Vermont Ski + Ride 2024 Summer/Fall issue

VT SKI RIDE +

Vermont’s Mountain Sports and Life

THE BEST MOUNTAIN RACES TO RUN A BAUHAUS MOUNTAINSIDE HOME WHERE TO FIND THE BIG FISH JESSIE DIGGINS ON HER BIG YEAR NEWS ON SEASON PASSES

Having same-day surgery through SVMC Orthopedics allowed me to begin the process of rehab and healing immediately after surgery and get back to teaching yoga sooner than I ever thought.

–Jane Jezouit

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is now a member of Dartmouth Health.

While we’ve been partners for years, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and Dartmouth Health are coming even closer together to provide better care. As a member hospital, we bring you improved access, upgraded technology and expanded specialty care including cancer treatments, orthopedics and heart and vascular care.

So now, the great care you’ve always received from SVMC will be even better. All right here, close to home.

Yoga instructor Jane Jezouit’s chronic hip pain was no match for the skill and care of Dr. Michaela Schneiderbauer of SVMC Orthopedics. Delivering on the promise of exceptional care in our mission, Schneiderbauer performed same-day hip replacement that allowed Jezouit to walk out of the hospital shortly after surgery and begin recovery in the comfort of her home. Today, she’s once again practicing yoga without pain and feels confident about choosing SVMC Orthopedics to get her back the life she loves.

Learn more at svhealthcare.org

Michaela Schneiderbauer, MD, MBA SVMC Orthopedics

Lock in year-round adventure with the Beast 365 Pass, which includes unlimited winter lift access at Killington and Pico for the 2024/25 season plus access to 40+ additional ski destinations with an Ikon Base Pass included! Kick things off this summer with unlimited access to the bike park, adventure center, scenic gondola rides, and golf course all summer long.

Scan code or visit killington.com/seasonpass for more information.

FEATURES

22 | The Mountain Haus

In Ludlow, just off the slopes of Okemo, a couple designed a full-time home with Bauhaus touches.

28 | Running Up!

Move over Boulder, Vermont has become a hotbed for some of the top runners in the world, thanks in part to our mountains and trails. Plus, the best mountain races in the state.

34 | Big Fish, Small Fish

Whether you are chasing native brookies in high mountain streams or going after trophy trout in the big rivers, Vermont has something for everyone.

42 | Jessie Diggins’ Big Year

A year ago she wasn’t even sure she would compete, but then.... Here’s how Jessie Diggins tackled an eating disorder and had a record-setting year, solidifying her title as the world’s best cross country ski racer.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

7 | FIRST TRACKS | Going Downhill

Ski areas are making it easy to up your skills as a downhill mountain biker, thanks to new trails and new lesson programs.

15 | SKI AREA NEWS | News Briefs

A new hut-to-hut mountain bike route, Sugarbush’s proposed bike park, Amtrak upgrades, new short term rental taxes and more.

19 | PERSPECTIVE | The Ride of My Life

Victoria Gaither never saw herself as a downhill mountain biker, until she came back to Killington for the summer.

21 | GEAR | Water Toys

A hybrid kayak/SUP, great water shoes, a hat for the parks and more.

51 | COMPETITION | Back in the USA

The FIS is bringing more alpine ski races to the U.S. next season. Here’s why coaches, racers and fans are cheering.

55 | RETRO VT | The Man Who Built Play Grounds

Nearly a century ago, Perry Merrill had a vision for outdoor recreation in Vermont. That vision still shapes the state today.

59 | GREEN MOUNTAIN CALENDAR

64 | CHAIRLIFT Q/A | 100 Years of State Parks

Nate McKeen on our state parks, past and future.

COVER: Banking on the curve, downhill mountain biking Killington’s flow trails. Photo by Brooks Curran. THIS PAGE: Dan Curts runs up the flanks of Mount Mansfield. Photo by Ansel Dickey.

FROM THE TOP

Elite, But Not Elitist

Doing any kind of sport in Vermont can be a little intimidating. You may feel great about carving that big Super G turn until you see Olympian Ryan Cochran-Siegle blow by you on the slopes.

You might puff up about your time running one of Stratton’s or Bolton Valley’s mountain races until you are passed by a petite blonde (hey, was that Jessie Diggins?) or a lanky guy who happens to be on the U.S. Mountain Running Team.

If you wonder why the dude upstream from you is catching more fish than you are? Ask. He may be one of a handful of Vermonters who have been on the U.S. Fly Fishing Team.

Vermont feels like it has more elite athletes per capita than just about anywhere. The tiny town of Norwich alone has produced 11 Olympians. Oops, make that 12. This summer Norwich native Billy Bender, 22, (the former captain of both the ski and crew teams at his local public high school) will be at the Paris Olympics rowing the pairs.

Elle Purrier St. Pierre who grew up on a dairy farm just west of Jay Peak will also be there running the 1,500. St. Pierre, the 2024 World Champion in 3000 meters and holder of the American record for that distance as well as for the mile and two mile distances, didn’t grow up with any fancy coaching or training. She just put in the miles on the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. The third Olympian from Vermont this year is rugby player and social media star Ilona Maher of Burlington.

What’s cool about Vermont is that you might easily run into, if not an Olympian, at least an elite athlete at any of our mountain running races, as we write in “Running Up.” You might also see them biking the gravel roads and trails.

But perhaps the best thing about many of Vermont’s elite athletes? They are about as far from “elitist” as you can get.

Many want to help you get better. Pro runner Ben True invites any and all to join in Northwoods Athletics’ weekend runs. The Stratton-based SMS T2 elite team of cross-country skiers (including Jessie Diggins and Vermonter Ben Ogden) has also issued an open invitation to join them on their weekly runs up Stratton.

Join them or watch them. It’s a chance to witness excellence.

Lisa Lynn, Editor

Skier, dairy farmer, Vermonter: Elle Purrier St. Pierre with her son Ivan after winning the Olympic Trials in the 5000 meters. Photo by Justin Britton

Billy Bender (right) and Oliver Bub will be rowing the pairs at the Paris Olympics. Bender, a former captain of his public high school ski team, is from Norwich.

VT SKI RIDE +

EDITORIAL

Publisher Angelo Lynn angelo@vtskiandride.com

Editor/Co-Publisher Lisa Lynn editor@vtskiandride.com

Creative Director David Pollard

Contributing Writers and Photographers: Victoria Gaither, David Goodman, Ali Kaukas, Brian Mohr, Lindsay Selin, Doug Stewart, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

Editorial Interns Alaena Hunt, Lucia Lovell

ADVERTISING SALES & DISTRIBUTION

For general advertising and media kits: lisa.lynn@vtsports.com | 802-388-4944

Angelo Lynn publisher@vtskiandride.com

Greg Meulemans greg@vtskiandride.com

Dave Honeywell dave_golfhouse@madriver.com

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FIRST TRACKS

WHAT’S NEW AT SKI AREAS AROUND VERMONT.

GOING DOWNHILL

One of the best ways to up your mountain bike game? Take the lift up, learn to fly down the trails. Here is how ski areas are making downhill riding more accessible than ever.

Experts like Zimmer Hayes (left, at Bolton Valley Resort) and Zeke Neubauer (top, at Burke Mountain Resort) have loved the gnarly features that characterized the early days of downhill mountain biking. Now, ski areas around the state are building out easier trails for lift-served mountain biking that any level rider can enjoy. Photos Rick Levinson, left; Ali Kaukas, top.

Body armor. Big jumps. Banked berms. Tail whips. Crashes. Those may be the images that define downhill mountain biking for many. But around Vermont, ski areas have been focusing on making downhill riding more accessible. They are providing both the equipment you need to start doing it safely and the lessons that will get you from the top of the lift to the bottom of the hill in one piece. And maybe even grinning as you fly around the berms.

In the past few years, resorts around the state have made a big push to create easier trails geared to beginner and intermediate downhillers.

Bolton Valley, Stratton and Okemo all have emerged as downhill mountain bike destinations and Sugarbush, closed for downhill biking this season, is planning an expanded park with terrain for beginners and intermediates.

If you’re interested in letting gravity do the work for you, make a weekend out of lift-served, downhill riding. You will want to rent a full suspension bike with disc brakes, a helmet, upper body protection, knee and shin pads.

Fortunately, all this is available at most downhill resorts for about $100 to $165 (for a rental bike, all your gear and a day ticket.) Many also offer beginner packages that include a lesson.

Want to take the lift up and ride down? Here’s where to go:

BURKE

The network of 100 miles of Kingdom Trails in East Burke is legendary. But right next door are Burke Mountain Resort’s 12 downhill trails where you can take the lift (or a shuttle) up and ride down, as well as 10 cross-country trails.

FIRST TRACKS

If you need further encouragement, Burke has earned the recognition of MTBparks.com as one of the top five mountain bike parks in the Northeast. For 2024, two new single-track trails from the CCC Road provide for new options to descend from the summit to the bike park.  Additionally, FreeRide got a complete overhaul. More cross-country trails and humanpowered climbs are at the nearby Kingdom Trails network. It also features a kid-friendly pump track right in town along the banks of the East Branch of the Passumpic River.   Must ride: Experts whip through bermed turns and ride up walls on favorites like Knightslayer, Dead Moose Alley and the J-Bar trail. Novice downhillers can develop their skills on Shire and Roly Grail—all with views to Willoughby Gap and Jay Peak. Aprèsbike: Mike’s Tiki Bar, a funky, fresh-air food truck-and bar with a great selection of local craft beer on draft. Catch some live music on select evenings during the summer.  Local shop(s): East Burke Sports, Village Sports.  Lift tickets:  $48 for adults. Open: Thurs.Sun,. More info: skiburke.com

BOLTON VALLEY

Once known for spicy trails that were carved out of the woods by an early generation of semi-pro riders, Bolton Valley has invested in making the mountain accessible to

all levels. In the past few years Gravity Logic has designed flowy, intermediate trails that are fun for everyone. The resort now has 27 trails, with more planned.

While it is still not a beginner’s mountain, Bolton’s blue trails such as Vista Glades and Bluebird are just plain fun. And it is hard not to beat the western views from the top of the Vista Quad which stretch to Lake Champlain.

With a rental fleet and a Progression Zone skills park near the Sports Center —as well as the option to hire a coach or guide there— the resort is doubling-down on its skills programs.

Bolton also has one of the best values in beginner

If you like carving a GS turns on snow, the berms on some of Killington’s 30 miles of downhill trails are just as fun. Killington has trails accessible to every skill level, as well as a variety of camps and clinics. Photos by Brooks Curran.

packages: $99 for a “Training Wheels” half-day bike rental, lift access and a 90-minute group lesson.

Must ride: Vista Glades, Bluebird and Bolton Bridge are the fun intermediate trails. Experts might appreciate riding up to the old-school technical VTFR trails such as Outlaw and Doubledown Après-bike: On-mountain, stop in for a burger at the James Moore Tavern or opt for something from the Miso Hut. Local shop(s): Sports Center at the base. Lift tickets: $40 for adults, and $30 for 17 and under. Open: Wed-Fri. noon to dusk, all day Sat.Sun.  More info: boltonvalley.com

KILLINGTON

Killington has more than 30 miles of downhill riding across five peaks. and the higher you go on the mountain, the more advanced the trails. The lines off K1 are steep, but many of the trails that slash in and out of woods were expertly designed by British Columbia trail builders Gravity Logic to handle the pitch. Killington also has fun, easier trails in the Snowshed and Ramshead areas, such as Krusty Trail, a 2.29 mile-long intermediate flow trail.

Killington’s lesson programs are extensive with a beginner “Experience Downhill” package that includes a two-hour lesson, bike and gear rental and lift ticket for

$149 for adults and $124 for 17 and under. (The bike park is free if you have a $1,999 Beast 365 pass, which includes an Ikon Base Pass.)

Must ride: The Krusty Trail, Scarecrow, Gambler, Kon Tiki. For easier trails, ride anything in the Snowshed Express zone. The mountain primarily features downhill trails, but cross-country style trails can be accessed in the South Ridge area or near Kent Pond and the Sherburne trails. Après-bike: On-mountain, head for the Umbrella Bars or Preston’s. The Foundry offers craft cocktails and pond-front seating. The Lookout Tavern is a local staple, and features burgers and a great craft beer selection.  Local shop(s): Base Camp; First Stop Board & Barn, Alpine Bike Works Lift tickets: $65 for adults, and $30 for 17 and under. Half day: $25.   Open: Thurs.-Mon (K1) and Fri..-Sat. Ramshead/Snowshed --hours vary so check website. More info:  killington.com

STRATTON

With more than 10 miles of hand- and machine-crafted downhill mountain bike trails, the Stratton Mountain Bike Park is an exciting and relatively new spot to explore. The designers and builders of the trails, Sinuosity, focused on eco-friendly practices and unique layouts.

Stratton Mountain Resort (below) has carved out more than 10 miles of trails, designed by Vermont trailbuilders Sinuosity to be, for the most part, family-friendly. Courtesy photos.

FIRST TRACKS

The downhill trails are open to every kind of rider from beginner to expert. Stratton has patterned its bike lesson program after its ski program with everything from private to group lessons and camps specifically for women and kids. A first-time lesson package (with bike and gear, lesson and lift access) costs $182.

Must ride: Intermediate Trail #4 zig zags through the woods whereas #7 is a long, swoopy and fun beginner run.  Après-bike: Grizzly’s is located in the Main Base Area and is the perfect place to stop for a drink or a bite. The restaurant offers a great variety of beers, woodfired pizzas and even live music. Plus, you’ll have a great view of the mountain.  Local shop: Head to the Junior Mountain Sports School at the base for rentals and packages: Lift tickets: $55 for 13 and older. Open:  Thurs. through Monday. More info: stratton.com

MOUNT SNOW

In 1986, Vermont’s southernmost ski area was among the first to open lifts and trails to mountain bikes. After hosting years of elitelevel NORBA races, the resort’s 12-mile trail system continues to challenge all types of riders. For cross-country riders, the Base Loop is a fun, introductory loop. Downhill riders use the Canyon Express to access popular trails like Gateway, which, at 2.5 free-flowing miles is one of longest introductory downhill trails in the East. For those who like to use their full-body armor, Swamp Donkey is a steep expert ride with large jumps and tall berms and winds in and out of the trees. This trail offers the opportunity for some air. You can rent both bikes and full-body protective gear at the base. Day passes are $55 for lift access but Epic Pass holders can get unlimited access at Mount Snow, Okemo and Mt. Sunapee for $250 (adults) or $160 for kids with a Three Mountain Haul Season Pass.

Must ride: Swamp Donkey, Gateway.  Après-bike: Pizzas and small-batch brews at Pizzapalooza & Beer Naked Brewery in Wilmington, or grab some fresh fried pickles, fried cheese curds and craft cocktails after your ride at One More Time (OMT) Billiards Parlor in West Dover. Local shop: Mount Snow Sports at the Grand base. Lift tickets: $55 for one adult day ticket (rentals extra).  Open: Thurs.Sunday and some holidays. More info: mountsnow.com

SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH

One of Vermont’s most family-friendly ski areas keeps its mountain bike focus on kids. While Smuggs doesn’t have typical lift-served mountain biking, it does offer a two-acre downhill skills park with 350 feet of vertical drop. Kids can ride a conveyor lift up, then test their skills on two flow trails, a rock garden and a jump line. For those looking to learn, the mountain offers clinics for kids, families and a park-skills clinic. The resort has a fleet of full-suspension, hardtail, cruiser and even strider bikes for the littlest riders as well as e-bikes for adults. There are camps, clinics and guided rides for all abilities.

