 

• Jamie Ervin: is Outdoor Alliance’s Policy Associate and a forest ecologist who has worked extensively on wildfire resilience and forest health issues in California’s Sierra Nevada. He holds a Master’s of Environmental Law & Policy and a Master’s of Natural Resources.
• Jason Kuiken: is the Forest Supervisor on the Stanislaus National Forest. He recognizes that many economies surrounding public lands are dependent upon recreation and tourism. He focuses on balancing the multiple uses that occur on public lands while creating resiliency to insects, disease, drought and wildland fire.
• Matt Williams: is the Executive Director of the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) in Vermont. He is a firm believer in the power of outdoor recreation to build community, enhance people’s quality of life, and inspire support for the protection of public lands.

Resources:

Winter Wildlands Alliance

Trail Break Radio

Outdoor Alliance

Catamount Trail Association

The Big Burn

Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape (SERAL)

RASTA

30 by 30

Vermont Backcountry Ski Handbook

BAER

Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions

Sponsors:

San Juan Huts

Outdoor Alliance, Mighty Arrow Foundation, REI

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q9nAjd6A_95dnlOHqncwVR-uEY69rC4gkiJFzc999cA/edit?usp=sharing

Did you know that in Lakota language there is not a word for “nature”? Connor Ryan, proud Hunkpapa Lakota skier, explains why. Listen to Connor’s story of ecological realizations and working to re-indigenize our collective culture.

Bio:

Connor is a proud Hunkpapa Lakota and passionate skier. In 2022 he was named one of the “20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry” by Outside Magazine. Connor was born and raised in the homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute peoples, who have become some of his biggest inspirations and closest relatives, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Skiing is his dance and prayer, a ceremony of its own, one that offers a chance to center himself within nature and the Great Mystery of the universe surrounding him. Connor works to inspire others to deepen their connection to the places they live and play in order for us all to be better relatives to our planet, our communities, and ourselves.

Resources:

Connor's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sacredstoke

Winter Wildlands Alliance - https://winterwildlands.org/

Trail Break Radio - https://winterwildlands.org/trail-break-radio

Braiding Sweetgrass - https://milkweed.org/book/braiding-sweetgrass

Spirit of the Peaks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSwmJMH04Ww

Natives Outdoors - https://www.natives-outdoors.org/

Sponsors: 

Dan Bailey's Outdoor Company - https://danbaileys.com/

Outdoor Alliance, Mighty Arrow Foundation and REI

If you’re interested in becoming a Backcountry Partner sponsor, reach out to Emily at escott@winterwildlands.org.

Transcript:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LoJyp2zl_P5Yjpe_2sBnS32miLUydMPYgq8tKPL83Fk/edit?usp=sharing

How do we address "The Hypocrite" in all of us? How much do our individual actions actually matter in the face of climate change and systemic environmental issues? Can we drop our judgments of others and of ourselves in order to take positive action and work together for the common good? Will snowmobilers and skiers ever find a way to get along?

Amie Engerbretson, snowmobiler, filmmaker and professional skier, sits down with David Page, Winter Wildlands Alliance’s  Executive Director, to shed light on the importance of uniting all outdoor enthusiasts—regardless of their recreational choices—in the fight against climate change while giving us a behind-the-scenes look at her latest film, "The Hypocrite."

MEET AMIE ENGERBRETSON:

Amie is a multifaceted professional skier known for her dynamic presence in the mountains. Beginning her skiing journey at Palisades Tahoe, she has since showcased her skills in renowned productions such as ‘Weak Layers,’ ‘Timeless,’ and ‘Boots Over Brim.’ With a degree in Media Management from Columbia College, Amie transitions often between roles behind and in front of the camera. Her diverse portfolio includes films, print, videos, and her podcast, "Long Underwear." Recognized for her climate advocacy, she was awarded the 2021 Alliance Member of the Year by Protect Our Winters for her impactful contributions to climate action.

Follow Amie on Instagram @AmieSki.

