Founded in January 2005, PowdertothePeople.org is a community-supported advocacy organization dedicated to equal public access to public lands, and backcountry safety and etiquette through outreach, education, communication and collaboration.

Through our efforts over the past few years, and with overwhelming support from the community, PowdertothePeople.org has earned a seat at the negotiating table on questions of public backcountry access. We are also viewed as the local authority on Richmond Ridge issues, and took the lead on installing a beacon training park atop Aspen Mountain at the beginning of the 2006-07 season, the first of its kind in the valley. For the 2008-09 season, the beacon search park has been moved to Aspen Highlands, to the top of Thunderbowl near the upper terminal of the AVSC lift.

But we still have a long way to go. Motorized access to Richmond Ridge for the general public is now severely restricted - a "gentleman's agreement" which gave snowmobile skiers the right to use one of the four over-snow roads in the area (McFarlane's) was removed by the District Ranger before the 2008/2009 season. The level of public access will once and for all be determined by the Forest Service, which is schedule to release its final Travel Management Plan for the White River National Forest Travel Management Plan in late summer of 2009.

Despite the tide of public opinion in our favor, we don't expect the Forest Service to come out in favor of equal motorized access to public lands on Richmond Ridge. This at a time when Aspen Mountain Powder Tours, an exclusive private operator that charges more than $300 for a day of cat-skiing, has tripled its historical use and is aggressively pursuing even more "privacy" on our public lands. But we're here for the long haul, and are committed to working on a solution that can be a win-win for everybody.

Please explore this website to find out more about us and contact us if you are interested in helping our mission.