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Participate in our 2022/23 Report

Share your experience in the backcountry and help us share lessons with the community. All levels welcome.

What we aim to learn

In our first annual report we heard loud and clear that it's challenging to find great backcountry partners. This was universal across experience levels. This year we want to dive deeper into meeting partners and forming teams. A few of the things we hope to learn:

  • How do we, as a community, define what makes a "good" team?
  • Are there indicators of team quality that can tell you if you're on good or bad one?
  • How did teams with great teamwork achieve it?
  • Are there patterns of team dynamics?
  • How do people find and evaluate teammates today?

Two ways to help

This year we have multiple ways to participate depending on the time commitment you're able to make:

1 • Be part of our central cohort

We are seeking a small group of people (8) who will work with us periodically over the course of the whole season. This more longitudinal approach lends itself better to learn about how teams function. This is our ask of cohort members:

  • Three 1-hour interviews
  • Record and return short audio or video answers asynchronously to questions we ask (no more than every other week)
  • Complete a short questionnaire for each tour you go on. This entails a few questions and asks you to submitting any relevant data (gpx track, your plan if written, and photos you're comfortable sharing). We know you're busy, we'll make this work for you logistically.
  • A willingness to ask some of your partners if they would do an interview with us. We think speaking with entire teams will be incredibly helpful.

We are able to offer $100 for our cohort members and $25 for teammates interview with us. You will also play a real role in helping out your fellow backcountry enthusiasts. We are incredibly grateful for your time and we're looking for ways to add to this compensation.

Sign up

2 • Share a bit about your tours

We are seeking 20 people who would participate in "tour diaries" and share a little bit after each tour you go on. These are asynchronous and on your schedule. The ask of these participants is:

  • Complete a short questionnaire for each tour you go on. This entails a few questions and asks you to submitting any relevant data (gpx track, your plan if written, and photos you're comfortable sharing). We know you're busy, we'll make this work for you logistically.

You will also play a real role in helping out your fellow backcountry enthusiasts. We regret we simple can't afford other compensation for this contribution. We are incredibly grateful for your time. We are open to connecting with sponsors!

Sign up

Sponsorship Opportunities

SlabLab is seeking partners who see the value in this work and can support this season's efforts. There are many levels at which to support this research. You can support our admin costs or have your financial contribution or gear donations go directly to our participants. We will make sure your help is recognized in our report in elsewhere. To discuss sponsorship please email us.