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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

Reports indicate continued growth in backcountry skiing

Greg Fortin, a backcountry skiing and snowshoeing guide, cuts loose during a couple of days off at Altoona Ridge.
Greg Fortin, a backcountry skiing and snowshoeing guide, cuts loose during a couple of days off at Altoona Ridge.

WINTERSPORTS -- As lift-assisted skiing resorts struggle, more skiers and splitboarders may be taking off on their own.

USFS predicts backcountry skiing to increase 106% over next 3 decades
The National Ski Area Association reports that skier visits to resorts are down about 10 percent since the 2010-11 ski season, but Snow Industries Association reports that backcountry gear sales for equipment used by skiers and snowboarders to access summits under their own power, are up 10 percent over that same period. That suggests that more folks are choosing to make the climb under their own power and ski the backcountry.
--Durango Herald



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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