Transit to Trailheads: Navigating Equitable and Eco-Friendly Access

From microtransit to gondolas to reservation systems, how do we ensure access to the backcountry is sustainable and equitable? Do we build parking lots and infrastructure to improve access? Or do we limit infrastructure to give greater opportunities for solitude and to give the resource a rest? Gary Kofinas, Jay Erickson, and Anthony Cupaiuolo share their innovative ideas on how to access the heart of public lands—efficiently, equitably and sustainably. Speaker Bios: Gary serves as Chair of the Teton Backcountry Alliance and is Professor Emeritus in Resource Policy and Management at the University of Alaska. Before that, he directed and instructed experiential education programs internationally. Jay has a strong passion for transportation equity and ensuring that all humans can experience the soul-nourishing nature that so many of us have built our lives around. He recently joined the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance board and is a construction project manager by profession. Anthony is the Executive Director at Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, a long time splitboarder, South Tahoe local, and passionate advocate for public lands access. In his spare time, Anthony is a photographer and filmmaker where his passion also often intersects with advocacy and stewardship in projects for the National Forest Foundation, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, and Tahoe Rim Trail Association. Resources: ⁠Winter Wildlands Alliance⁠⁠ Ski Kind Tahoe Backcountry Alliance Wasatch Backcountry Alliance Teton Backcountry Alliance Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Teton Pass Corridor Study TBA Volunteer Ambassador Program WBA's stance on Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola Mobility Hubs Backcountry Access Zones Map Mountain Accord Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map App WWA Backcountry Film Festival Sponsors: ⁠Outdoor Alliance⁠, ⁠Mighty Arrow Foundation⁠, and ⁠REI⁠ Transcripts: ⁠click here