Winter is coming, the stoke is high, and preparing for another season of backcountry adventure starts now. Join Aspen Public Radio and The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) on Saturday, October 17, for the Roaring Fork Valley’s third annual Backcountry Symposium — a FREE event with a new format for more hands-on learning and time to get outside.
The day kicks off with the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club annual sports swap on the streets around TACAW (from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and group adventures on the beautiful routes around Willits from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., with a run led by the crew from Independence Run and Hike and a bike ride led by Kyle Wellborn and Joel Dickey.
Then join us back at TACAW for hands-on, expert-led workshops from 1 to 3 p.m. — in your choice of first aid, backcountry safety skills or bike repairs — so you’re more prepared for your next big day out. For the groms (and kids-at-heart), local children’s book author Jill Sheeley will read her newest tale of rescue and adventure in the “Fraser the Yellow Dog” series, with a safety-gear primer from Ute Mountaineer founder Bob Wade, at 1 p.m.
As the sun tucks behind the mountains, head inside for a season forecast, social hour, and thoughtful conversations about our relationship with the outdoors. Open Snow’s Sam Collentine gives us a look at the winter ahead at 3:30 p.m., followed by mingling, drinks and a raffle from 4 to 5 p.m.
Then, we’ll settle into the theater with local rescuers, avalanche pros and mental health clinicians to discuss “The Aftermath” — how to care for one another after a backcountry disaster — from 5 to 6 p.m. The Symposium will conclude with Aspen Hall-of-Famer Paul Andersen, who gives the keynote at 6:30 p.m., on “the evolution of an environmentalist.” We’ll have food trucks outside TACAW throughout the day — coffee and pastries from Pico Cafe in the morning, Dustino’s Pizza Strada to fuel the afternoon — and Explore Books will sell a collection of books by our speakers and other outdoor leaders to inspire your next adventure. Several local authors will be on site for book signings in the afternoon and evening, including Sheeley, Andersen, Art Burrows and Lou Dawson.
You’ll find more details on all our programming in the schedule below.
This event is meant for the seasoned backcountry enthusiast and the eager rookie alike, celebrating all forms of outdoor recreation. Swing by for a session or stay for the whole day.
RSVP now to claim your spot, and enter our raffle for sweet backcountry gear and goodies. You must be present to win a prize during our social hour from 4 to 5 p.m. If you plan to join a hands-on workshop in the afternoon, please register for that as well — you’ll see an extra link on TACAW’s website to sign up. Act now to make sure you have a spot!
Special thanks to artist Sarah Uhl for donating the artwork for this year’s poster art.
2026 Backcountry Symposium Schedule
ALL DAY: FOOD TRUCKS
9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Pico Cafe
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Dustino’s Pizza Strada
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club Sports Swap
Snag your next pair of skis and a great deal on Gore-Tex with more than 30 vendors on the streets around TACAW before you settle in at the symposium. The Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club receives a portion of all sales to support young athletes throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
Organized by the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club
10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Group Run and Group Bike Ride
Choose between a run with the crew from Independence Run and Hike or a bike ride with Kyle Wellborn and Joel Dickey from the Sunday Morning Coffee Rides. Both social pace adventures will meet by the bike racks north of TACAW on Market Street, then explore the quieter side of Basalt on scenic backroads and paths. For the run, plan on a social pace and a route of 3 to 5 miles. For the ride, plan on a longer adventure at a no-drop pace, with gentle terrain and some rolling hills on backroads and bike paths over about 17 miles.
1 p.m.
Jill Sheeley’s beloved "Adventures of Fraser the Yellow Dog” series tells of big days in the mountains and heroic rescues by Fraser and friends. Jill reads from her latest book for young readers, “Rescue at Aspen Highlands,” joined by Ute Mountaineer founder Bob Wade with reminders for how to stay safe in the woods.
This event is aimed at elementary and middle school-aged children, but all ages are welcome to attend. Jill will sign books after the storytime.
1-3 p.m.
Hands-On Safety Workshops
You’ve heard “know before you go” more times than you can count. But how much do you actually know? Choose one of three hands-on workshops to prepare for big days in the backcountry — and make sure you’re ready when plans go awry.
No previous experience is required, but you should sign up in advance for Backcountry First Aid and Backcountry Safety Skills. The workshop registration link is separate from the symposium RSVP, and is posted right below the workshop descriptions on TACAW’s webpage for the event.
WORKSHOP 1: Backcountry First Aid with Kaen “kl” Lapides
Join WildMed Etrier owner and Wilderness Medicine Reference app founder Kaen Lapides for a 2 hour workshop focused on learning the environmental challenges of a winter, high altitude environment. This course will cover hypothermia, avalanche resuscitation, frostbite, high altitude illness and the subjective influences that contribute to the development of these largely preventable situations. There is no prerequisite for this class. WildMed Etrier carries general liability insurance through Hiscox.
