Vermont Sports 2021 Nov./Dec.

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NEW ENGLAND’S OUTDOOR MAGAZINE ON THE COVER Nick Witherbee, ready for winter in Stowe.

Photo by Darren Benz

PUBLISHER

Angelo Lynn - publisher@vtsports.com

EDITOR/CO-PUBLISHER

Lisa Lynn - editor@vtsports.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Shawn Braley

MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. Nathan Endres, Dr. David Lisle, Dr. James Slauterbeck —University of Vermont Robert Larner College of Medicine; Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation; Jamie Sheahan, M.S., R.D.

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Mohr, Phyl Newbeck, Leath Tonino,

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Dick and Peter Dreissigacker turned a bicycle over and nailed it to the floor of a barn and so the Concept2 rowing erg was born. Read about more innovatsions on p. 20.

5 The Start

10 Health

20 Feature

Vermont is what it is thanks to these people.

Here’s how to stay motivated and build resilience as a runner.

Giving & Thanks

Find Your Inner Phoenix

10 Big Ideas

7 News

14 Feature

How do Vermont’s companies continue to innovate? Here are 10 big ideas and what companies are doing next.

Get ready for winter by planning a fatbiking weekend away.

These kids spent a winter semester skiing, camping and learning

26 Reader Athlete

5 Great Fatbike Vacations

9

News New Resorts Coming?

New resorts are planned near Kingdom Trails and on the Ausable River in the ADK.

51 Days on the Catamount

on the Catamoutn Trail.

16 Feature

The Pack that Gives Back

Outdoor Gear Exchange defied the odds and grew by being a local gear shop that gives back to the community.

VERMONT SPORTS IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

The Catamount FKT Setter

30 Calendar

Race & Event Guide

34 Endgame

The Best Present Ever.

When this kid set off for a ski on Christmas Day he didn’t know what a gift it would be.

ADVERTISERS! The deadline for the Jan./Feb. issue of Vermont Sports is December 18. Contact ads@vtsports.com today to reserve your space.

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 3

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THE START

GIVING & THANKS

VERMONT IS WHAT IT IS THANKS TO THESE PEOPLE.

I

t’s easy to take for granted so many of the things we have here in Vermont clean water, open forest land, and non-profits that do everything from maintaining the trails we love to providing access for all. These things don’t come about easily. They take volunteers, money, community and business support, and, often, political action. Vermont is what it is because we have all of that.

In looking at the businesses behind the “10 Big Ideas” we profile in this issue, many of them have enhanced Vermont’s outdoor recreation in novel ways. Burton founder Donna Carpenter and her late husband Jake set up the Chill Foundation which gets kids into board sports who might not otherwise have an opportunity.

The Dreissigackers who started Concept2 have been the driving force behind the Craftsbury Outdoor Center and the Green Racing Project. Outdoor Gear Exchange’s community grant programs have given back to a variety of causes and projects, from trail building to providing free camping gear at Vermont’s state parks.

But it is hard to think of someone who has done more to protect the natural landscape and outdoor recreation in our state and nationwide than Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

On Nov. 10, the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance presented its inaugural Trailblazer Award to Sen. Leahy, a beautiful wooden topo map of Vermont created by Treeline Terrains, a new business out of Middlebury. The annual award recognizes someone who has made a significant impact on Vermont’s outdoor recreation landscape and related economy.

Since first heading to Washington in 1974, Sen. Leahy has helped to grow the Green Mountain National Forest by nearly 400,000 acres. He also secured funding for a new GMNF headquarters which is being built near the Long Trail in Mendon, scheduled for completion in 2022.

Sen. Leahy worked to establish Vermont’s first National Parks and, as part of the Vermont Wilderness Act, he

and Sen. Jeffords created Vermont’s first National Recreation Areas (the Moosalamoo and White Rocks).

The 26,000 acres of the Nulhegan Basin added to the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge and that mile of shoreline on Lake Memphramegog recently added to the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge came about thanks to Sen. Leahy’s advocacy. He also worked to protect the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers. Thanks to Sen. Leahy’s work, Vermont has seen more than $70 million in federal aid to clean up Lake Champlain.

It hasn’t all been big projects, either.

Sen. Leahy has been the driving force behind the Northern Borders Regional Commission which creates annual community grants that have helped fund projects in rural areas around the state, including the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail.

One of Sen. Leahy’s lasting legacies is the Forest Legacy Program (FLP), part of the 1990 Farm Bill. Since 1990, FLP has conserved more than 2.8 million acres of forest land across all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

The more than 20 FLP projects in Vermont include conservation of the Green River Reservoir, the Chittenden County Uplands and the 7,000-acre Eden Forest.

Using the historic Vermont town forest system as a model, Senator Leahy also led the creation of the Community Forest and Open Space program (CSP) as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and has been the lead congressional advocate for annual funding of the program since its authorization. Vermont has completed eight community forest projects, more than nearly any other state — most recently the Huntington Town Forest.

Sen. Leahy has also successfully supported full funding and permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the flagship federal land acquisition and outdoor recreation program. He was, most recently, an original sponsor of the Great American Outdoors Act. Sen. Leahy has not been alone in these efforts. Sen. Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch have been strong advocates for preserving the landscape and environment and supporting outdoor recreation as well.

Thanks to their work and the work of others, this list of accomplisment is still growing. ­­—Lisa Lynn, Editor

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NEWS

5 GREAT FATBIKE VACATIONS DON’T LOSE YOUR BIKE LEGS THIS WINTER. RENT A FATBIKE, PLAN A WEEKEND AWAY AND JOIN THE PARTY.

Nick Witherbee kicks off fatbike season in Stowe. Photo by Darren Benz

6 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

Kingdom Trails grooms more than 28 miles for winter fatbiking. Photo courtesy Kingdom Trails

N

ovember and early December are a time when Vermonters seem to hit “pause” in their outdoor sports. It’s a time to hunt, to stack wood, to sharpen or wax your skis or boards, and tune up your legs on the first turns of the season. The forests open up, the Greens show their granite spines, and the first frosts and freezes of winter make the woods glisten.

It’s also a time to plan a fat bike getaway. When conditions may not be perfect for carving, the hard surfaces are great for fat tires. Ski and outdoor centers around Vermont are expanding their fat biking trails and many offer rentals as well. Better yet, many plan parties and events around fatbiking.

A few caveats: Wait for the trails to open—dates range depending on weather and conditions so check the trail system’s sites before you head out. Buying a trail pass and supporting your local mountain bike chapter is also critical if you want to see these trails continue to be maintained. And make sure your tires are at least 3.8” inches wide with a psi between 2 and 8 lbs so that you don’t leave ruts. Last, leave your pup at home – no one wants a tracked-out trail.

Kingdom Trails

With more than 28 miles of groomed singletrack, Kingdom Trails in East Burke is about as much fun to ride in the winter as it is in the summer. Some say even more so as the roots and rocks get hidden under a buffed layer of grippy snow. Rent a fatbike at any of the usual spots in town (East Burke Sports, Village Sports Shop), check into something swank like the Inn at Burklyn, a simple condo or Airbnb or combine your fatbiking with a ski trip to Burke Mountain Resort.

Don’t miss: The annual fatbike festival Winterbike (March 5) is a massive party that draws hundreds from around New England for group rides, demos, bonfires, brews and an outdoor party. Kingdomtrail.com

Stowe/Waterbury

Last February, the Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation announced a new pilot project to bring winter recreation to Putnam State Forest. That includes an effort to groom trails in the Perry Hill area. The initiative hopes to encourage riders to avoid areas where deer over-winter. Trails such as Main Climb, Joes, Duct Tape and the area will be groomed. In addition, the state contracted with Ide Ride Builders to extend the expert-level Six Flags Trail by 1,500 feet. In Stowe, you can find packed trails on the Stowe Recreation Path, the VAST trails in Cottonbrook on state forest land, Callaghy’s Trail and Split Rock in Sterling Forest, and Cady Hill Forest. In Stowe, rent a bike at the base of Cady Hill Forest at Ranch Camp, or on the rec path at Mountain

Ops, off the Mountain Rd. Don’t miss: Put on by MBTVT, the same folks who do Winterbike, UberWintern (Jan. 22) is a festival that features guided rides around the area, demos and post-ride party. If you’re feeling adventurous, the Stowe Derby downhill race —held the last Sunday in February—has had a fat bike division. wata.org and stowetrails.org

Rikert Nordic Center

The Nordic trails off Middlebury College’s Breadloaf campus offer some of the best beginner and intermediate terrain in the state for fat biking. You can roll along miles of trails that weave in and out of meadows with huge views of the Greens and the Adirondacks, to the west with moderate climbs. Stop at Robert Frost’s cabin or start the day with a few ski runs at the Middlebury Snow Bowl, just a couple of miles up Route 125.

Rikert Nordic Center has a small fleet of rental bikes or plan ahead and stop in at Frog Hollow Bikes in Middlebury or at Green Mountain Bikes in Rochester.

Make it an overnight and check in at the much-loved classic, Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen which has miles of ungroomed trails to explore on backcountry skis or book one of the Robert Frost cabins in Ripton.

Don’t miss: Rikert’s annual Fat Bike Round Up, usually held in late January with group rides, a cookout and bonfire.

Woodstock Nordic Center

Rent a bike at the Woodstock Nordic Center and you can explore 16 to 25 miles of groomed trails in the Mt. Peg

trail system. The Center offers rentals and guided tours as well as a regular Wednesday night group ride. Nearby, VT Bike & Brew also offers e-fatbikes and tours. Make it a weekend and check in at the Woodstock Inn or one of the other smaller B&Bs in the area.

Don’t miss: It’s not a bike event but bring your running shoes, spikes or snowshoes (and a costume) and join in the fun at Krampuslauf, on Dec. 11 at Suicide Six. You can run a 50K, 10K, or 5K on trails throughout the ski resort with the 5K loop ending at the top of the mountain where runners take the ski lift back down. Participants for the 5K are encouraged to dress up as Krampus (a mythical half-goat, half demon that in Central European cultures punished bad children around Christmas) and there will be prizes for the best Krampus costumes.

Grafton Outdoor Center

For mellower trails, gorgeous scenery and a chance to visit Grafton’s historic village, head to the Grafton Outdoor Center. The winter fatbiking trails open on Dec. 11 and there are rentals onsite.

For a vacation, book one of historic Grafton Inn’s cozy rooms in the classic inn or village buildings.

Don’t miss: On Jan. 7 and 8 The Grafton Inn’s annual Ice Bar weekend is an outdoor party with bars and sculptures forged from ice, craft beers and a cocktail menu made with Vermont spirits, bonfires, local food trucks, a DJ, and more.

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 7

NEWS A GLAMPING RESORT AT KINGDOM TRAILS

Pownal resident Foster Goodrich has worked as a builder, a fishing guide in Alaska, the CEO of a company that makes safety glass for schools and now, as a developer.

It was on a bike trip to Kingdom Trails with his three sons that the Middlebury College grad got the idea to create a new “glamping resort” in the Darling Hill area of Kingdom Trails. “That was one of my best vacations ever,” Goodrich recalls. “And I thought what better place to have a simple glamping resort?” His company, Waypoint Development of Pownal, has an option to buy 380 acres on Darling Hill, including the Wildfower Inn and its adjacent bike shop and building, Heaven’s Bench and the land to the west and below it.

