Ruby Run Blog

2025 Ruby Run Redux: March 1st – 9th

The Ruby Runners are back on the trail! One year ago the team ran out of snow in Stowe and with deep regret had to abandon their 40th anniversary end-to-end tour at Trapp Family Nordic. But what a difference a year makes! With some of the best snow in recent memory under their skis an even bigger team set off for Canada escorted by a merry band of skiers eager to show their support and share a piece of Catamount Trail history.

The 2025 Ruby Runners are Paul Jarris, Ben Rose, Bob Brandt, Michelle Brandt, Nancy Chickering, George Critides, Sarah Coe, Kevin Batson, and Jay Stearns. However, they will be joined by many friends along the way!

We hope you’ll come ski with the founders during the Ruby Run Redux or just enjoy following their adventures here on the Ruby Run Blog.

Words and photos courtesy of Jay Stearns.

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Day 1: March 1st – Section 23 (Trapp Family Lodge to Edson Hill)

The Ruby Run Redux had a great start on Saturday, March 1st, skiing Section 23 with 17 skiers, amazing snow, and some additional visitors on the way. 

The snow was smooth and fast as the skiers flew across the beautiful and varied landscape that defines the Stowe hills and valley. And right on cue, a snowfall welcomed them as they entered Wiessner Woods. After a brief photo stop at the Founders plaque, the group cruised into Edson Hill for a reunion with Steve Bushey, founding member and the original inspiration behind an impossible idea that has captured the imagination of so many.

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Day 2: March 2nd – Section 24 (Edson Hill to Ryder Brook Golf Club)

A frosty, bluebird day welcomed the Runners as we set off from Edson Hill floating on 3-4 inches of feather-light freshies. Once again, the team was joined by many friends of the CT, most notably Trina Hosmer, former Olympic nordic skier who sets a mean pace. Other skiers included Bridget Brennan, Wendy Hubbard, and John O’Neill.

After several miles of gliding through the magnificent Sterling Forest we were treated to hot cider and donuts courtesy of the Stowe Land Trust and Vermont Land Trust (part of the Sterling Ski Party!). CTA Executive Director, Matt Williams, joined the crew for a few miles as the woods gave way to the open fields and historic farms that dot this iconic landscape. Spectacular views of the frosted Sterling Ridge were a treat that only faded as we dropped down to Route 100 at Ryder Brook golf course. Another grand day covering over 12 miles in excellent time.

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Day 3: March 3rd – Section 25 (Ryder Brook Golf Club to Route 15)

Another perfect morning smiled on the Runners and friends as they set out on the challenging Section 25, which heads over Elmore Mountain and on to the Lamoille River. In addition to yesterday’s crew, we were joined by energetic volunteer trail chiefs Sue Emmons and Jamen Masi along with Brian Sharlach, Sean Brown, Dean Bloch, Rob Merrifield, and Josh Brown, a writer for the UVM magazine.

During the steady climb across open fields, the group took a short detour to visit Mr. LD Bliss, a long-time supporter of the trail, who enjoyed our applause as he watched us through a picture window that frames the white-capped mountains across the valley.

Stopping briefly at the base of Elmore Mountain we put on climbing skins to tackle the steep ascent up and across the shoulder. A series of fun drops took us through gorgeous glades and down the other side to Elmore village for some trail magic cookies that Jamen had stashed in her truck.

The last few miles climbs through a sugarbush followed by a rapid descent down VAST trails to the Lamoille River valley. Having covered a hard 14 miles today the weary crew climbed into our vehicles and headed to Craftsbury where we will be based for the rest of the trip.

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Day 4: March 4th – Section 26 (Route 15 to Eden/Craftsbury Town Line)

From Route 15 the trail rises steadily through a very tidy sugaring operation and Jay bores his trail mates with the finer points of main lines, vacuum gauges, and solar-powered remote monitoring units. The sap hasn’t started to flow yet but all is ready for that magic moment.

The snow is excellent and we follow the tracks of trail chief Adrian Owens who set off an hour in front of us, we never meet up, but appreciate his showing us the way. The snow starts to soften by the time we stop for lunch along the Green River reservoir and it’s here that we meet Oscar, a friendly shaggy cross of collie, St Bernard, Bernese – no one is sure. Oscar decides to shepherd the Runners and happily walks in our tracks as we set off north. Despite encouraging him to go home – that never works – it becomes clear that Oscar is staying with us until the end of the day.

But the amusing situation soon becomes more serious as the deep, soft snow starts to clump to his fur in snowballs the size of bowling balls. Oscar stops frequently to try and chew these off and the Runners do their best to first knock them off, then cut them off with trauma scissors. Oscar soldiers on, visibly tiring and slowing the group down but we still have miles to go. Sean finds a phone number on his tag and calls the owner who tells us this happens all the time (!). After 6 long miles, they are happily reunited and we decide Oscar should be made an honorary member of the CTA. Just another tail from the trail.

