Since 2002, Winter Wildlands Alliance has hosted the biennial Grassroots Advocacy Conference, bringing together policy makers, athletes, grassroots activists, scientists, mountain guides, elected officials and other recreation and conservation stakeholders from across the country for two full days of engaging workshops, panel discussions and informal networking on issues important to winter recreation, conservation, climate and public lands.

Attendees get the latest developments in policy and planning, share grassroots successes, meet with public land managers, gain new advocacy tools and spend quality lodge and outdoor time with colleagues, partners, new friends and allies.

Our 11th Biennial Conference is set for September 11-14, 2025 and will explore these themes in relation to our work in mountain communities from Alaska to Minnesota to Maine. With accelerating climate impacts, bone-deep staffing and funding cuts and regulatory rollbacks, our public lands are at a turning point—and so are we. For better or worse, there is no going back to the way things were. But with change comes opportunity, and there will be an opportunity to reimagine and rebuild our nation’s public land agencies and how we steward our shared resources—if we’re prepared to take it. Join us as we dig into the work of conceiving and rebuilding systems that serve both people and planet—from the ground up.

Our backdrop will be Mount Rainier in a “summer camp” style right outside of Seattle, Washington at University of Washington’s Pack Forest. In addition to Conference panels, workshops, activities, and conversations over community meals, we also find time to play music and explore the outdoors around us together through a variety of activities and recreation styles.

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