“Most of it we don’t want to change,” says Goodrich. “The idea is to preserve what’s there but to give people new options for a place to stay and to use this as a jumping off point to explore the Northeast Kingdom,” he says, adding “The inn will stay operating as it has.” What will be new is a proposed development on 64 acres that are adjacent to the trail network, near its southwestern perimeter. The parcel located at 1165 Darling Hill Rd. has been used for grazing and logging and currently features a cow barn.

The original plan, which went up before the local development review board in early November, called for 68 small cabins and “luxury tent sites” to be built around the cow barn, just southwest of the trail network. The barn could be converted into what Waypoint’s pitch deck calls “The Adventure Ranch” with an indoor pump track, retail, and a conference or learning space. Goodrich also envisioned a beer garden. “I can see us doing all sorts of camps here: I’d love to get Jessie here to do a clinic,” says Goodrich, whose cousin Jessie Donovan is an Ironman champion and pro triathlete.

It’s not the first such development Goodrich and his partners have proposed. In 2019 he began work on creating a 120-acre resort near Mt. Greylock, in Williamstown, Mass., with glamping sites, mountain bike trails and access to year-round recreation.

“We had the plans in place but when Covid hit, we lost some of our funding.” He has since sold that property. Goodrich is confident now that he has the funding in place to

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Photo courtesy Waypoint

Development

move forward with the Kingdom Trails project, but it will need town approval and to pass through Act 250, which could take several years.

“My ultimate goal is to create resorts like this around the country: places where people can get out in nature and have a simple, but comfortable stay,” he says.

MIAMI DEVELOPER PROPOSES ADK RESORT

In the Adirondacks, a Miami developer has proposed building a large resort on 350 acres on the Ausable River, about a half hour drive from Whiteface. The proposed resort would feature 20 townhouses, 60 villas, 18 “estate” properties, six mansions and up to 72 hotel units. Developer Eric Stackman of ECS1 Inc, has previously built luxury high rises and restaurants in south Florida. The development is one of the largest ever to come before the Adirondack Park Agency, which was inviting comments through Dec. 3.

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NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 9

HEALTH

A

ny runner who has been around this game for more than a few years can tell you that running is a difficult sport. Challenges frequently spring up and need to be overcome.

It is also a sport that recognizes those who can find the inner strength to overcome those challenges; it rewards

10 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

those who are resilient. Some of our most celebrated athletes do not have the perfect resume. They instead possess the inner capacity to endure, despite facing hardships.

Challenges come in many shapes, sizes, and degrees. It can be a cramp at a critical moment in a race, an injury, or even an

entire year’s worth of racing lost to factors that are outside of one’s control.

Resilient people are able to see these challenges for what they are, and to find a way through.

Resilience isn’t the ability just to endure the challenges and suffering set before us. True resilience is the ability to

see the opportunity despite the struggle.

Resilience is the ability to embrace and welcome the challenges as they arise and to understand that these opportunities allow us to potentially build something better. Resilient people find their inner phoenix.

Resiliency is not some inborn trait that

FINDING YOUR INNER

PHOENIX HOW DO ATHLETES FACE CHALLENGES AND STAY MOTIVATED? IT’S ALL ABOUT RESILIENCE. BY LEE STANTON

Getting out on those cold muddy days may not be fun, but it builds resilience, a key factor for successful runners.

you have or don’t. It is a learned behavior, earned through practice. Given that each new challenge brings new variables, it is understandable that as each challenge arises you can experience different perspectives, emotional responses, stress, and uncertainty. But these feelings can be managed with a focus on connection,

wellness, healthy thinking, and meaning.

Finding the opportunity when under stress and duress can be challenging, but let’s look at them under the lens of running, use four factors to act as our resiliency cornerstones. They are: Connection, Wellness, Healthy Thinking and Meaning.

CONNECTION The running community is a great community to be a part of. One of my favorite things about running is that there are no criteria used to define a runner. The winner of the marathon and the person who runs a mile 1-2 times per week each hold the same title of “runner”. I’ve al-

ways found the running community to be a very welcoming place. If have ever you watched or participated in a race you’ll see strangers talking to each other before, during, and after races. Sometimes for hours. While the current environment is going to limit race day interactions, it is a great opportunity to connect with each other via social media, the phone, or (in our currant situation) socially distanced.

Runners love to share their knowledge and experiences and this could be a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends, or learn from new ones.

WELLNESS As a physical therapist I can tell you injuries are common in running. It is estimated that 70% of runners sustain some sort of injury every year. Down time can be an excellent opportunity to let old injuries heal. Injuries can occur to more than just our physical health.

Sometimes a break from running and racing can rejuvenate us and help us to find our passion again. Similar to a vacation helping to revitalize our zest for work, a little down time from running and racing can be a healthy way to renew and reinforce your passion.

While running can be a great opportunity to get fit, and stay healthy, improper training, nutrition, and mindset can actually cause running to be destructive. Whenever I work with injured runners I encourage them to take the down time as an opportunity to learn.

I frequently recommend books about running nutrition, training, theory, or motivation to help runners stay connected to the sport and build knowledge.

HEALTHY THINKING It is easy to fall onto the hamster wheel of training and racing without intention or purpose. We all know people who can tell you their next year of racing. They can be standing on the starting line for a marathon in May, and telling you about the marathon they are going to run in the fall. It is time for them to open their eyes and to live in the now and understand that nothing in this life is guaranteed.

We are lucky to be able to run and race. This lesson was brought home to me years ago. I had sustained an injury while racing in college that left me unable to run anywhere near the way I used to. I continued to try and push; only making the injury worse. I became frustrated and angry. My training was painful, and became progressively worse over time.

I was in school doing an internship as a physical therapist at a traumatic brain injury facility.

A young woman about my age was admitted after she went out for a run and was struck by a drunk driver. She sustained severe cognitive deficits, and was never able to walk or run again.

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 11

After that experience, I spent hours every day walking and slowly jogging, lost in thought. I did this for about eight months. In time with rest (and a little help from a PT friend) my injuries slowly healed and I was able to start running again. Sometimes a little time away from the wheel can help one to gain some perspective and let old wounds heal.

MEANING While in high school, I was reading Shakespeare’s King Richard III and I came upon the line, “Why dost thou run so many mile about?” I believe it is a question that every year a runner should take a long hard look at. The answer doesn’t need to be complicated, but when you can find meaning in your running, it

allows you to bring a focus and passion to your sport that can drive you forward to further success and enjoyment.

In 2003, I was 20 years old and ran the Vermont City Marathon with a teammate. At mile 15 we were in the top 20. I mis-managed my nutrition, faded hard, and struggled to the finish. He pushed on and had an amazing day. I was crushed. I didn’t know how to regain my focus or how I would bounce back.

Two weeks later, everything changed.

My friend and teammate whom I had run so many miles with passed away in his sleep.

The problems that I had postrace were now trivial and I became a ship lost at sea. I tried talking with a therapist, family, and friends with little

improvement. I spent the summer running with my motivating factor being my confused emotions. I kept going on hard runs only to burn out and walk home. Eventually I broke down and spent several weeks doing very long, very slow runs.

In those miles I realized that I was injured, although not physically. It was only on the road and trails that I gained perspective of why I “run so many miles about”. These long inner reflections are where I found my answers, only to realize that my reasons for my running had changed.

While setbacks are inevitable and can seem insurmountable to overcome, it is important to keep perspective in regards to your running.

Over the years running has brought me countless experiences, which shape who I am. It has given me great joy, and also frustration. But frustration is fleeting, and it is how we handle the challenges before us that make us who we are, and how we find our own inner resilience.

In time, the problems that we face today shall pass and we will be more resilient as a result. When new problems arise, we can use our experiences and skills, earned through the challenges of today to understand that those problems can be managed as well.

Lee Stanton is a physical therapist at the University of Vermont who specializes in orthopedics and sports rehabilitation.

Maintain your mojo

New studies offer tips on how athletes can stay motivated.

I

f you had a hard time staying motivated to work out during the pandemic, you are not alone. A new study by an international team of researchers, published in October 2021 by the journal Sports Medicine found that “COVID-19related lockdowns saw marked reductions in athletic training specificity, intensity, frequency, and duration.”

The study looked at 12,526 athletes from 142 countries, with a focus on elite athletes. During the lockdown, fewer than 40 percent of athletes were able to maintain sport-specific training at their pre-pandemic levels. Instead, they trained alone, did fewer and shorter sessions and focused on general fitness versus improving their performance.

So how do you stay motivated to keep up your fitness levels? Some new studies and new techniques are adding to common practices.

CUE UP A PLAYLIST: Can listening to ‘Eye of the Tiger’ on your earbuds make you run faster when you are tired? New science says “yes.”

In March, 2021, researchers at the University of Edinburgh published the results of a study entitled “The effect of self-selected music on endurance running capacity and performance in a mentally fatigued state” in the Journal of Human Sport and Exercise.

The researchers had 18 recreational runners complete a mentally draining test and then run 5Ks. Nine ran with their favorite playlists streaming and nine without any music. Their conclusion: “listening to music in a mentally fatigued state can restore endurance running capacity and performance to a similar level as observed 12 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

when no mental fatigue is present.”

FIND A DISTRACTION: Another study published in October, 2021 in the Journal of Motor Learning and Development found that of the 12 women runners who were studies while running on a treadmill, those who were asked to watch a basketball game or some external distractions used less oxygen and had a lower rating of perceived exertion than those who “focused on their bodies,” and counted steps.

VISUALIZE SUCCESS: How do you go from couch potato to ultramarathoner? A study at Britain’s University of Plymouth

published in Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity looked at 31 non-runners and tried to determine if “Functional Imagery Training,” could get them to complete an ultramarathon. The participants first underwent Motivational Interviewing with a counselor to help them highlight and verbalize the need for change or improved health. After, 15 expressed interest in trying to compete in an ultramarathon.

Of those 15, seven were given additional Functional Imagery Training – a technique where participants learn to elicit and practice motivational imagery and to use all their senses to visualize how it would feel to achieve their goal. Of the

eight who did not do FIT, only four started the marathon and only two finished.

All seven of the FIT participants started the marathon and six finished. FIT participants were asked to do things during the race such as to imagine what it would be like to talk about the race at the office coffee room after completing it. Researchers describe the technique as a “mindset shift.”

Add to these tips the age-old adage of setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-sensitive) goals. While Vermont’s elite athletes such as mountain biker Lea Davison or alpine ski racer Paula Moltzan have prescribed workouts to log and coaches to keep them accountable, for others, not having a goal such as a race coming up or challenge to train for was a challenge in and of itself.

The question is, when races or time goals lose their meaning, what do you strive for?

Gravel pro Ted King set up his own virtual DIY Gravel challenges – competing alone on courses similar to the ones he might have if races such as the Belgian Waffle Ride or Rasputitsa were not canceled. This culminated in King creating (and achieving) his own new distance challenge this past fall: Ride the “Megahopper,” a ride in Sonoma, Calif., covering 415 miles and 43,000 vertical feet in 39 hours.

The rest of us resorted to Zwift races or Peloton, where metrics and virtual competition provided some accountability.

So, as we head into the winter season, put on your earbuds, turn on a game, visualize yourself running an ultra and find a new challenge. Your body will thank you for it. —L.L.

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NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 13

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DAYS On the

CATAMOUNT

FOR THESE KIDS, VERMONT’S END-TO-END BACKCOUNTRY TRAIL BECAME THEIR CLASSROOM FOR A SEMESTER.

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BY FAITH KINGSLEY

Loaded up for the long journey, the crew crosses Lake Ninevah, near Mt. Holly.