LINKS:

‘The Hypocrite’

⁠Backcountry Film Festival⁠

⁠Ski Kind⁠

SPONSORED BY⁠:

Mammoth Brewing Company’s Ski Kind Mountain Lager 

TRANSCRIPT:

(⁠⁠⁠available here⁠⁠⁠)

CREDITS:

Editor and Audio Engineer: Tess Goodwin

Host: David Page

Producer: Emily Scott

Theme music: ⁠Rattlesnake Preachers⁠ feat. Kerry McClay

With more of us recreating on our winter snowscapes, how can we improve partnerships with land managers and other users to educate the growing number of winter recreationists? How can land managers help us reduce our collective impact on the lands where we recreate?

 SPEAKER BIOS:

• Tyler Ray: Tyler is an outdoor recreation attorney and advocate based in New Hampshire. He is the founder of Backyard Concept, LLC, and co-founder of Granite Backcountry Alliance, a WWA Grassroots Group pioneering the use of active forest glading as a winter recreation management tool on National Forest lands in New Hampshire and Maine. Tyler is also co-founder, with WWA, of the Ski Kind brand.
• Anne Gaspar: Previously a USFS Wilderness Ranger, Timber Stand Improvement team member, Canada Lynx researcher, and Trails Coordinator on the White River National Forest, Anne is now the Program Manager for Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area and Hut Master for Summit Huts Association.
• Shane Tulp: Shane has led a USFS Backcountry Trail Crew for the past 6 summers and has been a Snow Ranger for the Ouray and Grand Valley Ranger Districts for the past 3 winters via Colorado Mountain Club. He is also a Great American Outdoors Act Coordinator for the USFS in Gunnison, CO.

RESOURCES:

Granite Backcountry Alliance

Backyard Concept

Great  American Outdoors Act 

Colorado  Mountain  Club

Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area

Vail Pass Task Force

White River National Forest

Snow Rangers

Red Mountain Pass

RIMS App

Backcountry Film Festival

Ski Kind

SPONSORS⁠:

⁠⁠Outdoor Alliance⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Mighty Arrow Family Foundation⁠⁠

⁠⁠REI⁠⁠

Denali Arts Council

TRANSCRIPTS:

(⁠⁠click here⁠⁠)

CREDITS:

Produced/Edited by Tess Goodwin

Co-hosted by David Page

Co-hosted and Directed by Emily Scott

Music by Rattlesnake Preachers feat. Kerry McClay

Is our growing presence in the backcountry stressing wintering wildlife and degrading their habitats? Can we responsibly use wildlife habitat as our playgrounds? How can we keep wildlife in mind, keep disturbances and displacements minimal as climate change increases, and ensure that wildlife populations can be resilient in an uncertain future?

SPEAKER BIOS:

• Sarah Dewey: Sarah is a Wildlife Biologist at Grand Teton National Park and the Chair of the Teton Range Bighorn Sheep Working Group. She monitors, researches, and manages the ungulate populations in the park, including bighorn sheep, bison, elk, moose, mule deer, and pronghorn.
• Kurt Hellman: Kurt is the Senior Coordinator of the Wildlife-Recreation Coexistence Program for Conservation Northwest. While supporting conservation efforts through grassroots activism, Kurt also works to better the relationship between wildlife and outdoor recreation across Washington state.
• Mike Crosby: Mike is a 34-year veteran of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, now Colorado Parks and Wildlife. He currently serves as President of the Open Lands, Rivers, and Trails committee and helped found the Wintering Wildlife Conservation Initiative in 2021.

