About

Elk Mountains Backcountry Alliance is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is “protecting, promoting and enhancing human-powered recreation in the Gunnison valley”.

We represent recreational enthusiasts who recognize the physical and health benefits of self-propelled outdoor activities and appreciate the stress-reducing benefits and the value of solitude and wild places. We believe future generations deserve opportunities for solitude in natural settings.

Elk Mountains Backcountry Alliance recognizes and respects all users on our public lands

Our goals and objectives

Advocate

Actively participate in the planning processes that dictate policy on public lands.

Continue to seek funding for the Winter Use Data Collection Initiative conducted by Western Colorado University Master in Environmental Management (MEM) graduate students.

Collaborate

Create and expand partnerships and collaborate with other non-profits, public land managers and other stakeholders to protect and promote areas for quiet human-powered recreation in the backcountry.

Educate

Educate the community about the benefits of human-powered recreation and promote educational programs and activities that develop an appreciation for quiet places.

Educate the community and public about the need for balanced use in the backcountry of the Gunnison Valley.

Preserve

Support the preservation of wilderness, natural ecosystems, and quiet places with opportunities for solitude.

Expand Membership and outreach through community engagement.

President

Keith Bauer

Keith has lived in the Crested Butte area since the fall of 1995. A former salmon fisherman and resident of Alaska, Keith has also designed and built several houses in the Gunnison Valley. He was CB Nordic’s executive director from 2005 to 2013, during a period of tremendous growth for the organization. Keith was a BOZAR board member as well as chair for five years, and a former Crested Butte Land Trust board member and president. He and his wife Jodi love mountain biking, trail running, hiking, river running, Nordic and backcountry skiing.

Vice President

Maureen Hall

Maureen has lived in Crested Butte for 20 years. She has enjoyed working on various boards and committees including the Gunnison Trails Commission (six years), the Gunnison County Environmental Health Board (four years), High Country Conservation Advocates (six years) and the Crested Butte Public Policy Forum Executive Committee (10 years). Maureen seeks quiet recreation and solitude in the backcountry, either hiking during the summer or Nordic skiing in the winter.

Treasurer

Cathy Frank

Cathy has been a Silent Tracks board member since its inception in 2015. She is a Colorado native and has lived in Gunnison County since 1994. She was the Executive Director at the CB Nordic Council from 1994-2000. She has degrees in botany and gerontology and professional expertise as a secondary science teacher and as an environmental consultant. She is an avid outdoor recreationist and loves hiking, mountain and road biking, backpacking, and all types of skiing. Cathy is EMBA’s Treasurer.

Secretary

Laura Martineau

Laura spends all the time she can outdoors: hiking, biking, backpacking, skiing, and rafting. Laura grew up in Connecticut, but has lived in the Gunnison Valley since 1981. She and her husband, Tyler, raised their children in Crested Butte. Laura has worked as a reporter and freelance writer, specializing in water and environmental issues. She has served on the boards of many local nonprofits including the High Country Conservation Advocates, the Crested Butte Historical Society, the Crested Butte Arts Fair, the Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, Silent Tracks, and now, EMBA.

Board Member

Randi Stroh

I was born in New York City, and grew up in the suburbs. After college graduation, I moved to Crested Butte in the fall of 1971 and quickly met my life partner Tony Stroh in that very small town. We moved to Boulder in 1973 for professional reasons, but remained frequent visitors back to Crested Butte. We decided to make that permanent, and have been property owners and part-time residents from 1984-present.

I have been a citizen participant in many land use decisions in the Crested Butte area over the years, particularly at the County level. I am knowledgeable in the fundamentals of how the governmental and political decision-making processes work, and also have experience in group dynamics through experience and training.

I am a firm believer in EMBA’s mission. With my long-time perspective on how the area has grown and developed, I am convinced it is essential that the diverse quiet user community be recognized as a key stakeholder with an established seat at the table about future management and policy issues. This is about the human experience, but it is also about the ecology of the land and the health of the abundant wildlife population.

I was very pleased to be asked to join the Silent Tracks Board, now EMBA. This is an appropriate role for me in line with my lifestyle and values, and I see it as an opportunity to give back to a place which has given so much to me.