Below, Faith Kingsley makes the most of the fading snowpack to cross a bridge on a northern section of the Catamount. All photos courtesy Kroka Expeditions

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he state of Vermont is 154 miles long, and the Long Trail, cresting the ridgelines and peaks of the Green Mountains, is 273 miles. But in the winter, the best way to experience Vermont’s glorious backcountry, protected wilderness areas, and varied ecosystems is to ski the 300mile Catamount Trail. While the trail roughly parallels the Long Trail, it is routed lower, through protected woods and, for the most part, stays off the windblown ridges. While some of the trail is groomed for snowmobiling, much of it is not.

The most intrepid will go end-to-end, starting at the Massachusetts border just south of Readsboro, Vt. and ending near the Canadian border in North Troy. That journey has become part of a semester of collegiate academics for students at Kroka Expeditions. As part of a focus on sustainable, naturecentered, community living, 15 students ages 16 to 21 spent 51 days last winter skiing north through sugarbushes, spruce forests, alpine basins, and over the occasional ski resort. They carried fully-loaded packs and camped in whiteouts and freezing rain during the first half of their semester expedition.

And that was only part of the journey.

If you were to connect the Catamount Trail to Lake Champlain via the rushing spring whitewater of the Clyde and Missisquoi Rivers in the

Northeast Kingdom, and then connect the southern terminus of Champlain with the Connecticut River using singletrack mountain bike trails, you would have mapped Kroka’s 5-month continuous

expedition that circumnavigates the Green Mountain State in all its multielement beauty.

Kroka Expeditions, based on an organic farm in rural New Hampshire, has been offering wilderness expedition semester programs for 17 years. Schools also send groups to visit Kroka throughout the school year for Waldorf-aligned, farmand adventure-based sustainability programs. Kroka’s summer programs for ages 9-19 encompass everything from farm camp to surfing, whitewater paddling, climbing, backpacking, and bikepacking. You may have seen their hand-built wood and canvas voyageur canoes sailing down Lake Champlain, or crossed paths with a pack of riders on Vermont’s singletrack trails.

After a month of learning navigation, crafting knives and leather shoes, and learning to ski at Kroka’s campus, 15 students departed on lightweight telemark gear, with metaledged, fish-scale Madshus Annum skis and the low-cut Scarpa T4 boots. There is no equipment better-suited for the widely varied terrain of the Catamount, which encompasses steep ascents and descents, many kilometers of traverses

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and we are beginning to realize that this is more than just a weekend camping trip: this is our new life now. And what a life it is!

and rolling hills, valleys, and gullies, along with the occasional side-step to a snowmobile corridor when the rain turns the snowpack to concrete.

Along the way, the students documented their journey in blog posts Here, group scribe, Faith Kingsley, describes the trip.

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usk was falling as we finally reached our camp. As we settled in for the evening, we were filled with the spirit of freedom and excitement for the days to come.

We had just begun our expedition with a short three-and-a-half kilometer ski across the Deerfield River to the Catamount Trail in southern Vermont There were quite a few falls, and many of us found ourselves floundering in the snow like upturned turtles as we struggled to learn the art of getting up with a 60-pound, 90-liter backpack strapped to our backs. Then again, some of us zipped along down the path as graceful as gazelles! It was dark by the time we received our first lesson on how to create a cozy, functioning home in the midst of the wilderness.

We lay out evergreen boughs and set up Egyptian cotton tent, which barely fit in Rose Cooper’s backpack and is just large enough for 15 people to sleep packed like sardines. Sylvan Zeitlyn has carried the lightweight titanium woodstove which keeps us war. At the end of a tiring day, it is luxurious to warm up in a sweet-smelling circle with a bowl of hot food and reflect on the work we do to create this luxury.

Every day’s terrain is different.

Some days we glide quickly along wide, smooth snowmobile trails, scuttling to the side as the occasional snowmobile

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At each campsite the crew set up the Egyptian cotton tent and gathered pine boughs to lay down for insultation from the snow. They carried food for two weeks, a portable stove and split their own wood.

gang zooms by. Other times we encounter steep hillsides with beautiful glades. Our favorite terrain: gliding along smooth, rolling paths under snow-powdered spruce trees as fluffy white flakes drift down from above. We travel almost two weeks between food resupplies, carrying enough food for each of us to consume 6,000 calories each day. Most of our energy goes toward keeping warm and keeping moving. Our packs gradually lighten as we ski, until suddenly, they’re full again. But somehow, it never feels as heavy as the day before, because each day we are getting stronger.

Our days grow longer in kilometers as we grow stronger and more efficient.

Our first day, we skied 3.5 kilometers to our camp. Two days later, we traveled from that camp to Somerset Reservoir – a 10.5 kilometer day. In comparison, we now often travel 14, 15, and even up to 17 kilometer days. From the start of our expedition to our Farm and Wilderness Camp layover in Plymouth, we have journeyed a total of 124 kilometers by ski. As we look back on the first leg of our expedition, we are surprised at what we find ourselves capable of.

The physical distance in itself is one thing; however, we have also grown in many other ways, such as self-discipline and working together as a smoothly functioning team. It feels like we have already been on trail for a long time,

e restore our food supplies and finish our academic work at Farm and Wilderness in Plymouth before skiing out again. Backpacks are loaded, skis clipped back on, and soon we are gliding along the trail as if we never left.

Our days are long and we continue to cover great distances (127.5 kilometers this leg).

The Catamount here still involves striding along wide, smooth snowmobile trails as well as navigating the dips and turns of singletrack ski trails.

But there are now many enormous uphills we must conquer. They seem to mock us with steep, icy faces that glare down on us. Often, we go huffing and puffing up and up and up for hours with little or no breaks until we’ve reached the top. Our resilience and determination are tested. At times, it seems as if there will be no end to this.

But no matter the size or challenge of the hill, at one point or another we find ourselves at the top, and thank our legs and our wills for not giving way, for holding fast when we need them the most.

One of the highlights of this leg has been our fire solos. As part of the program, each of us sets out into the woods equipped with a ball of dough and some chocolate chips for bannocks (a food we frequently enjoy), a container of matches, some birch bark, and a foam pad to sit upon. Each person finds a little nook in the forest. We make rafts out of rotten wood, and light fires using birch bark, twigs, and sticks. Sitting

Ski Tours on the

CTA Membership and a small donation are required to reserve a spot. The CTA also offers free single-Day tours for those wanting to explore trails beyond the Catamount Trail, or one of the growing number of backcountry zones Register online at catamounttrail.org

catamount

Guided multiday tours help you discover new sections of the Catamount Trail.

In the early 1980’s, a University of Vermont geography major named Steve Bushey began mapping a backcountry ski route from Massachusetts to Quebec. In 1984, Bushey, along with Paul Jarris and Ben Rose, were the first people to ski the length of Vermont on a route that would become the Catamount Trail. Soon after, the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) was born. Today the CTA and it’s volunteers continue to maintain the 300-plus mile long Catamount Trail which is broken into 31 sections, each skiable in a day.

On the CTA website (catamounttrail.org) you can find maps, route descriptions, equipment recommendations, and other information.

This winter the CTA will again host a number of Multi-Day Tours covering all 31 sections of the Catamount Trail.

Near Bolton Valley, the Catamount Trail passes two backcountry huts.

Participants should be competent backcountry skiers, with appropriate gear, and ready to ski 7-14 miles along the spine of the Green Mountains through varying conditions. Skiers are expected to provide their own equipment

Photo courtesy Catamount Trail Association

and food, and are responsible for their own lodging and transportation (the CTA website provides food and lodging suggestions for each section). Multi-Day Tour participants can sign up for as many or as few days of a tour as they want, and

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in solitude by the crackle of this blaze, each cooks the chocolate and dough in their own way. We take our time, processing our thoughts, munching on bannocks, and soaking in this moment.

After about two hours (according to our calculations based on the sun’s place in the sky) we put out our fires, bury the coals and ashes in the snow, and head back to camp, minds and spirits refreshed and invigorated.

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s the days go on and we continue our routine of travel, we begin to notice signs that spring is waiting just around the corner. We see buds on trees, hear the spring call of the chickadee, and have to ski around bare patches of earth. A few days of sunshine cause mixed feelings. While the warmth makes skiing more and more difficult, it is also an exciting thing to welcome the new season with open arms.

One significant moment that fills us with awe and gratitude for this journey is the last day of Leg Two, when we ascend Lincoln Gap, then spend hours bootpacking up the Long Trail with our skis strapped into our packs. We finally reach the summit of Mount Abraham, an elevation of 4,006 feet. We stand on what feels like the top of the world, with a full view of the Green Mountains, White Mountains, the Adirondacks, and Lake Champlain. It is a wonder to look

MULTI-DAY TOURS TOUR #1 Jan. 14-17. Sections 12N-15: Tin Shanty, Shrewsbury to Widow’s Clearing, Ripton TOUR #2 Jan. 21-24, Sections 28-31: Craftsbury Outdoor Center to Jay Pass, North Troy TOUR #3 Jan. 28-31, Sections 24-27: Edson Hill, Stowe to Craftsbury Outdoor Center TOUR #4 Feb. 4-7, Sections 9-12: Greendale Rd., Weston to Tin Shanty, Shrewsbury TOUR #5 Feb. 11-14, Sections 20-23: Camel’s Hump Road, Duxbury to Edson Hill Manor, Stowe TOUR #6 Feb. 19-28, 2022 Sections 1-8: Massachusetts border to Greendale Rd., Weston TOUR #7 March 5-6, Sections 17-18: Bridges Trail, Ripton to Lincoln Gap, Lincoln.

TOUR #8 March 12-13, Sections 16 and 19: Widow’s Clearing to Bridges Trail Ripton; Appalachian Gap to Camel’s Hump Rd.

Jo Moore cuts and carries ice blocks to build a wind wall. Wilderness survival is part of the curriculum

down on the land we have traveled, and the land we have yet to explore. As this journey continues, we find ourselves leaning ever more into this adventure and continuously discovering the limitless wealth of gifts this lifestyle has to offer. We are ever so lucky to be here.

After a brief resupply in Waitsfield, we embark on our third leg. Along with spring’s impending arrival comes the ability to have a class or two outside and a significant change for us in our mode of travel: on March 24th we experience

our last full day of skiing. We enjoy the end of our time zooming down hills, light-hearted and goofy as we ski along. Given that the snow is, as Teo Crocetti puts it, “legally classified as mashed potatoes,” we all fall down, one after another on each slope. We laugh at ourselves and continue on our way.

The next day the sun is shining and we arrive at the Trapp Family Lodge to collect our food resupply and to drop off our skis.

ut the journey is not yet over. We set out from there on foot, now simple backpackers making our way down the trail. As we continue along, squelching through squishy mud and melting snow, our feet never quite fully dry, we grow to appreciate more than ever something we used to take for granted; the kindness of strangers.

Every so often, when we are tired and thirsty after hours of trudging along the Catamount Trail, we come across a person in their yard and ask them if they would let us fill our water bottles. These people are always more than happy to oblige and, on top of refilled water bottles, we often also find ourselves munching on granola bars and devouring fresh clementines.

Once, we stop at a little house to buy fresh eggs, and the woman there sends us off not only with delicious eggs, but also a loaf of bread, a bag of sugar, and a gallon of maple sap.

Every time we knock on a door or ask a favor of a stranger, I am always surprised by how supportive and generous people are. It fills my heart with gratitude for what I’ve been given, and it makes me want to pass on the good deed. Our time here is special to us. What a long way we’ve come to be here. What a precious thing it is to be a part of this community. What a gift it is to be so deeply immersed in nature.