Must ride: Dale’s Trail, West Woodrun, Watson’s Wanderer. Après-bike: Barbeque at Brewster River Pub & Brewery.   Local shop: Smugglers’ Notch’s MTB Park & Bike Shop.  Lift tickets: $15 for one adult day ticket. Open:  Tues.-Saturday. More info: smuggs.com. u

Welcome Home

The decision to build your new home can feel overwhelming, but with the right help it can also be deeply rewarding. At Bensonwood, we draw from more than 50 years of homebuilding experience to guide you through a smooth design build process resulting in faster time to completion, lower energy bills and a comfortable, healthy home for you and your family to enjoy for generations.

Hut To Hut Mountain Biking

Imagine a three- or four-day ride, more than half of it on singletrack and far away from big towns and busy roads. At night, you bed down in a remote forest cabin, a stone hut atop a mountain, or a yurt overlooking a river valley. By day, ride the berms of Tunnel Ridge singletrack (possibly Vermont’s longest flow trail), dunk in a swimming hole or stop to pick blueberries.

This summer, you can do all that. The Heart of the Greens Velomont Loop is the first completed multi-day segment of the Velomont Trail, a collaborative project with the goal of connecting a series of singletrack trails and backcountry huts from the Massachusetts border to Canada. As Vermont Huts notes, “This loop captures the Velomont vision and turns it into reality: connect rural communities to each other and to public open space via purpose-built single track trails.”

The 38-mile loop starts just north of Killington in the town of Rochester where Green Mountain Bikes owner Doon Hinderyckx and his partner Anni Mackay (who owns the Big Town Vermont gallery) recently opened the stylish bike-friendly lodge, The Stable. From there, you can ride north and climb Tunnel Ridge. From there, plan an overnight at Chittenden Brook Hut or from Rochester make a short, easy ride south to Spikehorn Yurt. Those who want to add a bit can ride the Green Mountain Trails and reserve a night at Shrek’s Cabin, a small stone hut at the top of the Pittsfield trail system. All the huts can be reserved through vermonthuts.com.

While there are multiple options for shorter loops, note that the entire loop means climbing 5,718 feet, much of it on technical singletrack, and is best for intermediate and advanced riders. For maps and more information see ridgelineoutdoorcollective.org/heart-of-the-greens-loop.

A bikepacker’s dream, the 38-mile Heart of the Greens loop has plenty of shorter loop options as well as places to bed down along the way, like the Chittenden Brook Hut (below), a remote hut equipped with bunks and cooking facilities. Photo by Greg Maino

4.1 MILLION

SEEK THE PEAK

If you have ever skied New Hampshire’s Tuckerman Ravine or just listened to the weather forecast from the top of Mt. Washington, you have the folks at the Mt. Washington Observatory to thank. The observatory has been recording weather longer than any other organization in the U.S. and each summer celebrates with a fundraiser called Seek The Peak, held July 20 this year. In addition to guided hikes up the mountain, the tallest in New Hampshire, the event has an Aprés Hike Expo that features a catered meal with Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant, an 80-foot climbing wall, live music, speakers and more. It’s for a good cause. Details: mtwashington.org

That’s the number of skier/rider visits Vermont’s alpine ski areas reported in 2023/24, down less than half a percentage point from the 2022/23 season. Meanwhile, nationwide skier visits fell by 5 million, a 7.8 percent drop from the record high of 65.4 million skier visits in 2022/23, the busiest season on record. Vermont’s season numbers were 4 percent above the 10-year average and outpaced a 6.2 percent decrease in Northeast region visits (12.4 million).

Season Pass News

One of the most popular of the multi-mountain 2024/25 season passes sold out last March 18, just 10 days after sales opened. That’s the date the $349 Indy Base Pass, which offers two days at close to 200 independent ski areas around the U.S. went off sale.

In Vermont, the pass has been good at Magic Mountain, Saskadena 6, Bolton Valley and Jay Peak, as well as related Nordic centers and the Trapp Family Lodge. This year, the Middlebury Snow Bowl (now with night skiing) and Rikert Nordic Center are also on the pass. Didn’t get one? Don’t fret: there is a wait list and sales are expected to open up for Independence Day.

Middlebury Snow Bowl also joins Bromley and the nearly dozen New England ski areas that are on the 2024/25 Uphill New England Pass. The $215 pass lets you skin up unlimited times, track your stats and sign just one liability waiver good at all mountains so you can be skinning, not signing.

Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass ($1,004)– good at Mount Snow, Okemo and Stowe in Vermont – is offering free scenic lift rides this summer at its resorts as well 20% off food at all three areas, and 20% off lodging and bike rentals at Okemo and Mount Snow. Vail Resorts also added the Swiss resort Crans Montana, and last year purchased Switzerland’s Andermatt. The Epic Pass is good at 37 North American resorts and has limited access to six ski areas in Canada, five in Japan and 26 European partner resorts.

Alterra’s Ikon Pass ($1,359) added the swanky Swiss resort St. Moritz to its stable. The pass is good all season at Sugarbush and Stratton and 15 other destinations as well for 7 days at Killington/Pico and 40 other mountains.

Middlebury Snow Bowl, now on the Indy Pass, celebrated the opening of its new chair and night skiing last season.

Courtesy photo

Ditch the Car

It’s easier than ever to get to Vermont from major urban areas thanks to Amtrak’s Vermonter and the Ethan Allen lines. Now, those two lines will be carrying the new Aero cars, with storage for two bikes and possibly additional bike storage. The Vermonter, which orginates in Washington D.C., travels up the eastern part of the state with stops in Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, Windsor and White River Junction before following I89 west to stop in Randolph, Montpelier, Waterbury and Essex Junction, and ending in St. Albans. The Ethan Allen travels from New York City to Albany before arriving in Castleton, Rutland, Middlebury, Vergennes and Burlington. The fee for bikes is $20, in addition to a passenger ticket.

That’s

tax

will be

to short term rentals that take place in Vermont after Aug. 1. The surcharge is in addition to the 9% rooms and meals tax and a 1% local options tax, but won’t apply to hotel rooms and stays of 30 days or longer. Don’t gripe too much: The tax is expected to raise $26 million for Vermont’s ailing education fund.

SUGARBUSH’S NEW LIFT & MTB TRAILS

There’s a good reason Sugarbush isn’t running its lift-served mountain biking this summer. The Alterra-owned resort has been busy removing the old Heaven’s Gate triple chair and replacing it with a fixed-grip quad, as well as flattening out the short uphill climb at the summit to access the Jester trail. The new quad will use a conveyor, which will make loading faster and is part of a $12.6 million capital improvement budget that also includes $3 million in snowmaking improvements at Mt. Ellen.

For mountain bikers, there’s better news ahead: Sugarbush has submitted plans to create five new mountain bike trails that will be serviced by the Gateway lift and feature easier terrain and an alternative to the existing bike trails.

The proposal submitted to the Green Mountain National Forest (which owns the land and leases it to the resort) includes plans for 10.9 miles of both freeride (machine-made with jumps, berms and gaps) and more traditional technical trails to be developed in two phases.

Phase One would include 7 miles of new trails, including two freeride trails, each about two miles long and designed for beginner and intermediate riders, as well as a 1.9-mile beginner technical trail and two shorter trails.

According to the project description, “In contrast to many of the proposed trails which feature flatter grades and highly dispersed drainage, the older trails require a significant amount of erosion control, trail rerouting, and lack the “flow” that existing riders appreciate and expect. Moreover, these [new] trails will also provide an opportunity for adaptive users.” Vermont Adaptive has a base at Mt. Ellen.

The U.S. Forest Service decision on the proposal is expected by Sept. 1, and if approved, trail building could start next spring.

the new

that

added

The Ride of My Life

She skis all winter at Killington but the author never imagined she’d be back on the mountain in the summer, this time riding downhill. By Victoria Gaither

As a broadcaster, I talk a lot. I can never remember any time in my life or career that prevented me from speaking or expressing myself.

That was until I had to put on a Fox helmet for my downhill mountain bike lesson at Killington Resort.

To my surprise, the helmet was tight-fitting against my cheeks. It should not have surprised me because seeing riders on television, I always wondered why their faces looked squeezed; it was the helmet! I always thought it was from concentrating too much, which is true for some downhill riders.

It wasn’t until I took my first tumble on the trail that I truly understood the importance of that helmet. It wasn’t just a piece of gear; it was my lifeline. It kept me safe and reminded me to listen more than I speak, a lesson I had never truly grasped. But listening when learning something new is critical.

For years, when ski season was over, some of my friends would say Now, you must try downhill mountain biking. I thought to myself no, because it isn’t for me.

As it turns out, it is for me, and how sorry I am

now for wasting all those years thinking it wasn’t.

My lesson at Killington was on a Saturday, and in the few days leading up to it, I was anxious but excited.

I watched a YouTube video on downhill mountain biking and left feeling confused. I thought everything would be okay because I would have the best instructor from Killington and be riding in no time. It took all the two hours of lessons to get me riding, but I had the ride of my life!

Ron Austin was my instructor. Addison Craven, who also works at Killington in mountain sports, came with us on the lesson. Zach Godwin joined us from the media department to document the morning with pictures and videos, and my partner Michael Bucciero for moral support.

I had my very own loyal companions, like in the movie Lord of the Rings; instead of traveling to the land of Mordo to save Middle Earth, I only had to bike down a trail at Snowshed.

Sounds easy.

Before we left Snowshed, Ron did a bike safety check, showed us how to use the brakes and gears, and told us a few other things.

Sure, I had ridden a bike as a kid but this was different. As a kid, I sat on my seat, but in a downhill mountain bike, you stand up with the pedals level with the cranks at 3 and 9 o’clock.

It took me a while to understand that because my natural body position was used to sitting down.

I eventually overcame that and moved onto the hill that connects Snowshed and the Grand Resort. We practiced a few standing positions, shifting body weight, which later became necessary for taking berms (which are curves), in the course.

Ron would demonstrate moves, and Michael and I would follow, with Addison standing by for support or to explain what I was doing wrong or right.

When you learn something new, breaking it down into parts can be tiring because you must execute each step. But what I didn’t realize on that hill was that those

The author, an avid downill skier, on her first downhill mountain bike ride at Killington Resort.

steps would give me the best feeling in the world, with my companions on the side to cheer me on.

After completing the hill tasks, we moved onto a small obstacle course that had a bridge, a rock, a ramp, and a berm—all the things you will see on trails at Killington.

The sight of it made me feel uneasy, and I thought this might be a problem, but after Michael completed his ride around, it was my turn. You walk the course first before riding. I saw a big rock and told Ron I couldn’t jump over that rock, and he said to go around. But Ron, always hyping you up with a little confidence building thrown in, sent me on my way. As I set off he called “You got this, Victoria!”

With the speed of lightning, I got on the bike, and my mind said, don’t stop, keep going, and I kept going around the track. I rode over the rock, took my first berm easily, and heard the guys yelling my name as I rounded the trail. Their voices didn’t sound like four guys but rather an orchestra cheering me on.

I got off the bike feeling chills, and truth be told, I wanted to cry because I have never been cheered on in my life, not like that. Instead of crying, I sat on the ground, and as people do, we laughed, high-fived, and I relived my ride of a lifetime.

To share my accomplishment, although small, brought all of us closer together. That is how communities are built: one berm at a time, one bridge, one jump, one person encouraging you and believing you can do anything.

On that day, they believed in me.

With that pumping feeling, I finished my first downhill trail at Killington Resort. Ron took the lead; I was behind him, Michael was in the middle, and Addison rode the rear.

I jumped over more rocks, though bigger, didn’t get enough speed to cross a bridge, and wiped out, but I was still doing it. I am now one of those women I see riding, and it feels so good.

Sure, I fell three times, but that helmet was my lifeline, and for once, during my lesson I shut up and listened.

I listened to Ron explaining why it’s essential to check the trails ahead of you, Addison explaining to me that I braked too hard on one of my tumbles, Michael telling me to move up in my seat, and Zach, once it was all over, smiling and saying you did well for this being your first time.

And not the last. I am now a mountain biker. u

At the Killington Snowshed base, the author gears up with helmet, pads and a fullsuspension downhill bike.

A

Water Sports

few essentials for summer on the lakes and swimming holes, and fall on the rivers and trails.

GOLDEN GLASSES

Costa, which specializes in polarized glasses that are ideal for seeing what’s below the water’s surface, unveiled a new lens this year which will appear in more than 20 styles of glasses, including the Sullivan ($201), shown here. The Costa 580G Gold Mirror is a rose base lens, designed with a lighter visible light transmission (VLT), polarized and 580 color-enhanced. That means it will help you see in a variety of lighting conditions (sunshine to overcast) when out on the water.

HATS OFF TO VT STATE PARKS

The Vermont headwear brand Skida has no shortage of cute hats for every season. This summer, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Vermont State Parks, Skia launches a Elmore line of forest-themed caps, headbands, bandanas and more. Sales of products such as the Alpine Hat ($38) will go to the non-profit Vermont Parks Forever which helps to ensure Vermont’s 55 parks see thrive for the next 100 years.

THE ALL-IN-ONE CRAFT

Can’t decide whether you want a stand-up paddleboard or a kayak? And you don’t have space for both? If you want something sturdy enough to fish from, that has paddles and a seat so you can row to a remote campsite say at Knight Island on Lake Champlain and deflates and can be rolled into a backpack, ISLE’s Switch Pro SUP “inflatable hardboard” may be the $1,115 answer. Unpack the wheelie bag, pump up the board and you’re ready to go. A seat can be attached for more kayak-like paddling and there are places you can tie down gear. A rigid fiber hull makes this sturdier than most inflatable boards and at 23 lbs, it can hold up to 475 lbs.

ALL-AROUND WATER SHOES

Most water shoes try to be breathable, comfortable and drain easily; have some arch support and good grip and protection. But it’s rare to find one model that does all those things well. The XTRATUF Kiata Drift ($80) is the shoe that will keep your feet protected while you are hiking that rocky trail that leads to a secret swimming hole. The TUFgrip outsole will grip as you launch off the slippery rocks or scramble up the riverbed. And the 3D knit uppers will dry out quickly after you swim to shore. Plus, these shoes come in River Rock and Dark Forest grays and greens for men’s and pastels such as Coral and Seafoam for women and look sharp enough to wear to the brew pub after. u

Dream Home

THE

MOUNTAIN HAUS

When a couple decided to build their full-time home off the slopes of Okemo, they had a vision that blended mountain contemporary with Bauhaus touches. By Lisa

Lynn | Photo by Zach Davidson

Just off the trails at Okemo, the Hertweck home with its sloped roofs and cedar and stone siding is one with the mountain.

