Monitoring winter backcountry recreation
2023-2024
Northwest Avalanche Center
Information on who and how many visitors are accessing backcountry sites is essential for recreation planning and management. However, effectively monitoring backcountry winter recreation is difficult and expensive; sites are often far apart and logistically challenging to access, and visitors are hard to count due to the complexity of entry points and sites. This pilot study utilized a community science framework for engaging members of the winter recreation community in research and data collection. Leveraging an existing volunteer network and education outreach program run by the Northwest Avalanche Center, the project addressed questions about whether a community-run monitoring program could produce statistically valid estimates of backcountry visitation rates and visitor characteristics.
Additional information
- Monitoring winter backcountry recreation. International Snow Science Workshop 2023.
- Trailhead outreach volunteers turned data collectors: winter recreation monitoring and outreach with community science methods. International Snow Science Workshop 2023.