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Day 5: March 5th – Section 27 (Eden/Craftsbury Townline to Craftsbury Outdoor Center)

After a fabulous run of beautiful days, the weather has turned wet. Oscar couldn’t make it but trail legend Steve Marcotte joins us today and John has strapped on his old-school hickory skinny skis for the relatively easy 7 miles to Craftsbury. The light rain makes the snow less sticky than yesterday and we glide quickly through the woods and fields along the Eden town line before dropping down to Rt 14 and the climb up towards Craftsbury.

Just as we crest the hill we are met by a gleeful invasion of third-graders from Julie Higgins’s class at Craftsbury School. They have been skiing all winter on equipment loaned by the CTA’s Ski Cub program and don’t so much ski as run, jump, bounce, and race over the snow in their excitement to greet us. After a few photos and much chatter, we ski up toward the school and are met by another surprise – Steve Fernandes with his accordion. Steve and Will Skerrett, both long-time CTA trail chiefs and board members, have conspired with Julie and her students to sing the Ruby Runners into Craftsbury. Lyric sheets are passed out and together we sing This Land Is Your Land as the rain mixes with tears on our cheeks.

Waving goodbye to our young friends we head towards what we think is the trail only to hear their shouts from across the field, “You’re going the wrong way”. Once on the right trail we soon meet Matt Williams and ski together into the center wet and happy. But the excitement isn’t over. Section 27 marks the final section for George Critides and Sarah Coe in their quest to finish the entire 330-mile length of the Catamount Trail and we form an honor column as they ski under our raised ski poles to celebrate their joining the ranks of end-to-enders. What a day and it’s only lunchtime. 

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Day 6: March 6th – Section 28 (Craftsbury Outdoor Center to Lowell Village)

We ski to Lowell today and the third-graders, plus teachers and parents, are back to lead us to the edge of the Craftsbury trails. Yesterday’s rain has left Little Hosmer Pond a slushy mess so we detour south adding a mile or so to what will be a long day. The students kindly hand out candy and send us off with a Catamount cheer as we head up Wylie Hill with Steve Fernandes and Dean Bloch joining the Runners today.

In the middle of a muddy road walk, trail chief Adrien Owens arrives to lead us across farmland, through rolling forest, past a sawmill and then up along Rogers Branch River swollen with snow melt. At the height of land, Adrien bids us farewell and we continue along this part of the historic Bailey-Hazen. military road lined with old maples and with great views to the east. We have a quick lunch and then join the VAST trail for the steady climb up to 2100’ and over Lowell Mountain where the wind turbines stand quiet today.

The heavy wet snow in the woods makes it hard to turn and some stay on the nearby VAST trail as we drop steadily down to a road crossing. More VAST trails and then we turn onto Jan Rozendaal’s groomed ski trails that lead us to a fabulous view of the ridge line that has Belvidere to the south
and Hazen’s Notch to the north – our destination tomorrow. Having skied hard all day our tired legs now face a long steep descent across former Governor Dean’s woodland that includes the notorious Dean’s Dive. The snow is treacherous and most everyone gets tripped up at some point but eventually, we are in Lowell and 14 miles closer to Canada.

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Day 7: March 7th – Section 29 (Lowell Village to Hazen’s Notch (West Side))

As we arrive in Lowell for the climb up to Hazens Notch, winter has returned with blowing snow and uncomfortable wind chills. Seeking shelter as we wait for the shuttle cars to return, the alarm in the Lowell Town Office is accidentally set off. Oh no. Within a few minutes, the local pastor arrives to reset the alarm and waits patiently for us to get underway. A big thank you to town officials for being so tolerant of our unintended trespass.

Our crew is up to 16 today – John, Bridget, and Brian are with us again along with friends from Stowe; Charles Safford, Neil and Carol van Dyke, and Ed Miller. We assemble for the obligatory group photo then head for the nearby VAST trail that is icy and fast having frozen solid overnight. As we ski along the banks of the Missisquoi River the clouds part, the sun comes out and spirits lift. And when we reach the open fields above the river we are treated to glorious views in every direction. The trail again joins the Bailey-Hazen road for a time and then weaves through cedar, spruce, and maple woods. The wind is still blowing but the beautiful woodland shelters us from the worst of it for now. We are soon skiing through a 35,000 tap sugarbush and wave hello to the sugarmaker waiting for the coming thaw that will kick off his season. 

A quick lunch and then we set off into the teeth of a gale that funnels through the notch. The cliffs of Sugarloaf loom above us and we zoom down the other side towards Montgomery pausing for photographs of Jay in the near distance. Once we reach the end of plowing the Stowe crew waves us goodbye and we turn around to climb back through the notch to our cars. It will turn out to be a prudent decision to finish this three-mile stretch in the sunshine because tomorrow will be challenging enough.

