The Thought Experiment Try this for a backcountry skiing thought experiment: a “famous” local has been in town for eight or nine years. You couldn’t pick them out of a lineup, and most certainly not costumed in the season’s latest bro-wear on a cold day: big goggles, go-proed helmet, just the right amount of…
Who Owns the Cirque? On Localism in the Backcountry
Powder— a locals only private good on public land?
Response
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Thank you so much for this. One of my biggest sources of frustration and disappointment in fellow purveyors of pow is the cringe-worthy level of gatekeeping and exclusivity in the backcountry. I’m a born and raised “local” – whatever that means – in my ski town and have learned a lot about skiing and ski spots from lots of people and plenty of “non-locals”. I like paying that forward to continue the cycle and am always keen to share info and beta and a love for the public lands we all share. I don’t know the best solution with regard to social media since that Pandora’s box has been opened, but I think following the guiding principle of “don’t be a dick” from both sides is pertinent here.
Invest the time and money in education, be humble, help each other, and most importantly: make friends on a powder day.
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