Conor Marshall
Making a difference for conservation and recreation through advocacy can take several years. A campaign can consist of thousands of individual actions by grassroots advocates and policy experts alike who call or email lawmakers, meet with members of Congress, and testify on behalf of legislation. All these collective advocacy efforts add up to create a lasting impact through policy.
In the long game of advocacy, we occasionally reach a tipping point where collective momentum with elected leaders and their staff converges with the politics of the moment to culminate in a landmark legislative victory. At the end of December 2024, we achieved a big win for public lands and outdoor recreation: the passage of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act through Congress.
The recreation community played a pivotal role in helping secure this historic victory for the outdoors during the final days of the 118th Congress. This first-of-its-kind package of bills to improve recreation and increase and enhance outdoor access on federal public lands was signed into law earlier this year.
Enhancing outdoor access on federal public lands
Over the last ten years, The Mountaineers and our partners at Outdoor Alliance and the Coalition for Outdoor Access have advocated together and activated outdoor enthusiasts from the human-powered recreation community in support of the EXPLORE Act. The legislation includes the SOAR Act and the PARC Act, top Mountaineers advocacy priorities to improve the federal permitting process and protect wilderness climbing, respectively.
The Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act will simplify and improve the unpredictable recreational permitting system that creates barriers for those who want to experience the outdoors through facilitated group experiences like those offered by The Mountaineers. We helped lead advocacy efforts for the SOAR Act because its permitting improvements will benefit our programs that utilize permits to take groups on federal lands like national parks and forests.
SOAR Act passage was truly a decade in the making: the genesis of the bill started with conversations spearheaded by late Mountaineers member and Washington conservation leader, Doug Walker. After seeing growing permitting challenges for our volunteer-led programs, past Mountaineers conservation staffer Katherine Hollis helped draft the original bill. “It’s a testament to the power of The Mountaineers voice, strong partnerships, and years of advocacy, that federal legislation on this issue has been signed into law,” Katherine shared.
The Mountaineers helped develop the bill with the Coalition for Outdoor Access – a national advocacy group made up of nonprofit outdoor education organizations, outfitters, guides, and other recreation providers. Current Mountaineers Conservation & Advocacy Director Betsy Robblee has worked on the SOAR Act her entire time on staff and testified before Congress about the importance and impact of the legislation.
In addition to simplifying the permitting process, the SOAR Act will provide more flexibility by allowing The Mountaineers to engage in other activities that are similar to those specified in our permits. For example, if we already have a permit for snowshoeing, that same permit could be used for backcountry skiing. The bill will also create a process that allows for multi-jurisdictional trips under the same permit and will ensure that permit days aren’t lost due to unforeseen circumstances like weather or wildfire.
“The Mountaineers ability to speak to on-the-ground challenges in the Pacific Northwest was pivotal in garnering support for the SOAR Act, and it was a critical component of the Coalition for Outdoor Access advocacy effort,” shared American Mountain Guides Association Executive Director, Matt Wade.
While the SOAR Act was our top priority, we're also excited about other aspects of the EXPLORE Act, including the Protect America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act, which will help protect wilderness climbing on federal public lands by reiterating Congress’ position that fixed anchors are appropriate in Wilderness Areas. Additionally, the EXPLORE Act will designate new long distance mountain biking trails, improve access to nature, and expand recreation opportunities for youth, traditionally marginalized communities, and veterans.
Mountaineers climbers on Mt. St. Helens. Photo by Ida Vincent.
The power of our collective advocacy
We’re deeply grateful for everyone in our community who joined us in advocating for the SOAR Act and the EXPLORE Act over the years. This win is proof again that our voices can move the needle, and that lawmakers are motivated to secure wins for the outdoors when they hear the importance of recreation to their constituents.
The passage of the EXPLORE Act is the result of years of hard work and many conversations with members of Congress. To give you a flavor of what it takes, here’s a deeper look into the direct and grassroots advocacy actions taken by The Mountaineers in support of the EXPLORE Act and the SOAR Act. Since 2020, we’ve:
- Sent over 4,000 messages to members of Congress.
- Sent or signed 16 letters, including testimony to Congress.
- Published over 10 blog posts, Mountaineer magazine articles, and action alerts.
- Conducted over 50 meetings with members of Congress, including several trips to Washington D.C.
- Participated in countless coalition meetings to coordinate advocacy efforts.
Getting the EXPLORE Act across the finish line was also a testament to the dedication and years of advocacy by Outdoor Alliance. Securing one of the most impactful wins for recreation policy is a fitting way to cap off Outdoor Alliance’s tenth year of uniting recreationists across the country.
What’s next for the EXPLORE Act?
Now that a federal recreation package has been signed into law, the EXPLORE Act joins the Great American Outdoors Act as another historic investment in outdoor recreation by Congress and the next success story in the rich conservation history of The Mountaineers. We’ll continue to track implementation of the EXPLORE Act and share more about how the EXPLORE Act will expand, improve, and enhance recreation in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Successful implementation of the EXPLORE Act depends on critical staff capacity at federal land management agencies like the Forest Service and National Park Service. Learn more about how recent staff reductions at those agencies will affect recreation and resource protection on Washington's public lands.
Washington’s congressional delegation, including Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, were strong champions for the EXPLORE Act. Celebrate EXPLORE Act passage by personalizing a thank you letter to your lawmakers using our online action tool: mountaineers.org/explore-act-passage.
This article originally appeared in our spring 2025 issue of Mountaineer magazine. To view the original article in magazine form and read more stories from our publication, visit our magazine archive.
