We conduct original research to support the mountain recreation community
With experience and training in a variety of research methods, including interviews and surveys, social network analysis, literature reviews, and policy analysis, we conduct research to advance and inform our education and advocacy work and share it with the broader outdoor community.
We launch new projects in response to the needs of our partners in land conservation, search and rescue, and the broader outdoor recreation community. Each project has a specific goal and partner to advance the work of the field.
1. We compared recreational use statutes in all 50 states to support the work of the Fix CRUS Coalition
When the Colorado Mountain Club started working with 14er landowners to address their concerns, I partnered with them to study how the Colorado recreational use statute compares to those in other states. I reviewed all fifty state statutes and completed a report on how the states vary on a variety of key factors, including the level of protection provided to landowners, the number and types of exceptions included, and whether they include an implicit ‘duty to warn’ or not. We are working with several partners to finalize this report and submit it for publication to share our findings and data with those working on similar issues in other regions and states.
2. We are planning to survey 14er hikers to understand their safety and LNT gaps to inform education efforts
While designing our education programs, we realized there is a surprising lack of data about the knowledge and behavior of 14er hikers and other outdoor recreational visitors in Colorado alpine areas. We are planning a joint project with the Colorado Mountain Club and several additional partners to survey hikers and climbers at several popular 14er trailheads to fill this knowledge gap. With information on the goals and experience level of 14er hikers, their planning and preparation habits, and their leave-no-trace and safety knowledge and practices, we can identify gaps to target with focused public awareness campaigns and make the most of our limited advertising dollars.
Support our Work!
Patrons provide a critical consistent stream of resources for conducting original research and disseminating our findings and results. Join today to access exclusive content and extra perks as our way of saying thanks for your support for Leave No Trace and mountain safety education.