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The leaders and their packs: Marc Sherman, left, and Mike Donohue started off selling used gear. Now, Outdoor Gear Exchange’s Church Street store carries about 6,000 packs and bags at any given time.

Photo by Andrew Kornylak

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THE PACK THAT GIVES BACK

OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE HAS GONE FROM A SMALL USED GEAR SHOP TO COMPETING WITH THE BIGGEST OUTDOOR RETAILERS IN THE COUNTRY. ITS COMMITMENT TO GIVING BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HAS GROWN WITH IT.

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hen I ask my husband, Mike Donohue, one of OGE’s founders, what he’s most proud of, he says: “Helping people have the best times of their lives outdoors. All people.”

Since it opened its doors on Burlington’s Main Street in 1993, Outdoor Gear Exchange has been by and for outdoor lovers. To work there, you had to burn with apassion for being outside.

Marc Sherman had left a job at Vermont Teddy Bear to open the type of gear shop he wanted. The idea for the shop had been hatched on a camping trip in the Adirondacks. The used gear outlet was to be a place that was fun. “We wanted it to be like you were at a party,” says Sherman. When you walked in the music was on. Gear was splayed across the shelves as if it had just been unpacked and the shop was filled with people who lived and breathed the sport.

Mike Donohue was at the University of Vermont, a rock climber working toward a major in environmental studies. He’d often swing by Outdoor Gear Exchange to find climbing gear.

In 1995, Sherman was looking for someone to mind the store while he and the other owners headed to Reno to attend the Outdoor Retailer trade show.

He offered Donohue a job. Before long, the two became the primary partners in the store.

If you walked into the store to buy a backpack or a pair of hiking boots, there was a good chance you would be helped by someone who has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the Long Trail and or Appalachian Trail; OGE staff have hiked them all. Historically, they’re people who push gear to its limits: avid mountain bikers, trail runners, paddlers, climbers, and campers.

LIVING THE DREAM Employees are the lifeblood of the store, and OGE has always treated them that

BY BERNE BROUDY

way. One year, the store brought all staff to Salt Lake City to participate in the national trade show—a trip that also included climbing or skiing in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains.

About six years ago, an employee left the store and sent out an all-staff email dissing Outdoor Gear Exchange and encouraging employees to find and ‘live their own dream.’

Another employer might have been angered. Instead, Sherman and Donohue rolled up their sleeves to consider how they could help their staff ‘live their dreams’—and stay employed.

That’s how the “Living the Dream” program was born. On the fifth anniversary of any staff member’s employment and every five years thereafter, that person is eligible for a $6000 grant to pursue a dream.

Employees have used the money to take the trip of a lifetime, to buy a home, to start a family, for gender reassignment surgery, and to buy ownership in the store. In total, OGE has awarded $260,000 in Living the Dream grants to 40 people. Two are on their second grant round.

All 118 full-time staff members are salaried and guaranteed 40 hours a week

of work year-round with full benefits.

This includes up to six weeks paid time off, health insurance, 401K retirement plans, access to the employee experience department that helps staff maximize benefits, as well as an outside assistance program that provides expert advice on navigating life—from mental health to marital and legal counseling, to tax questions and financial advising.

And they get a say. “Staff tell us what they think we should carry,” said Donohue. “Our climbing selection has grown from expertise from inside the store. Same with the bike department.

Our snowsports product from Nordic to splitboard is collaboratively chosen.”

“Something I love about working here is that the business leaders take the time to listen to staff issues and ideas,” said Caroline Lawrence, the Community Relations and Social Media Manager.

“When women at OGE approached the store leaders with a grievance, OGE’s Director of Employee Experience and the owners listened and heard and acted. One of the tangible results was the formation of an employee equity committee that helps vet candidates for employment for implicit bias.”

Lawrence, who just celebrated her sixth anniversary at the store, says that she has met many strong and inspirational women at the store, and that her coworkers have become her best friends. Recently, to celebrate another employee’s 30th birthday, Lawrence, the birthday girl and three other OGE women ran New Hampshire’s Presidential Traverse in a day. Numerous couples who met at OGE are now happily married.

Staff consider each other family.

“From the beginning we’ve listened to employees about how to improve their lives with benefits,” said Sherman. “We treat our employees as partners. And more and more employees are becoming actual partners. Currently, OGE has 17 and is about to have 19 employee owners.”

GETTING MORE FOLKS OUTDOORS

In 1993 Marc Sherman opened the doors of Outdoor Gear Exchange. The shop has moved several times and opened an outlet for a brief time in Lake Placid, but one thing that has been constant: Sherman and his business partner Mike Donohue love what they do. Photo top courtesy Outdoor Gear Exchange, bottom by Andrew Kornylak

The original inspiration for OGE was a robust consignment department, which now takes up most of the lower floor of the store. “We’ve had a consignment department since day one,” said Sherman. “It’s the most affordable way to outfit a family, try a new sport, or stay warm in winter. It’s great for people on a budget who want to get outdoors.”

Sherman says that from the start they knew that without a vibrant community of customers and a healthy environment, they couldn’t have a thriving busines: “When I opened the shop my research told me that 35% of people who lived in the Burlington area were active outdoors – there are not many places that can claim that.”

Now more than ever before, the shop

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and its employees are committed to not just that 35% but to helping everyone to have the outdoor experience they want, whether that’s skiing off Mt. Mansfield, learning to mountain bike, or chilling at Waterfront Park.

“We’ve always sought ways to be engaging and to bring people into the store and into the outdoors,” said Donohue. “Now we’re approaching it with renewed energy and focus. By hiring a diversity lead in 2020 and focusing on JEDI—justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion—we broadened our lens and expanded our outreach to more groups. We also shifted from just being welcoming to actually inviting people in.”

After 26 years of being in business, the store has a dedicated customer base of shoppers who have “grown up” with the store. New customers and old are welcomed as family. And they’ve supported the store with more than their purchases. In 2014, when OGE decided to buy the historic Woolworth’s building the store calls home, customers helped OGE raise $112,000 through a Kickstarterstyle campaign that reinforced those bonds.

GROWING A COMMUNITY As Outdoor Gear Exchange outgrew its space on Main Street and eventually took over the current Church Street location (formerly the Old Navy), it grew its involvement with the outdoor community around the area.

That involvement was fueled by the diverse interests of OGE’s staff. In 2005, OGE began hosting an annual downtown Burlington Eco-Fest. The shop organized a Burlington City Park Cookoff, where staff cooked customer’s favorite recipes on a camp stove, and they co-hosted queer climbing nights with Petra Cliffs. .

The store helped outfit New Americans so they could work for the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

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Mike Donohue, top left, is a hard core climber, mountain biker and skier and oversees the product side of OGE’s business, often testing gear himself. The 44,000-square foot Church Stree store, which was made possible through fundraising in the local community, holds a dizzying array of footwea and has also expanded to carry and service bikes and skis. The shop now accounts for 40% of OGE’s business. Photos top and far right courtesy Outdoor Gear Exchange, above and top by Andrew Kornylak

building trails and working in parks. In collaboration with Vermont State Parks, Outdoor Gear Exchange helped establish a gear loan program for new campers.

They were also awarded a campsite and a ranger assistance. “You could show up at a Vermont State Park with food, a cooler and your family—you didn’t need experience or gear,” said Sherman.

The store has been a member of Conservation Alliance for decades, co-sponsoring grant applications to conserve the Bolton Backcountry, Bolton Dome and Bolton Quarry, Andrews Town Forest, Catamount Family Center and more.

Donohue sits on the board of Vermont Huts, Vermont Land Trust, and

Richmond Mountain Trails. Sherman is a board member of Vermont’s Discover Jazz Fest, Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, and is on the VOREC (Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative) Steering Committee. And it’s not just Sherman and Donohue who volunteer. Community Relations and Social Media Manager Carolyn Lawrence is President of the Board of Fellowship of the Wheel, and all employees can participate in paid community service and demo days.

OGE’s Charitable Grant Fund is funded by consigners who donate money from the sales of their used gear. The fund, which is matched by OGE, awards $2000-$2500 grants to grassroots nonprofits based in or working in Vermont that focus on access to the outdoors. In OGE’s past grant cycle, with the support of consignment customers, OGE has

awarded 10 grants, a total of $20,000.

Since 2014 when the charitable grant fund was started, they’ve given more than $100,000 to 62 Vermont non-profits and projects.

For many years, every time a customer declined a plastic bag, staff also put a nickel from the register in a box and awarded that money, usually $200-$500, to a non-profit. Through that program, OGE donated thousands of dollars to organizations including Catamount Trail Association, Green Mountain Club, Fellowship of the Wheel, and more.

When Vermont outlawed single use plastic bags, the program morphed into Ground Up, which asks customers to donate a quarter to the non-profit-ofthe-month at check out. In June, Ground Up raised $1,235.50 for Vermont Pride Rides.

“Our customers allow us to do everything that we do,” said Donohue.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION In the past two years, the national conversation around outdoor recreation has focused on inclusivity. That’s been a founding principle of Outdoor Gear Exchange and a core value.

“Over the past 20-plus years, we’ve embraced people in the community who were previously excluded,” said Sherman. “We started by trying to be a great place for outdoor-loving women to shop, and it’s gotten much, much broader. We’re working hard to create an affinity so more underrepresented people can enjoy being outside, in whatever form they want to be outside. That’s involved a lot of introspection and looking at the biases and blinders we all have. For years we believed that being color blind was the ultimate openness to people’s differences.

We now know that we need to seek out

“Living the Dream,” is part of the company’s culture and Donohue and Sherman are outdoors as much as they can be. A grant program also awards $6,000 to an employee after 5 years to “live” their dream. Photo

by Andrew Kornylak

and actively engage communities across gender, identity, and race, and actively invite everyone to get outdoors.”

When OGE staff posted Black Lives Matter signs in the shop windows in 2020, they weren’t satisfied with the gesture. They added a diversity lead to their staff, and launched trainings to help staff be more inclusive and to recognize

their own biases.

Miguel Reda was hired as the JEDI— justice, equity, diversity, inclusion—lead.

A UVM graduate who worked at OGE as the department head for men’s clothing, Reda had distinguished himself as an employee who cared about inclusivity.

Reda says that the biggest wins of the past few years have been the

store committing time and money to inclusivity. “The store has made an extra effort to support customers and staff who might be marginalized in other workplaces or in the outdoor industry as a whole,” said Reda.

A queer shopping night in June combined shopping in a safe space with connections with outdoor organizations and organizations that advocate for the LGBTQ community.

“It was a huge success,” said Reda.

“We leveraged our relationships in the industry, and welcomed the PRIDE center, Pride Rides Vermont, Petra Cliffs, VMBA, and the Green Mountain Club.

Stowe Cider provided beverages. We’re just one player but can be a connector.”

The feedback on queer shopping night was that people felt like they could be themselves. OGE has scheduled another queer shopping night for Nov. 16.

“A lot of people have to spend their lives hiding who they are,” said Reda. “It means a lot to know we created a space where people didn’t have to hide.”

“I’m proud that we’ve been able to set up so many people to have the best times of their lives, connecting with each other and nature and learning more about themselves and the world around them,” says Donohue. He adds, “And to be able to build a business that supports the livelihoods of 140 people.”

“We’ve always taken an inclusive approach,” said Sherman. “Now we consciously think of who has been on the fringes or on the outside. Some people want to climb El Cap, some people want to go paddleboarding on Lake Champlain for an afternoon, some just want to walk to work. They’re all outdoor experiences and they’re all legit. They’re all our customers.”

Miguel Reda (above) oversees OGE’s strong DEI initiatives, like the LGBTQ shopping nights. Volunteering, trailbuilding and community work are built into the company ethos. Photos courtesy Outdoor Gear Exchange,

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10

BIG IDEAS

THESE VERMONT COMPANIES HELPED CHANGE OUTDOOR SPORTS, THANKS TO NEW INVENTIONS, NEW MATERIALS AND INNOVATIVE WAYS OF DOING THINGS.

BY LISA LYNN

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f you look back on all the innovations that have come out of Vermont and how they have changed sports, there are hundreds.

Some are from companies that have come and gone. Some evolved, fizzled and later died. But there is one that has had a lasting impact on sports, worldwide. In 1977, the same year that Jake Burton Carpenter started making Burton snowboards (not the first of their kind, but they quickly became the best known), UVM grad student Lisa Lindahl, Polly Smith a costume maker and Hinda Miller stitched together the first women’s sports bra, the Jogbra, out of a pair of men’s jockstraps.

Their invention, which is included in the Smithsonian American History Museum, is widely acknowledged as one of the literal game changers for women in sports. While the trio sold the company, they earn the No. 1 spot as the biggest innovation in sports to come out of Vermont. Here are nine others:

Burton Snowboards Burlington

Jake Burton Carpenter launched snowboards into the mainstream in 1977. While he didn’t invent the snowboard, you can credit Burton with

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actually relocated them to an empty part of one of our buildings. No one knew about this project—for a time, not even Jake. This location eventually became known as the White Room. The mission: deliver a proof of concept that met all the critical requirements we had laid out for the project. The first time Jake tried a prototype was when he was recovering from his bout with Miller Fisher syndrome and he needed a binding where he didn’t have to bend over to get into it. He quickly became our biggest supporter.”

After a secretive R&D effort, in 2018 Burton launched the Step On binding, changing the way snowboarders could click in. Photo by G. L’Heureux/Burton Snowboards

snowboarding’s growth as a sport and a lifestyle. Along the way there have been many innovations but one stands out.

Chris Cunningham, Burton’s senior vice president for global product, explains:.

The big idea? “We constantly innovate…but an impactful one is our Step On technology, a binding without straps that you could step into. The idea is not new. In fact, back in the 90’s, snowboard binding/boot mechanical interfaces had a moment…but they were riddled with challenges and there were about 20 variations, and none of

them worked that well. Eventually, the market shifted back to what we know as ‘traditional strap’ interfaces and those have been the norm for over a decade. But we knew it was a matter of when, not if, we would give this a go again. The challenge, however, was how to overcome the obstacles and traps of the past, and how to spur innovative thinking within the project team. People kept telling us pursuing a step on binding was a waste of time.

So, we set up a secret core team of product engineers, designers, and developers, cleared their plates and

How was it different? “In the past, mechanical interfaces for snowboard bindings lacked the performance, comfort, fit, or even the aesthetic that people loved about traditional straps. After hundreds of iterations the team eventually delivered a snowboard binding and boot system without traditional straps. Instead, it uses a mechanical attachment that makes entry and exit extremely quick and easy. The real challenge wasn’t to make the binding, but to make the boot interface. The beauty of snowboard boots is that, unlike ski boots, they are flexible and that’s what made it hard to find the right interface.

What’s next? “In the long run the technology and ‘connectdness’ that we have are probably the areas of most interest to us,” says Peter. “Right now, we have this open-source mentality where if someone comes along and has an idea for an app, and needs to access our data, we give them our blessing.” The data set is now huge and during the pandemic, online participation in indoor rowing competitions (like Zwift for rowers) has only grown. “Since May we have had 120,000 users from 170 countries on our logbook,” says Judy Geer. “And we had thousands of people log in for our Holiday Challenge –this year it’s a fundraiser for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport, among others,” she adds.

What other innovations has it spawned? “Today this technology is over 40% of our total boot/binding sales and much of that is incremental – new sales versus people swapping out their old bindings. We are now actively licensing to other companies that want to offer compatible products (be it a compatible boot or compatible binding). “ What’s next? “For 2022, we have expanded Step On to more models and more sizes (including youth) as well as for rentals. And improvements continue to be made —but some of these I can’t talk about just yet.”

Concept2, Morrisville

The story of how Olympic rowers Dick Dreissigacker and his brother Peter, created the first carbon-fiber oars is legend now. But if that was all they did, that legend might have faded into history. Instead, the company has continued to innovate and is one of the premiere suppliers of specialized home fitness equipment. “What we did with the oar—and what we continue to do–is look for holes in the market and think about how we can fill them,” says Dick.

Now, the Morrisville company – still run by the two brothers and Dick’s wife Judy Geer, also an Olympic rower— employs about 100 people worldwide and has customers in more than 170 countries.

The big idea? “The oar started it all, but the biggest innovation was probably when we took an old bicycle, nailed it the floor of the barn and attached handles to it,” says Dick Dreissigacker.

That was the first Concept2 erg. “It was a remarkably simple concept—and durable,” he recalls. The erg launched in the early 1980s. “It was like the Model A and we’ve since reiterated and made many more versions of it.” The brothers continued to tweak it until it became the standard for indoor rowing.

Dion Snowshoes, Pownal

As an ultra-runner and medalwinner at multiple national snowshoe championships, Bob Dion knows what he wants in a snowshoe. But for many years, he couldn’t find it. “Most snowshoes were big and clunky, and I remember strapping cardboard to my ankles so that they wouldn’t get bruised as they hit your ankles when you ran. You really couldn’t run or race very often without hurting yourself,” he says. That’s when he decided to create his own. He launched his business in Pownal in 1999 and to date, Dion Snowshoes is the only company that offers truly modular snowshoes.

Dick and Peter Dreissigacker’s first erg was a bike nailed upside down to the floor of their barn. Concept2 now has rowing, ski and bike ergs. Photos courtesy Concept2

How was it different? “Before this, there really wasn’t a good way to train for rowing in the winter,” Dick recalls.

“As we tweaked and improved the ergs, we realized they were a perfect standard to measure performance between people in a controlled environment.

Suddenly, rowers around the world could see how they stacked up against others.” A group of Boston rowers held a competition and suddenly a new version of the sport grew: indoor rowing.

What other innovations did that spawn? “When we saw that people were competing against each other on the rowing ergs we began to keep a list of winners and times. At first it was a paper list, but it eventually went digital. I think we were doing Internet racing even before most people had home computers,” says Peter. Then, around 2000, the brothers realized that some Nordic teams were bolting the rowing erg to a wall and using it to train for skiing. “That’s when we adapted it and created the SkiErg,” says Peter. After that, customers wanted a bike trainer, so the BikeErg was born.

The big idea? “It used to be that buying a pair of snowshoes was like buying a cruiser bike for a friend. You had basic sizes and colors. I wanted it to be more like buying a high-end frame from a good bike shop where you can have a snowshoe built for your size, for what you are using it for and with components that you can swap out.”

How was it different?

“The snowshoes I made were lighter and narrower and you could choose your frame, your binding size and your cleats.

Also, the binding wraps around the cleat

and around your foot so you’re kind of laminated in there. On most of the other brands, the bindings are attached on top of the frame with two little rivets to keep them from moving around.”

What other innovations has this spawned? “We now have four frame models, two binding sizes and three cleats to choose from, based on what the conditions are: ice cleat, standard cleat, and deep cleats for deep snow.

I’ve even seen people stop mid-race to swap out cleats depending on the conditions. “ What’s next? “We bought out New York-based NeviTrek Snowshoes a few years back and are moving their machinery to our building in Pownal where we make nearly all the parts for the Dion snowshoes. I am also working on a kids’ snowshoe. Right now, many kid’s snowshoes are heavier and clunkier than adults’ snowshoes. I want to make something that kids can run in the snow on and have a good time.”

Dodge Boots, Essex

Dave Dodge and Bill Doble were former ski racers with years of experience in the ski industry when they formed Dodge Ski Boots a decade ago. Until then, most ski boots were made with a plastic shell. Dave Dodge came up with the idea to launch a line of carbon-fiber composite boots and Bill Doble helped develop them the business. “When we started Dodge Ski Boots, we wanted to get back to pushing the envelope and innovating rather than doing the same old, same old that happens in a large company,” Doble says.

The big idea? “Our industry exclusive production process for forming thermoplastic composite materials is what allows Dodge Ski Boots to compete against injection molded ski boots,” says Doble.

How was it different? The molding process was fast, efficient, clean, and easily automated. The process allowed “mass customization” not possible with traditional ski boot production. The composite boots don’t flex or change stiffness with varying temperatures the way plastic shells do.

Bob Dion racing on his modular snowshoes.

Courtesy photo.

What other innovations has it spawned? Along with the boots, which are only sold directly to customers, the team created a phone app so customers could digitally submit accurate 3D measurements of their feet, along with their orders. “This allows us to sell custom-fit boots directly to the consumer and gives us control of our product from concept to customer,

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 23

Some of Inntopia’s team “camping out” at their headquarters in Stowe. Courtesy photo

In addition, the business – still based in Stowe – does ticketing and reservations for golf resorts, theme parks, water parks and even the annual Sturgis (South Dakota) Motorcyle Rally.

Founder and CEO Trevor Crist explains how the company innovated and grew:

Bill Doble and Dave Dodge rethought the way boots are made and delivered. Courtesy Dodge Ski Boots

unlike all other ski boot manufacturers that have to hand off the final steps to retail outlets.

What’s next?

“Our unique production process has garnered the attention of some pretty cool high-tech companies outside the ski business.

We have been working with a growing number of companies in the aerospace, robotics and others. We already have a company that has licensed our molding press design for aerospace and we anticipate the process gaining traction in automotive and other industries,” notes Doble.

The big idea? “The biggest innovation was understanding that when people are planning a ski vacation, they want to see all the options and buy everything around that vacation.

It’s not like you are just going to buy lodging—you need a lift ticket, maybe ski school, rentals. Rather than look those up in a bunch of different places we wanted to have one stop shopping for skiing. That was our primary use case when we first built the system in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At that point there were not a lot of webbased applications. We also realized we could deliver all of this over the cloud. “

How was it different? “At that time, and to this day, there was no system that linked say, ski rentals with lift tickets and with hotel rooms. And you had to coordinate all those calendars and availability. Inntopia created that and we figured out a way to deliver that as a cloud-based service. Clients could just log in and we could connect their different systems without having to go there and install software.”

What other innovations did that spawn? “A lot of the variable date pricing you see now in lift tickets came about, in part, because of our technology. Ski resorts, like airlines, can now look at when people are likely to arrive or book and base pricing on that. We are also able to help with their marketing and send out everything from offers to snow reports, based on the information we have on clients. “

What’s next? “This past year we launched the School Calendar Explorer, a tool that lets our clients know when there might be school breaks or say, days off, in their various target markets.

We assembled all of these by both scanning the web and with analysts looking things up. So, say a resort wants to know when an area in Boston will have a school holiday or a threeday weekend; they can find that and target that market with an offer. We’re sitting on a mound of data now that we are just learning how to tap into. We have 68 employees and a lot of people are analyzing that data. One of our long-term goals is to write programs so that computers, through artificial intelligence, can analyze that data on their own.”

Inntopia, Stowe

You’ve never bought anything directly from Inntopia but if you’ve ever booked a hotel room, a ski school lesson, or rented a pair of skis online, you’ve probably used its software. When snowboarder Trevor Crist launched Inntopia in Stowe in the late 1990s, his goal was to make an easier, digital reservation system for small inns and B&Bs. Twenty years later, his company serves most of the ski areas in North America, including all resorts owned by Vail Resorts, Alterra and many others.

Jason Levinthal (above) moved his business forward by building twin-tip skis that can go forward or backward, like snowboards.

24 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

Courtesy photo.

wanted to be able to do that. I made my first pair as a college project at the University of Buffalo and then built them in my parents’ garage.” There may have been other twin tip prototypes around, but Levinthal made them into a brand, competing on his own skis in the X Games and earning a medal there.

Jason Levinthal brings his skis to customers.

J Skis, Shelburne

When Jason Levinthal came out with his first twin tip skis the reactions were mixed. “No one wanted them. It took a while for them to catch on,” he admits. But by 1997 Levinthal, then 25, was featured in Newsweek for his “ski boards.” Levinthal sold Line to Karhu in 1999 and moved to Vermont. In 2006, Karhu was sold to K2 and Levinthal continued to work there, helping to launch the Full Tilt line of ski boots.

Then, in 2013, he left and launched his own brand again, J Skis.

The big idea? “The twin-tip ski.

All the sports I did – skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding came about because someone innovated on an old product. In skateboarding and snowboarding, you could go in either direction and do all sorts of tricks.

Skiing was my favorite sport and I

How were they different? “I basically cut a snowboard in half so that these were wider, shorter and had two tips so you could go in either direction and ski in the park, or in powder, like you could on a snowboard. I was seeing all the energy go into snowboarding and wanted skiing to have that too,” he says. The boards were also sturdier and better suited to the rising sport of park skiing.

What other innovations did they spawn? “I realized that the whole ski industry needed to innovate in how they did business and that’s when I went to launch J Skis. I didn’t have reps, I didn’t have retailers. I didn’t have pro skiers. I didn’t go to trade shows. I realized that the only way to make money as a smaller brand was to go direct to the consumer.

So that’s what we did at J Skis. We work with artists on our graphics and only produce 300 or so of each model and each one I personally sign. The boards are made in Quebec, but we ship them directly to customers. This past year, our business grew by 50 percent. We are now selling about 6,000 skis a year.

What’s next? “As a serial entrepreneur I have all these ideas spinning around but I also have been skiing way less than my customers do. So, I want to be a bit

more focused. My son’s now 16 and we ski together at Bolton, Sugarbush and Stowe. I guess I want to go back to what got me into this in the first place and just ski more.”

KitLender, STOWE

Forrest Shinners wasn’t planning to go into the family business. His parents have owned AJ’s Ski & Sport, an outdoor retail shop in Stowe, for more than 40 years. Instead, after graduating from University of Vermont Shinners moved to New York and went to work in finance. He launched KitLender in 2014 as a side gig while working for Rockefeller Capital Management.

But as KitLender started to take off, Shinners decided to make lending apparel to skiers and riders his full-time gig. An appearance on the TV reality show Shark Tank in 2019 didn’t earn KitLender the $200,000 investment they had hoped for, but it did help fuel what has been 100 percent year-overyear growth of the company for the past few years.

The big idea? “I was bringing my girlfriend at the time up to Stowe and realized she only had street apparel, nothing really good for skiing. I told her ‘no problem, we have tons of gear.’

When she saw our closet and all the apparel we had, she said ‘This is like Rent the Runway except for skiers.’

That sparked the idea for KitLenders. At first, I wanted my dad to do it through AJ’s, but he was in his 60s and wasn’t keen on starting another business. Soon I was building a website. When the orders started coming in that first few weeks in 2015, I got excited about it. “

How was it different? “At the time, Rent the Runway – an online fashion rental boutique – was just taking off. A few shops or brands did offer rental ski apparel, but they usually had limited inventory: the choice was often red jacket or… red jacket — and the apparel was somewhat worn. We wanted to offer a full line of gear that was at most 2 or 3 years old. We send it directly to the customer or to the hotel at the resort where a skier is going and they can send it back from there, which makes packing easier. When we get it back, we sanitize it, clean it, and make sure it is in great shape. After a couple of years, we sell the gear, sometimes back to brands like Patagonia and The North Face which recycle their gear.

Or, we sell it at heavy discounts at our summer sidewalk sales at AJ’s. Our apparel gets lots of use over a 10-year cycle versus being worn just a few times and thrown away.

What other innovations has it spawned? We have tied in with Stowe-based company Inntopia to offer KitLender options when someone books a hotel room at a ski resort. And we have expanded into backpacking and camping as well as some triathlon stuff.

What’s next? We are working on white-labeling our services (“lending as a service”) so that major brands can offer rentals themselves without dealing with all the reverse logistics. We will take care of the returns, cleaning, sanitizing, repairing and shipping.

We’d basically be the back-end, behindthe-scenes folks.

Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington

It’s hard to think of a retail store as an innovator. But how else can you explain how a small shop that sold used hiking boots and other outdoor gear on consignment became one of the larger outdoor retailers in the country, now nipping on the heels of REI and others?

Somewhere along the way owners Marc Sherman and Mike Donohue both embraced online sales yet also defied the naysayers who said that brick and mortar retail was dead, buying one of Vermont’s prime pieces of retail real estate, the 44,000 square foot building on Church Street that formerly housed Old Navy and expanding.

Forrest Shinners (second from far right, front row) and his KitLender team have built a businss out of renting skiwear and other sports apparel. Courtesy photo.

The big idea? “People told us we couldn’t be successful selling full-priced new gear alongside used gear,” Marc Sherman recalls. The shop he opened on a side street off Church Street was a consignment shop, full of used hiking

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 25

people who are new to camping, and has a strong initiative to bring greater diversity to outdoor recreation.

Renoun, BURLINGTON

Cyrus Schenk was still washing windows for a living during the first few years when he launched Renoun Skis.

But he was convinced that making skis with a non-Newtonian polymer that stiffens on impact would make a better ski. So, he kept at it. The company has grown remarkably over the last decade and, like J Skis, only ships direct to consumer. “As we saw during Covid, having the ability to ship skis to a customer’s front door is imperative,” he says. Last year, Renoun sold out of skis.

Schenk is no longer washing windows. a dream after five years on the job.

What other innovations has it spawned? “If you do things the same way everyone else does, you won’t get any better,” says Sherman. “We could have bought systems off the shelf but instead ended up building a lot of our own proprietary systems – from sales and inventory software to HR programs.”

OGE’s Marc Sherman, at an early tent sale and in 2021, at his Chursch Street store. Courtesy photo.

boots, climbing gear and assorted apparel. It was a place where you shopped for bargains and its tent sales were legendary. “We started by selling new MSR products and found that not only did they sell well, but doing that also increased our used gear sales.

Today, the bottom floor of our Church Street still has all our consignment stuff. It’s a great place for families and people new to a sport to find affordable gear. For those who want the latest and greatest, we have that too, upstairs,” says Sherman.

How was it different? “I wanted a place that was fun to shop, where if felt like you were going to a party and could hang out with friends but also get helped by people who were really knowledgeable in the sport,” says Sherman. Throughout its iterations, Outdoor Gear Exchange has kept that home-grown feel: hand-written chalk sign, bins of gear, dogs everywhere.

But its employees live and breathe their sports – and continue to do them, thanks to the Live the Dream grants that award employees $6,000 to pursue

26 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

The big idea? “I came across a material, D30, while studying aeronautical engineering at Clarkson University. It’s a space-age material that had been used in aircraft to dampen vibrations. It seemed like an obvious thing to put inside skis. Other ski companies have made systems to

help dampen a ski but what we have called VibeStop™ is the first one that changes how much dampness to apply i.e., it gives more dampness at higher speeds than at low speeds.”

How is it different? “Anyone can make a soft ski for powder or a stiff ski for racing — with VibeStop™ we can do both. No one wants their skis to feel race-ski stiff on a powder day.

We can get the low and high end of the spectrum all at once,” says Schenk.

What other innovations has that spawned? “After we patented VibeStop™ skis, Renoun expanded the technology to surfboards and boat hauls. Then we patented it to put underneath basketball floors. “Penn State, Trae Young and a bunch of others have it in their floors now,” Schenk says. “Less vibration means less chance of injury.”

What’s next? We’re always evolving and testing new layups for VibeStop™.

What’s next? “When I opened the store in Burlington research told me that 35% of the population was active outdoors. That was huge,” he says.

But to grow, OGE has had to grow its market. While the Burlington store still accounts for about 40% of sales, selling online and through Amazon has helped alleviate the problem of finding warehouse space for the vast inventory.

OGE’s other big initiative is not just to grow the existing customer base but to get more people into outdoor recreation. The company has hosted LGBTQ shopping nights, lends gear through the Vermont State Parks to

While studying engineering in college, Cyrus Schenk (above, center) hit upon the idea of creating a ski using a non-Newtonian polymer that stiffens on impact.

Courtesy photo

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to the National Parks Conservation Association. With brands like these based right here in Vermont, it’s not hard to shop locally this season.

GORDINI CACHE GAUNTLET

OVEREASY HOODE The Mountain HoodE ($65) from Middlebury-based OverEasy is a unisex, helmet compatible hood with a built-in face panel that is great for, but not limited to, on-the-mountain use. The hood features two drawcords - one adjusts the size of the hood while the other adjusts the face panel. Slip this hood seamlessly over your helmet on a windy day or enjoy it down around your neck. Whether you’re on or off the slopes, you won’t want to take your Mountain HoodE off!

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Based in Essex Junction, Vermont, Gordini specializes in cold weather gear with the same mission since its founding 65 years ago: to keep your hands warm and dry so you can stay outside longer.

Prepare for winter with the ruggedly built Cache Gauntlet ($89.99). A dependable choice for unpredictable alpine weather. Warm, waterproof, breathable, and responsiblymade, the Cache Gauntlet belongs on mountain.

Featuring a powder cuff and leash, and designed with Durable Synthetic Leather, this animal-free standout outperforms and outlasts any crowd. In the spirit of the Giving Season, every purchase made on Gordini.com through the end of the year will be matched by a direct donation to equip Vermont’s youth with the right outdoor gear to play, learn and explore more. This season your holiday shopping can go hand in hand with giving back to our local community. Find out more about Gordini’s “Little Glove Project” and shop our full line of winter gloves on Gordini.com. Snow, please!

URSA MAJOR PARKS PROJECT SOAPS Bring the outside in with this set of three sublime bar soaps ($40 for three) inspired by America’s most iconic national parks: Acadia, Zion, and Redwood. Waterbury’s Ursa Major Skin Care made these soaps in collaboration with Parks Project, in celebration of a shared love for the outdoors and with a common goal to create a more sustainable future. Plus, 5% of every purchase from this collection supports the great work being done by the National Parks Conservation Association. ursamajorvt.com 28 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

BIVO WATER BOTTLES Bivo is a new Vermont brand based out of Richmond that has created the first stainless steel bottle designed to replace plastic cycling water bottles. Why stainless steel? No plastic chemicals, no mold, and pure tasting water every time. They’re ideal for working out, hiking, biking, or having close at hand at work and feature the same pull-to-drink-push-toclose valve functionality you’re used to. Plus, their incredible flow rate allows the contents to be poured out even faster than you can squeeze a traditional plastic bottle. Available in a grippy silicone exterior ($39) or brushed steel finish ($29) at drinkbivo.com

RENOUN EARHART 88 SKI Designed, prototyped and tested by women, Burlington-based Renoun kept the men out of the room for this one. With best-in-class edge hold, smooth turn initiation and a playful personality, the Earhart 88 ($899) is a crowdpleaser. It commands stability over our Vermont ice thanks to 8 inlays of Renoun’s patented non-Newtonian VibeStop™ polymer which soaks up vibrations so your knees don’t have to. Some call it genius, we just call it a great all-mountain ski. renoun.com

DION SNOWSHOES Dion Snowshoes, based in southern Vermont, has been making snowshoes here for 20 years. They make the most competitive racing snowshoe available and the only modular snowshoe where bindings, cleats and frames can be chosen independently. Whether you are an experienced racer or just starting out, Bob Dion can help you choose what combination of components to use. Feel free to call, 802-753-1174, or email Bob at bob@ dionsnowshoes.com. Fully assembled, the price on our most popular racing model, 120LT, is $275. Other models are available for backcountry hiking. dionsnowshoes.com

TURTLE FUR COMFORT SHELL™ QUATTROCLAVA Fresh from Morrisville’s Turtle Fur: a new, revolutionary balaclava built upon our wildly successful Totally Tubular™ ($44.95), with a vented face and nose area, and featuring an on-demand, flip-up Storm Flap™ for maximum face protection. Add a hood, flip-up Storm Flap™, and meshed nose and mouth covering to our beloved Totally Tubular™ and you have the revolutionary quattroClava™ With Storm Flap™. This balaclava/tube combination provides both performance and comfort through both the design and our Comfort Shell™ active performance fabric. With a brushed interior, it feels insanely soft against your skin, and remains breathable even during your most strenuous activities. Goggles fit perfectly in the contoured eye area, eliminating drafts and protecting against frostbite. The flip-up Storm Flap™ can provide an extra layer at the neck (when folded down) or can be worn flipped up to cover the meshed nose and mouth area, giving you greater protection on your chin, nose, and cheeks from the cold. turtlefur.com

DARN TOUGH SOLSTICE SOCK When it comes to vintage vibes, fashion lives on at Darn Tough’s knitting factory in Northfield. The retrospiked Solstice women’s ski sock ($27) is a spirited nod to a classic era of resort skiing. Don’t worry, we made sure to bid a ceremonious adieu to the itchy, bulky wool of yesteryear. Knit with smooth, low-profile Merino wool, this midweight sock has cushion to keep feet warm and comfy, and its unconditional lifetime guarantee will transcend all trends. darntough.com NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 29

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cold nights and an insulated water bottle.

Every night I slept cold except one and that was in my tiny house 15 minutes off the trail in Huntington. It’s a house I built and I have been working on for years so that was one warm night with a wood stove but the others were in a tent, lean-to, or barn. One of my favorite parts about this sort of challenge is finding the balance between being comfortable and eating well without carrying too much equipment and the freedom that comes with that. I used everything I carried.

FEATURED ATHLETE

AIDAN POWELL: Holder of the Fastest Known Time on the Catamount Trail Name: Aidan Powell Age: 23 Family: Brothers, Michael Haulenbeek, Jonas Powell, and Casey Spicer-Renaud; Parents, Tom Powell and Wendy Bratt Grew up in: Charlotte Lives in: Huntington Occupation: Ecology student at Colorado College Primary Sports: Bike touring and ski touring

Tell us about your equipment.

My boots are my favorite piece of gear.

They are Garmont boots which were a gift from my boss at the time, Roger Brown of UnTapped Maple at Cochran’s.

When I worked there I was a snowboarder and we had to get to the taps on skis and skins so he gave me a pair of beat-up tele boots which I’ve used for a bunch of years. I had Rossignol BC with fish scales on the bottom and Voile three-pin cable traverse bindings. They’re kind of between a real backcountry and a cross-country touring ski.

I brought skins but I used them downhill as much as uphill because there were days when things were really treacherous and I needed to slow down.

I only used the skins for climbing two or three times. Most of the time it was just fish scales and technique. Another great piece of equipment was the mittens and gloves I got from Vermont Glove. I like being able to spread the message about local products like theirs.

O

n March 4, 2021, Aidan Powell set out to see how fast he could ski the length of Vermont on the Catamount Trail. Fourteen days and two hours later, he held the record for the fastest known time (FKT). Catamount Trail Association Communications and Events Director Greg Maino said that while a few people have skied the trail non-stop, none kept track sufficiently to qualify for an FKT. Prior to Powell’s 14-day trek, the fastest known finisher was Julien LeJour who did it in about 15 days To date, more just over 100 people have skied the trail end to end and been recognized on the association’s website and earned themselves a mug. Powell also biked across the U.S. in 2016.

Did you intend to set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the trail?

I knew there wasn’t a properly established FKT. People had done it quickly so I wanted to try. It was exciting to me, seeing other athletes around the country putting down amazing times on different trails. I never saw that as my style but I was intrigued nonetheless. I e-mailed Greg Maino of the CTA about a year before and asked if there was an FKT and that got the conversation going.

He was my point person for logistics and learning about the trail.

Why did you decide to do the trail in March?

It was a practical time because I had a gap in my work at Vermont Heavy Timber in Hinesburg, but it also ended up being a really good time to ski the trail because the days are long and you want as much daylight as possible. Going fast still had to include moving slowly so I

Last March, Huntington residenet Aidan Powell skied the length of Vermont in 14 days.

wouldn’t get hurt, make silly mistakes, get wet, or not get the right nutrients.

It ended up being a really great time to ski the trail although there was just barely enough snow. I wore a t-shirt for a lot of the days. I skied from 7:00 am to 6:00 or 7:00 pm with maybe just a little headlamp use on either end.

That time of year there are a lot of good smells and sights and the world is just waking up after the winter. Doing the trail south to north in March is better

than only having six hours of daylight in the middle of January when it gets down to well below zero at night. You can pack less, as well.

Was this fully self-supported?

It was fully self-supported but there were opportunities for me to get support if I needed help. I had all the gear and food I need to survive every single day.

I did have to switch out gear twice to get my down booties which I needed on the

What did you eat on the trail?

I borrowed a hydrator and spent the week before the trip preparing and drying meals. I had chili, rice and beans, dehydrated bacon bits, and sardines which I love and are really high in protein. In addition to eating three meals a day, I would wake up during the night and have sunflower seed butter or chocolate. Some skiers hitchhike into town as some AT hikers do but I was trying to go fast and light so I prepared all the food beforehand. I dropped about seven bags of food across the state. One of my favorite memories is just before I started when I went to Lowell and asked the town clerk if I could leave food there.

She said no and sent me across the road to the school where I found a fifth grade class. The kids were really curious about what I was doing and they were open to keeping the food for me. I didn’t hear back from them until I skied over there two weeks later and the same person was there with a paper bag with my name on it. I’m really grateful for those kinds of people.

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 31

What were the best segments?

Sections 8 and 9 were my favorites. There is phenomenal terrain up around Moses Pond and the Greendale campground which is a few miles into Section 9. I think a large part of what made those sections wonderful was the fact that they were so remote and hardly passed through any significant towns. Healdsville, a little gore at the end of Section 9, is the only set of houses I can think of. An aspect of the Catamount Trail that anyone who has skied the trail can attest to is how technical and attention-requiring the terrain can be. Stream crossings, punchy uphills, bridges, switchbacks, etc is what makes the skiing so interesting and snow dependent, but it also can be exhausting if the snow isn’t just right.

When I was going through Sections 8 and 9, I was enjoying the combination of direct, spacious skiing provided by the VAST trails (in contrast to a bunch of single track which I had traversed previously), and also appreciating that there was no sacrifice in remoteness and elevation gain. High elevation, granular snow, almost no one around, and a few clear days culminated in a properly type one fun experience.

32 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

What was your biggest challenge?

I questioned my reasons for doing the trail fast. I feel like I have a lot of experience in self-sufficient travel and bike touring and doing things that push me physically and dealing with fear and cold. Those are things I’ve come across before but there were definitely some days when I was questioning why I had decided to do the trail so quickly. When you’re on day six and in the woods and haven’t seen anyone in 24 hours, you need a sound reason for doing that.

I still don’t know what that was other than seeing what I’m capable of since I may be in the best shape of my life. I just acknowledged the routine and found a way to continue going forward. There was a sense of setting a goal and telling people about it. Having all this support from family and friends was a large part of why I kept going and was able to do it fast. I still don’t have a good answer, but I’m glad I did it.

Why did you decide to fundraise for Unlikely Riders?

My idea was to redirect all this excitement that was coming my way and try to make it less about me doing some fitness thing and more about this trail that is such a huge resource. We

raised $1,600 for Unlikely Riders, which supports the BIPOC community getting out in the wild. I felt this was a perfect organization that could support these ideas I had in my head about directions for the sport to grow. It was really nice to see people connect with that.

What intrigued most you about the Catamount Trail?

It’s a trail designed for skiing more than one day and I can’t think of many other examples of this magnitude that have this much care in their maintenance and democratic ownership. There are trail chiefs who are volunteers for each of the 31 sections and that is really amazing.

I think of how minimally travelled it is which is really special.

It’s not the Long Trail in the middle of the summer. There were days when I wouldn’t see anyone, or just one or two people. The section by Green River Reservoir from Wolcott to Craftsbury is really remote with some single track, the VAST trail, and logging roads. You’re on the reservoir and on streams for a bit.

The trail runs the gamut from those remote sections to some of the most epic terrain that backcountry skiers enjoy like Bolton to Trapp. That was pretty spectacular and it’s where I got the new snow.

What was your favorite memory of the trail?

One of my favorite memories was the last day. I made it up Jay Pass and into the town of Jay on March 19 and there was an intense mixture of corn snow, slush, and almost no snow in the valley ten miles south of the border.

I was simultaneously thrilled about being so far north but conflicted about having it end. I came around a corner and saw a bag hanging from a tree and some blue spray paint in the middle of the VAST trail. At first I thought it was just a trash bag caught in a tree or something left for somebody else but I saw my name in big block letters spray painted across the trail. I pulled down the bag and there was an anonymous note about how that person had enjoyed the posts I had sent to social media and the CTA and there was a bag of cookies and hard cider.

I had great support from family and friends and people connected to the trail but I have no idea who left that for me.

It was awesome and unexpected and I skied that last section and got to enjoy the cider and cookies at the end of the trail.

—Phyl Newbeck

VERMONT

SPORTS LISTING YOUR EVENT IN THIS CALENDAR IS FREE AND EASY. VISIT VTSPORTS.COM/SUBMIT-AN-EVENT OR E-MAIL EDITOR@VTSPORTS. COM. ALL AREA CODES ARE 802.

ALL LOCATIONS ARE IN VERMONT, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. FEATURED EVENTS, IN YELLOW, PAY A NOMINAL FEE.

RUNNING 6 | United Counseling Service Superhero 5K, Bennington The 5 kilometer course tours the local streets and small businesses of Bennington.

Come dressed as your favorite superhero from the comics, and show appreciation for the heroes in your life. Ucsvt.org 7 | Fall Trail Running Series, St. Albans Each week a different 5K course will be set up, all taking place on the XC trails at Hard’ack. All races start at 10:30am.