RESOURCES:

Conservation Northwest

Teton Bighorn Sheep Working Group

Bighorn Sheep Working Group Recommendations

Wintering Wildlife Conservation Initiative

Denizens of the Steep

Poster: Minimizing our Impacts to Wintering Wildlife

⁠Colorado Mountain Club⁠

SPONSORS⁠:

⁠Outdoor Alliance⁠

⁠The Mighty Arrow Family Foundation⁠

⁠REI⁠

TRANSCRIPTS:

(⁠click here⁠)

CREDITS:

Produced/Edited by Tess Goodwin

Co-hosted by David Page

Co-hosted and Directed by Emily Scott

Music by Rattlesnake Preachers feat. Kerry McClay

We're talking apps, maps, data collection, and the tricky dance between citizen science, data bias and user privacy. We'll unravel the importance of reliable visitor-use data, not just for solitude-seekers but for the land managers, policymakers, and other advocates for wild snowscapes and quiet winter recreation zones. How can we leverage new cutting-edge tools to make better-informed decisions?

Speaker Bios:

• Chelsea Phillippe: Is the Trails Inventory and Planner and Park Ranger Supervisor for the Salt Lake Ranger District on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Prior to this position, Chelsea worked as a Wilderness Ranger and Education Specialist on the Bridger-Teton and Sawtooth National Forests.
• Will Sladek: Joined onX Maps in 2021 to activate onX‘s mission of Awakening the Adventurer within Everyone to human powered recreation. As the General Manager of the onX Backcountry app, Will works to provide adventurers with the information and interactive maps they need to plan their next hike, ski, or adventure all in one place. Prior to onX, he was a senior vice president at Backcountry Group, where he held a variety strategy and operations roles. He lives in Park City, UT with his wife and their young son. He is a lifelong adventurer who is up for any excuse to get into the backcountry, most recently that’s been introducing their young son to the mountains in as many ways as possible.
• Nicole Budine: Originally from New York, Nicole has lived and worked throughout the west in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, but moving to Colorado in 2019 felt like home. Prior to joining Colorado Mountain Club as their Policy Director, Nicole served as an attorney for the State of Wyoming specializing in water quality law and worked in other environmental policy roles. Nicole loves to get outside as often as possible, usually through climbing, snowboarding, biking, or looking at interesting plants and rocks along the trail.

Resources:

OnX Backcountry - Become a Winter Wildlands Alliance member for 20% off!

Colorado Mountain Club

RIMS App

Salt Lake Ranger District

Trail Counting Program with Wasatch Backcountry Alliance

Tri-Canyon Trails Plan

Forest Service App

Outdoor Alliance

Sponsors:

WYldlife for Tomorrow

Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures

Outdoor Alliance

The Mighty Arrow Family Foundation

REI

Transcripts:

(click here)

Credits:

Produced/Edited by Tess Goodwin

Co-hosted by David Page

Co-hosted and Directed by Emily Scott

Music by Rattlesnake Preachers feat. Kerry McClay

How can athletes support local and national advocacy efforts, contribute to advocacy outside of social media influencer-ship, and more? What are the challenges and opportunities of working with brand names and big-name advocacy orgs?

Speaker Bios:

Nicole Brown: Outdoor Alliance’s Communications and Marketing Associate. She has been exploring and advocating for the outdoors most of her life. She grew up racing BMX, but it was quiet hiking trails and long backpacking trips that brought her back to outdoor recreation as an adult. Nicole founded Women Who Hike and has worked with American Hiking Society, Hydro Flask, Merrell, and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Caroline Gleich: American skier, mountaineer, and environmental activist. She is notable for her advocacy for environmental justice and climate reform. She is an Ambassador for Winter Wildlands Alliance and Protect Our Winters. She has submitted Everest and is the first women to ever complete all 90 lines in "The Chuting Gallery" of the Wasatch.

Connor Ryan: Proud Hunkpapa Lakota and passionate skier—in 2022 named one of the “20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry” by Outside Magazine—Connor was born and raised in the homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute peoples, who have become some of his biggest inspirations and closest relatives, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Skiing is his dance and prayer, a ceremony of its own, one that offers a chance to center himself within nature and the Great Mystery of the universe surrounding him. Connor works to inspire others to deepen their connection to the places they live and play in order for us all to be better relatives to our planet, our communities, and ourselves.

