The history of Winter Park – Colorado’s longest continuously-operated ski area – is often told starting in the 1920s. That's when people are said to have “unofficially” started hitting the slopes, or .
Weston Backcountry started as a company based out of Minturn, and has grown in recent years to become one of the world’s major ski and snowboard providers. But in growing the brand, owner Leo Tsuo.
For big mountain skier Connor Ryan, skiing is a deeply spiritual experience. As a Hunkpapa Lakota Native American, he believes the mountains themselves are alive with spirits, along with the spirits of Indigenous Utes who inhabited them for centuries before miners came to Colorado in the 18th century.
From healing historical wounds to championing a brighter future, advocates are redefining the narrative around reservation dogs and their integral role in Indigenous identity and welfare.