A Democratized Backcountry Ski Experience
Story Courtesy of Culturelines, an ARTILECT Studio Project
Photos courtesy of Bluebird Backcountry
After our second to last Through the Lens presentation with Erik Lambert, co-founder of Bluebird Backcountry, this past March 2022, we linked up with Culturelines to provide a deeper dive into the story behind Bluebird, with an interview conducted by the Culturelines team and Lambert back in 2020. Here, they dive into the vision for Bluebird.
“You shouldn’t need thousands of dollars or a mentor to start your journey”
Bluebird Backcountry is the world's first human-powered backcountry ski area, with 4,200+ skiable acres (1,200+ avalanche evaluated and 3,000 guided only out-of-bounds). Bluebird boasts zero lifts and will welcome 200 skiers per day.
The Culturelines team connected with co-founder Erik Lambert who dove into the vision for Bluebird.
“When someone asks me, “When you boil it down, what is Bluebird Backcountry?”, my answer is: It’s one part ski area - with all of the comforts and amenities of that; One part guide service - you can learn at the highest or most basic levels and we’re doing all of that on-site now; And one part true backcountry, where you get to have more of a wilderness experience than you would in bounds. You’ll see wildlife, have fresh tracks all day. You get to have a true backcountry experience without all the BS of having to uphill it at a resort.”
Culturelines: Bluebird Backcountry is a fascinating model. Do you see potential for it to grow here in North America and abroad?
Erik Lambert: “We’ve made it a lot further than we thought we might with the concept. That’s really exciting and it bodes well for the future of skiing in general - not just backcountry. It has created some diversity in how people think about skiing, and I imagine something like Bluebird could exist in many places.
These could pop up and blow people’s minds with different experiences, bring human connection, and diversify what’s become a consolidated mega-scene that doesn’t resonate with a lot of people.
“The last real innovations inside a boundary were terrain parks and the snowboard, and that was 30 years ago”
There’s definitely a cultural shift of skiing. If you look at the resort scene, other than the equipment - having fatter skis, stiffer boots, or whatever it might be - the last real innovations inside of a boundary were terrain parks and the snowboard, and that was 30 years ago.
Those things totally changed how people move on snow. We believe this is one of those landmark moments where we can offer an entirely different experience and perspective on skiing, and reimagine learning how to backcountry ski.
CL: Due to gear, knowledge, safety and other factors, backcountry skiing has a hardcore, alpha history. Can that be changed, do you want it to change?
EL: Yeah, it’s really intimidating. It’s really bro-y. And it doesn’t need to be. We think there’s a better way to learn.
In general outdoor sports are relatively gear and knowledge specific, which makes them exclusive. You need to know someone to start doing certain outdoor activities. But then layer in the required fitness, education, and gear and compound that with the risks of traveling in avalanche terrain, you end up with a high barrier to entry. That barrier is appealing to a lot of people - it’s the reward - and that’s great if you have the time, money and mentor to make it possible.
We see backcountry skiing as about 30 years behind rock climbing - a dangerous sport built on a mentorship model. Before climbing gyms were prevalent - which make climbing and education more accessible - you needed to know someone to show you what to do. The gyms also create a community hub for climbers to gather.
Those are elements that we are striving for with Bluebird - a democratized backcountry ski experience. You shouldn’t need thousands of dollars or a mentor to start your journey. You should be able to try it in a safer, friendlier environment that’s designed to welcome you.
Ultimately we want to provide a rich experience that meets people at any ability level, provides knowledge and empowers people to want to learn more. This way people can start the journey without feeling overwhelmed by the barriers to entry.
CL: How do you cater to both skiers and splitboarders?
EL: We’re not in the business of telling people how to do it. We want to provide different tools and learning opportunities for anybody who wants to get into the backcountry.
Sure we jab at each other sometimes for fun, but the reality is that we know there are lots of great ways to get out there, and people should do what’s comfortable.
It’s the same for our courses: if you connect with a network that shares your own views, you’ll be more inclined to pick up that skill and knowledge in a way that resonates. We have women’s courses, splitboard courses, and a series of lessons that build toward the Avalanche Level 1. We try to put like-minded folks together, partly because of moving through the terrain but also for equipment; if you’re new to the gear and have a mechanical issue, you want to have an instructor who’s pretty savvy.
We also look at other ways to make people feel more welcome and comfortable, and that’s why we have some of the amenities of a traditional ski area on site, because not everyone wants to be out in the woods without a bathroom, hot food, the comfort to warm up, or ski patrol.
CL: What do you think is going to happen this season (2020/2021)?
EL: We’ve had great early signals. We don’t expect to be doing 100,000 skier visits this year, nor could we. We cap it to ensure that people have a good backcountry experience. But we’ve sold through 95% of our season passes and we’ve opened sales of our transferable four packs and 10 packs, which are popular.
What’s clear is that the mom and pop grassroots scene is missing these days. People tell us they are running away from crowds, others are bored with the resort experience.
We want to provide something that’s different and memorable. Bluebird makes it easier to learn, develop skills, and get a proper education before entering the true backcountry, but it’s also about providing a new outlet for winter recreation.
