Colorado: Where Backcountry Skiing is now Illegal



San Juan County in Colorado, home of Silverton Mountain Ski Area and the Highway 550 backcountry mecca has just decreed backcountry skiing illegal in their County. Any vehicle parked along the passes will be towed and owners subject to fine and imprisonment in an effort to protect Search and Rescue from having to expose themselves to victims of the virus. I certainly agree with the sentiment to protect SAR members, there is no argument there. Rather than make a sport that has always had risk attached to it forbidden, why not just stop all SAR missions and advise folks that they are now on their own from now on. Put responsibility where it should be, on the American that makes a decision to go out beyond civilization into the wild.

In the tradition of our forefathers... let freedom ring. Will some people do stupid things, get injured and possibly die? Yes, of course. But the Darwin in me says maybe thats not such a bad thing. Our Gene pool is weak enough as the new virus is pointing out every day. Let stupid do stupid. Its what they do best. Maybe they are mucking up the Gene Pool anyway. I am hoping Nevada will be more independent then Colorado and not restrict our movement on snow.

We are mountain people. We ski, we paddle, we bike and we hike. Its what we do. We need to get outside to keep ourselves healthy. Thats why we live in the state with a lot of open ground and horizons that stretch from mountains to sky unimpeded by subdivisions and Walmarts. In the only state allowing legal prostitution I ask you, shouldn't adventuring outside always be legal?

The day skiing becomes illegal in Nevada is the day I become an outlaw.

Sven

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