About MBA

Our Mission: To preserve quality traditional human-powered winter recreation experiences, improve access, and reduce conflict among backcountry users. We strive to build community among like-minded backcountry enthusiasts to serve our mission.

Our Goals: MBA represents the traditional backcountry ski and snowboard community.  We work to preserve and improve areas where we quietly ride.  Simply, MBA provides a voice for the backcountry skiers and snowboarders throughout Montana and works to protect and enhance areas where we recreate.

Our Vision: MBA envisions public lands policies that recognize that winter non-motorized and motorized users are generally looking for different recreational experiences. We recreate in the backcountry because of the unique opportunity to experience the beauty, quiet and solitude of the mountains during winter. We recognize that snowmobile high marking and quiet traditional backcountry winter use are not compatible in the same areas and can create a dangerous user conflict.

Board: We’re a volunteer board spread through Missoula and Bozeman. 

Meet the Board

  • Adam Switalski

    Adam is a Project Manager and Restoration Ecologist for the Missoula-based Clark Fork Coalition.  He is a founding Board Member of MBA and currently the Board President.  When not dreaming of snow-covered mountains, he is skiing and yurting with his family and friends.   

  • Leah Samberg

    Leah Story is a skier, mountain runner, and mom in Missoula, Montana. She's generally down for stupidly long days wandering in the mountains, though will take pow turns too when offered, and she is already being dropped by her 8-year-old on the downhills. When not out playing, she's a lead scientist with the Rainforest Alliance, supporting agriculture that protects forests and climate. 

  • Cassidy Randall

    Cassidy Randall is an author and journalist writing on adventure and people who expand human potential. She loves skiing hot laps at Marshall just as much as big tours in the mountains surrounding Missoula. 

  • Connor Koch

    Based in Bozeman, Connor Koch is a writer, community leader, and mountain endurance athlete for Arc’teryx Equipment. Both on the road and at home, he spends his time in wild and high spaces, seeking out long walks and untouched snow. 

  • Shelby Smith

    Shelby is an alpine-loving Bozemanite with a huge place in her heart for backcountry skiing and her community. She's very serious about getting the best view with her dog, Bergschrund, her climate work to save wild places, and her mountaineering snacks. Some might call her a connoisseur of all things sour and gummy, not to mention her keen eye for a great pastry. 

  • Chris Kussmaul

    Residing in Bozeman, Christopher Kussmaul is an economic geologist and author. He can most readily be found bushwhacking throughout Southwest Montana's ranges in search of elusive fall line skiing.  

  • Derek Goldman

    Derek lives in Missoula, where he works as an environmental policy advocate. He has been snowboarding the backcountry of the Northern Rockies since before splitboards were a thing.

  • Zac Cheviron

    Zac didn’t write a bio because he’s a very busy guy running a lab at the University of MT on evolutionary physiology on a changing planet, so I’ll take the liberty of writing one for him. Zac likes to ski a lot.