Hey THR readers, subscribers and potential subscribers. We’re here to discuss how we may evolve in the near future. Our readers come first, so we want you as part of the conversation. 

 

First things first—and we hope this isn’t news—we are a subscription-based site where the audience comes first. Our content focuses on human-powered backcountry turn making. As far as the resort ski/riding scene, we don’t commingle the disciplines. Our only take is that we prefer you lower the bar while on the chairlift. Other than that, we’ll stay in our lane. Tips up. 

This past season, The High Route went live on Sept. 1, and we tried to keep it simple. Readers were offered several free articles before the paywall kicked in. We offered $6/mo or $27/annual subscriptions. As of today, July 9, this is our 242nd post (this includes podcast episodes—which are free). For a small enterprise in its first year, we are proud of that.

As with any tour plan or real-time decision, being nimble and willing to pivot is a must; plus, we all know the value of a smooth transition. This is not to say we are going anywhere, just that we might change our model. Also, we are dreaming up some cool new projects while we wither in the summer sun, waiting for snow to fly. We’ll be executing those in the near future to develop more useful stories and serve our readers and listeners. 

When we began The High Route, we came into it with an open mind. All of us at THR come to the scene as community members first and savvy business people second or even third. 

Currently, our model is single-tiered—a subscription provides access to all the content. Behind the scenes, we’ve had hours of discussions exploring what sites and magazines we subscribe to and what we value about those outlets. We’ve discussed pricing strategies (such as whether we should charge less for an annual/monthly subscription) and whether to jump into the realm of curating a premium membership/subscription model. This premium tier could look like exclusive podcast extras and office hours with some of our writers to discuss gear, trip planning, and technical know-how, for example. 

On the flip side, we’ve even ruminated on the merits and pitfalls of adopting the public radio model. Essentially, we would remove the paywall and allow readers/listeners to donate if they are able. 

We can’t make any decisions on our future without hearing from you. 

The easy thing to do is remain with the status quo. As noted, we are open to change. Please let us know your thoughts about evolving the THR model. You can email us too at editor@the-high-route.com if you are not a subscriber but are reading this. (We’re also glad to hop on a call, just let us know.)

Thanks for your input, and remember if you want to stay out of the backseat, it’s all in the hands.