Gee, why are more people in the backcountry? Bridger Bowl during Covid restrictions. Photo: Jordy Hendrikx.
Have hoards of Gore Tex clad humans descended upon the snowy slopes of the US like a swarm of rabid locusts? Do the rampant touring gear sales actually contribute to flocks of newbs blowing up your powder stash? Did Covid blackout days put the nail in the coffin on your waning desire to ride lifts?
Ok, we don’t know the answers to those questions, but you dear readers can contribute to a group of researchers who are looking to find out.
Here’s the gist:
The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Montana State University, in concert with The National Avalanche Center, are doing a brief survey of backcountry ski and snowboard use. From this survey we hope to learn if, and how, use of the winter backcountry has changed due to the coronavirus pandemic. If you ski or snowboard in the backcountry (out of bounds) we would like you to complete this survey just once. It should take no more than 5 minutes to complete.
Find more details and access to the survey here.
These kinds of surveys help identify trends in the ski touring world. We’ll be following up with the research crew to hear about their results later on down the line.
Manasseh Franklin is a writer, editor and big fan of walking uphill. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction and environment and natural resources from the University of Wyoming and especially enjoys writing about glaciers. Find her other work in Alpinist, Adventure Journal, Rock and Ice, Aspen Sojourner, AFAR, Trail Runner and Western Confluence.