Tim Hertweck is neither an architect nor a builder. His wife Kim is neither, nor is she an interior designer. Yet when it came time to move to Vermont and build a home just off the slopes of Okemo, they knew exactly what they wanted. They just had to find someone to help realize their dream.

“I had torn a couple of pages out of a magazine that showed a house —— I think it was in Lake Tahoe,” Tim remembers. “It had a curved roof, lots of stone and cedar and I just fell in love with it. I showed it to Kim and she immediately liked the design. We went from there,” he says.

The Hertwecks both grew up in Connecticut and had been skiing at Okemo for years, renting winter ski houses with friends. “Then we found this lot with an old house on it, just off the mountain,” Tim says. It was less than an acre and somewhat steep.

“We both wanted to move out of Chester, Ct.– it was just getting too crowded there,” Tim remembered. His job, with a healthcare company had also moved to Westerfield, Ma.

The couple then set about building a version of the house they had seen in the magazine. “We knew some of the builders in the area, but Kim had researched Bensonwood and suggested we go talk to those guys. The fact that they build the whole frame at their site in New

Hampshire appealed to us,” Tim recalls.

“At first I thought it was a little outside their sweet spot—a lot of Bensonwood homes have pitched roofs and gables,” Tim continues. But Bensonwood also had an inhouse architect, Randall Walter, who took a look at the magazine clippings and created a design, complete with curved roofs, that the Bensonwood shop could build for the main house, the garage and porch.

The company has a number of designs that it builds in its facility in New Hampshire before assembling on site, but also will build custom. “It’s not easy to build a curved roof but we managed to do it,” said Bensonwood project manager Jim Bannon. The roof arrived on site with wood frame and the interior ceilings, made from strips of Douglas fir, all in place. Huge, exposed Douglas fir beams frame the home and Bensonwood built the stairs and a kit for an exterior porch, as well.

From there, the Hertwecks hired local builder, Josselyn Brothers of Cuttingville, Vt. to do the exterior cedar and stone siding, a Brooklawn blend strip. With the exception of the staircase, which was built by Bensonwood, Josselyn Bros. also finished out the interior, including building the fireplace and chimney from Brooklawn blend ledge.

Much as they knew what they wanted in the exterior, the Hertwecks had a definite plan for the interior as well.

Kim, an artist with a degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, went with a bold, electric blue for both the frame of the vestibule and the acrylic kitchen cabinets, which are from Parapan.

On the kitchen island, Kim picked up on the theme of curves that permeates the house by doing a half-oval of quartz counter top, married to butcher block. “That was partly a functional decision—we wanted a hard surface but also wanted to visually marry the kitchen with the wood of the rooms that it opens onto,” she notes.

The kitchen opens into a large living area, facing the fireplace. Kim chose large commercial tile for the floors, which have radiant heat. “They were hard to find but I liked the look of the very large tiles. They also just feel better on your feet — and we walk around barefoot in the house quite a bit — and are easier to clean.”

Kim chose all the furnishings. “The carpet in the dining room is by Gunta Stolzl, a German textile artist who was

The Hertwecks chose bold colors, such as the blue acrylic Parapan kitchen cabinets (left) and the Gunta Stolzl rug in the living room. The kitchen island’s semicircle of quartz is functional and echoes the curves of the exterior roofing. The staircase, delivered by Bensonwood, showcases a painting by Kim Hertweck on the landing.

one of the first female teachers and the first to hold the title of “Master” in the Bauhaus movement,” she says. The dining table is a replica of an original Eero Saarinen tulip table from the 1960s that the Hertwecks had. “The original wasn’t in good enough shape,” Kim notes, so they bought a replica. The fixture above is from the Italian lighting company, Bocci. The Noguchi coffee table in the living room also echoes the theme of curves.

Kim’s own artwork — a painting of a hand and a

feather — hangs in the stairwell which leads to the upstairs bedrooms. There are three bedrooms, in total, with a downstairs office and a half bath. Off the kitchen sits Kim’s studio, a laundry room and, to one side, a screened porch for summer dining.

The Hertwecks’ children are grown now but their son Luke lives in Jericho, Vt., and often visits. “He’s now totally enamored with mountain biking,” Tim says. With Okemo’s mountain bike trails right out the door, the Hertwecks have made this mountainside lot their year-round home. Tim often starts his weekends with a hike up the mountain.

As for weekdays: “It’s funny, even though the commute to Westfield is a bit longer it’s an easier and more enjoyable drive,” Tim says. And unlike Chester, Ludlow is not crowded.“We live on a dead-end street here and there are times in the spring and the summer when we are the only lights on the road – and that’s beautiful in its own way.”

The screened porch (opposite page) came as a kit from Bensonwood and a bold blue vestibule (left) was shipped from Europe. The upstairs bedroom showcases the curved roof with a Douglas fir ceiling. The owners used a palette of electric blues, from the vestibule to the bathroom tiles.

MOVE OVER BOULDER AND FLAGSTAFF, VERMONT IS NOW TURNING OUT SOME OF THE BEST RUNNERS

RUNNING UP

Dan Curts, shown here running up Mt. Mansfield, finished second at the 2023 USATF Mountain Running Championships and is one of the pro runners who trains with Northwoods Athletics out of the Upper Valley. Elle Purrier St. Pierre (right), on her way to winning the Olympic Trials in the 5,000 meters. The Franklin County dairy farmer is expected to compete in the 1,500 meters at the Paris Olympics. Photo this page by Ansel Dickey; opposite Johnny Zhang

IN THE WORLD. YOU CAN THANK THE GREEN MOUNTAINS AND THE TRAILS HERE FOR THAT.

West of Jay Peak, the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail runs from Richford, near the Canadian border, some 26 miles to St. Albans. It passes the towns of Montgomery and Berkshire and cuts through the pastoral landscape of Franklin County’s hillside dairy farms.

If you run sections of this trail regularly, you may have seen a small blonde woman running a pace that’s faster than most people pedal a bike. Elle Purrier St. Pierre grew up on her parent’s fifth-generation dairy farm in Montgomery. She skied at Jay Peak and played basketball at her local high school in Richford. It was while training for basketball that she began to make running a ritual.

Now 29,married to her high school sweetheart, Jamie St. Pierre, and living on his family’s dairy farm in Berkshire, Elle St. Pierre still runs the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. She leaves her son Ivan, now a year-and-a-half old, at home and sets out to do the splits that have made her one of the greatest runners the U.S. has ever seen.

St. Pierre holds the American record for the mile and the two-mile. She won the 3,000-meter World Championship in Glasgow in early March 2024 and in June she qualified for two Olympic events, winning the 5,000 meter trials and then breaking her own record for the 1,500 trials, running the course in just 3:55:99. After the event her coach Mark Coogan told Citius Magazine, “We’re 100-percent leaning toward her just doing the 1,500. There’s no reason she can’t run a 3:52 or a 3:53.”

A Running Community

While St. Pierre may have the spotlight on her, in the past few years, Vermont has become something of a hotbed for elite-level runners in disciplines that range from track to marathoning to trail running.

On most Saturdays, the Tour de Northwoods weekly run takes place in the Upper Valley. Anyone can join the group run, which often starts in places such as downtown Woodstock or King Arthur Flour’s Norwich headquarters. The locations and routes are announced on Strava and the run is usually followed by coffee and waffles at a local spot.

What makes the Tour de Northwoods different from any other club run is that you may find yourself lacing up your running shoes next to founder Ben True, a former Dartmouth Nordic ski racer who helped his team win the NCAAs. After college, True focused on running. He was fourth in the 2021 Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters and the second American at the 2021 New York Marathon.

True’s wife, Sarah Groff, a former Olympic triathlete, might also be there, along with True’s Northwoods cofounder Dan Curts, the 2023 U.S. Mountain Running champion or coach Eric LiPuma, who finished 7th in the 80-kilometer Alpine race in the 2023 World Mountain Running Championship.

True founded Northwoods Athletics to draw other top runners to this corner of New England so he would have

Eric LiPuma (top) traded the high peaks and running community of Colorado for the Green Mountains. LiPuma has helped the U.S. Mountain Running Team finish second at the 80K World Championships twice in the last two years. He’s also part of the elite training team Northwoods Athletics, founded by pro runner Ben True (in orange, below) which trains in the Upper Valley.

Photo top courtesy of LiPuma, bottom by Ansel Dickey

people who could pace him.

“Everyone seems to think they have to be in the hotspots, which are Boulder or Flagstaff. But I think this area has fantastic training and the running is amazing,” he said in an interview with Vermont Sports. “It’s far enough away from distractions, but yet close enough that it’s not a hassle to go to Boston to get on a plane,” he says. “We’re trying to build a community of professional runners here, and then use them to help inspire everybody else.”

“Community is what got us into running” is the lead quote on the Northwoods Athletics website. It’s a motto True takes seriously. While Northwoods Athletics now counts seven pro runners, anyone can join the Northwoods team and earn points throughout the season that are good for cash prizes. The catch? The “best” or highest points earner is not always the fastest. You can earn points for volunteering at a race or winning a race in your age group.

The Tour started as a way to safely socialize during Covid. One of the early members of the Tour de Northwoods weekly runs was Woodstock pro cyclist Ansel Dickey. “It

started because Ansel wanted to get more into running,” Ben True explains. “It was hilarious because the first few weeks he would turn himself inside out to try to stay with us. But every week he got fitter and fitter. Seeing that, we decided we should open this up so anyone could join in.”

Dickey has now extended his popular gravel race, the Overland Grand Prix, to include an Overland Trail Race, a 15-mile trail race at Mount Ascutney which he holds each May with $5,000 in cash prizes.

A Mountain Legacy

Long before Ben True was recruiting talent to Northwoods or Elle St. Pierre was running for New Balance and making headlines, Vermonters were regularly standing on the podium of international mountain running races.

Kasie Wallace Enman was an All-American runner and cross-country ski racer at Middlebury College, where she met her husband, Eli Enman, whose family runs Sleepy Hollow Nordic Center, in Hinesburg. Since graduating from Middlebury, Enman has won the U.S. Snowshoe

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN TRAIL RACES

Trail running has always been popular in Vermont but in recent years, new trail races and mountain challenges have mushroomed around the state. At many of these, you can expect to rub shoulders with elite runners – at the beer tent if not on the course. Here’s the 2024 circuit and it’s not too soon to start planning for next year’s events.

May 5 | Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race, Cochran’s. Ultra runner and three-time Vermont City Marathon winner Kasie Enman hosts this 6-mile race at Cochran’s. It kicks off the USATF NE Mountain Running circuit. sleepyhollowmtnrace.com

May 11 | Overland Trail Race, Ascutney Trails. With a $5,000 cash purse, this race draws pros and amateurs to run the 15-mile course around Mount Ascutney. Overland.com

June 19 | Catamount Ultra, Stowe. Run 25K or do two laps for 50K around the gorgeous trails at the Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center in Stowe. Trappfamily.com

July 6 | Bromley F.I.T. Sun Mountain Challenge. Win the 5K, 10K, 15K or 50K and you can earn a winter lift ticket at this second annual event. Bromley.com

July 23 | Goshen Gallop, Goshen. The trails at the Blueberry Hill Outdoor Center weave through the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area. This 10K dates back 46 years. Blueberryhillinn.com

July 27 | Moosalamoo Ultra, Goshen Blueberry Hill also hosts the Moosalamoo Utlra, a 36- or 14-mile trail race with 5,000 feet of elevation gain for the long course. Ironwoodadventureworkds.com

Aug. 10 | Stratton Summit Challenge, Stratton. For the third year, the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team – the team of elite cross-country ski racers that includes Olympian Jessie Diggins – challenges anyone to run with them to the top of Stratton, a 1,750-foot elevation gain. smseliteteam.wordpress.com/ stratton-summit-race/

Aug. 18 | Mozo Double Up, Stowe. Held every two years, this challenging race sends runners up and over Mt. Mansfield on hiking and ski trails for 11 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain. Occasional climbing involved. Ironwoodadventureworks.com

Aug. 25 | Race to the Top of Vermont, Stowe. It’s only 4.3 miles from the base of the Toll Road to its top, near the ridgeline of Vermont’s highest peak. But it’s 2,564 feet of elevation gain. The race has been supporting

the Catamount Trail Association since 1984. Racetothetopvt.weebly.com

Sept. 1 | Jay Peak Trail Running Festival, Jay Peak. Run a 5K on Saturday or save your legs for Sunday and run 11 miles, 22 miles or a 33mile ultra race around Jay Peak. Jaypeak.com

Oct. 6 | Bolton Valley Three Peaks. For its third annual running of this event, Bolton Valley Resort hosts trail races for 10K and 25K distances. Boltonvalley.com

Oct. 16 | North Face Race to the Summit, Stratton. Runners challenge themselves in a 2.18-mile race, climbing 2,003 vertical feet, up southern Vermont’s highest peak for prize money, awards and great views. Stratton.com

Oct. 24-27 | Everesting 29029, Stratton. Run up Stratton Mountain 17 times and you will have climbed the equivalent of Mt. Everest. Granted, you can take the gondola down between rides, enjoy the race village and have all weekend to complete your “Everest.” Stratton.com

Racing Championships, the U.S. Mountain Running Championships and three Vermont City Marathons.

In 2011, she became the first U.S. woman to win the World Mountain Running Championships (and by a full two minutes) and was 11th in the Olympic marathon trials. In 2014, as a mother of two, Enman was second in the Skyrunning World Series Ultra category. That year the male winner was ultra running legend Killian Jornet. In 2023 at the age of 43, Enman finished fourth in the USATF Mountain Running Championships.

Part of Enman’s success? She runs her own trails. Come summer, the cross country ski network at Sleepy Hollow becomes a mountain bike and trail running network. Enman is there, running the trails and co-hosting the annual Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race, the first event of the season in the USATF-NE Mountain Running Series, the longest standing mountain running circuit in the US.

She’s a perennial on the podiums of the Catamount Ultra 25K and Trapp Mountain Marathon, where she was the top female finisher for both in 2023. Last year, she finished the Trapp Mountain Marathon in second overall, behind Northwood’s Eric LiPuma.

With races such as those (both held on the cross-country trails at the Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center) and the Race to the Top of Vermont (a run up the Mt. Mansfield Toll Road, first held in 1984), it’s easy to see how Vermont has developed a mountain running culture.

One of the oldest mountain races, the Goshen Gallop has also spawned a top runner. Tony Clark, who created the trail network around his Blueberry Hill Inn, started the Goshen Gallop in 1978 as a way to entice some of the Nordic ski racers who regularly came to Blueberry Hill events, to come back in the summer to run the mountain trails. He billed the Gallop as “The Toughest 10K.”

Tony passed away in 2022, but his daughter Britta and her mother Shari still hold the race. In 2022, Britta was second at the US National 50K Trail Running Championships and has competed in the CCC – a 100-kilometer trail run through the Alps between Courmayeur and Chamonix.