Resources:

Spirt of the Peaks

The Scholarship of Stoke

Advocacy 101

Outdoor Alliance

Connor's Instagram

Caroline's Instagram

Sponsors:

Outdoor Alliance⁠, ⁠Mighty Arrow Family Foundation⁠, ⁠REI⁠

Alaska Guide Collective

If you're interested in sponsoring an episode, email Emily at escott@winterwildlands.org.

Transcript:

(here)

Credits:

Directed by Emily Scott

Hosted by David Page

Edited and produced by Tess Goodwin

Music by ⁠Rattlesnake Preachers

The number of people participating in resort skiing is generally on the decline, while the number of backcountry skiers and riders has exploded. And yet we are now seeing a significant spike in proposed ski resort development and expansion onto wild public lands.

What’s going on here? And what can we do to keep things in check? How can we improve both resort-based and backcountry winter recreation?

Speaker Bios:

• Christian Mears Pitcher is a fifth-generation Colorado native with deep roots in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, where his family has been actively engaged since the late 1800s. As a dedicated member of the Wolf Creek Ski Area Board of Directors, Chris contributes his extensive knowledge and passion for the region’s outdoor heritage. Beyond his involvement in the ski area, he is a skilled professional engineer and the owner of a successful consulting firm in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, specializing in responsible river restoration projects across the Western United States. Chris has a commitment to preserving natural landscapes and promoting pragmatic practices.
• Cindy Riegel is serving her third term as a County Commissioner for Teton County, Idaho. She has been instrumental in the adoption of modern zoning and land use regulations, the establishment of a successful Housing Authority, and the implementation of the Teton County Recreation and Public Access Master Plan. Commissioner Riegel has a keen interest in the environmental and socio-economic impacts related to the proposed expansion of her local ski area, Grand Targhee Resort. The resort is located in Teton County, Wyoming but is dependent on Idaho’s infrastructure and services.
• Erik Lambert started skiing at age one when his dad pushed him around the sleepy woods of Poughkeepsie on some homemade planks. He’s spent the past 10 years as a marketing and communication professional in the outdoor industry. Now he runs his own consultancy and creative shop for outdoor brands and non-profits called Bonfire Collective and co-founded Bluebird Backcountry, the first human-powered ski area in the country.
• Hilary Eisen is Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Policy Director. Based in Bozeman, she leads WWA’s engagement in National Forest winter travel management and other policy issues affecting backcountry skiers. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana and a B.A. degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College.

Resources:

NEPA

Grand Targhee expansion

Grand Targhee Community Assessment

Bluebird Backcountry

Wolf Creek Ski Area expansion

Wolf Creek Upgrade Plan

National Association of Counties

"Kissing The 'Quieter Side' Of The Tetons Goodbye?" by Cindy Riegel

Sponsors:

Outdoor Alliance, Mighty Arrow Family Foundation, REI.

Backcountry Babes

If you're interested in sponsoring an episode, email Emily at escott@winterwildlands.org.

Transcript:

(click here)

Credits:

Directed by Emily Scott

Hosted by David Page

Edited and produced by Tess Goodwin

Music by Rattlesnake Preachers

From microtransit to gondolas to reservation systems, how do we ensure access to the backcountry is sustainable and equitable? Do we build parking lots and infrastructure to improve access? Or do we limit infrastructure to give greater opportunities for solitude and to give the resource a rest?

Gary Kofinas, Jay Erickson, and Anthony Cupaiuolo share their innovative ideas on how to access the heart of public lands—efficiently, equitably and sustainably.

Speaker Bios:

• Gary serves as Chair of the Teton Backcountry Alliance and is Professor Emeritus in Resource Policy and Management at the University of Alaska. Before that, he directed and instructed experiential education programs internationally.