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Day 8: March 8th – Section 30 (Hazen’s Notch (West Side) to Jay Pass)

If yesterday blew a gale, today was storm force 10. The team set off in swirling snow and sub-zero wind chills on the Montgomery side of Hazens Notch Road relieved that we had skied the extra miles yesterday. Section 30 is steep but relatively short – less than 7 miles to the top of Jay Pass – and we assumed we’d have it knocked off by noon in good time for tea and scones at Jan Rozendaal’s home in Lowell. But after a mile or so of easy climbing, we hit a stream that had been blown open by Thursday’s rain, and the banks were littered with chunks of ice and drifted snow. After skiing back and forth, looking for a crossing spot, we settled on a frozen log that was at least wide enough to crawl across. One by one we slithered across the knobby log as Bob helped us to exit unceremoniously from the other end. As if our predicament wasn’t humbling enough, two AT skiers showed up and ate their lunch while enjoying the spectacle. Unsurprisingly, they chose not to cross and eventually skied off looking for powder.

Once across, we quickly realized that there was another stream barring our way. John and Ben skied 1/4 mile up the bank and found a way across, but in the meantime, Nancy and Paul had gathered dead logs to build a precarious bridge that even Little John would have had trouble crossing. Eventually, we were all high and (mostly) dry on the other side, but we had lost an hour between the two crossings and were uncertain if more obstacles lay ahead. 

We continued to slog steeply uphill detouring around impressive drifts and looking for trail markers as the wind and snow howled with gusts estimated at +50 mph. According to news reports Mt Washington recorded 130 mph the same day. And then from out of the gloom appeared an orange parka-wearing goggles – Misha Stojanovic the trail chief on this section. A force of nature herself, Misha led us uphill through some of the steepest terrain yet. Fortunately, there were no more water crossings but the fierce wind chilled us to the bone. We arrived at Jay Pass after five hours on the trail but the adventurous conditions had made it seem longer. After picking up the shuttle cars a group of us stopped in Lowell late but still welcome. Big thank you to Jan and Judy for their warm and generous hospitality. One day to go! 

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Day 9: March 9th – Section 31 (Jay Pass to Canadian Border)

It’s finally arrived – the dawn of our final day together on the trail. But strangely, after two years and 300+ miles, it seems like just another day as we go about our morning routine.

It’s a big crew today, and in addition to the nine core skiers – Ben, Paul, Bob, Michelle, Kevin, Nancy, George, Sarah, and Jay – we are joined by Bridget Brennan and John O’Neill, who have skied every mile of the Redux with us, Brian Sharlach and Dean Bloch who have skied with us several days, Julie Higgins and Michael O’Connor dressed in their trademark tutus, Josh Brown is back despite a broken thumb from an earlier section and Dave Burns, the Section 31S Trail Chief, joins us bringing the total to 17 skiers. 

Jay Pass is congested with snow and vehicles as we scramble up the snow banks and slab across a very steep incline that parallels the road for 1/8 mile. The snow is wind-scoured and icy, and a slip here would be trouble, but we make it across and into the woods. The snow falls gently as we move along at a stately pace, stopping occasionally as Dave tells us about the section and its various landowners. Unsurprisingly, this section is mostly downhill to the Jay Store and we enjoy some fun runs through a few inches of fresh snow. We pick up the pace at a hill climb, and then it’s downhill again as we twist and turn through maple and hemlock woods and across some open watercourses. Along the way, Josh breaks a pole but Michelle has been carrying a spare every mile of the trip for just this situation and saves the day. We stop for lunch at the store where some of the crew swap their heavy setups for lighter skis and a few skiers decide to call it a day. 

It’s about 2:00 as we set off quickly on the final flat six miles along VAST trails, past pucker brush and winding through the forest toward the border. The going is crunchy and we have our heads down, determined to get it done by 5:00 as we all have a long drive ahead. Jay misses a turn and we trudge back uphill and then across the open fields toward the unremarkable international border marked by a camera and a stone monument, mostly buried in snow. Congratulations are shared, photos taken, and an honor guard of ski poles formed for all to ski through. 

Of the five Ruby Runners who set off in 2024 – Ben, Paul, Bob, and Kevin – it’s their second time completing an end-to-end. For Jay, it’s his first time and he dons the t-shirt his father John Stearns wore at the last CTA organized end-to-end in 2003. Reluctantly and somewhat dazed we ski back to the car to share cheap Prosecco and to autograph John Stearns’ old Karhus that have now made the trip to the border twice. The Ruby Run is complete and it’s been a pleasure and an honor to ski together these many miles and we are humbled to share it with the many friends who have joined us and supported us along the way. Just not sure what we will do tomorrow. 