The Best Place to Train

With Vermont’s tallest mountain, Mt. Mansfield, standing at just 4,393 feet above sea level, Vermont might not seem like a place that would attract runners who like to compete internationally on high alpine terrain. Yet after winning the 25K Catamount Ultra, a race on the Trapp Family Lodge cross country ski trails with 2,500 feet of elevation gain, Eric LiPuma decided to relocate to Vermont from Boulder, Colo. In Colorado, he regularly podiumed in some of the West’s most grueling mountain runs such as the Pikes Peak Ultra 50 and the Bighorn 100.

Half of LiPuma’s decision to move east in 2019 was to be closer to family who lived in New Jersey, Vermont’s trails were the other half. “Vermont definitely has the hardest terrain in the United States, if not hardest in the world, for

Training the Next Generation

For 45 years, John Kerrigan coached the cross-country team at Harwood Union High School in Duxbury, halfway between Stowe and Sugarbush. Kerrigan retired this past year but not until he had coached teams to 47 state team championships and, with his son Ryan of Ripton, founded and coached the U.S. Skyrunning Youth Team.

In 2017, Ryan (shown below) took seven young Vermonters to Andorra to compete in the newly-minted World Youth Skyrunning Championships, which involves running mountain trails and a Vertical Kilometer – meaning running up a mountain with 3,280 feet of elevation gain.

The U.S. team finished fourth out of nine. “We live in Vermont. Vermont has hills. Most Vermont runners live near or on the side of a mountain. We needed to compete with others who live and train in the mountains. It is part of a our culture,” Ryan said in an article his father posted to the Waterbury Roundabout.

In 2023, 14 Americans competed in the World Youth Championships with the U.S. team finishing 6th out of 31 teams. Ryan Kerrigan (pictured below) remains the head coach with his father John chipping in as assistant.

For the 2024 World Youth Championships, Ryan Kerrigan’s U.S. Team of 10 includes three Vermonters: James Underwood, 17, of Woodstock, a state track champion in the 3000 and 1500 meters; Ezra MerrillTriplet of Montpelier, and Estella Laird of Lincoln.

trail running,” he said in a recent interview. “There are so many rocks, so many roots, everything is always wet, and the trails are steep. There are no switchbacks on the Long Trail and that it just makes for very difficult running.

“And sometimes you can’t really run in some spots. I’ve definitely been frustrated with that, but it does get you in really, really good shape. It makes every race that you go into that much easier because you know you’re you’ve been training on some really crazy stuff.”

Part of LiPuma’s training has involved running up Camel’s Hump four times in one run — using each of the access trails — and he currently holds the FKT (fastest known time) for the route, dubbed the 4 Humped Camel. It involves 25 miles of running rough, rocky trail with 11,000 feet of elevation gain. In May 2023, he ran it in 5 hours, 46 minutes and 20 seconds.

That training has put him in good stead. In both 2022 and 2023 LiPuma helped the U.S. Mountain Running Team earn silver in the World Mountain Running Trail Championships, finishing seventh at both of the highaltitude 80K races held in Chaing Mai, Thailand in 2022 and in Innsbruck, Austria in 2023.

Trending Up

For many, running up the Green Mountains is not necessarily about winning a race, but part of a routine that combines fitness with camaraderie. In 2017 Stratton Mountain Resort hosted its first Everesting 29029 event – a challenge to run or hike up Stratton Mountain’s 1,750 feet of elevation (taking the gondola down) 17 times to reach

the equivalent of ascending Mt. Everest. The race, held each October, sells out quickly.

Jay Peak’s annual Labor Day trail running festival is focused around family with races ranging from 5Ks to 53Ks. In the past few years, both Bolton Valley and Bromley have added ultra trail events. Bromley’s second annual F.I.T Sun Mountain Challenge has races that range from 5K to 50K and Bolton Valley’s third annual 25K (or 10K) Three Peaks Mountain Race is in October.

For skiers, running up the mountains they ski down or skin up in the winter is just another way of staying in shape. For Jessie Diggins, who lives and trains at Stratton in the summer, having the ski mountain in her backyard is a bonus. This past summer she ran 32 miles on the Appalachian Trail and ran up and down Stratton Mountain for four and a half hours while training to compete in her annual “Big Stupid Adventure” personal challenge.

And like Ben True, she’s now encouraging others to join her as she runs up Stratton Mountain. “We’ve opened up training sessions…so anyone and everyone is welcome to come train with us! Every other Saturday, bounding/ hiking intervals up Stratton Mountain. General theme is 7-8 minutes up, 2-3 minutes rest/walk back downhill to regroup. It’s not fancy, but it’s how we get stronger and faster together,” she posted on Instagram.

And on August 10, you can race her and the rest of the SMS T2 Nordic racing team (which includes many of the U.S. Team members) in a fundraiser: the Stratton Mountain Challenge.

First to the top wins. u

Runners at the Race to The Top get serenaded as they make their way up the Mount Mansfield Toll Road. The race, which supports The Catamount Trail Association, has been going on for 40 years, challenging both runners and cyclists to make it up the 4.3 mile dirt road which rises 2,564 feet from Stowe Mountain Resort’s base.

Photos by Joe Viger/CTA

Big

WHETHER IT'S GOING AFTER TROPHY TROUT IN BIG RIVERS OR CASTING FOR BROOKIES IN A REMOTE MOUNTAIN STREAM VERMONT HAS A FISH FOR EVERY ANGLER.

By Angelo Lynn

Owen Ward, a guide at The Woodstock Inn & Resort’s Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing school, chases native brookies in a mountain stream.

Photo by Andrew Borden

Small Fish, Fish

OOn a cool, overcast day, I cast my line into the swift waters of East Creek, a small urban stream just off the trailhead parking lot at Pine Hill Park in Rutland. The stream was high due to recent rains and had swollen to a width of 25 feet.

It seemed an unlikely spot to expect much success. Baseball practice was starting in an adjacent diamond. A few cars had pulled up, racked high with mountain bikes. Kids on skateboards were launching makeshift jumps in the parking lot.

But all that was easily ignored. My son-in-law Jason and I were Euro-nymphing or tightlining with 10-foot, 3-weight rods. Our flies were San Juan worms and different variations of Pheasant Tails that we fished close to the bottom.

The creek is tricky with small trees and bushes on the banks, and the swift water made it difficult to wade in spots. And tightlining itself, my first go at it, takes your full concentration.

Using an Orvis Tactical Nymph Leader with Cortland Euro Nymph tipper and the Mirage Tippet, we tried a few spots for several minutes, relocated and on my fourth or fifth cast, wham!, the rod bent double and the fight began.

The quick current and size of the fish made the battle a challenge. Pull too hard and the tippet could break; give too much slack and the mammoth trout would slip off the fly.

I moved downstream with the fish, “Tip up and line tight,” Jason yelled as he rushed over to a shallow riff where a few exciting minutes later he netted the fish.

It was a beauty: An 18-inch rainbow. Healthy, well-fed, with plenty of fight. I briefly held the fish in both hands, its girth filling my palms and the tail drooping over a full three inches. With an ear-to-ear smile, I posed for a picture, then released him back in the water and moved on.

It was one of a handful we caught in that first couple of hours. All were big trout, “trophies” by anyone’s book — yet there we were in a small tributary that runs into Otter Creek on the edge of Rutland town, a stonesthrow away from our car.

VERMONT’S TROPHY TROUT

Our luck that May morning was not an anomaly. The Vermont Trophy Trout stocking program puts over 20,000 two-year-old trout in many of the state’s accessible waters to provide an exceptional fishing experience. The stocking starts in late April in ponds and lakes and moves into sections of nine select streams and rivers through the first few weeks of May.

The result is some of the best trout fishing of the year.

“The trophy trout program provides exciting fishing opportunities for all ages and skill levels,” says Vermont Director of Fisheries Eric Palmer. “Trophy rainbow and brown trout are stocked in the Black, Winooski, Lamoille, ,

Vermont’s trophy fish start their lives as small fry at hatcheries such as this one in Salisbury, just south of Middlebury. The hatchery is open to the public and anyone can feed the fish. Photo by Angelo Lynn

Once sugaring season is done, Ben Wilcox, a former member of the U.S. Fly Fishing Team and a guide with Maple Country Anglers, spends much of his time chasing wild trout in pristine habitats. Photo by Brent Harrewyn

Killington residents Polly Mikula with a big

WHERE THE TROUT ARE E

ach year, Vermont’s six fish hatcheries help place more than 650,000 fish in the state’s streams and lakes. For the state, which earns revenue from attracting anglers to Vermont and selling fishing licenses (required every day except June 10, 2024–the designated annual Free Fishing Day), it’s a good return on investment. Among the most popular stocked fish are the 20,000-plus two-year-old “trophy” trout placed in nine rivers and streams and more than 30 ponds and lakes. The “trophies” include some 2,400 brown trout, 6,100 brook trout, 13,000 rainbow and 2,400 brown trout. The hatcheries also release 3,400 two-year trophy landlocked Atlantic salmon and 10,000 two-year steelhead. Vermont’s fisheries biologists carefully monitor the stocking to protect both the wild fish and ensure the success of the newly stocked species. “Our hatchery staff is doing leading-edge work with many species, including being some of the leading experts in the world on walleye rearing (for stocking in Lake Champlain),” says state fisheries biologist Lee Simard. “Every few years our hatchery staff puts on a week-long fish culture school that draws fishery biologists from across the Northeast and further to learn from our staff. So, we do have a pretty great program.”

Missisquoi, Walloomsac and Passumpsic Rivers as well as the East and Otter Creeks, while trophy brook trout are in the Deerfield River. Large, two-year-old brookies and rainbows are stocked in about 30 lakes and ponds.”

Fishing for stocked trophy trout might not be what many purists would call the essence of fly fishing — where knowledge of the river, the gear, the natural habitat, and environment, combined with an intuitive sense of the fish all culminate in mystical moments of bliss — but it’s a helluva lot of fun and achieves its overall mission: to get new anglers hooked on the sport.

“Part of what the state’s trophy trout program is about is creating opportunities where the public has easy access to the fish,” says Lee Simard, fishery biologist and head of the state’s trout stocking program. “We want to make it as accessible to anglers as we can, and we also want to ensure that people catch and keep these fish. It is a big investment

to raise these fish for two years in our hatchery system, so we want to make sure we’re putting them in places where people have success — and a good experience.”

Such experiences translate to big benefits. “The more you’re connected to nature and the outdoors, the more you appreciate it and want to protect it,” Simard says. “Stocking helps provide that, not only as an easier fishing opportunity for kids but for adults as well. And it doesn’t have to be for novices. It can be for people who have been fishing for 30-40 years. The convenience of where we stock fish, including our trophy fish, is that someone can get home after work and go a few minutes down the road and be fishing. You don’t have to drive an hour and hike two miles in. That convenience and ability to catch a fish is for everyone.”

Begun in 1994, the trophy trout program — which keeps the fish until they’re two-year-olds reaching an

average length of 16-plus inches — was an extention of the state’s stocking program that had been in effect since the 1930s. The state’s brood hatchery in Salisbury harvests trout eggs and supplies the rest of the state hatcheries with them. Each hatchery then raises them from eggs to the adult stage. The other hatcheries are spread throughout the state: Roxbury, Bennington, Bald Hill, Grand Isle and Ed Weed. The goal is to keep the wild populations of native brook trout healthy, while ensuring all species are abundant for recreational fishing.

Orvis fishing guide Jesse Haller hails the state’s fishery program as one of the best in the nation. “I really think our fish biologists in Vermont are fantastic,” he says. “They have a pretty sound strategy (for stocking.)”

The trophy trout program also yields a not-sosurprising outcome: some anglers, even those with years of experience, prefer fishing for the larger stocked fish.

“We see in our statewide angler surveys that a large portion of anglers prefer fishing for stocked fish. It’s a special opportunity to be able to consistently catch 15- to 16-plus-inch trout oftentimes in very nice settings,” Simard says, citing the Black River as one of the more idyllic.

He also emphasized the two-year trophy trout are meant to be kept, not released. “Most of our trophy stocking is what we call ’put-n-take,’ which means we are putting the fish in with the anticipation that anglers will catch them and take them from the system. With these fish, we are not trying to create a wild fishery or restore self-sustaining populations,” Simard explained. “In fact, we hope that doesn’t happen. We’re anticipating these fish aren’t going to be able to survive because we put them in areas that have unsuitable habitat conditions and where they won’t compete with wild populations. Usually that means the water temperatures become too warm by mid-summer. If in that stretch of river the water temperatures stayed cold, we would have wild fish there and we try to avoid creating competition for our native, wild fish.”

“The state works to restore habitat and expand wild trout populations, but that’s a different program with different goals, and that certainly isn’t going to happen in East Creek in

downtown Rutland,” Simard said.

Vermont, Simard continued, has abundant wild trout populations throughout the state. “We have some of the most intact brook trout populations in the native range across the eastern U.S., and we have wild brown trout and rainbow trout as well, which will provide their own unique fishing opportunities.”

And as for keeping a trout, once caught, Simard is clear. “Especially with the stocked fish, if you catch it, keep it — up to your creel limit (which is two).”

DEMYSTIFYING FLY FISHING

Whether you’re fishing for trophy trout or smaller wild trout, the fishing principles are similar: In the spring, when the water temperatures are cold, and the rivers

Will Connell, wading and casting Vermont’s scenic Black River, which runs through Ludlow Photo by Oliver Parini

are still high, subsurface fishing with nymphs, streamers and other types of flies fished off a tight line is often most productive. But to be successful, anglers not only need to read the river, but choose the right fly, the right weight leader and tippet, and employ the best techniques.

“In the fly-fishing community, we make fun of ourselves because we enjoy sometimes making it more complicated than it really needs to be,” Haller says. “You know, you go into a fly shop, and you see a fly highway of 1,000 bins and you’re like, ‘Which one do I pick?’ It can be intimidating, but the shops and the reports, they’ll tell you to start with these eight flies, and use these couple of cues based on what you might see on the water, and more than likely you’ll be fishing with the right stuff.”

Pro guide Ben Wilcox, who lives on and operates an 800-acre sugarbush in Jericho, only began fly fishing seriously after college. He got good enough to become a member of the U.S. fly fishing team, but even he agrees the sport can be overwhelming.

“Fly fishing can be very intimidating. I mean, when I learned the stupidest thing I ever did was not hire a guide. I taught myself nearly everything I knew through books because there wasn’t really any You-Tube. Back then I’d walk into a fly shop and there were just thousands of different flies, and all this lingo that made no sense. And what the hell is all this? So yeah, if you can, hire a guide. ”

There are plenty of guides around Vermont, and the biggest name in fly fishing, Orvis, is based here.

“There are so many fundamentals to fly fishing that instruction of some sort — whether it’s through a friend, a professional guide or something like Orvis’s beginning programs — is so beneficial and gets you catching fish instead of getting discouraged,” says Shay Berry, who leads the Orvis-sanctioned guiding program and fly shop at The Woodstock Inn & Resort, one of three Orvis-sanctioned lodges in New England.

There, Berry and others offer everything from $20,

20-minute casting lessons to float trips. Float trips are the fastest-growing excursion among the Woodstock Inn & Resort’s offerings, he said, and include half-day and fullday trips down the White River, which acceses remote sections of the river, waters stocked with trophy trout.

