Greta Close | Backcountry & Mountain Flyer
PART ONE OF OUR PRINT SERIES
For decades, magazines like Backcountry and Mountain Flyer have shaped how we understand skiing and biking culture. In this conversation, I sit down with Greta Close, Managing Editor of Backcountry Magazine and Mountain Flyer, to talk about what it looks like to steward legacy print publications amidst today’s digital news cycle, and alongside the rise of smaller, independent magazines.
We dive into the history of Backcountry as the journal of record for backcountry skiing, and the evolution and redesign of Mountain Flyer. We also talk about how both magazines sit alongside sister publications Alpinist and Cross Country Skier under Height of Land Publications. We get into how risk shapes storytelling, particularly in backcountry skiing, and why avalanche education and mountain skills are embedded into the structure of each issue. We contrast that with the more fluid, culture- and craft-driven approach of Mountain Flyer.
Greta shares what it looks like to build an issue on a year-long timeline, why constraints and intention actually make print stronger, and how editing has shaped her voice as a writer. We also touch on the realities of legacy brands in today’s media landscape, competing for advertising dollars, navigating post-COVID industry shifts, and adapting without losing trust.
Stay tuned for more conversations about print in the outdoor space. This episode is part of a multi-week series exploring independent magazines, what’s exciting about this current wave, and the legacy publications that have long been the backbone of outdoor storytelling.
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Wander is an independent platform centered on movement, creativity, and connection in the outdoor space. We share conversations with athletes, creatives, and culture-shapers building thoughtful lives around sport and the landscapes that shape them.
This episode is part of our ongoing print-focused series exploring slow media in the outdoor world.
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