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2024 Ruby Run Tour: February 9th – March 2nd

Catamount Trail founders, Steve Bushey, Ben Rose and Paul Jarris, aim to ski all 31 sections of the trail over a 35 day period – February 8th through March 14th. Steve, Ben, and Paul will be joined by friends and supporters along the way as we celebrate 40 years on the Catamount Trail. We’ll post daily updates here and on social media so you can follow along on the tour!

Monday, March 4: Message from the Ruby Run Crew
“The Ruby Run Continues… On every one of the 230 plus miles we skied — and walked — we have met an outpouring of support and love for the trail; Trail Chiefs, members of our backcountry chapters, young couples and young families, well wishers with baked goods and many old and new friends of the trail. It’s been truly inspirational. Thank you one and all.

While there were challenges along the way, there were smiles every day. In fact it was such a privilege and we had such a good time that we are officially extending the Ruby Run for another year. The plan is to ski the last 100 miles from Stowe to Canada in February 2025 with an even larger group of skiers. We will get this done!”

For the love of winter,
Steve, Ben, Paul, Bob, Jay and Kevin.

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Mar. 2nd: Day 24 Report
Section 22 Trail Report from Jay: “The rain clouds were gathering over the tops as a more than a dozen skiers set off on Section 22 from Bolton toward Trapp Family Lodge. The Ruby crew was thrilled to be joined by a strong group including Olympian Trina Hosmer, the guru of backcountry skiing David Goodman, trail chief Sue Emmons, Chris Burnham and more. There was plenty of soft clumpy snow and the sooner you put on skins the better. At 3300’ the route was in the clouds and the wind whistled but temps were above freezing so there was little threat to life. Threat to limb however was another matter as multiple blow downs and icy chutes called for some creative maneuvering. But once over the top the birch glades opened up and the long run down to Nebraska was enjoyed by all.

The Rubies lingered over lunch and by the time we arrived at the road everyone else had shuttled off. That left us to change skis and make our way steadily over decent snow to join the Trapp Nordic trails and a grand reunion with CT Visionary, Cartographer and Founder Steve Bushey who had arrived from Maine. The plan had been for Steve to join the crew for the final push to Canada but the rapid loss of snow across almost all elevations meant a rethink. Reluctantly, the Rubies decided to suspend the Run for 2024.”

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Mar. 1st: Day 23 Report
Section 21 Report from Jay: “We didn’t find consistent skiable snow until 5 miles in where the CT joins the groomed Bolton Nordic network. Onto Section 22 and over the top Saturday to Trapp Family Lodge. It’s been a heckuva week!”

Short recap, but with reason – long days and tough conditions on the trail for the crew!

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Feb. 29th: Day 22 Report
Trail Report from Jay: “Given the forecast for wind, rain and a flash freeze overnight we had decided to stay low and safe by leaving the second half of Section 18 for today. Although this was a good tactical decision it still left us with some spicy conditions over thin cover.

Our wavering confidence was given a much needed boost when the amazingly adventurous Beckwith family joined us including Justin, Brie, 3 yr old Frieda on mom’s back, and 5 yr old Red leading the way on skinny skis over ice, rocks, sticks, roots, dirt, gravel and all manner of frozen crud. In fact Red was so fearless that we coined the term “doing a Red” when a daring line is called for in desperate situations. Waving goodbye to the Beckwiths at Fayston School we held on through what would normally be a pretty wooded stretch and were grateful to arrive relatively unscathed at Battleground. Now north of the Winooski we expect the snow over Bolton to be more consistent at least until we get to Trapps and the Ruby Bash on Sunday.”

From Ben: “On Sunday, let’s get 100 people to do a fervent Snow Dance!” The CTA crew agrees. We’re excited to see many of you at the 40th Anniversary Bash at Trapp Family Lodge this weekend. Be prepared to do a snow dance — the crew will need it for the next leg of the tour!

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Feb. 28th: Day 21 Report
Section 20 Trail Report from Jay: “It finally happened. After almost 3 weeks on the trail we finally ran out of snow. Section 20 started well enough guided by Huntington resident and Section 19 trail chief Bill Hegman with temps in the 40s and very soft but plentiful snow. After a steady climb up to the saddle we joined the Camel’s Hump Challenge Trail entwined amidst an old growth yellow birch forest and bisected by steep glades. With views of Camel’s Hump summit shrouded in low cloud we dropped into the network of Camel’s Hump Nordic Ski Area trails. But at 1800’ the snow load became sparse and as we dropped lower it disappeared altogether. 

We finally gave in to the inevitable, hoisted skis and walked out the three “exhilarating” miles to Honey Hollow parking around 2:00. At this point we changed footwear and walked (Ben ran of course) the 4 miles over the Winooski, across the railroad tracks, along Route 2 and under I-89 to the parking lot at the bottom of Section 21. Job done! 

