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Saying Goodbye to Amy Kelsey, and Welcoming Matt Williams As The CTA's New Executive Director
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As many of you know, I will be leaving the CTA next month to pursue new adventures. I began at the CTA in August of 2008 as its first full time Trail Director, and since January of 2013, I have served in the Executive Director role. I have truly enjoyed working with the landowners, members,…
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Ski Cubs 2018: A Season For the Record Books!
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If you’re a devoted reader of the Catamount Trail Association’s blog, you might be wondering, “What happened in the second half of the Ski Cubs season?” Well, for a few weeks, we were wondering that, too. I had been planning for ski days and on-snow curriculum for months, and the second half of the season…
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The Vermont Backcountry Alliance Is Official And Seeking Input From The BC Community
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Today we’re happy to be able to officially announce the formation of a new CTA working group and advocacy group here in Vermont – The Vermont Backcountry Alliance. Representatives from the CTA and various other partners have been working all winter to make this happen. Check out the official press release below and stay tuned…
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30 Years Ago Today
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Today is a very special day at the CTA! According to this calendar detailing the schedule of the Catamount Nordic Ski Trail Ski Vermont ’84 Expedition. On this day–March 19, 1984–Steve Bushey, Paul Jarris, and Ben Rose completed the inaugural ski of the Catamount Trail. That’s 30 years ago today! From the Press Release that…
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Maine Huts Winner Announced: Congratulations Ronald Goldberg
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First off… thank you to everyone that made a contribution during the Catamount Trail Association’s Annual Fund Campaign! No contribution is too small, and every little bit helps us continue to do what we do to ensure that you have access to great backcountry skiing all across the state of Vermont! This year Maine…
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Circling The Camel: Skiing An Iconic Vermont Peak
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My skis glide onto the edge of an alpine wetland. A dark rocky cliff face looms high above and a layer of spruce trees cuts into the grey sky. I’m about halfway in to my 13-mile ski tour, and the boulder at the opposite end of this frozen water looks to be the perfect spot…
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Sketching & Skiing On The 2014 Northern Week-Long Tour: Priscilla Kimberly
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Priscilla Kimberly, or Cilla is quite an extraordinary woman. If you’ve ever been to any of our instructional events there’s a good chance that Cilla was there sharing her knowledge and love of backcountry skiing. Cilla is not only a great backcountry skier and instructor, she is also an incredibly talented artist. Earlier last…
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Where did the winter go? – Ski Cubs Week 6
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A GIGANTIC thank you to all of the sponsors who have helped make Ski Cubs possible this season. Sponsors include Bolton Valley, Sleepy Hollow Inn, Ski and Bike Center, the Alpine Shop, Burlington City Arts, Smartwool, Rossignol, the Lintilhac Foundation, and the Byrne Foundation. We simply could not run this program without you! Another season of Ski Cubs has concluded, and I…
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What Is The VTBC!
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BACKGROUND: Since the fall of 2013, a dedicated group of backcountry skiers and riders in Vermont has been working with the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) to explore the idea a newly envisioned coalition, the Vermont Backcountry Alliance (VTBC), working in close collaboration with the CTA. In partnership with the CTA and a growing list of…
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Thank You to All Ski Cubs Volunteers – Ski Cubs Weeks 4 & 5
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During the Ski Cubs season we have the capacity for 30 youth to participate each weekend, limited by the number of skis, boots, and poles that we have. Since there is only one of me, I rely heavily on volunteer instructors each weekend to help teach the participants how to ski, and show them how…
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In Their Packs & On Their Backs: Amy Kelsey
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In Their Packs & On Their Backs is a recurring feature here on the CTA blog where we take a peek inside the packs of seasoned backcountry skiers to see what they take with them when out exploring Vermont in the winter. By exposing some of the choices these winter professionals have made, we hope…
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Warning: Increased Avalanche Danger In New England Backcountry
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Everyone be careful out there… There is considerable instability in the Vermont backcountry and there are have been a few slides and a lot of snow movement right down to that old frozen layer. There’s not a ton of snow on top of it but a slide is a slide. There have been a couple…
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GALLERY: 2014 Northern Week-Long Tour Day 4 – Catamount Trail Section 27
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Here we have a gallery of images courtesy of Sheri Larsen from Day 4 of our Northern Week-Long Tour. On this day the tour tackled Section 27 of the Catamount Trail skiing the 7.5 miles from the Eden/Craftsbury Townline to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. This is a great intermediate ski that’s not too…
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2014 Northern Week-Long Tour Update: Day 3 – Catamount Trail Section 26
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Our Northern Week-Long Tour is almost half-way over and they have been having an amazing time! The conditions for this tour have been perfect with fresh, deep snow, reasonable temperatures, and clear enough skies. Below is an update from Tour Coordinator Peter Cottrell: Section 26 climbs north out of the Lamoille Valley near Wolcott,…
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Catamount Trail Section 22 – Bolton To Nebraska Valley Road: February 9, 2014
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Where: Catamount Trail Section 22 – Bolton To Trapps (well… to Nebraska Valley Road) Date: February 9, 2014 Weather: Partly Cloudy, high teens to low 20’s, and very little wind Conditions: Recent snow made for great conditions. The trail was soft in places, and completely free of ice. Coverage in the woods was ok… but…
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Catamount Trail Section 1: Harriman Dam to Route 100 (Easy Introductory Tour)
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On Saturday 2-1-14 four skiers went on the section 1 novice ski tour. With ideal temperatures in the upper 20s, we skied for 3 hours from the Harriman Dam south almost to Route 100 then skied back in order to avoid a car shuttle ( group decision ). We covered about 5 miles and were…
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Amy Otten: 2014's First End to Ender!
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Amy Otten is a long time CTA member, a current member of the CTA Board, and a seasoned year-round outdoors person. And now, she is also a Catamount Trail End to Ender! Congratulations Amy! Amy can often be found on the trail in the winter months, and spends a good deal of time hiking or…
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You Can't Play Soccer in the Winter! – Ski Cubs Week 3
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The Ski Cubs crew headed to Bolton Valley this past weekend in search of new terrain and adventures. We played tons of games and worked on getting comfortable moving around on our skis on varied terrain. The field outside the Nordic Center and Broadway provided perfect slopes for a few rounds of Red Light,…
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New Meatheads Short – NEO Four: Stowe
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Meathead Films just dropped a new short film showcasing some of the great terrain found around the Stowe area. The footage is from last March and early April. So, despite the current… let’s say… challenging… conditions, there is still hope for us. There’s still a lot of season left. It’s not February yet, but…
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In Their Packs & On Their Backs: Pete Lane
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In Their Packs & On Their Backs is a recurring feature here on the CTA blog where we take a peek inside the packs of seasoned backcountry skiers to see what they take with them when out exploring Vermont in the winter. By exposing some of the choices these winter professionals have made, we hope…
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Hit the Deck – Ski Cubs Week 2
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I think we have found a new favorite Ski Cubs game judging by the laughter and screams coming from Molly’s Meadow this past Saturday at Sleepy Hollow. Hit the Deck, a game I learned a few years ago while working with youth as a sea kayak guide, translates quite nicely to an on-snow game with…
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Ski Cubs is Off to a Great Start!
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Snow’s out, sun’s out! The 2014 Ski Cubs season is underway and what a season it is shaping up to be. This past Saturday we had our first session at Sleepy Hollow Ski and Bike Center in Huntington. Twenty-one participants and five adults from Hunt Middle School, Winooski Youth Programs, and Rock Point High School…
