Tyler Riccomini

February 3, 2023
I. Introduction to the activity

Back country skiing is my recreational activity of choice. Back country skiing is like downhill

skiing, but you must earn your turn by walking up hill with specific equipment. You apply nylon

skins to the bottom of your skis. This allows you to walk up hill without sliding down. When you

are ready to descend you can remove the skin and ski down as you normally would. It is

estimated that there are 6 million backcountry skiers in the United States. (Stuart, 2017)

II. Socio-economic background

The socio-economic background of skiers in general has long been the same. “In 1976, 70

percent of skiers made more money than the average American; today’s figure is 72 percent”

(Brown, 2017). It is difficult to find information on backcountry skiers because they are

recreating on free access public land. It would be easy to assume that this statistic is accurate for

backcountry skiers as well if not a higher percentage because of the added costs of specific gear

and educational training. Skiing at resorts has only gotten more expensive every year and that

has caused an increase in the number of people to go into the backcountry. Rather than paying

each season for a pass you just need to purchase the equipment and you are good to go.

III. Physical conditions

Geographic locations play a huge role in this recreational activity. Unlike the resorts that can

make snow on runs, you need to have a surplus of natural snow to backcountry ski. Most of this

occurs in the western United States and the Northeast. But even in the Northeast backcountry

skiing is not doable every day in winter due to variable weather. Mountains certainly make it

more appealing but all you need is a slope that is not flat and enough snow to go skiing on it.
IV. Cultural & demographic features

The development of backcountry skiing has impacted the culture surrounding it significantly.

Not only do people come together about a shared passion but also a shared love for specific

areas. The Mount Washington Backcountry skiing festival in New Hampshire is an example of

how people are getting together and developing the culture. They offer four-day backcountry

experience with courses for all abilities and ages led by top guides around the region. (Trombley,

2023) This is a notable example of how culture is developing by making education more

accessible to everyone.

V. Governance & political climate

Backcountry skiing is supported and possible because of multiple organizations. Primarily

backcountry skiing in the Western United States and Northeastern United States are mostly done

on public lands such as national forests, national parks, or BLM lands. The other organizations

that support backcountry skiing are those that educate people on how to travel in the backcountry

and avalanche education. All popular backcountry skiing states have a state-funded center that

reports the avalanche danger each day for users to read and understand the risks that day. These

centers also offer educational courses along with AAI (American Avalanche Institute) that offers

courses country wide.

VI. Trends in the future

I have no doubt that backcountry skiing will continue to grow at an impressive rate. People who

ski at the resort regularly will eventually want to ski in the backcountry as lift lines and prices at

ski resorts continue to grow. I also believe that the educational opportunities for backcountry

skiing and avalanche safety will continue to grow. Organizations are trying to make education

more accessible for everyone and at a cheaper cost as more people get into it. My last prediction
is that as more people get into the culture more will develop more. I think more festivals like the

Mount Washington backcountry ski festival will come up and bring people together.

VII. References

Brown, J. (2017) Bring more diversity to skiing, POWDER Magazine. Powder Magazine.

Available at: https://www.powder.com/stories/opinion/extend-the-family/ (Accessed:

February 3, 2023).

Stuart, R. (2017) How many backcountry skiers are out there?, Mountain Culture Group.

Available at: https://mountainculturegroup.com/how-many-backcountry-skiers-are-out-

there/#:~:text=SIA%20estimates%20there%20are%20more,than%20a%20third%20of%20

victims. (Accessed: February 3, 2023).

Trombley, S. (2023) Backcountry Skiing: Fostering community, culture, and commitment to the

outdoors, Mt Washington Valley Vibe. Available at: https://mwvvibe.com/backcountry-

skiing-fostering-community-culture-and-commitment-to-the-outdoors/ (Accessed:

February 3, 2023).