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Six Cross Country Skiing Hacks
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Here are a few hacks from our Section 21 Trail Chief Debbie Page! And there you have it from 13 years on the glorious Catamount Trail!
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Donate Your Used Nordic Ski Gear To The CTA!
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Last season had its challenges due to the COVID pandemic, and while we were unable to run many of our programs as we have in the past, these new restrictions allowed us to reimagine and redeploy our resources in new ways. During a typical season we partner with Bolton Valley Resort to host our Ski…
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Ski Cubs: Week 5 Report
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When life gives you lemons, sometimes you just need to go on a treasure hunt. With the total absence of snow, that is exactly what we did at Brewster Pierce Memorial School last Friday. Armed with a GPS unit and a set of instructions to find 5 geocaches hidden around the school property, small teams…
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Backcountry Magazine Basecamp Raffle Tickets Available Now!
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The Backcountry Magazine Basecamp event at Smugglers’ Notch Resort is in just a few days! Join us for some BC clinics, demos, and FUN! On Saturday night there is a huge raffle where skis, boots, bindings, boards, and other gear will be raffled off. You don’t have to be present to win… but you will…
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52 Hours in Canada – Going Way Out For BC Turns
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Last week when it was 50 degrees and spitting rain, the Dogy Down Films crew packed up our gear, kissed the kids goodnight, and piled into a Honda Pilot to begin the 10-hour overnight drive to the Chic-Choc Mountains in Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula. Each one of us was secretly wondering what we were getting ourselves…
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Backcountry Basecamp At Smugglers Notch – February 27-28
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At the end of this month Backcountry Magazine, in association with GORE-TEX and Voilé, will return to Smugglers’ Notch Resort on February 27-28 as part of their annual BASECAMP Tour. At the Smuggs’ BASECAMP stop, Backcountry Magazine staff will showcase the newest equipment, including skis, skins, splitboards, beacons, shovels, probes and airbag packs, all in…
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Partnership Conserves Farmland, Forest, Catamount Trail and Other Mad River Valley Trails
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A 280-acre hill farm in Fayston is being revived as a working farm. Mad River Valley-based farmers and food entrepreneurs Sebastian von Trapp, Georgia von Trapp, and Joey Nagy purchased the former Tenney farm from the Vermont Land Trust on Friday, January 22, 2016. The project permanently protects a section of the Catamount Trail and…
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Bolton Valley Ski Cubs: Week 1 Report
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In the week leading up the the first session of the Ski Cubs youth xc-ski program on January 16th, I was intermittently wringing my hands, checking weather reports for Bolton Valley Nordic Center, and tweaking the plan for the first day in case we ended up getting the projected sleet and freezing rain this past Saturday.…
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Thank You Onion River Sports!
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A few weeks ago, before the holidays, Onion River Sports hosted a showing of the movie Jumbo Wild at the Savoy Theater in Montpelier. Afterwards there was an after-party and raffle at the Skinny Pancake. It was a super fun evening and the proceeds raised from the raffle and movie ticket sales was generously donated by Onion…
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A Hoot and a Howl – Encounters Along the Trail
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We often consider the onset of winter to represent an annual senescence or seasonal pause of life. Birds cease their forest melodies, all but the most tenacious leaves fall to the ground in varying hues of brown, and many creatures retreat to secret havens to wait out dark days and cold north winds. So, yes,…
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Alpine Resort Uphill Policy Reminder
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Well… that little bit of snow this past Saturday night was a nice surprise! And though we can’t ski in the woods yet, that doesn’t mean there aren’t turns to be earned. We wanted to take a minute to thank Stowe Mountain Resort and all of the other resorts in Vermont that are working hard to make snow…
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2016 Backcountry Winter Event Calendar Available!
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We’ve got quite a selection of instructional events, races, festivals, and tours lined up for 2016! Check out our new Winter Events Calendar to read all about every fun thing we have planned! This winter we have: (8) Multi-Day Tours (33) Free Single-Day Backcountry Tours (6) Instructional Weekends (3) Shuttle Assisted BC Tours (1)…
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One Less Troll Under the Bridge
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We work hard every year to keep mother nature at bay so we can continue to enjoy valuable time spent out on the trail. Clipping down newly sprouted hobble bush stems, taking down the low, overhanging branches of American beech, and removing all shapes and sizes of deadfall remain the persistent tasks trail workers can…
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The CTA rings in Another Year at the 32nd Annual Meeting
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GMC headquarters in Waterbury were full of enthusiastic friends and supporters of the Catamount Trail who traveled from near and far to attend the 32nd annual meeting of the CTA on November 14th. Following a midday gathering of Trail Chiefs, attendees made their way upstairs for positive reports on the health and stability of the organization, amendments to…
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Pimp My Boots: Intuition Liner and Professional Boot Fitting Giveaway!
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Pimp My Boots – November 2015 Nothing ruins a good day of skiing like ill fitting boots. And backcountry kicks can be especially difficult to fit. Unlike their alpine counterparts BC boots are expected to be comfortable while walking, climbing and skinning… and then still be able to crush it on the descent! That’s a…
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NATO Instructor Training Clinic At Bolton Valley – January 9th
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Are you an experienced backcountry skier interested in introducing others to the sport while also improving your own skills? Well, on Saturday, January 9th at Bolton Valley Resort we’ve teamed up with Dickie Hall from the North American Telemark Organization (NATO) to offer an Instructor Training Workshop aimed at accomplishing exactly that. Dickie is the founder and…
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CTA Introduces Founder’s Society
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The Catamount Trail Association is pleased to introduce the Founder’s Society, to recognize individuals taking a leadership role every year in ensuring the strength and future of the CTA. The Founder’s Society will honor a dedicated group of donors, those that contribute $1000 or more to the CTA in a given calendar year. The…
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First Look: Dynafit Radical ST 2.0
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The Radical 2.0 is Dynafit’s latest update to to their bread and butter all around touring series. They are the perfect balance of low weight, durability, and safety. The Radical ST 2.0 actually is a touch heavier than the old version, but hopefully the new features will justify the minor weight gain. Now, we haven’t yet…
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Trail Work: Keurig in the Green Mountains
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What happens when you’re hanging out with a couple of guys from Keurig Green Mountain? No, we didn’t end up mainlining K-Cups… but we did, coincidentally, talk a lot about good coffee and good food. Last Tuesday Amy and I met up with Matt Deluca and Mike Marotto for a day of trail work along…
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Section 10 workday and passing of the blue blazes
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On October 13th Amy and I took a trip down to Section 10 of the Catamount Trail in Ludlow. It was a surprisingly perfect fall day—complete with dappled sun, brilliant foliage, and warm temperatures. We did a walk-through of the 5.8-mile section from Patch Brook Road to Buttermilk Falls in the company of two valued…
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Vermont Trails and Greenways Council Receives $20,000
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In the past few years there has been a steady uptick in the number of people who are getting out and exploring the backcountry trails that lace their way through the peaks and valleys of Vermont. It seems like almost anyone in Vermont can name a friend, neighbor, or family member who has recently ventured…
