Mission Statement:

The Nordic and Backcountry Skiers Alliance is an Idaho not-for-profit organization formed to preserve and to protect a quiet, non-motorized winter recreation experience for backcountry skiers, track skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers and to find lasting solutions to user conflicts.

Goals:

The goals of the Skiers Alliance are to enhance the non-motorized winter backcountry and cross-country experience and to preserve important winter backcountry and cross-country areas as non-motorized. The organization emphasizes working with other user groups and public agencies to find equitable and mutually beneficial solutions to resolve conflicts arising from increased user demand for limited winter recreation terrain in Idaho and the Wood River Valley.

The Skiers Alliance recognizes that there are many winter users of the backcountry and that all have a right to its enjoyment. Currently, motorized use is allowed without restrictions on most public lands in Idaho unless the land is a designated ski area, wilderness or wild game closure. Much of the terrain designated as wilderness or wildlife closure is inaccessible to skiers, leaving few non-motorized winter recreation areas.

The Skiers Alliance , as a member of the Wood River Valley Winter Recreation Coalition, worked with the Sawtooth Snowmobile Club, Blaine County Recreation and the U.S. Forest Service to help create the ‘Snow Pact’ which designates motorized and non-motorized winter recreation zones in the upper Wood River Valley. These zones are part of the winter recreation management plan of the Sawtooth National Forest. Use conflicts in the zones are monitored and resolved by the Coalition partnership.

The Snow Pact serves as a model for the Skiers Alliance in its efforts to preserve a small portion of our public lands as non-motorized areas where skiers, snowshoers and snowboarders can enjoy the quiet and solitude of the winter landscape.