Wind and rain are beating on the windows as I type and a flash freeze overnight will make conditions tomorrow very challenging as we ski the final miles of Section 18 that we skipped earlier. As we move out of the beautiful Mad River Valley tomorrow we’d like to thank Pierre Swick, a generous and a long-time supporter of the CTA who’s made our stay here extremely convenient and comfortable.”

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Feb. 27th: Day 20 Report
Section 19 Trail Report from Jay: “The Ruby Crew set out on Section 19 – our third challenging section in three days. Sorry if this is getting boring but the weather was again perfect and the snow soft and forgiving. About an hour up the trail we were chased down by Matt Williams and Justin Beckwith carrying his two-year old daughter Frieda, who immediately became the center of attention. Justin and Frieda turned back at this point but Matt carried on up to the junction of the LT where we chanced upon Paul Demers doing a trail inspection on foot. Paul has been a CTA stalwart for over 20 years and shows no sign of slowing down.

Matt peeled off to enjoy the long descent and to deliver some much needed Cat Tracks IPA to our Battleground digs. The long climbs eventually ended with a joyous downhill through some steep glades and a run out along the new re-route to the CHSP parking lot. Even though we are in good shape after almost three weeks on the trail, we were very pleased to complete 12+ tough miles in just over 6 hours. Section 20 in the rain tomorrow!”

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Feb. 26th: Day 19 Report
Update from Jay Stearns for Section 18. “Another bluebird day as the intrepid Ruby Runners set off from French Settlement Road to Sugarbush over Lincoln Gap. Dean Bloch and Steve Fernandes joined us for a second day along with UVM Magazine writer/photographer Josh Brown who is a superb tele skier. The climb to 2424’ was quick on the lightest of fresh dustings and then it was into the woods as we passed through a remarkable high altitude forest on deep soft snow. The drainages were mostly frozen as we traversed the beautiful sunny slopes of northern hardwoods and finally dropped steeply down to West Hill Road around noon. 

Susan MacLaren of West Hill Inn met us on her front steps with a bountiful basket of fresh mini muffins and a welcoming smile. We left very reluctantly to continue across the Sugarbush Golf Course where Ben got lost on the 4th hole.🙄 Nancy has arranged for us to stay at Battleground for a few nights and ready to tackle sections 19 and 20 before the thaw-freeze-thaw hits us midweek. Some lingering doubts about the conditions for the Bolton to Trapp’s ridge line, but that’s not until March 2 so we will take it one day at a time as usual. The Run continues!”

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Feb. 25th: Day 18 Report
Update from Ben Rose for Sections 16 and 17 (from Rikert Outdoor Center to French Settlement in Lincoln, via the “Natural Turnpike”): “Big crew, cold temps to start, cloudless sky, and a good time was had by all. We are now into the northern half of the trail. The initial parking lot scramble at Rikert was more chaotic than usual, for the happy reason that there were a LOT of folks skiing today: the usual 5, Nancy Chickering who will be skiing with us through Craftsbury, trail chiefs Steve Fernandes, Andy McIntosh, and Dean Bloch, CTA’s second Executive Director Steve Gladstone and wife Deirdre, Colleen Kutin-Kosieniak and Kate D., young fleet David Dodge, and his mom Jennifer Francoeur and intrepid partner John Coco. A few turned back in the initially icy conditions but none were lost!

We covered 16 miles. Paul landed on his nose, putting a bit too much realism into the Ruby Run, but it is only a flesh wound and he’s tough. Andy was happy to showcase the extensive work he and the CTA has accomplished in partnership with Middlebury College and U.S. Forest Service – GMNF to enhance this beautiful section of the trail.

Deirdre met us at mile 12 with cookies. David kept going (on skinny skis!) over Lincoln Gap (which we will tackle in the morning) to reach his ride on the Mad River side. There were some fast runs in the woods and diverse but sufficient snow conditions. Nancy’s Moroccan stew warming our bellies, and life is good on the Catamount Trail!”

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Feb. 24th: Day 17
Well-deserved DAY OFF for the crew!

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Feb. 23rd: Day 16 Report
Section 15 Trail Report from Jay: “Halfway to Canada! A great day on Section 15 as a Nor’incher dumped 2” of wet snow in Moosalamoo and gave us just enough freshies to keep the Rubies smiling over the 14 miles between Brandon Gap and Rikert. And we were sprinkled with trail magic all along the route.

Stephen Waite and Theresa – Trail Chiefs on Section 12S – chased us down at Sugar Hill Reservoir with good wishes and organic oranges. Mary and Bruce met us farther north just as the skiing sibs Lynn and Neal Fisher along with Neal’s wife Susan arrived to create a trail jam. We were later to find bags of goodies they had left along the trail. And finally just as we were approaching Rikert, Sandra Owen (end-to-ender #105) came out to say hello and lead us through the Rikert trails to the lodge. To top it off Michelle brought out homemade cream puffs to celebrate our halfway achievement. The idea of losing a few pounds along the route now seems a lost cause. We will enjoy a well timed day off tomorrow as polar air sweeps through briefly but warming temps next week has us searching the skies for the next bit of trail magic.

