There’s much to digest in the political space nowadays. Some of the dynamics present as straightforward, an either-or choice. Other aspects of it all are more nuanced. We believe that a few things are non-negotiable: be kind, avoid violence, engage in conversation if you disagree, and public lands should not be (and are not) for sale. We are adamant on that last point.
Let’s also be clear that the selling off of public lands is not city, state, or region-specific: it impacts all of us whether you travel to the U.S. as a backcountry tourist or live within a community bordering public lands. If you are not compelled to read further, have a look here at this interactive map detailing the more than 250 million acres of BLM and Forest Service land potentially up for sale. At the same time, the map is both numbing and motivating. We hope, ultimately, you land on the motivated side of things.
Screen grab from interactive map: Public lands eligible for sale in the Senate Reconciliation Bill by The Wilderness Society.
Furthermore, for those who have read The High Route or are coming here for the first time, we are proud to say that our readership spans the continental United States. This means that you likely participate in or dream of backcountry skiing or riding. Unequivocally, if you are traveling from the east for a tour out west, you’ll be riding on public land—at the least, you’ll be public land adjacent.
How did we get here? That’s a loaded question, if ever there was one. In the short run, we arrived here after the House axed language from a massive spending bill (H.R. 1), popularly known as the OBBB—the One Big Beautiful Bill. An amendment in the OBBB called for the sale of roughly ½ million acres of publicly owned land in Nevada and Utah. Amongst our outdoor community, there was a collective exhale when the amendment calling for the land sale was removed from the OBBB.
A few weeks later, we find ourselves in a potentially more perilous predicament. The House bill passed and moved into the upper chamber, the U.S. Senate, for consideration. There, Utah Senator Mike Lee, Chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, got to work drafting this document—which has caused more than a stir. It’s not that we are coming full circle; it feels more like we are moving full steam ahead in a flat light crevasse field. Proceed with caution.
This map and analysis were made possible thanks to the hard work of Phil Hartger. Data current as of legislative text dated June 16, 2025. Table: The Wilderness Society
The Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee amendment is far more draconian. See the table below, created by The Wilderness Society. However, the new bill calls for the potential sale of 255,333,273 million acres of public land, including a sweet backcountry zone near you, except in Montana. (That’s a whole other story—but for this round, good on the Big Sky state.)
If you feel compelled, please contact your Senator and share your thoughts. Here is a resource.
Thanks for spreading the word!