WORKSHOP 2: Backcountry Safety Skills with Mountain Rescue Aspen
Mountain Rescue Aspen’s team of volunteers has decades of experience in the field, both performing search-and-rescue operations and exploring the backcountry themselves, and they make education a core part of the mission. Join several members of the crew for a variety pack of backcountry safety skills — and, if you’re hungry for more, check out the resources on the education page of their website.
WORKSHOP 3: Bike Maintenance and Repairs with Carbondale Bike Project
Flat tire? Broken chain? A wheel that just... fell off? Join the team from the nonprofit Carbondale Bike Project and learn how to fix whatever's ailing your trusty steed. Swing by this drop-in workshop any time between 1 and 3 p.m. and their volunteers will help address your needs in the moment, so you're ready to hit the trails and solve the problem if it comes up again. Just wear close-toed shoes for safety — and some clothes you don't mind getting a little grease on.
2-3 p.m.
SPOTLIGHT: Medical Emergencies in the Backcountry with Dr. Chris Roseberry
Airways, breathing, circulation — and frostbite: Do you know the protocol for a medical emergency in the backcountry? Aspen Valley Health’s trauma medical director and chief of medical staff Dr. Christopher Roseberry offers a primer on field trauma evaluations, including tactics to stop bleeding, address spinal injuries and more. Dr. Roseberry — also a physician for the U.S. Ski Team and a medical-crew volunteer for cycling and ski races — leads this talk as an on-stage presentation with time for audience questions. (For a longer, hands-on format, register for one of the afternoon safety workshops.)
3:30-4 p.m.
SPOTLIGHT: Winter 2026-27 Forecast with Open Snow COO Sam Collentine
Maybe you’ve seen the Super El Niño hats — and stickers, and t-shirts and hoodies and headlines. But what does this change in global weather patterns really mean for our winter in the valley? Open Snow’s Chief Operating Officer Sam Collentine gets into the forecast for Aspen Snowmass in the 2026-27 ski season, and shares tricks to find powder days across Colorado.
4-5 P.M.
Social Hour and Raffle
Find your next adventure buddy (and score some sweet new gear) with giveaways at TACAW. Your RSVP to the symposium is your entry into the raffle — but you must be present at the giveaway to win. Prizes this year include a premium subscription to Open Snow, products from La Sportiva, gift certificates to Gear Head Outfitters and more... like a full avalanche safety kit with beacon, shovel and probe (worth $600) from the Ute Mountaineer!
5-6 p.m.
PANEL: The Aftermath
Avalanches. Injuries. Unexpected medical events. After a disaster in the backcountry, we tend to focus on what happened and what went wrong. But in the hours, weeks and months that follow, survivors and responders still have to heal. Aspen Hope Center Chief Clinical Officer Lily Larkin, LCSW, Aspen Expeditions guide Chris “Sunshine” Edwards, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Deputy Director Brian Lazar, and Mountain Rescue Aspen team member Jordie Karlinski reflect on how we can care for our community in the aftermath of trauma — and how outdoor leaders can balance “lessons learned” with sensitivity to victims and survivors, moderated by freelance journalist Kaya Williams.
6:30-7:30 PM
KEYNOTE: The Evolution of an Environmentalist with Paul Andersen
Aspen Hall-of-Famer and award-winning journalist Paul Andersen has spent a lifetime loving and learning from the outdoors — then sharing that experience with others, through his Huts for Vets nonprofit, wilderness programs for the Aspen Institute, and extensive writing on the natural world. In this keynote speech, on “the evolution of the environmentalist,” Paul reflects on what it means to care for our environment and appreciate our surroundings. Paul will sign books after the reading, joined by Lou Dawson and Art Burrows.
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This symposium is being produced by Aspen Public Radio and TACAW, made possible with support from Aspen Valley Health, along with our speakers and programming partners: Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, Explore Books, WildMed Etrier, Mountain Rescue Aspen, Carbondale Bike Project, Open Snow, Aspen Hope Center, Aspen Expeditions, Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Independence Run and Hike and Ute Mountaineer.
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About Aspen Public Radio: Aspen Public Radio is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to support, nourish, and enrich our community by providing informative, entertaining, and educational radio and digital programming in a reliable and professional manner. Founded in 1980 as Roaring Fork Public Radio Translator, broadcasting from Sy Coleman’s living room in 1981, Aspen Public Radio has now grown into one of the most relied upon news institutions in the Roaring Fork Valley. The station is located in the Red Brick Center for the Arts at 110 E. Hallam Street, Suite 134, Aspen, Colorado.
You can listen to Aspen Public Radio at 91.5FM and 88.9FM, along with other repeater signals depending on location throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, or by streaming the station at aspenpublicradio.org from anywhere in the world.
About TACAW: The mission of The Arts Campus at Willits is to present exceptional performing arts, cultural events, and thought-provoking programming that sustain a connected, engaged, and inspired community. The nation’s first net-zero, all-electric performing arts facility that functions using at or near net-zero energy usage throughout the year, TACAW features music, theater, comedy, film, lecture series dialogues and more. Learn more at tacaw.org or by calling 970-510-5365.