• Jay has a strong passion for transportation equity and ensuring that all humans can experience the soul-nourishing nature that so many of us have built our lives around. He recently joined the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance board and is a construction project manager by profession.
• Anthony is the Executive Director at Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, a long time splitboarder, South Tahoe local, and passionate advocate for public lands access. In his spare time, Anthony is a photographer and filmmaker where his passion also often intersects with advocacy and stewardship in projects for the National Forest Foundation, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, and Tahoe Rim Trail Association.

Resources:

⁠Winter Wildlands Alliance⁠⁠ Ski Kind

Tahoe Backcountry Alliance

Wasatch Backcountry Alliance

Teton Backcountry Alliance

Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP)

Teton Pass Corridor Study

TBA Volunteer Ambassador Program

WBA's stance on Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola

Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola

Mobility Hubs

Backcountry Access Zones Map

Mountain Accord

Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map App

WWA Backcountry Film Festival

Sponsors:

⁠Outdoor Alliance⁠, ⁠Mighty Arrow Foundation⁠, and ⁠REI⁠

Tahoe Mountain Sports - Coupon code: keepwinterwild for 15% off

Transcripts:

⁠click here

What does it take to turn the dream of sustainable recreation into a reality? How can we shape policies that genuinely impact the landscapes we love?

Hilary Eisen and Jamie Ervin talk to Sam Rider about the keys to a future where outdoor enjoyment and environmental preservation coexist on public lands.

Speaker Bios:

• Hilary Eisen is Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Policy Director. Based in Bozeman, she leads WWA’s engagement in National Forest winter travel management and other policy issues affecting backcountry skiers. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana and a B.A. degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College.
• Jamie Ervin is Outdoor Alliance’s Policy Associate and a forest ecologist who has worked extensively on wildfire resilience and forest health issues in California’s Sierra Nevada. He holds a Master’s of Environmental Law & Policy and a Master’s of Natural Resources.
• Sam is currently the National Recreation Planner within the USFS’s Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources shop. Sam joined USFS in 2016 as a recreation planner for the Rocky Mountain Region and, in a past life, was a recreation planner for the Department of Energy and Department of Defense. She also serves as Vice Chair for the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council. Sam has a degree in Outdoor Recreation from George Mason University and definitely considers winter to be the superior season.

Resources:

Winter Wildlands Alliance⁠

NEPA

A Framework for Sustainable Recreation

2012 Planning Rule

Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS)

WWA Winter Travel Planning

Reimagine Recreation

Outdoor Alliance Forest Planning

Wildfire Crisis Strategy

10 Year Trail Challenge

Forest Service Equity Action Plan

Bridger Mountain sign project

Sponsors:

Outdoor Alliance, Mighty Arrow Foundation, and REI

Alpine Quest Sports

Transcripts:

click here

The agencies charged with managing our federal public lands have been deeply understaffed and chronically underfunded for decades—even before the current administration’s chainsaw approach to government. Many in the public have long been frustrated with the perceived complexity and inefficiency of public process and decision-making. Now, in the wake of the deepest cuts in the history of America’s public lands, are there silver linings for the future? Are there (or will there be) opportunities for legitimate reform that might actually improve the ways that public lands agencies balance sustainable recreation management with resource protection and conservation?

SPEAKERS: 

• Susan Jane Brown, Principal & Chief Legal Counsel, Silvix Resources
• Hilary Eisen, Federal Policy Director, Wild Montana
• Megan Birzell, Washington State Director, The Wilderness Society
• Moderator: Fitz Cahall, Dirtbag Diaries

RESOURCES:

⁠Travel Management Rule⁠

Winter Wildlands Alliance Action Center

Subscribe to Winter Wildlands Alliance

Winter Wildlands Alliance Stash Blog

SUPPORTED BY: Outdoor Alliance, REI Co-op, The Mountaineers, Duct Tape Then Beer/Dirt Bag Diaries, High Country News, Phreem Family Brewers,University of Washington’s Pack Forest, and Mountain Training Center

CREDITS:

Produced and co-hosted by Anneka Williams and Emily Scott

Edited by Adam Titmuss

Theme music by Rattlesnake Preachers feat. Kerry McClay

Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions