NEW GLADES IN BRANDON

Brandon Gap, the site of the first sanctioned ski glades on National Forest Service land, has a new gladed zone. Located just above the Chittenden Brook hut (part of the Vermont Huts system), the northeast-facing zone starts off a yet-unnamed peak at 2,900 feet and descends 900 feet of vertical. One line has been cut with a skin track, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers with the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective, the organization that worked with officials of the Green Mountain National Forest to cut Brandon’s first glades. The new zone is more remote than others in the area and located at the end of a two-mile tour up the plowed National Forest Road 45, which parallels Chittenden Brook.

A Blueprint For Backcountry Ski Zones

Vermont was the first state in the nation to develop sanctioned glades (at Brandon Gap) on National Forest land. Now, skiers, recreation organizations like the Catamount Trail Association and state land managers are putting the finishing touches on the Vermont Backcountry Ski Handbook The project, which has been underway for a number of years, is designed to help skiers understand the concerns of public and private land managers, while at the same time communicating to land managers how to manage land for backcountry skiing in a way that complements forest management and protects the forest ecology. The handbook covers natural resource and social considerations and shows how to build partnerships with public and private land managers. It also examines how to delineate backcountry zones, and outlines the process for implementation and construction. It’s a complete how-to guide for creating high quality, sustainable backcountry ski terrain. The guide was developed with input from the Vermont’s Dept. of Forest, Parks, & Recreation; Vermont’s Dept.of Fish & Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service.