The Mountaineers
The Mountaineers advocacy to protect public lands and the outdoor experience transcends the places where we recreate and the courses we lead here in the Pacific Northwest. This work doesn’t happen alone; partnerships lie at the heart of our advocacy story. About nine years ago, The Mountaineers joined Outdoor Alliance (OA) - a national coalition of human-powered recreation organizations. Over the years, we’ve deepened our involvement because our community is a unique catalyst for conservation and advocacy work on a national scale.
Earlier this month, Mountaineers CEO Tom Vogl joined seven other CEOs and Executive Directors of Outdoor Alliance’s member organizations to meet with lawmakers and key administration officials in D.C. By joining with other OA leaders from around the country, Tom was able to connect with key lawmakers and agency leaders from other Western states who have national influence on public lands issues.
Representing more than 250,000 members, our unified coalition brought the voice of the outdoor community directly to decision-makers in D.C. at a time when federal public lands are facing new and emerging threats. By uniting the advocacy of mountaineers, climbers, paddlers, mountain bikers, and backcountry skiers, Outdoor Alliance is able to strengthen collective efforts to support our federal land managers and keep public lands public. While on Capitol Hill, the OA coalition met with a range of congressional offices, including:
- Rep. Ryan Zinke, who firmly stated his opposition to any effort to sell public lands. He and Rep. Gabe Vasquez have introduced the Public Lands in Public Hands Act, which we support.
- Sen. Martin Heinrich’s staff, where we discussed efforts to reform mining laws and safeguard public lands from potential sell-offs.
- Sen. Mike Lee’s staff, where we reiterated our coalition’s goal to support public lands and outdoor recreation access in the West.
- Rep. Vasquez’s staff, whom we thanked for his ongoing support of outdoor recreation access, public lands, functional land management agencies, and his work on the Public Lands in Public Hands Act.
Tom and other OA leaders also met with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and leadership at the U.S. Forest Service. Those conversations focused on stewardship, agency capacity, and how Outdoor Alliance can serve as a conduit for on-the-ground insight. As the administration emphasizes efficiency and cost cutting, we stressed the need to fill critical agency positions and preserve recreation-focused resources. At the Department of the Interior, OA advocates discussed implementation of the EXPLORE Act, including protections for climbing in Wilderness, and the importance of stewardship and balance on America’s public lands.
Outdoor Alliance meeting with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. Photo courtesy of Outdoor Alliance.
Outdoor Alliance continues to help lawmakers and land managers make informed, effective decisions. These relationships - and this kind of presence in D.C. - are how we can ensure that human-powered recreation has a seat at the table, which is not a given for all stakeholders in such an evolving political environment.
“While our recent conversations with lawmakers and administration officials were a mixed bag, I was encouraged by the continued bipartisan support for public lands and recreation. As an Outdoor Alliance member organization, The Mountaineers can make an impact through advocacy, regardless of who’s in the White House and who holds the gavel on Capitol Hill,” says Mountaineers CEO Tom Vogl.
Together, our coalition will keep fighting to protect the places we all love and to ensure those places stay public, accessible, and protected for generations to come. As we learn more about existential threats to our lands and waters, The Mountaineers remains dedicated to our shared work with OA through the Outdoor Alliance Washington network, and across the country. Join our advocacy to support our land managers and keep public lands in public hands by taking action today.
We appreciate partnering with our colleagues at Outdoor Alliance on this piece. A version of this blog was first published at outdooralliance.org.