The Woodstock Inn employs five full-time and seven part-time guides, and over the past 9 years, Berry says, has made central Vermont a destination for fly-fishing.

“When we started guiding nine years ago,” Berry recalled, “we did 57 trips. We were about 340 last year, which was impacted by those summer floods, and we hope to hit 400 this year.”

Such growth reflects the boom in fly fishing since the Covid pandemic. The number of fishing licenses sold in Vermont, for example, jumped from 71,000 in 2019 to 87,000 in 2020.

It’s a trend that has continued and one Orvis has seen throughout its more than 70 fly-fishing centers across the country. Just as fish hatcheries have helped create a larger stock of trout, programs like those offerred by Orvis have helped create more anglers to catch them.

The free introductory Fly Fishing 101 program at the Orvis headquarters in Manchester, Vt., offers dry-land instruction that introduces anglers to the gear, the flies, proper knots, and how to cast. The company also offers its Fly Fishing 202 program that get anglers out on the water to learn how to read the river, work on casting, hooking and netting a fish. From there, anglers will know enough to learn from online sources, or through a guide to advance their skills.

Independent fly-fishing guides, of which there are many throughout the state, offer similar services, including rafting excursions and hiking mountain streams for Vermont’s wild trout, or fly fishing for any of Vermont’s other species.

WILD FISH IN WILD PLACES

“There are so many ways to experience fly fishing,” Berry says, beyond catching the stocked trophy fish. “Just knowing there are wild brook trout in our rivers, and learning how to catch them with a simple set-up is a special, almost spiritual, experience, especially here in Vermont. The streams can be small, intimate and serene, and you find yourself fishing, even for small trout, in what are idyllic places. It’s often magical.”

Part of the beauty is Vermont’s topography and mountain streams, and the tradition of not posting private land. “What’s beautiful about the Northeast, in particular, is our land access laws. You can usually find access to a river where it’s not posted, and once you’re in the river you can access the river through its entirety,” Wilcox says. “As you head further West, some of those states get stricter, but compared to other countries, we just have such incredible access.”

What draws Wilcox to the sport is total immersion.

Killington resident Polly Mikula with a big rainbow at Rutland’s East Creek. Photo Angelo Lynn

“It’s a time where I can completely lock into the situation. I’m usually fishing by myself, the setting’s beautiful, the fish are beautiful. They’re wild and smart, the ones I’m fishing for. Being right in that moment is what draws me to the sport.”

For Wilcox, preserving wild trout, their habitat and the beautiful streams where they live is a primary concern.

“If we accept that these planted hatchery fish are trophies, are we going to fight to protect our true wild trophy trout and habitat?” Wilcox wrote on his blog at maplecountyanglers.com a few years ago. “A hatchery trophy does not require great stream habitat, cool water, and spawning grounds… If more fishermen’s definition of trophy continues to fall in line with that of the VT Department of Fish and Wildlife, I fear the will to protect our wild trout will decline.”

But Wilcox also admits the program has benefits and notes it’s a small part of the much larger stocking program, which produces about 665,000 fish annually.

NOT JUST TROUT

Each of the guides is also quick to say that fly fishing isn’t just for trout. Toward the end of June, the water temperatures start nearing the 70-degree F. mark at which point anglers are discouraged from fishing for trout. In warmer waters which have a lower amount of oxygen, trout easily tire. They can be quickly exhausted if caught and will likely perish, even if released immediately.

“I really encourage all anglers to carry a thermometer and to check the water temperature to be sure you’re not fishing for trout once the water reaches that 70-degree mark,” Wilcox said. For that reason, guides and most anglers switch to fishing for the state’s numerous other fish — particularly bass, walleye, perch and a host of other fish that can pack a lot of excitement when caught on a fly rod.

“The diversity of fish in the White River is one of the qualities that make this river so special,” Berry said, “and bass and walleye fishing with a fly rod is just fantastic when you hook one.”

The same is true for the larger Lamoille and Missisquoi Rivers in north central Vermont where they spill into Lake Champlain. “There’s nothing more exciting for younger anglers than catching these bigger 18-plus-inch fish on a fly rod, and they’re so plentiful you’re guaranteed to catch a bunch. It’s a great outing for July and August when the waters are just too warm for trout fishing.”

But when cooler waters return in late August and the fall, anglers return to trout. Leigh Oliva, who spent his career selling corporate accounts for Orvis, will never forget the first time he caught a trout.

“I was a kid, and it was in the Mettawee River just north of Pawlet. It was five and a half inches, and it was fantastic. I was over the moon, just over the moon,” he recalled.

“I remember putting my line in the water and watching that trout come up and break the surface to get my caddis, reeling it in and releasing it. It was just spectacular!”

Since then, Oliva has spent a lifetime in the industry and has fished all over the world. He notes that while he could share stories of lots of fantastic streams, you can’t avoid at least mentioning southern Vermont’s Battenkill, the Manchester river that flows through Manchester and inspired Charles Orvis to launch his eponymous fishing tackle shop in 1856.

“The history is magical… all the famous fly fishermen who’ve fished it over the years. The celebrities, the notoriety of the river itself. But what’s important is the beauty and the heritage and the pristine aspects of fishing for trout. Nothing’s better, but it’s a tough river to fish because it gets a lot of traffic. But when you catch a brown on the Battenkill, you’ve hit kind of a pinnacle.”

Yet ask Oliva what his favorite fish to catch are and he’ll respond, “blue gill.” And some of his favorite moments are also fishing for smallmouth bass in Sommerset Reservoir on Vermont’s southern border. “It’s absolutely spectacular,” he says.

For Haller, bass or blue gill are all good, but he prefers trout. “The thing about fly fishing, especially for trout, is that trout don’t live in ugly places. They take you to these really amazing spots... And to me, it’s just the opportunity to be in nature, to enjoy a lot of quiet time when you’re out there and whether it’s focusing on the fish, self-reflection, or an opportunity to clear your mind for a while and just listen to birds. There’s something about that.”

Owen Ward on the White River.

Photo by Andrew Borden.

JESSIE DIGGINS DID BIG THINGS THIS PAST YEAR – FROM WINNING THE OVERALL WORLD CUP IN CROSS COUNTRY SKIING TO COMPLETING HER MOST GRUELING SUMMER CHALLENGE YET, WHAT SHE CALLS ‘THE BIG STUPID.’ HERE’S HOW SUMMER TRAINING IN VERMONT HELPED.

INTERVIEW BY LISA LYNN | PHOTOS BY DUSTIN SATLOFF/U.S. SKI TEAM

The last 12 to 16 months have been a whirlwind for Jessie Diggins, the most decorated cross-country ski racer in U.S. history. She won the 2023 World Championships in March 2023 and went on to win the 2023-24 World Cup overall globe for the second time in four years (having finished second twice, too).

She also won the grueling 2024 Tour de Ski for the second time. Mid-season, she took a break from the World Cup to win the American Birkebeiner 50K freestyle race in Wisconsin and she became the first American ever to be awarded Norway’s highest honor in skiing: the Holmenkollen Medal. And in May, U.S. Ski & Snowboard presented Diggins with their highest athletic award, the Beck International Award.

One of the secrets to Diggins successes may be her summer training here in Vermont and her annual ritual “The Big Stupid Adventure. In 2023, she upped her ante on her annual ritual she calls “The Big Stupid” by completing the Great Range Traverse in the Adirondacks in 10 hours. That’s running 26.3 miles over Adirondacks’ High Peaks mountain trails, with a total of 10,669 of climbing – some of it so steep it took ladders.

For her 29th birthday three years ago, the Big Stupid involved running the Pemigewasset loop in New Hampshire: 31 miles of rough trails through the White Mountain with 9,000 feet of elevation.

In early June 2024, Diggins posted “You know your Big Stupid Adventure has gotten out of hand when the prep for it is a 32-mile run on the Appalachian Trail through rain and mud…and you actually liked it! “

Diggins doesn’t shy away from “hard” yet despite all her achievements, the last 12 months have been some of the most difficult of her 32 years. Diggins announced on Sept. 17, 2023 that after 12 years of good health, she was again struggling with an eating disorder.

As Diggins comes off this incredible year and returns to Stratton, her home for summer training, we caught up with her to learn about the highs and lows of the year.

You are on the road for so much of the year, training, and racing. What feels like home?

Well, I don’t know, truthfully. I live out of a suitcase for the majority of the year, but then the rest of the time I split my time between my condo here in Stratton with my club team and now at our home in Wakefield, Mass., with my husband Wade Poplawski.

How much have summers in Vermont meant to you?

I’ve really been able to make Stratton a home. I feel really, supported, and cheered for by the community here, and that means a lot to me! I came here when I was 19 or 20. I didn’t have a car. I didn’t have a plan. I really

The cup has been more than half-full as Jessie Diggins added another title to her litany of Olympic and World Cup champion titles: Wife. Diggins married Wade Poplawski, a former Canadian all-star hockey player in 2022 and the couple bought a house outside of Boston, a short commute to her Stratton condo.

just showed up hoping this was going to work out. I fell in love with the Stratton T2 team and the area and all the people —so that’s been huge.

Honestly, I could go train anywhere in the world, but I’ve made this my home because I truly believe this is the best training. We have amazing roller skiing, a world class weight lifting facility. We have Stratton Mountain and the Appalachian Trail right out my back door where I can go do bounding and trail running workouts. There are great little swimming holes, or you can do laps in the Stratton Pond. The gravel riding is amazing. It’s not too busy with cars so it feels like a very safe place to train because we are on the road so much on roller skis. This just felt like a really wonderful place to be.

What do your training days look like here in Vermont?

Our weeks will fluctuate. Not every day is going to be super, super hard training and not every day is easy.

On easy days, we make sure that we’re really going easy —like you should be able to have a conversation while you’re running or skiing. And that’s because then when we go hard, we go really hard.

There’s this sharp delineation between easy and really hard and we make sure that we’re not blurring the line.

What’s your “really hard” training day look like?

One thing people need to know is when we log training time, that it is actually moving time. What doesn’t count is the time that you’re analyzing technique with your coach afterwards. Looking at video doesn’t count. Body care or the time preparing and getting to the workout doesn’t count.

For an interval and strength day: in the morning, maybe it’s a 2- or 2.5-hour roller ski. A big staple is five to six minutes really hard and you might do four or five of them, with three- or four-minutes rest in between. If you were a runner, you might liken that to mile repeats at race pace. I mean these are really hard. You’re often going up a big hill, which is why Stratton is so fantastic.

Then in the afternoon, we head to the Stratton Mountain School gym which is a world class facility. There it is maybe a half hour spin bike warm up, or a half hour jog.

Then we go through full-body strength training. It starts out with the least glamorous exercises that are important for postural strength and injury prevention. Then we move through some dynamic jumps and then everything from pull ups to hex bar deadlifts to single leg squats.

It’s very full body and it always ends with core. Start to finish we’re in the gym for an hour and a half up to maybe two hours and then it ends with body care.

“When I’m in a race, I feel strong and powerful and confident. I can feel that whether or not I win, which is a really cool realization.”

So that’s a pretty full day. In between, my day is taken up with preparing a really nice lunch and dinner for myself (and my husband Wade when he’s here in Stratton with me) and giving myself all the building blocks I need for recovery and then taking a nap because I am usually pretty shot.

You had an amazing season and then in May won the Beck International Award, the highest award from U.S. Ski and Snowboard.

I was very honored to receive that from this team. It obviously comes with the knowledge that it’s only possible because of so many amazing people behind the scenes. We have such incredible support on and off the snow. A lot of it is behind the scenes and about all the little details.

Anyone in particular you’d like to give a shout-out to?

All of our coaches and especially Jason Cork. He has been my

Diggins at the Stifel Loppet Cup in Minneapolis in February 2024.

personal coach since I was 18 and he also is my wax tech. The entire wax team helps make our skis fast, but he’s the one in charge of my fleet, specifically. Similarly, it’s all the coaches who take care of the athletes.

Also, a big shout out to my care team because as know, it was a really hard year of working on my mental health this last year. I guess I shouldn’t say it was ‘hard’ but it was just a big year of growth, and there were some hard times. But I will say that the only reason I was able to compete this past season and enjoy what I was doing again, was because of my care team. They are so unconditionally supportive of me.

On September 17, you posted that after 12 years you were again struggling with disordered eating, “putting too much pressure” on yourself and thinking you might not be competing. Yet you reached out to The Emily Program, and went on to have your most successful year ever racing. If you could go back to last summer, what would you tell yourself?

I guess I would still say: you don’t have to do this. And if you do want to race, make sure that each race, each week that you’re on the World Cup is still your choice and it’s because you love the process and you love racing. Ultimately when I looked at this season, I still wanted to race because I love being part of this team and I love

being part of this ski world that has such a wonderful culture.

I love feeling like I’m going out there and I’m doing my best and I’m learning so much every time I race. I also like that when I’m in a race I feel strong and powerful and confident. I can feel that whether or not I win the race, which is a really cool realization.

When I’m racing for the joy of it, and because I love the process, and not focusing on results, ironically that’s when I sometimes tend to get the best results.

It seems as if you have tackled mental health with the same determination with which you train and go at everything.

I think that’s a good way to put it: It’s just tackling it. I’ve learned so much more —and I continue to learn—about eating disorders and mental health in general. One of the things that I didn’t understand when I went through this when I was 18 was that it’s not your fault. It’s not, you know, punishment for something you’ve done. It’s just how my brain is wired. And this is the hurdle that I’m going to have to get over.

I’m going to be working on this and maybe in some ways I’ll always be working on this. But even though it’s not a behavioral choice, and it’s not my fault, it is my choice to decide to work really hard on recovery.

It is my choice to be open and honest with my care team and to really approach my mental well-being and my recovery with the same seriousness that I approach my training.

It feels like sometimes when you’re struggling with mental health that you don’t get a lot of choices. But you do you get the choice to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep working on it. That was really important for me to acknowledge because it brings a little bit of the power back into your hands. I have this choice to keep doing the best that I can every day and to keep showing up.

Was there one bit of advice or a practice that you adopted that was particularly helpful?

Oh, gosh, there were so many things. I think the biggest thing was getting the specific professional help that I needed. That meant working with a doctor specifically trained in eating disorders, and a sports dietitian who also had training around eating disorders and seeing

Though Diggins’s best finish in Minneapolis was a third, her greatest memory was the roar of her home crowd during her practice lap.

“Ultimately, when I looked at this season I still wanted to race because I love being part of this team and part of this ski world that has such a wonderful culture.”

Diggins, right with teammates Julia Kern (left) and Lauren Jortberg (center). Part of the Stratton SMS T2 team workout: Bound up Stratton mountain. Photo courtesy Diggins.

those professionals as early in the process as possible. Also, it meant continuing with my sports psychologist who’s worked with me since I was 19 years old, so keeping that stability in my life.

One thing I’ve learned from The Emily Program is that the sooner that you can get help, the better your chances of recovery and the swifter the path is. What I would say to people is: Don’t wait to ask for help. We often get caught up in thinking I’m not sick enough to deserve help or I’m not sick enough to pause my job or pause whatever.

