Backcountry Snowsports Initiative

Many use Colorado's Public Lands

Colorado Mountain Club's Backcountry Snowsports Initiative - BSI - seeks to defend human-powered winter recreation for skiers, snowshoers, snowboarders, and other users, while protecting the wild lands that support these activities. There are many users of Colorado's public lands, and all deserve a chance to responsibly enjoy recreation on our public lands.

However, land managers are struggling to balance an expanding number of users, and conflicts do arise from so many different users, and human-powered opportunities for solitude and quiet are often negatively impacted by increased motorized use.

Fostering Collaborative Winter Backcountry Management

BSI works with the U.S. Forest Service, snowmobile clubs, and concerned human-powered backcountry users to develop collaborative winter management solutions for popular winter backcountry areas in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. BSI also participates in National Forest Travel Management Plan revisions to ensure land managers consider the needs of human-powered users in making decisions regarding winter recreation on public lands.

The Backcountry Snowsports Initiative is the winter advocacy program of CMC's Conservation department. It was created in 2009 through the merger of the Backcountry Snowsports Alliance and the CMC.

The goals of the BSI are to:

• Facilitate dialogue among user groups and collaborative solutions to local issues
• Educate our members and the public about winter recreation issues and safety
• Identify winter recreation areas in Colorado and work with policy-makers towards active winter management
• Proactively advocate for non-motorized winter users in Forest Service Travel Management Plans
• Promote safety in the winter backcountry