My Page: Michael Pearlman
Off in the shadowy halls of government offices, public lands have been stripped of key protections. When a bureaucrat somewhere in the system deems a proposal worthy, there's no worry-it will find a way to sail through the approval process. That's exactly what's taking place in the Helena National Forest in Montana. [more]
Blog: Generation Recreation
Return the Powder to the People
Today's ski industry is centered around making money off land instead of making turns in powder. The mountain is merely a commodity, an expensive amenity to be exploited for financial interests that have nothing to do with outdoor recreation. The Yellowstone Club was never about skiing. The ski area was merely the carrot dangled in front of buyers to sell them land and the exclusivity that accompanies deep pockets. [more]
Generation Recreation with Michael Pearlman
Obama’s Next Challenge: Working with the Red State West
I woke up this morning in a Wyoming county where 68 percent of voters supported McCain, a vivid reminder that all politics is ultimately local. My dyed-in-the-wool Republican neighbors are protective of their jobs in the oil and gas industry and loathe tax and spend liberals. They're worried that Obama will take their guns, cost their business more money and have Washington bureaucrats making land use decisions about where they can play with their motorized toys. [more]
Generation Recreation with Michael Pearlman
October Skiing Offers Rewards
A couple of early season snowstorms in the Bighorn Mountains was all it took to launch my ski season.
Even my friends who ride their bicycles in January can't understand why I'm committed to skiing in less-than-ideal October conditions. Even I have trouble explaining it to those who lack my devotion, except to say that it's become a rite of passage. The quest for early season turns, no matter how involved the effort or limited the reward, has become an established fall tradition.
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Generation Recreation with Michael Pearlman
Farewell Alpinist Magazine, a Rare Artistic Voice
When I read last week that Alpinist had folded I wasn't shocked. The glossy climbing magazine, headquartered in Jackson Hole since 2002, had little advertising, a $13 cover price and appealed to a demographic with a penchant for living in pickup trucks. With 9,000 subscribers, it's clear there was an audience for Alpinist's uncompromising style. Unfortunately, that audience wasn't large enough. [more]
Generation Recreation with Michael Pearlman
Ski Bum Housing Search Grows Desperate
It's migratory season in mountain country right now for both animal and human populations. With ski season little more than a month away, a new crop of 20-something ski bums are arriving in resort towns around the west, dreaming of deep snow, cheap beer and a simple job to pay the bills.
A tough economic climate means a steady stream of recent college graduates willing to endure low wages for a free ski pass, but these economic cogs in the wheels of ski resorts' winter economies still need a warm bed and running water. These days, housing seasonal workers in towns with dwindling pools of rental units is reaching crisis stage.
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Generation Recreation
Is There Room for Everyone on Public Land?
Pulling my Subaru into the dusty parking area from where I planned to begin pedaling, I instinctively flinched at the sound of gunfire.
The senior citizen taking target practice with a high-powered rifle glanced in my direction only briefly before letting off another few rounds. Removing his earplugs, he either smiled or grimaced in my direction.
"Two more rounds and I'll be done."
This was a first for me. I'd never had to dodge gunfire prior to starting a mountain bike ride.
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blog: generation recreation
Ski Town Real Estate Projects Face RealityThere isn't much that I have in common with a 72-year-old Republican candidate for president, but there is one common trait we share: economic policy isn't a strength for either of us.
With the current economic crisis the only subject on people's lips these days, my insight into the problem is centered on what I've read about locally and seen out my front door. For resort communities, the writing is on the wall that the real estate development gold rush is grinding to a halt. Developers who relied on a steady supply of wealthy transplants and vacationers with super-deep pockets eager to buy trophy homes and snap up condo-hotel rooms are finding these people a tougher sell.
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