Join Snowriders, Conservation Colorado and Rocky Mountain Underground at Arapahoe Basin on May 20th to celebrate the first Colorado Public Lands Day with games, prizes, and live music!
Saturday May 20th, 2017 marks the first ever Colorado Public Lands day - a day to celebrate the incredible resource that public lands provide to Coloradans. It’s fitting that Colorado would be the first state to formally celebrate their public lands. There’s a lot to celebrate! No less than 35% of Colorado’s land area - over 24 million acres - is public. Colorado is home to four national parks, eight national monuments and 41 state parks! And by some estimates, public land generate $35 billion in spending for the Colorado state economy. A large portion of this sum is thanks to all the ski areas that make use Colorado’s public land!
Skiers for Public Land
We agree with thousands of Coloradans, that public land are one of Colorado’s greatest assets. Skiers reap huge benefits from this shared resource. For one thing, much of the land we ski on is publicly owned. Twenty-three of Colorado’s major ski resorts use substantial quantities of public land including Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Vail, and all four Aspen Mountains. Without the use of public lands, many of these ski resorts could not function.
Skiers benefit from public lands in other ways as well. The protection of Colorado’s public lands keeps the mountain air fresh and preserves our natural inheritance for generations to come. Federal and state stewardship of the land surrounding our ski slopes also preserves Colorado’s awe-inspiring views. Some of the most iconic vistas in the state - from the Maroon Bells behind Aspen Highlands to the peak of Crested Butte - are public land.
Our Skiers for Public Lands campaign is working to build awareness for the important asset our public lands provide to us as skiers and as citizens. Protecting our public lands from private development is essential to the future of all outdoor recreation, as well our efforts to combat climate change and environmental degradation.
Come Celebrate Colorado’s Public Lands With Us!
On Saturday May 20th, we’ll be at Arapahoe Basin celebrating our public lands with Conservation Colorado and Rocky Mountain Underground! There’ll be games and prizes, a photo booth, and live music at the base as part of Arapahoe Basin’s annual swimsuit party!
Come find us at the base and take a photo for our #Skiers4PublicLands campaign!
Can’t make it to the event? You can still become a Skier for Public Lands by signing our petition here!