I’m maybe going off on a tangent here, but sometimes for women, especially, it feels like there are so many other things that we have to take care of this. There are so many other demands on my time and asks of me, how could I prioritize my well-being when it doesn’t really seem like it’s that bad? If there’s anything I’ve learned from this it is saying “Well, I’m going to get this help right now before it gets to a really bad place and I am worth it.”

Having won the World Cup twice and coming into another Olympic season, how does that add to the pressure? I still say to myself: remember that you’re only doing this because you’re choosing to and because you love it. Often, we start racing because we feel like we have to, or there’s this pressure to perform or you feel like oh, I just don’t want to let people down — which are all common thoughts for athletes to have.

And these thoughts are all going to come up in the Olympic year, right? It’s a tremendous honor to represent

our country but also there’s a lot of pressure. I think there can be a lot of racing, well…not for the wrong reasons, but not racing because you love it.

To go back to what I would tell myself? I would go back and tell myself just make sure you’re doing this each step of the way because you want to and keep checking in with yourself. You’re allowed to change your mind.

And yet you went on to have a spectacular year. Was there any particular moment there where you just were thinking, this is the greatest moment ever?

Yes! And the coolest thing was it wasn’t even the race but during the warm-up for the World Cup in Minnesota. About a half hour to start time I did one last lap on the course, and I think I might have been the last athlete out there. There were something like 25,000 people lining the course and it was like this wave of sound following me. I had people tell me later that they knew where I was on the course because they could hear the cheering.

It was just so cool looking around and I was so emotional because so many people were there: like some of my high school teachers, and my high school coaches and so many friends and family. We had a family reunion afterwards.

I think a few years ago there was a little bit of fear: What if we have this race and it turns out cross country ski racing hasn’t really grown in the U.S., and no one really comes? And then everyone showed up.

I will also say I have never seen so many grown men

Diggins, on course at the Minneapolis stop on the World Cup in 2024. “I still have a whole host of things to work on, which is what is so fun about the sport, right?” she says. Photo GPowersFilm/

wearing glitter. I felt so much love and so much joy in the sport and truly I felt like I had won the greatest thing in the world before I even put the race bib on.

You have played such an important role in making the sport accessible to so many and in helping to bring it to the US. Are you excited for the potential of Lake Placid, N.Y. hosting the World Cup finale in March 2026?

I am thrilled, and I think I can say this since it is on the calendar, though technically subject to change.

It’s so cool to think about because so many people couldn’t come to the Minneapolis World Cup and really wanted to. Having another one in a relatively short turnaround time in the U.S. is so exciting.

We created something magical with Minneapolis. This incredible momentum is still rolling forward and I’m so excited to do it again. I can’t even tell you how many people have reached out and said what that event meant to them and how it energized them and inspired them, not just to go skiing but beyond that. It inspired them in their daily life to be active and to work hard and to set huge ambitious goals. And that’s really what it’s all about. I feel like the more chances we have to have these World Cups in the U.S. the better.

You’re at the pinnacle of the sport. Are there still things you feel you need to work on with your skiing?

I still have a whole list of things—which is what’s so fun about this sport, right? You have so many different techniques and disciplines and distances, you’re never going to feel like you’ve got it all dialed. I think that’s exciting.

I’m still really working on my classic skiing, specifically striding and mastering really tricky kicking conditions such as when the tracks are starting to deteriorate, and herringbone transitions.

When you can’t kick in, you have to get out and run and that can be really tricky, especially if the tracks are starting to get sloppy. It’s kind of a niche thing to work on and you really need to do so on snow. So, when we are it New Zealand for three weeks I’m really going to be making the most of all those opportunities.

We are seeing more and more days when the tracks are starting to disappear. Instead of being frustrated, I now think no, this is great. This is exactly the sort of stuff I need to work on. Oftentimes on the World Cup, people are surprised by how often tracks are totally disappearing.

How have you seen climate change impact your sport? Oh, it’s been huge. Growing up, I used to go sledding down our driveway all the time. By the time I was in high school, we had to drive an hour for all our high school races, and we would be skiing a loop at the base of an alpine ski area because that was the only man-made snow that we had available.

What I’ve been seeing over the last 15 years of professional racing is all these towns across the world that are built upon winter tourism struggling.

It’s not just “Oh poor me I don’t get that the ski race I want.” These are people’s jobs and their lives that are built around people coming to their towns to ski. I see the way that it affects entire towns. It’s really concerning to me that we’re trending in this direction where we’re having really unstable and unpredictable winters.

I’m really proud to be part of the board of Protect Our Winters. Sometimes it can be really hard and scary to use our voice, especially as an imperfect advocate. I do have to travel for my job. And I really want to advocate for a future in which we can travel with planet friendly fuels. We can’t just walk everything backwards. But we can move forward in a way that is still taking care of our planet. And that’s what we’re working towards.

It seems as if ski jumping and Nordic combined are almost summer sports now, with roller ski races and ski jumping on grass. Do you ever see a time where cross-country ski racing is going to be only on fake snow or on rollers?

It’s interesting that you bring that up because all over Europe there are pretty big roller ski festivals and competitions. I remember going to a roller ski festival in Norway and there were 20,000 people —it was huge! In that way, I think this sport is going to survive even if it has to transition but what I would love is for everyone to still have the opportunity to cross country ski on snow.

Do you have any specific goals for this coming season? Anything that you’re really looking forward to?

I’m working towards a good work life balance—that’s one of my biggest goals. And then in terms of the season, you know, World Championships is going to be a huge highlight. It’s going to be in Trondheim, Norway.

I would love to I would love to be able to make sure I come into that event feeling just really charged up, feeling like I’m in peak form and feeling excited to race. Those are those are my biggest goals.

I try not to make goals based off results because at the end of the day that’s really out of your hands. In many ways you could be having the best race of your life and someone falls on top of you, and there you go. It doesn’t mean you weren’t racing well. It doesn’t mean you weren’t prepared. It doesn’t mean you weren’t performing.

But I think my main goal is just making sure that I come into a race ready to give everything that I have and feeling like I’m really proud of the preparation that’s gone in and the work and the mental work that’s gone into it too. Then I’m going to walk away feeling really proud of it, no matter how it turns out.

Back in the USA

In addition to the return of the Killington World Cup, this season some exciting new alpine World Cup races are coming to U.S. slopes. Here’s why top coaches are cheering for more U.S. venues. By Alaena Hunt and Lucia Lovell

Mikaela Shiffrin helped draw huge crowds to the 2023 Stifel Killington Cup, the largest turnout for any women’s World Cup event, showing the FIS that the U.S. fans are just as devoted as the Europeans and giving reason to bring more races to North America.

Photo Dustin Satloff/US Ski Team

This past May, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup 2024/2025 calendar confirmed that for the 8th year in a row, The Stifel Killington World Cup will take place over Thanksgiving weekend. The women’s giant slalom races will be held on Nov. 30, 2024 followed by slalom on Dec. 1.

Even better news: This year, there will be two more World Cup venues in the United States, with the Audi FIS World Cup Finals to be held in Sun Valley, March 22-27. The women’s teams will also be going to Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada to race GS on Dec. 7 and 8.

It may be no surprise that the Killington World Cup is back on the FIS schedule. It has become one of the most attended women’s alpine ski races in history, drawing upwards of 35,000 people and broadcast to

over 2 million people. For Vermonters it’s a chance to see the home team on home turf. Killington is where Mikaela Shiffrin, a Burke Mountain Academy graduate, Paula Moltzan (a former University of Vermont ski racer) and other members of the women’s team who race GS and slalom, have made headlines as they snake down the runs on the icy face of Superstar.

This next season, Shiffrin will have a chance to race on her other “home” turf and on one of the toughest courses in the world. On Dec. 14 and 15, 2024 she is expected to race a World Cup super G at Beaver Creek and the following day, for the first time, women will compete on the iconic Birds of Prey downhill course. The men’s downhill and super G have traditionally been held at Beaver Creek and will be held there again Dec. 7-8.

Many of the toughest courses in the world have only hosted the men’s teams. The Birds of Prey course made its World Cup debut in 1997 to host the men’s downhill and super-G World Cup races. What makes the hill so challenging is its multifaceted terrain. The super-G course has a vertical drop of 2,201 ft and a maximum incline of 34 degrees.

Women have yet to race on some of Europe’s most challenging courses, including the Lauberhorn Course in Wengen, Switzerland, the world’s longest downhill, or the famous Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

Shiffrin is one of the few women competing on the World Cup who is expected to race slalom and GS at Killington and also compete in the super G and downhill at Beaver Creek.

“I love racing in the States—racing at Killington has been so important for our sport, and now the women get to have several stops in North America,” said Shiffrin,

an Olympic champion and 97-time World Cup winner, in a release from U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “I have a lot of great memories skiing in Beaver Creek, particularly from World Champs in 2015. It’s an iconic World Cup speed track with a best-in-theworld course crew – the Talon Crew – and the surface is always incredible.” She also noted: “It’s going to be a treat to be racing so close to home and be able to sleep in my own bed.”

Bobby Murphy, formerly the general manager at Stowe and now Beaver Creek Resort’s COO, said “I’m excited for ski racing fans across the country to have even more opportunities to experience World Cup racing in the U.S.”

Jesse Hunt, the former Alpine Program Director at U.S. Ski and Snowboard and the current Sports Director at Burke Mountain Academy notes that the most important thing about races like these happening in the U.S. is that they inspire the next generation of alpine ski racers. “You can’t underestimate how important it is for young racers and the pipeline of skiers who are trying to one day be World Cup skiers to have these events they can go to. To be able to have World Cup races in the U.S. and near home is really impactful.”

He adds that the Killington Cup has thrived because “There’s such a strong culture for alpine ski racing in New England. There is a buildup of support that comes along with all these people getting involved and hosting an event like that.”

Paula Moltzan, a former UVM ski racer, who competes for the U.S. Team in slalom and GS says,. “I love how supportive the crowd is of all of the athletes on tour but it is pretty crazy how loud they can get when an American, let alone a Vermonter is on course.”

Hunt also notes: “If you’re used to the types of snow then you’re gonna have an advantage. When we have somebody in the U.S. that’s as accomplished as Mikaela or Paula, that really helps.”

With the increase in FIS Alpine World Cup races being held in the U.S., it’s exciting to think about the number of American athletes who may be inspired to pursue the sport. Hunt noted that Ted Ligety, arguably one of the best GS skiers in the history of the sport, came out of Park City, Utah after FIS held World Cup races there for 19 consecutive years.

Another Ted Ligety, Mikaela Shiffrin, or Paula Moltzan could find inspiration at Killington, Beaver Creek, or Sun Valley this coming season. u

Both Mikaela Shiffrin (above and at left, below) and Paula Moltzan have spent years training on Vermont’s hard snow a home team advantage for the Killington Cup.

Photo top Dustin Satloff, bottom Dawsy.

The Man Who Built Vermont’s Playgrounds

If there is one person to thank for Vermont’s recreation landscape – both our state parks and our ski areas – it’s Perry Merrill. By Lisa Lynn |

IVermont’s first Commissioner of Parks, Perry Merrill (above, doing a survey) was trained as a forester. He loved every form of outdoor recreation and saw recreation as a way to build Vermont’s economy. Photos courtesy Vermont Historical Society.

f you want to know why much of Vermont’s recreation landscape looks the way it does today — mountains etched with the lines of ski trails and 55 state parks — go back to a day in the late 1800s. The scene is a family farm just across Lake Champlain in Westport, N.Y. where a young boy decides to make himself a pair of skis.

“After listening to my father’s tales about Snowshoe Thompson carrying mail over

the mountains on skis, I decided to make a pair. An old cider barrel was knocked apart to furnish a couple of staves for the skis. My father’s double harness was raided for two short lengths taken from the reins to be nailed on as straps. I tried out these newly made skis on the hill back of the barn.

My brother watched for a time and then wanted a pair for himself. I again cut two more straps from the reins and made up a second pair of skis. Everything went well until my father harnessed up the double team and discovered how short the reins were. I did not need to be warned more than once about cutting straps from the reins. My father never said much but what he said, he meant.”

Perry Merrill wasn’t even 10 when he made those skis, as he described in his autobiography The Making of a Forester. And despite his father’s stern reprimand, he kept skiing. His boyhood was spent exploring the woods on the New York side of Lake Champlain and crossing the lake on boats such as the Ticonderoga (which now sits ashore at Shelburne Museum) to Vermont. One trip was to Middlebury to hear President Teddy Roosevelt speak.

For college, Merrill chose New York State College of Forestry in Syracuse but his senior year, 1917 as WWI broke out, he enrolled in officer training camp. He was sent to Europe where he served for two years. Upon returning in 1919 he went to work for the Vermont Forest Service. A year later, he found himself bound for Sweden on a forestry fellowship from the American Scandinavian Foundation. It was a chance to ski again.

“My experience with skis in Sweden was chiefly cross-country on forestry field trips. I was never a downhill skier, and my use of skis was restricted to pleasure. Nevertheless, I had seen how skiing had been developed in Sweden and I could envision its development in Vermont. I felt strongly that ski development could provide not only the money for improving these areas but for development of other state forests and state parks as well. The idea was never far from my mind and would influence my thinking in the future.”

When Merrill returned to the U.S., he began teaching forestry at Middlebury College and in 1929 was promoted to State Forester.

His first report recommended the state spend $3,000 to acquire and develop state parks. In 1924, Vermont’s first state park had been founded when local innkeepers and farmers gave land to create Mt. Philo State Park.

In 1929 Act 14 was passed to allow the State Forester to accept gifts of land to be developed as state parks. Under that act, part of Underhill State Forest was sold to the federal government to create a firing range (near where the current Ethan Allen firing range and biathlon course is now). Merrill discovered he would be working on both forests and parks as the state’s first commissioner.

Building Vermont’s Outdoor Recreation

Then the Depression came. In the 1930s Merrill also saw a good way to use President Roosevelt’s federally funded public works project, the Civilian Conservation Corps, to help cut ski trails and hiking trails and to build lodges, fire towers and access roads.

Originally, only four CCC camps were slated for Vermont. In his autobiography Merrill wrote: “This nationwide program was originally designed to enroll about 250,000 youth who must be physically fit, unmarried and unemployed, have dependents and be willing to send an allotment home to their families. Vermont was originally given an enrollment of 750 youths, which would require five camps. The CCC enrollees were given $30.00 per month, of which they sent $25.00 monthly to their parents.”

Merrill pressed for more workers and between 1933 and 1942 there were approximately 34 camps set up around the state, with 40,868 men enrolled, about a quarter of them from Vermont.

As a result, as he wrote: “Recreation developments were also made on some state forests especially where there was water frontage. These projects included skiing facilities, picnic and camping areas, and bathing beaches... A major contribution was in the area of fire prevention. Seven new steel fire towers were built; three new wooden towers and eight new lookout cabins were constructed. Telephone lines were built or extended, and valuable fire roads were constructed. Recreational roads were built, wildlife habitat was improved, and ski trails were laid out.”

Many of those fire towers, lodges and lean-tos, fire rings and ski trails still stand. At Mt. Philo, the CCC built the access road, campgrounds, rangers’ quarters and the summit lodge.