Breaking news: As night fell we learned that Birdman had completed skiing the full 300+ miles of the trail in just seven days. Respect to Chris for a FKT that is likely to stand the test of time.”

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Feb. 22nd: Day 15 Report
Ben Rose’s report for Section 14 from Mountain Top to Route 73 below Brandon Gap: “Oof, tough day! We started with lots of shuttle logistics as we loaded up and departed from the Hill in Bridgewater and spotted a car on Route 73 (which turned out to be a good thing) en route to Blueberry Hill, our intended destination, then back to Mountain Top to start skiing at 10am.

Lovely groomed trails to snowmobile trail to Oh-my-god-that-looks-steep-and-hairy! open waterbars (Michelle had warned us about the downhills). Ben and Paul were on light equipment again, and Ben’s boot sole tore off about 4 miles south of 73. Duct tape worked for about a mile. After that, some awkward asymmetric skating and snowplowing and a double-digit fall count. Bob’s much newer boot also started to have a duckbill break. Paul wiped out crossing a bridge and bent a pole. It started to rain. After 11+ miles when we reached route 73 in mid-afternoon the vote was unanimous and we decided to cram into Paul’s car and call it a day, leaving us to ski the 5 remaining miles to Blueberry Hill in the morning (before the 9+ to Rikerts). Then Saturday will be a rest day and we’ll be ready for one! With a fire going and the heat now working at the AirBnB in Goshen and a surprisingly good feast of combined leftovers in our bellies we are all happy again and ready for whatever tomorrow brings.”

Photo above: Ben Rose and Paul Jarris with Shari Brown of Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen.

This was a memorable stop on the 1984 tour and the Catamount Trail passes through their extensive trail network today. Many thanks to Shari and the Clark family for their support over the past 40 years.

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Feb. 21st: Day 14 Report
The crew has arrived at Mountain Top Resort and Ski Center, and is nearing the halfway point of the trail. Section 13 trail report came in today from Jay Stearns: “More glorious sunshine and good snow as we skied from RT4 to Mountain Top while Bill and Charlene generously shuttled our vehicle again. Much of the trail is shared with VAST so we chose lighter equipment today, which made for a fast average speed. Evan filmed from his fat bike while we all tried to keep up with Ben. Lunch at Lefferts Pond and an interesting chat with Roger Hill at Mt Top to end the day. We move lodging to Goshen tomorrow and ski through the beautiful Moosamaloo area for a couple days and then on towards Lincoln Gap.”

The Founders were guests at the Mountain Top Resort on their inaugural trip to Canada in 1984. Today, Mountain Top’s popular 60km trail network includes parts of Sections 13 and 14. Many thanks to Mountain Top for their support of the Catamount Trail for 40 years!

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Feb. 20th: Day 13 Report
Section 12N trail report in from Jay Stearns: “After the thrill of being passed by Birdman on 12S all that’s left now is to follow his skinny tracks. It was another beautiful and cold day as we set off from Brewers Corner on thin cover over challenging bump and grind terrain. Trail Chief and Board member, Rita Marcotte met us halfway and led us on a fun downhill then back up to the parking lot with the promise of Oreo cookies that never appeared.

At only 6 miles this section is too long to ski on the same day as 12S (for us), but too short to give us a full day so we went to the pub to celebrate Paul’s 66th birthday! We cross the rubicon of RT4 tomorrow and are closing in on the halfway mark.”

Happy birthday Paul!

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Feb. 19th: Day 12 Report
Report in from Ben Rose for Section 12S: the southern 2/3 of section 12, from Tin Shanty to Brewer’s Corner. “Another cold cloudless day — the snow was silky and fast and the sky was as blue as the blazes. We were met at trailhead by Kim and Marcie, daughters of early CTA board members David and Carol Smith, and their husbands Steve and Laird. They skied with us for most of the first mile as we climbed the snowmobile trail leading back up to the Catamount.

After steady climbing and some exciting ravine crossings we were eating lunch on a sunny knoll with sweeping views of Killington and Shrewsbury Peaks 6 miles into the section when we were caught by the astounding “Birdman”, aka international worldloppet skier Chris Burnham of Stowe, who started from the MA border early Saturday morning and had been following our tracks, covering in 2.5 days what we have covered in 12. It has been exciting to have someone going for the FKT on the trail! We gave him a cookie and watched him zoom away. Of course I tried to hang on for long as I could keep up, and lost sight of him at the snowmobile crossing 1.75 miles later after an exhilarating downhill dash.