Repeats on Nov. 13. Stalbansvt.myrec.rcom 7 | Field House Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Shelburne Starting and finishing at the Field House in Shelburne, run anything from a 5K to a half-marathon. Registration includes a post-race meal provided by Backyard Bistro in addition to a commemorative bib and finisher›s medal. Race will feature a staggered start. Racevermont.com 7 | Vermont 10 Miler, Stowe This circular course offers ten-miles of Vermont’s most beautiful roads. Starts and finishes at Mayo Farm, with the first seven miles on local roads before turning onto the Stowe Bike Path for the final 3 miles. Limit of 1300 runners. Vermont10miler.com

RACE & EVENT GUIDE 20 | Fallen Leaves 5K Series, Montpelier Last race of this low-key three-race series on a flat and fast course that begins and finishes on the Montpelier High School track and incorporates the bike path. Race day registration only. $5 Cvrunners.org.

25 | Jared Williams Turkey Trot 5K, 10K, Richmond A benefit to aid the families of sick children.

Out and back on Cochran Road. Start and Finish line halfway down Farr Rd. (Behind Stone Corral Brewery). Cider and donates after the race. Food pantry donations appreciated. Nevergiveupever.org 25 | Zach’s Place Turkey Trot, Woodstock A 5K walk or run starting and finishing at the Woodstock Elementary School.

Zachsplacevt.org 25 | Gobble Gobble 5K Run & Walk, Stratton Run or walk for a chance to win gift cards and other prizes and work up an appetite for a Thanksgiving meal. stratton.com 25 | Edgar May Thanksgiving 5K, Springfield This year’s event will take place on the Toonerville Trail located on Clinton Street.

The 3.1 mile course will be an out and back race along the beautiful Black River. The first 120 participants to register for the in-person event will receive a Thanksgiving Day 5k Swag Bag. Edgarmay.org 25 | Norwich Turkey Trot, Norwich An informal 2 mile/4.4 mile walk or run around Norwich, VT at 9 am on Thanksgiving morning that also collects donations for the Upper Valley Haven.

Norwichvtturkeytrot.com 25 | 10th Annual Killington Turkey Trot 5K, Killington Start at 9:30 at the Pickle Barrel on Killington Road. Followed by live music and prizes. Killingtonturkeytrot.com

13 | Fallen Leaves 5K Series, Montpelier Second race in this low-key three-race series on a flat and fast course that begins and finishes on the Montpelier High School track and incorporates the bike path.

Repeats on Nov. 20. Cvrunners.org.

25 | 45th Annual GMAA Turkey Trot and Food Drive, Burlington Run a 5K loop on the UVM women’s crosscountry course. Great footing (not counting snow or ice) on cinder/paved path and grass – some single track. No pets, headphones, strollers or bicycles allowed. Gmaa.org

13 | Fall Trail Running Series, St. Albans Each week a different 5K course will be set up, all taking place on the XC trails at Hard’ack. All races start at 10:30am.

Stalbansvt.myrec.rcom

25 | Gobble Wobble 5K, Barre Sponsored by the Barre Congregational Church, this race’s start and finish line and same-day registration are in front of Barre Town School in the bus dropoff area. Costumes are encouraged.

Barrecongregational.org

DECEMBER

10 | Krampuslauf 50K, 10k, 5K, Suicide 6 Race Mozey and Vermont Adaptive present the Krampuslauf 50K, 10K, and 5K. The race will consist of trails throughout the ski resort with a 5 K loop ending at the top of the mountain. runners will take the ski lift back down. There will also be a 10K loop.

50K runners will do the 10K loop 5 times.

Diem.life 31 | New Year’s Eve 5K, Montpelier The start is at 2 pm from the Pavilion state office building for this 5K from.

Cvrunners.org.

CYCLING 14 | 30th West Hill Shop Cyclocross Race, Putney Don’t miss this cyclocross classic. Start is right in front of the West Hill Shop with a course that extends through the field and nearby woods. Part of the New England Single Speed Trophy Series and the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference.

Westhillshop.com

SKIIING & RIDING NOVEMBER Nov. 5-7 | Cochran’s Ski & Ride Sale, Richmond, Find great deals on race gear for kids and adults and help support this Vermont classic ski area, now in its 60th year.

Cochran’s.com Nov 19-21 | Okemo Mountain School Ski Swap, Ludlow, VT Sell your old gear (please no skis, boots, or bindings older than 7 years) at this annual Ski Swap on consignment: 25% of the selling price goes to Okemo Mountain School. All donations are tax-deductible.

All gear must be dropped off at Jackson Gore Inn Nov. 13, 14 or 17 (10 am – 3 pm) and may not be brought to the swap during sale hours.

Okemomountainschool.org 13 | NENSA Invitational Rollerski Event, Stowe Watch some of U.S. Ski Team and the best cross-country skiers in the world race from Nebraska Valley uphill to the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. nensa 20 | The Big Kicker, Sugarbush Celebrate the start of ski season with a rail jam, live music and a groovy scene at Mt. Ellen’s base area, sponsored by Lawson’s Finest Liquids..sugarbush.com

26-28 | Homelight Killington World Cup The best women slalom racers in the world come to Killington to race a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday of Superstar. Expect Mikaela Shiffrin, and others plus a vendor village, films, live music and more. killington.com

DECEMBER 2-4 | Warren Miller “Winter Starts Now” Film, Middlebury & Burlington This year’s Warren Miller film features UVM’s Vasu Sojitra (see p. 13) descending Denali and plenty of other live action. At the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury, Dec. 2, followed by a show at the Flynn in Burlington n Dec. 4. warrenmiller.com 4 | NE Rando Series Vertical Race and Skills Clinic, Berkshire East, Ma. NE Rando kicks off the ski mountaineering series with a 1k vertical race at 8 am followed by a clinic: transitions, descents, skating and more. nerandorace.blogspot.com 9 | Earn-Your-Turns Roundtable, Sugarbush Rhe third annual Earn Your Turns Roundtable Discussion, brings together skiers and riders interested in uphill travel alongside land managers, ski area operators and the US Forest Service to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by this growing sport. Learn about uphill travel, proper etiquette and a panel discussion. sugarbush.com 10 | Annual Brewfest, Smuggler’s Notch Vermont has the highest number of breweries per capita and BrewFest highlights some of our state’s excellent breweries plus regional favorites and craft ciders. A DJ spins tunes and the Mountain Grille puts on a tasty appetizer buffet. smuggs.com 11 | Wall of Fame Ceremony, Sugarbush Sugarbush inducts the 2021 class into the Wall of Fame. sugarbush.com 17 | SugarBash 63rd Birthday Celebration, Sugarbush Celebrate Sugarbush’s 63rd Birthday with the Sugarbash from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM in the Castlerock Pub. sugarbush.com 18 | NE Rando Series Skimo Race, Magic Mountain A U.S. Ski Mountaineering Association sanctioned skimo race. All participants must have USSMA licenses or day licences. nerandorace.blogspot.com

NOV./DEC. 2021 | VTSPORTS.COM 33

ENDGAME

I

was born in Burlington, Vermont during the wee hours of a hushed Christmas night. Away in a manger?

Ding dong merrily on high? Well, sort of.

My parents carried me from the hospital in a soft crimson stocking and soon began referring to me, the relentlessly pooping infant that had invaded their home, as “the gift that keeps on giving.” A tongue-in-cheek nickname, it stuck: They continue to call me by that nickname when December rolls around.

People tend to assume that sharing your birthday with Jesus, i.e. God incarnate, i.e. “the Alpha and the Omega,” is a drag. Talk about being overshadowed! But actually, for a greedy gluttonous consumer like my former self, it was pretty awesome. Presents?

Heck yes, times two! A basketball and a Lego spaceship! A birthday cake and a chocolate pie! Santa and balloons! It would be difficult to overstate the sparkly holiday glee that I felt growing up.

Okay, but here’s the interesting thing: The most memorable and cherished Christmas morning of my life—the best Christmas morning of my life, the sparkliest—involved no toys or treats, no gratuitous indulgences whatsoever. In fact, it was downright ascetic, just snow and cold and burning lungs and 3-pin boots and bamboo poles and blisters and snot rockets and...

I was at my grandparents’ place in North Sandwich, New Hampshire, a wonderful 100 acres of woods and rolling meadows, tumbled stone walls and glacial erratics, frozen ponds and powdery slopes. My grandfather had methodically cut a network of trails on the property—easy flat trails, curvy plunging trails, the gamut. It was on these ungroomed adventure routes that I had learned to cross country ski. I was turning eight that Christmas and had been cross country skiing for many years already (seven years, more or less).

The morning of December 25 was clear and, I kid you not, 27 degrees below zero, colder than a well-digger’s fanny, a brass toilet seat in the Yukon, a witch’s mammary, etc. Good gluttonous consumer that I was, I leapt from bed in the pre-dawn dark, itching for presents and sweets. My groggy dad needed to kill some time, though, so he asked if I wanted to go out for a ski, despite the polar chill and the innumerable stars still shining in the sky.

Me: No, not really.

Him: Are you sure?

Me: Do I have a choice or is this some sick twisted game you play to torture innocent children?

34 VTSPORTS.COM | NOV./DEC. 2021

THE BEST PRESENT. EVER.

FOR A KID BORN ON CHRISTMAS, THE BEST GIFT WASN’T WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK.

BY LEATH TONINO

For a kid itching for presents and sweets, an invitation to ski in freezing weather on Christmas Day brought a surprise gift that has lasted a lifetime.

“

We geared up— layers layering layered layers, then extra layers atop those—and embarked on an epic tour, father and son pushing along in silence through the conifers, across the fields, behind the crooked barn, farther and farther and farther.”

We geared up—layers layering layered layers, then extra layers atop those—and embarked on an epic tour, father and son pushing along in silence through the conifers, across the fields, behind the crooked barn, farther and farther and farther. Slowly, the sun rose. Slowly, our bodies generated the warmth needed to balance the sucking chill. There was

no chatting, no stopping. Obviously, there was no rotund Santa, no clutch of rainbow balloons. There was only that rhythm, that glide. That silvery slide.

That delicious aching effort.

Him: Do you want to keep going?

Me: Um… yeah, I guess.

Now, 25 years later, my dad recalls that it was on this particular morning that he first got a hint his boy would grow up to be an outdoorsy, winterloving, connoisseur of the sufferfest— the kind of New Englander who, upon graduating from college, would immediately accept a job shoveling snow at the South Pole for minimum wage (fun!). Tough little bloke, he thought to himself.

But me, I learned something that morning also, even if I wasn’t able to articulate it then and there. Maybe it will sound trite, but what I learned is that material gifts and high-calorie pleasures simply do not compare to the pared-down satisfactions of snow, cold, skis, familiar trails. That silvery slide, that delicious aching effort.

Oh, and a fleece balaclava to ward off frostbite—I learned the value of that, too.

Granted, not long after sunrise I went inside and shredded the wrapping paper like a crazed maniac, then proceeded to eat every last candy cane in the old farmhouse prior to breakfast. Of course I did—what self-respecting Christmas baby could look himself in the mirror if he behaved otherwise? Nevertheless, something had shifted, had changed. I had glimpsed a version of the place and the season and my relationship with both of these, and henceforth there would be no turning back. It was the true gift that keeps on giving.

To this day, clipping into my bindings and heading out for a super-early ski remains my favorite way to celebrate my own birth. And Jesus’ birth, too. Can’t forget J.C. Do you want to keep going?

Heck yes! Onward! Hallelujah! Praise the lord! O come all ye faithful! Let heaven and nature sing!

Leath Tonino is a native of the Champlain Basin and the author of two essay collections about the outdoors, most recently The West Will Swallow You (Trinity University Press). A version of this essay has appeared in Cross Country Skier.

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