In 1928, Allis State Park became Vermont’s second state park and the CCC put up a massive wood pavilion on the

park’s hilltop. At Elmore State Park, the CCC workers built the beach house. They erected stone fireplaces at Wilgus State Park and stone steps up to Owl’s Head. At Townshend State Park, they quarried stone from the nearby forest to build what stands as the park manager’s headquarters, and constructed tent platforms, still in use today. In 1933, a CCC camp was set up in Stowe and under the oversight of engineer Charlie Lord, the CCC men built first the Bruce Trail and then many of the ski trails on Mt. Mansfield.

Perhaps one of Merrill’s longest lasting contributions to Vermont’s state park system was negotiating the ski area leases with the proviso that the revenue be used to enhance outdoor recreation in all seasons.

“I had long believed that skiing could provide the state with a valuable incentive and means to development of state forests and parks and could make an important financial contribution and center of attraction for Vermont’s tourist industry,” Merrill wrote. In 1935 a group of Rutland skiers came to Merrill’s office to lease land for a proposed rope tow on state land on Shrewsbury Peak. Merrill approved it. That tow was later moved to Pico.

Merrill was also keen on conservation. In 1963 he drafted what became the Natural Areas law. “Natural areas shall be kept in their present condition as long as the best interests of the state are preserved. ‘Natural areas mean limited areas of land which have retained their primeval character … which are worthy of preservation for the use of the present and future residents of the state.”

One of those “Natural Areas” today is the land high on the ridge of Spruce Peak where Smugglers’ Notch Resort proposed putting a lift that would connect it to Stowe.

Merrill had more than 40,000 CCC workers who helped build projcts around the state, such as Stowe’s The Bruce Trail (below) as well as many trails off Mt. Mansfield (above) and the summit lodge at Mt. Philo (opposite.)

The Impact Today

Today, thanks to Merrill, more than $2.5 million of Vermont state park’s annual $16.1 million budget comes from the seven ski areas that lease close to 8,500 acres of state land. Those include Burke, Jay Peak, Smuggler’s Notch, Stowe, Killington, Okemo and Bromley.

Many of those leases that Merrill first negotiated with the larger ski areas were 50- to 100-year leases, versions of which are still in effect today. Killington’s first lease, for example, gave the state 10% of annual gross receipts for lift tickets above the first $40,000. That lease was later renegotiated down. For many leases, the formula was based on lift revenues multiplied by the percentage of linear lift feet on public land.

In 2015 state auditor Doug Hoffer challenged the ski area lease agreements in a report that noted that revenues came from far more than just lift tickets now and that ski resorts were thriving. “Between 2003 and 2013, private property values at the seven ski areas grew by almost 150%, and, in 2013, the seven ski resorts generated nearly $5.3 million in property taxes for the State’s education fund. During that same decade, inflation-adjusted sales of meals at these resorts grew by 40%, alcohol sales grew by 49%, and rooms’ sales grew by 61%,” Hoffer wrote.

Still, the state and legislature has upheld Merrill’s original belief that ski areas would not only bring in the revenue the state needed to maintain its parks, but would also bring visitors and grow the economy. That idea, like many of his, was visionary. u

Vacation Rental Directory

Have a vacation rental or Airbnb? Feature your property here!

Rates start at $150/issue. Contact ads@vtsports.com

This picture-perfect classic Vermont 2-bedroom, 1-bath cabin sits in a quiet valley not far from the slopes and backs up to miles of trails that are great for hiking or backcountry skiing. Just 15 minutes to the Trapp Family Lodge, town and Stowe Mountain Resort. airbnb.com/h/ stowe-vt-cabin-with-hot-tub

COTTAGE ON LAKE DUNMORE

On gorgeous Lake Dunmore, this freshly-renovated 2-bedroom, 2-bath cottage sleeps 6, is central to great skiing at Brandon Gap, Killington, Pico, Middlebury Snow Bowl and Rikert Nordic Center. Yearround, skate, XC ski or swim right out your front door. airbnb.com/h/ lake-dunmore-cottage

KILLINGTON CHALET ON MTN. ROAD

This cozy retreat is just one mile from main base areas and within walking distance to over a dozen restaurants and bars. It has a wood-burning fireplace, washer/dryer, porch, t.v., and wifi. This 2-bedroom, 1-bath, sleeps 4 people and will take dogs. vrbo.com/650909 or email rent.killington@gmail.com

STOCKBRIDGE YURT ON 40 FOREST ACRES

Ideal for nature enthusiasts. the yurt (or wall tent, too) is 4 miles from excellent hiking on the LT/AT. Near mountain biking at Killington, Rochester, and Randolph and the gorgeous White River. Pack it in and out, leave no trace. This is for folks looking for a quiet and peaceful experience.

airbnb.com/h/slink/iro0BZwq

CLASSIC STOWE CABIN WITH HOT TUB

MIDDLEBURY

COZY

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN CALENDAR

JUNE

22 | ORO Birdland 5K, Montpelier

Rain or shine, enjoy the beauty of Montpelier’s North Branch Park as you travel across rolling singletrack, lush forested hills, and babbling brooks. The Birdland 5K will have two fully stocked aid stations and Altra running shoe demos available before or after. All ages and abilities welcome! onionriver.com/events/birdland5K

29 | Catamount Ultra, Stowe

Run a 25K or 50K trail race on wide, hard-packed dirt trails that roll through highland pastures and hardwood forest at Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center. The 50K course is two laps on the 25K course rolling through highland pastures and hardwood forest, complete with maple sugar tap lines in place and ready for the spring “run.” catamountultra.com

29 | Vermont Gran Fondo, Bristol

Ride 42 miles and two gaps or do 145 miles and ride all six in the 10th anniversary of this timed classic ride. Vermontgranfondo.com

JULY

4 | Harry Corrow Freedom Run, Derby

A 10-mile, 10K, 5K, and 1 mile run and walk on the Newport-Derby Bike Path and the Memphremagog Ski Touring Foundation Trails. kingdomgames.co

6 | Sun Mountain Challenge, Peru

Bromley Mountain expands its second annual trail race event to include 5K, 10K, 25K and 50K races on its trail network. All racers get free access to Bromley’s Adventure Park and the winner in each category (men and women) get a free winter lift ticket. Bromley.com

7 | Mad Marathon, Waitsfield

A USATF-certified marathon and half-marathon, this has been dubbed one of the most beautiful marathons in the U.S. Run it as a relay (up to 5 people) or a half marathon. Options for a 5K or 10K. madmarathon.com

7 | Running of the Bears, Stratton

Run this 5K for a chance to win a Stratton gift card. Awards for overall and age categories. stratton.com

13 | 46th Goshen Gallop, Goshen

Run either the famous 10K— or the equally awesome, but more merciful 5K run. Runners looking for an exceptional backcountry course find it here… in the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area. From a natural obstacle course to a stunning surprise view from the south end of Hogback Mountain, the Gallop’s elevation profile and rugged terrain have earned the race the nickname “the toughest 10K in New England.” Proceeds go to the Blueberry Hill Outdoor Center. blueberryhilltrails.com/goshengalloptrailrace

15 | VT Monster, Stratton

A challenging ride primarily on quiet gravel roads, with plenty of climbing, flowing descents and epic vistas. Monster is best attacked with a gravel bike (70% of the long course is gravel): 45, 78 or 100 miles of epic riding. Vtmonster.com

19-21 | Vermont 100 Endurance Race, West Windsor

Featuring unrelenting rollers that add up to 17,000 feet of climbing, the VT100 trail race winds its way over country roads, through forested trails, and alongside breathtaking views of the southern Green Mountains. Part of the Grand Slam of ultrarunning, this event is open to horseback riders. It benefits Vermont Adaptive. Vermont100.com

19-20 | Killington Wine Festival, Killington

Killington Pico Area Association (KPAA) puts on not just a festival—it’s a vibrant celebration of fine wines, gourmet food, and the beauty of Killington. Kilington.com

20 | Hurricane Hill Trail Race, Hartford

Located in the Hartford Town Forest and the Hartford Conservation Area, both courses start on a relatively flat logging road but you soon encounter 2 short but steep climbs that’ll have you questioning your sanity for doing this! No worries, because the rest of the course will be a breeze in comparison! The 5K is mostly downhill from this point. The 10k is more of a rolling course and includes 585 feet of elevation change with a downhill slope for most of the final 1.4 miles. wnhtrs.com/

20 | Seek the Peak, Mt. Washington, NH

Mount Washington Observatory’s (MWOBS) largest annual fundraiser will return for its 24th year with a hike-a-thon and Après Hike Expo, inviting hikers of all ability levels to raise vital funds for the Observatory and celebrate adventure in the Whites. mountwashington.org/event/seek-the-peak/

20 | Raid Lamoille, Craftsbury

Whether you choose the 55-mile or 25-mile route, you’ll be treated to some stout climbing on quintessential Vermont gravel. You will be self-navigating and, essentially, self-supported. But there is a great party awaiting you at the finish, with cold craft beer and some tasty grub to match. grvl.net/raid-lamoille

21 | Vermont Sun & Branbury Classic Triathlons, Salisbury

Race a 600-yard swim, then a 14-mile bike and a 3.1-mile run in this USAT State Championship Race. Race starts at Branbury State Park and course runs by beautiful Lake Dunmore. Awards for top 3, age group, top 3 and relay teams. Event repeats on Aug. 18. The Branbury Classic Triathlon: Paddle 1.5 miles, Bike 14 Miles, Run 3.1 miles. Each event offers an Aqua Bike (no run) and TEAM options. vermontsuntriathlonseries. com

22 | Velo Stowe, Stowe

The Stowe Trails Partnership, Tälta Lodge, and Hitchhiker Bike Shop bring back VeloStowe, a 40-mile scenic gravel ride through local backroads. After, reconvene at Talta Lodge for food, beverages, and live music. stowetrails.orgA

WINE & BEER FESTS

Vermont’s ski areas celebrate the best of food, brews and wines.

July 19 | Killington Wine Festival, Killington

Killington Pico Area Association (KPAA) puts on not just a festival—it’s a vibrant celebration of fine wines, gourmet food, and mountain scenery. Killington.com

Aug. 31 | 29th Annual Brewers Festival, Mount Snow

A renowned celebration of beer, music, and food is back, with breweries pouring a variety of beers and ciders, delicious food options, and live music throughout the event. mountsnow.com

Sept. 20-21 | Trapp Family Lodge Oktoberfest, Stowe

Come for the von Trapp Brewery’s latest brews, Austrian fare, and German bands as well as Trachten contests (for traditional Oktoberfest outfits), cask tapping and U.S. Steinholding competitions. trappfamily.com

Oct. 12 | Stratton Harvest Fest Brewfest & Chili Cookoff, Stratton

Sample your favorite brews and vote for the best chili during Harvestfest weekend,

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN CALENDAR

27 | Moosalamoo Ultra, Goshen,

This ultra runs starts and ends at the picturesque Blueberry Hill Inn, just a short drive from Middlebury. Long challenging climbs, black bear sightings, stinging nettles are hallmarks of this race. Loaded with tough, yet beautiful mountain singletrack taking you to the top of Mount Moosalamoo with a spectacular view of Lake Dunmore. The 14-miler has about 2,400 feet of elevation gain and the 36-miler has more than 5000 feet of gain. ironwoodadventureworks.com/moosalamoo-ultra

AUGUST

10 | Slate Valley Scramble, Poultney

Run this fun 8K or half-marathon trail race starting from Slate Valley Trails’ Fairgrounds. Also a free kids’ fun run. slatevalleytrails.org

10 | Kingdom Heritage Trail Ramble, Island Pond

The Kingdom Heritage Trail system features a continuous 20-mile footpath (and side trails) across former Champion International Paper timberlands in the far reaches of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. This run/hike offers the unique opportunity to challenge yourself to complete this “footpath” in a day, fully supported. 22 miles and 4,300 ft of elevation of gain and loss over some of the most beautiful terrain you could experience in the Northeast. ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=112848

10 | Cate Farm Tomato Trot 5K, Plainfield.

A scenic trail run/walk through farm fields and on woods roads. The first kilometer snakes along the Winooski River and is relatively flat; the rest of the run is over small rolling hills. Each runner/walker will receive a pound of Cate Farm tomatoes upon finishing. catefarm.com

15 | High Fives Green Mountain Open Golf Tournament, Sugarbush Sugarbush Resort Golf Club hosts a benefit tournament for the High Fives Foundation with gratitude, bombs off the tee, and positive energy! Sugarbush.com

18 | Vermont Sun & Branbury Classic Triathlons, Salisbury Race a 600-yard swim, then a 14-mile bike and a 3.1-mile run in this USAT State Championship Race. Race starts at Branbury State Park and course runs by beautiful Lake Dunmore. Awards for top 3, age group, top 3 and relay teams. The Branbury Classic Triathlon: Paddle 1.5 miles, Bike 14 Miles, Run 3.1 miles. Each event offers an Aqua Bike (no run) and TEAM options. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

24 | Vermont Overland Gravel Ride, Ascutney Ride 55-mile (distances fluctuate based on years/course) on dirt roads featuring close to 7,000 feet of climbing, eight sectors of Class 4 Roads (unmaintained ancient public through-ways), two sag stops, a magnificently scenic route and an awesome party afterwards. It’s the ultimate overland adventure ride. Open dirt roads, amazing scenery and an epic course unlike any you’ve ever ridden before. vermontoverland.com

25 | Race to the Top of VT, Stowe Hikers, bikers, and runners from across the U.S. and Canada climb Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak to benefit the Catamount Trail Association. The course ascends the historic Mansfield Toll Road. It is 4.3 miles in length, and has 2564 feet of elevation gain. rttovt.com

27 | Barre Heritage Fest Trail Run, Barre

A 5K trail race on primarily single track trails through the historic Barre Granite Quarries. Terrain is wooded, rocky and lots of roots. Walkers are encouraged to participate. cvrunners.org

27 | Grateful Gravel, Waitsfield

A concoction from the minds of cycling enthusiast Dead Heads in the Mad River Valley that blends the worlds of endurance sports and music festivals into one event. Grateful Gravel provides a challenging cycling event featuring some of Vermont’s most picturesque landscapes and gravel roads that segues into a face melting gathering of community and friends to enjoy the song catalog of Hunter, Garcia, and the rest of the Grateful Dead. The day begins with a 35, 44, or 60 mile gravel ride starting from Sug-

arbush Resort’s, Mt Ellen that makes your legs scream louder than Donna Jean during a mid-70’s Playing in the Band. gratefulgravel.com/

Sept. 1 | Jay Peak Trail Fest, Jay

A 2-day trail running event with 7 races. Races range from an epic kids trail race to what has been called, the hardest 50k in the East, the Jay Peak Ultra 53K. Choose from Three different 5k’s (yes, you can run all 3) on Saturday or on Sunday, an 11,22-miler or the 53K ultra. JayPeakTrailRun.com

SEPTEMBER

14-15 | Spartan Vermont, Killington

Welcome to where the Spartan Race was born; and that means anything goes. Death March - A race where Spartan’s wear their DNF’s with pride. Grueling climbs, unpredictable weather and the infamous death march serve the ultimate testing ground. race. spartan.com/en/races/killington-vermont’