At the end of the ski we met Chip and Joan (friends of Marcie), and Ann The Birdmom in the parking lot. Paul made a great curry to resuscitate us, and will be back on skis tomorrow for the northern 5 miles of section 12, the “John and Judy Stearns Trail”.”

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Feb. 18th: Day 11 Report
Section 11 Trail Report from Jay Stearns: “With Birdman* skiing 5 sections a day (!) and hot on our trail we set off on one of the more challenging sections we’ve tackled so far. About a mile in binding failure meant Bob Brandt had to one leg it back to meet Paul who drove from Bridgewater with spare skis so Bob could rejoin us at Old Plymouth Road. Ben powered us up Burnt Mountain and we stopped to pay our respects at the John Stearns Viewpoint before heading down to the CCC Road to meet Lynn Fisher skiing in from Tin Shanty. Total of 12.7 miles in just under 7 hours including stoppage time. Great to have Michelle and Bridget with us again today. The snow conditions continue to be excellent and we are looking forward to Paul’s return to the trail Tuesday.”

*Birdman, being Chris Burnham, who is currently out on the Catamount Trail in hopes of setting a new FKT. If you see him on the trail, say hi and wish him luck!

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Feb. 17th: Day 10 Report
Section 10 Ruby Run crew report from Ben Rose: “FUN DAY! Fresh snow and big flakes in the air, then cold and sunshine. Surprisingly skiable roadside shuffle along Route 103 to the base of the climb up from Buttermilk Falls, where we donned skins and rendezvoused with Michelle Brandt, Section Chief Paul “Limey” Hemmerich, and Bridget Brennan. The tribe of seven took our time, enjoyed the good snow, and doffed said skins at the power line. We trundled along smoothly, navigated some water crossings without removing skis, and lunched at Tiny Pond Shelter in bright sunshine. We popped out to the vehicles at Patch Brook Road before 1:30pm. Thanks again to Bill Herrington and Char for shuttle support. Eight folks for dinner at Bridgewater Hill! Tomorrow is a bigger day!”

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Feb. 16th: Day 9 Report
After well deserved rest day yesterday, the crew was back on the trail skiing Section 9 today. With more new snow falling overnight, spirits were high. Here’s the report from Jay Stearns:

“Yesterday’s “rest day” included food prep, gear repair and firewood hauling but ended with a gorgeous meal at Bob and Michelle Brandt’s and a screening of 300 Miles Melting to an audience of 50 in Ludlow. Light snow overnight gave the team a boost and end-to-enders Bill Herrington and partner Charlene arrived to graciously shuttle our cars. We set off from Greendale in broken sunshine on the wide and well groomed VAST trails toward Okemo. At the halfway point Paul reluctantly gave in to the multiple blisters he had been battling since Section 1. Undaunted, Paul plans to be back on the trail with us as soon as possible. About 10 miles in Lynn Fisher arrived with brownies and boundless energy! At this point the trail cuts into the woods and after navigating a steep ravine opens up into a gentle traverse and then a long drop through a lovely glade down to Healdville Rd. Thanks to Trail Chief Neal Fisher for maintaining this trail to the highest standard. The day ended with a road walk to RT 103 and Ben reports that we hit our fastest average time of the tour at 3.1 mph over 14 miles. More fun and friends this weekend on Sections 10 and 11.”

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Feb. 15th: Day 8 Report
Day off for the Ruby Run crew! Trail Founders Ben Rose, Paul Jarris, and friends join the FOLA Okemo Outdoors Series for an evening of ski films at the Ludlow Town Hall.

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Feb. 14th: Day 7 Report
Snow (and love for snow) is in the air! The crew hit one week on the trail today!

Today’s Section 8 report from the crew comes from Jay Stearns: “Expect the unexpected! As if by magic 4” of freshies fell overnight coating Section 8 in glory. The icy ruts were vanquished, the spruce in their white coats formed an honor guard as we passed and a blue bird day had us digging out the sunglasses.

Our numbers were strengthened by guest skiers that surpassed our own; CTA Executive Director Matt Williams, end-to-ender Michelle Brandt, Neal Chamberlain from our newest chapter the Western Mass Backcountry Alliance, and his friend Dave, Section 9N trail chief Neal Fisher and Susan Grant, and finally David Pollock with his faithful golden retriever Oshe. Oh, did I mention the dogsled team? Very surreal.

Floating on a powdery cloud we completed the magnificent 10+ miles from Danby Mt Tabor Road to Greendale Road in just 5 hours — our fastest section time yet and certainly the best conditions. A well earned day off tomorrow with an evening screening of backcountry films at Ludlow Auditorium starting at 7:00. Come join us if you can!”

Tomorrow night: Join Catamount Trail Founders Ben Rose, Paul Jarris, and friends for an evening of ski films, including 300 Miles Melting, which chronicles Torey Brooks’ 2023 thru ski of the Catamount Trail. Find event details here.

