Indigenous History & Culture in Mountain Towns: What Every Skier Should Know

by Misty Johnston

We ride for the turns. For the views. For the feeling that the mountains give us.But behind the powder days and lift passes lies something deeper, a long, often overlooked history rooted in the very places we now call ski towns.

Long before resorts, gondolas, or après scenes, these mountains were home to Indigenous peoples. Their relationship with the land is ancient, spiritual, and ongoing. And if you ride these peaks, you’re part of that story now, whether you know it or not.

This isn’t about guilt, it’s about awareness, respect, and showing up better in the spaces we love.

Whose Land Are You Shredding On?

Almost every ski town in North America (and many abroad) is built on land that was inhabited and often taken from Indigenous nations.

Here are just a few examples:

• Jackson Hole, WY – traditional lands of the Shoshone, Bannock, and Crow peoples

• Whistler, BC – territory of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Lil’wat Nations

• Aspen, CO – Ute territory

• Lake Tahoe, CA/NV – land of the Washoe Tribe

• Mt. Hood, OR – home to Chinook and Wasco peoples

  
  

These aren’t just historical footnotes, they’re living, breathing communities with ongoing presence and culture in these regions.

A Brief History Not in the Brochures

Colonization wasn’t just a past event. In many ski regions:

• Indigenous communities were forcibly removed or displaced

• Sacred lands were turned into commercial resorts

• Cultural sites were destroyed or buried under tourism

• Access to ancestral lands for ceremony, hunting, or gathering was blocked

  
  

And it didn’t stop in the 1800s. In some cases, ski resort expansion continues to threaten Indigenous lands today through deforestation, water diversion, or corporate development.

Understanding this context is step one to riding responsibly.

So What Can You Actually Do?

Awareness is important but action matters too. Here’s how to bring respect into your ride:

1. Learn Whose Land You’re On

Visit native-land.ca or similar platforms to identify the tribes connected to the area. Read up on their history and their present.

2. Support Indigenous-Owned Businesses and Guides

From snowmobile tours to cultural centers, many tribes are reclaiming their outdoor economies. Spend your money where it supports local Indigenous stewardship.

3. Acknowledge the Land

Before posting that summit photo or dropping your trip vlog, consider adding a land acknowledgment. It’s a small gesture that shifts the narrative.

“Shot in traditional territory of the ______ Nation(s). Deep gratitude for the privilege to ride these lands.”

4. Uplift Indigenous Voices in Snow Sports

Follow and support riders, artists, and advocates like:

• Connor Ryan (@sacredstoke) – Lakota skier and land activist

• Kaitlin Boysel – Indigenous snowboarder and educator

• Natives Outdoors – organization re-indigenizing outdoor spaces

Representation matters. Visibility matters.

5. Ask More from the Industry

Press brands, resorts, and events to go beyond DEI buzzwords. Who’s on the boards? Who’s telling the story? Who’s profiting and who’s being left out?

Land as Teacher, Not Just Terrain

For many Indigenous cultures, land is not a commodity. It’s a relative. A source of life, memory, and identity.

What happens when we see mountains this way not just as playgrounds, but as sacred spaces?

We ride differently. We notice more. We stop cutting lines through culture for the sake of powder.

This doesn’t mean you can’t send it. It means you send it with awareness, humility, and connection.

Final Thoughts: The Mountains Remember

Your favorite ski run has a deeper story. Every ridge, glade, and summit echoes with the presence of people who’ve honored that space long before it was named in English or mapped on Strava.

So the next time you clip in or buckle up, take a moment. Learn the names. Respect the stories. Ride with reverence.

Because the snow is temporary. But the land and its memoryis forever.