Design for User Experience in Backcountry Wilderness Recreation

Wilderness is a typology of landscape that is not often thought of as needing to be designed. However wilderness areas are becoming increasingly overused and ecologically degraded as populations continue to urbanize and more... [ view full abstract ]

Wilderness is a typology of landscape that is not often thought of as needing to be designed. However wilderness areas are becoming increasingly overused and ecologically degraded as populations continue to urbanize and more people seek “wilderness experiences” for their restorative capacity. Mountain wilderness areas are seeing a significant increase in backcountry use, given current and broadly accessible motorized modes of mountain ascension, and research suggests the popularity of backcountry recreation (e.g., skiing, hiking and camping) is actually growing more rapidly than resort-based recreation typically associated with mountainous environments. This research explores whether design aiding accessible, safe and informed recreation, specifically for the backcountry influences human experience and its relationship with wilderness. Two case studies within the mountainous backcountry wilderness of British Columbia, questionnaires and direct observation were used to determine the ideal backcountry wilderness experience as identified by using the Recreation Experience Preference (REP) scales. Results indicate that the highest priority wilderness design features include those supporting scenery viewing, sense of remoteness, and reduction of visible impact to environment (e.g., reducing litter and waste). Conclusions suggest that backcountry skiers, hikers and campers desire a wilderness experience and that designed elements sited in backcountry activity areas affect the quality of this experience. It also suggests certain backcountry wilderness experiences can be improved with design for recreational users. Findings can be used to inform the design of unique wilderness recreation areas for specific activities and expand upon the current knowledge of recreation area design through the further understanding of the user experience in wilderness areas.