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Feb. 13th: Day 6 Report
Today’s report from the crew’s ski on Section 7 comes via Jay Stearns: “Despite eager anticipation, not a single flake fell to ease our journey. So on a very solid base we continue to skate our way northward. The geography in this area is mostly rolling terrain of beaver meadows, hardwood forest and hemlock groves. The route is enhanced by hand carved signs with inspiring quotes but no amount of poetry can soften the bone shaking surface that takes its toll on flesh and fiberglass. Sunshine and guest skiers will be welcome distractions over the next few days and our determination is undaunted. Rock on!”

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Feb. 12th: Day 5 Report
The crew navigated a mix of snow conditions on Section 6 today, their fifth day on the trail. The day’s report came in this evening from Paul Jarris: “Another great day! We had a 1 1/2 mile uphill to warm us up in the morning, and we skied much of the day through branchageddon – the blowdown results of a recent ice storm. Ben got us ‘displaced’ for a short bit. In fairness, Ben and I didn’t see the blazes and there weren’t any last time we skied it. Bob and his Garmin got us back on track and in the woods.

After lunch the glades were amazing (read thrilling). Nothing like screaming down a slope to find an open creek crossing. Focuses the mind. By the end of the day and last glade we were beat but ecstatic. What a day! What a trail!”

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Feb. 11th: Day 4 Report
Day 4 trail report from the Ruby Run crew: “Another good day, going from Kelly Stand Road past Stratton Pond and then dropping down Pony Hill to Kendall Farm Road. Shuttled once again by the gracious and punctual Alan Binnick and Brian Sharlach. Joined by trail chief George Critides and Sarah Coe and joined mid-way by trail chief Andrew Harper (on skinny skis). Beautiful fast hard-packed snow for the first 8+ miles through historic high-elevation forest. Our final descent on Pony Hill was a real horse — firm rotten snow, frozen slush, breakable crust, lots of small branches down, open stream crossings, and someone postholed down the middle of the trail just to make it hard. Very exciting!”

“I’m keeping track of my falls each day, in the “hard” and “soft” categories. Today was 5 soft and 2 hard. The second hard one drew First Blood — fortunately no serious damage because I was able to break momentum with my face. All happy now,” said Ben Rose after Sunday’s ski.

Wishing our crew safe and fun travels on the trail this week!

Steve, Ben, Paul and friends are using this tour to raise money for the CTA and to support the organization to permanently protect the trail and make it more climate resilient through improvements and reroutes. Learn more and support their efforts here.

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Feb. 10th: Day 3 Report
Day 3 trail report from the Ruby Run crew: “Our run of spring weather continues with warm sun and plenty of soft snow as we ski south on Section 4. Trail Chief Heidi Pancake leads the way with energy and enthusiasm along the rolling terrain on the east side of Somerset Reservoir. Highlights include a stop at Grout Pond Hut and a reunion with one of the earliest CTA members and guide Armand Roy. Down the trail we meet Hannah and Dave from Bristol who have just two sections left before they complete their end-to-end! Pesto salmon and a couple of beers to end another great day.”

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Feb. 9th: Day 2 Report
Day 2 trail report from the Ruby Run crew: “Another beautiful sunny day in southern Vermont on Section 3. We skied N to S today with plenty of soft snow although numerous stream crossings slowed us down a bit. Lots of animal sign – mink, beaver, coyote, deer and even a moose trotting down the trail ahead of us. Met Ani Coleman (CT end-to-ender) and Heather Linscott at the halfway point and skied out together. We also met Kelly Kahler who guided the Founders on Day 2 of their inaugural CT journey in 1984. Kelly actually lives on the trail today! Bob served up a spaghetti feast with venison sausage. On to Section 4 tomorrow with the hope of fresh snow in the forecast.”

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Feb. 9th: Day 1 Report!
The Ruby Run Crew checked in last night after their first day on the trail, having covered Sections 1&2. From Jay Stearns: “The adventure begins! A beautiful sunny day with temps into the low 40s as we head to the MA border for photos joined by friends of the trail Alan Binnick, Brian Sharlach and Steve Marcotte. A short road walk and then we drop onto the old rail bed next to the Deerfield River where the snow was excellent with just a few easy water crossings. Lunch at Harriman Dam where Diana Todd from CTA’s DASH Chapter met us and spoke enthusiastically about the beauty of southern VT and the great support for her Chapter. Continued north on Section 2 along the ice covered Harriman Reservoir. Ben Rose put on a great meal to end the day. Thanks to our sponsors for such great gear, our trail chiefs and everyone in the CTA community for their generous contributions. Section 3 tomorrow!”

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Feb. 5th: Ruby Run Tour Starts This Week!
The crew is ready and we can’t wait to hit the trail. See you out there!

The Ruby Run Tour is made possible by the support of: