What is backcountry?
By Ben Long “Backcountry” is our first name. It’s the natural resource our organization works to conserve. So what does it mean? First, it’s obvious that the appeal of “backcountry” strikes a cord across North America and beyond. BHA was born in Oregon, but now has members in over 40 states. Our members come from all regions of the United States and several Canadian provinces. Just about everywhere there are hunters and anglers, it seems, there are folks concerned about conserving the backcountry. Minnesota. Pennsylvania. The South. The Southwest. California. Idaho. British Columbia. Alaska. It all, evidently, has backcountry well worth fighting for. But what the heck are we talking about? In Home Ground; Language for an American Landscape, Elizabeth Cox writes “Backcountry, typically defined as ‘any remote or undeveloped area’ is in some regions called the backwoods, boondocks or hinterlands … backcountry life is now considered a uniquely American experience that began to define the v
Backcountry begins where ski area boundaries end. From there you are on your ownno trail maps, ski patrol, or avalanche control, so it is wise to know what you are doing, where you are going and who you are going with. Backcountry travel, though invigorating, should not be taken lightly. There are a thousand ways to get yourself in trouble when it is just you and Mother Nature so give a little thought to what you are doing before you go.