7 | 19th Kelly Brush Ride, Middlebury

The day will be jam-packed with fun-filled activities kicking off with a gorgeous bike ride through the Champlain Valley and ending with delicious local food, cold brews, prizes, and live music. Join us in person at Middlebury College and ride one of our fully supported road routes (10, 20, 50, or 100 miles), or our 32-mile gravel ride. All supporting the Kelly Brush Foundation. kbf.akaraisin.com/ui/2024kellybrushride

26-29 | Fox US Open, Killington

Professional and amateur mountain bikers from around the world compete in the Open Class Downhill for one of the largest cash purses in racing, and as always, the Fox US Open also offers amateur racing classes in Downhill and Dual Slalom. Also a Next Gen Youth and Best Whip contest. killington.com

19 | Discraft’s Green Mountain Championship, Smugglers’ Notch

Since 2013, this disc golf championship has swiftly gained prominence with elite disc golfers. Having attained high-level PDGA sanctioning, it officially joined the inaugural Disc Golf Pro Tour in 2016, serving as the culmination of the regular season and the commencement of the Tour Championship. smuggs.com

OCTOBER

6 | 3nd Annual Three Peaks Mountain Race, Bolton Valley

Choose between the 10K or 25K race. Scenic vistas will greet you as you move up and down a combination of work roads, cross country trails, raw ski slope climbs and some newly built lift-accessed mountain bike trails. boltonvalley.com

6 | The Middlebury Maple Run, Middlebury

The half marathon course promises scenic rolling hills into the farmlands around Middlebury and Weybridge with spectacular views of the Green Mountains and Middlebury College. Course is a mix of paved and gravel roads with a short stretch on a gravel trail. Run the full 13.1 miles or a 10K. There’s also a 3-mile fun run. middleburymaplerun.com

14 | North Face Race to the Summit, Stratton

Runners challenge themselves in a 2.18-mile race, climbing 2,003 vertical feet, up southern Vermont’s highest peak for prize money, awards and great views. Stratton.com

15 | Trapp Mountain Marathon, Stowe

A challenging half and full marathon distance trail run at beautiful Trapp Family Lodge. ironwoodadventureworks.com/trapplodgemountainmarathon

19 | 29029 Everesting, Stratton

Summit Stratton 17 times, climbing 29,029 feet, the equivalent of summiting Mount Everest, and take the gondola down. Each hike up is 1.3 miles long and gains 1,750 vertical feet. Or enjoy the base camp village with bands, bonfires, luxury tipi tents, food and drink. Stratton.com

HALF MARATHON, RELAY & 3-MILE FUN RUN

MIDDLEBURY, VT

OCT. 6, 2024

• BEAUTIFUL, SCENIC ROUTES with views of the Green Mountains and Adirondacks.

• A mix of TRAIL (10%), PAVED (45%), & DIRT roads (45%) for the half marathon; all paved for 3-mile fun run.

• USATF-CERTIFIED COURSE that is well supported, with rolling hills & foliage views.

• WELL ORGANIZED, GREAT SWAG, INSPIRING MUSIC ON COURSE

• POST-RACE BREAKFAST

• TOP FINISHERS RECEIVE VT MAPLE SYRUP!

BATTENKILL BICYCLES 1

99 Bonnet St.,  Manchester Ctr, VT

802-362-2734 | battenkillbicycles.com

IKE SHOPS

AROUND THE REGION

Manchester's bicycle shop since 1972, Battenkill Bicycles is a Trek and Specialized dealer offering advice and sales to meet all your cycling needs. The service department offers tune-ups and repairs for all brands. Come rent a bike or get information about group rides. Battenkill Bicycles is the number one e-bike seller in southern Vermont and an authorized e-bike service center.

BERKSHIRE OUTFITTERS

RR 8, 169 Grove St., Adams, MA 413-743-5900 | berkout@bcn.net

A full-service bike shop at the base of the Mt. Greylock State Reservation. We also border a beautiful 12-mile paved rail trail. We carry Jamis, Rocky Mountain and G.T. We offer sales, repairs and rentals for the rail trail.

BOOTLEGGER BIKES 3

60 Main St. Jeffersonville, VT 802-6448370 & at 82 Main St., St. Albans. 802.782.8747 bootleggerbikes.com

A full-service shop near Smugglers' Notch and a new shop in St. Albans. We offer new, used and custom bikes as well as custom-built wheels for mountain, road, gravel, fat bikes, bikepacking and touring. Rentals offered at our Cambridge Junction shop on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Bikes are a passion here.

4 THE BOOT PRO

44 Pond St. Ludlow, VT

802-228-2776 thebootpro.net

A full-service bike and ski shop staffed for sales & service of mountain and gravel bikes, E-bikes, kid’s bikes. Rentals: Mountain & E-bikes. Guided rides: Mountain bike & gravel. Wide selection of clothing & accessories. Level-2 Specialized certified E-bike technicians. On the corner of the Okemo Access Rd.

BURROWS SPORTS 5

105 Main St. Brattleboro, VT 05301

802-254-9430  | burrowsports.com

There’s no off-season for sports in Vermont! Burrows Sports provides year-round sporting goods, services and repairs in Brattleboro, VT and surrounding areas. For 90 years, we’ve taken a personalized, small-town approach to providing our customers with the equipment they need to fully enjoy the area - skis, snowboards, tennis, bicycles, e-bikes, cargo bikes, running gear, skates, and all the accessories! Brands you can trust from Cannondale, Bianchi, Trek, Diamondback, GT, K2, Rossignol, Rome, Saucony, Salomon, POC, Darn Tough, Skida, Turtle Fur & Vermont Glove.

CHUCK’S BIKES

45 Bridge St. Morrisville, VT 802-888-7642 | chucksbikes802. com

40 years selling the best brands in all categories of bikes. Transition Norco Jamis KHS & Devinci. We have the largest inventory and best service in Northern VT. PS Be kind to trails and do trailwork Mon.-Wed, & Fri 105, Sat & Thurs 10-2. Be well by being smart.

EARL’S CYCLERY & FITNESS

2069 Williston Rd., So. Burlington, VT

802-864-9197 | earlsbikes.com

439 Route 114 East Burke VT

802-626-3215

eastburkesports.com

Located in the heart of town, we pride ourselves in expert knowledge and friendly customer service. A full-service shop awaits you and your repair needs. We have 100 rental bikes with an enormous selection of clothing, parts, and accessories. Hours: 9 - 6 daily.

16 Pleasant St., Randolph 802-565-8139 gearhouseVT.com

8749 VT RT 30, Rawsonville, VT 21 S Access Rd, West Dover, VT 802-297-2846 | equipesport.com

Sales, Service and Rentals of mountain and gravel bikes. Carrying brands from GT, Rocky Mountain, Santa Cruz and Jamis. Stop in to either of our locations near Stratton and Mount Snow. Open 7 days.

Earl’s Cyclery has been serving Vermont’s cycling and fitness needs for more than 65 years. With over 12,000 square feet, Earl’s has the largest selection of bikes from Trek, Norco, Giant, Electra, Bianchi, and more. The service center at Earl’s has professionally trained technicians who are certified to work on all makes and models of bicycles. Whether you need a flat tire fix, or a suspension rebuild, the service staff is ready to help. Estimates are free! Stop on by or give us a call!

74 Main St., Middlebury, VT 802-388-6666 | froghollowbikes.com

Take advantage of the most advanced and courteous service and sales in our region, with quick turnaround in our shop downstairs. Upstairs, we offer a variety of road, gravel, mountain, lifestyle, electric and children's bikes and gear. Brands include Trek, Cannondale, and Open that offer superior products that balance innovation and performance with reliability and value. We also offer bicycle rentals and weekly group rides. MondayFriday 10 -5, Sat. 10 - 4.

A family-friendly shop located in the center of Vermont, we offer Rocky Mountain, Salsa, Bianchi, KHS, a rotating inventory of used outdoor gear, and full service repair shop. Randolph has newly revived mtb trails that combine classic old-school singletrack with machine built zones. Start the 12/12a loop from the shop for 38 miles of well maintained pavement, or map countless gravel rides from town. The shop is also home to ROC's trail hub featuring topographical and printed maps. Stop by and plan your next adventure!

12

105 N. Main Rochester VT

800-767-7882 | greenmountainbikes.com

Located in the heart of the Green Mountains, we are surrounded by terrain that calls to mountain and road bikers alike. Whether you ride twisting trails or back-to-back gaps, we service, sell, and rent all styles of bicycles, featuring Kona, Jamis, Juliana, Raleigh, Santa Cruz, Transition, and Hinderyckx bikeshand crafted by our own Rochester boy Zak Hinderyckx. So STOP READING and RIDE

2733 Main St., Lake Placid, NY 518-523-3764 | highpeakscyclery.com

The Adirondacks' source for cycling and outdoor gear and adventures since 1983.RIDE THE ADIRONDACK RAIL TRAIL. Lake Placid to Tupper Lake and Beyond. Paddle. Bike. Hike. Fish. E-Bikes. Guides. Shuttles. Tours Adventure.

HITCHHIKER

394 Mountain Road Ste. 6, Stowe, VT | 802-585-3344 hitchhikerbikes.com

We are Stowe's local bike shop. Located adjacent to the Cady Hill trails in the Baggy Knees shopping center. We are your source for all things MTB and gravel. We have you covered with everything from sales and service, to clothing, parts, and accessories! In store you'll find bikes from Rocky Mountain, Cervelo, Otso Forbidden, Chromag, and more!"

LAMOILLE VALLEY BIKE TOURS

19 Creamery St., Johnson, VT | 802-730-0161 | lamoillevalleybiketours.com

Located trailside on the 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail! Lamoille Valley Bike Tours has been getting riders out on the rail trail with local knowledge and friendly service since 2016. We offer E-bike and Bike tours, rentals and sales and a new Rail Trail Bike Shuttle service. We carry E-bikes, bikes and gravel bikes from Diamondback, Batch Bicycles, Cannondale, Izip and Surface 604 with a wide selection of used E-bikes available for sale. We offer private consultations and a try-before-youbuy customer experience. We service Bosch and Shimano E-bike systems. Come visit us at our fully stocked Trailside Bike Center at mile 55 on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail

20 Hanover St. Lebanon, NH 603-448-3522 | omerandbobs.com

The Upper Valley's bike shop since 1964. Offering mountain, hybrid, road, gravel, electrics, and kids bikes from Electra, Norco, Specialized and Trek. Featuring a full service department, bike fitting, bike rentals, mountain and e-bikes demos, and a kids trade-in, trade-up program. Hours: Mon.-Friday, 9am-5:30pm, Sat., 9am-5pm

ONION RIVER OUTDOORS

89 Main St. Montpelier, VT 802-225-6736 | onionriver.com

VT's premier bike, rack and outdoor gear shop. Friendly and knowledgeable sales and service. We carry Specialized, Rocky Mountain, Salsa, Surly, and Seven Cycles and a variety of clothing and accessories including Giro, Smith, Club Ride, Patagonia, Pearl Izumi and more. Visit our website to learn about our clinics, events and rentals.

OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE

37 Church St., Burlington, VT 21 Essex Way, Essex Jct., VT Madbush Falls, Warren, VT 888-547-4327 | gearx.com

MOUNTAINOPS

4081 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 802-253-4531 mountainopsvt. com

OGE is an award-winning, premier bike shop with knowledgeable, friendly, and honest staff. now with three locations. We offer a wide range of gravel grinders from Marin, BMC, and Niner. Our selection of mountain bikes from Marin, BMC, Niner, Pivot, Rocky Mountain, Transition, SCOR, and Yeti will blow you away. Plus, we offer super affordable kids' bikes, commuters from Batch Bicycles, and fat bikes. We also have consignment bikes as well as a demo fleet. Our efficient service department is capable of everything from tuning your vintage road bike to servicing your new mountain bike and offers full Fox shock service. Get fully outfitted for bike packing, touring, or fat biking to the slopes for a multi-sport day— any conceivable adventure!

35 Portland St. Morrisville, VT 802-888-6557 powerplaysports.com

North Central Vermont's Trek and Giant Dealer nestled in the heart of bike country. Selling new and used bikes for every budget and every type of rider from beginner to expert. We service all manner of bike and sell tons of accessories and apparel. Bike rentals for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail just 200 yards down the road.

23

RANCH CAMP

311 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 802-253-2753 | ranchcampvt.com

Ranch Camp is Vermont's MTB base lodge and your hub for bikes, gear, food, and apres! Ranch Camp offers a full service trailside bike shop, tap room, and freshcasual eatery all under one roof. We're proud to work with some of the best brands in the business and carry bikes from Ibis, Yeti, Revel, Norco, and Trek. Located at the foot of Stowe's Cady Hill Forest we've got a demo fleet of pedal assist and analog bikes so you can try before you buy.

SKIRACK 24

85 Main St. Burlington 802-6583313 | skirack.com

Locally owned and operated since 1969, Skirack provides the best selection of outdoor gear for running, downhill & cross country skiing and snowboarding. We specialize in all things bike and e-bike: service, rentals, car racks, expert fitting and knowledge. Head to Skirack.com for updated hours and more information.

STARK MOUNTAIN 25

TYGART

57 Pond St. STE 1, Ludlow, VT (802) 228-5440

Info@tygartmountainsports.com, Tygartmountainsports.com

We are a full service bicycle sales and service center offering a variety of bikes from Cannondale, Scott, and Kona. We also offer a full line of tools, clothing, and accessories. We have 4 Park Tool School Certified technicians with a combined 52 years of industry experience offering a full range of services including in-house suspension work and full build-outs.

VILLAGE SPORT SHOP 27

Trailside, 2099 Darling Hill Rd. East Burke, VT

802-626-8444| villagesportshop.com

Established in 1978, we are a family-owned, passion-driven sporting goods store serving customers for four seasons of adventure. Strongly focused on bike and ski, we have highly skilled knowledgeable technicians and sales staff to assist in all needs of purchase, rental and service. With a location trailside on the world-renowned Kingdom Trails, we’re here to make your adventures happen!

WATERBURY SPORTS 28

46 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT

802-882-8595 | waterburysportsvt.com

A full service bike shop selling Trek and Giant bikes in one of Vermont's most convenient locations. Nestled in downtown Waterbury a short distance from the Perry Hill MTB trails, WBS services all bikes and can handle any repair you might have. We also have a fleet of demo bikes and an excellent selection of parts and accessories. Open 7 days a week!

WEST HILL SHOP 29

49 Brickyard Lane, Putney, VT

We offer bikes along with fast, friendly service. Dealers of Niner, Scott, Devinci and Jamis, we carry a large assortment of mountain and gravel bikes including a 60bike demo fleet. Our techs have years of experience and our local trail knowledge is second to none. Our converted 1893 barnturned-bike-shop houses a huge selection of bike and lifestyle clothing and parts and accessories. Looking for a more mellow ride? Rent one of our cruisers for a trip down the Stowe Rec Path right from our parking lot!

21 PORCUPINE BIKES

144 Main Poultney, 802-8848429 | porcupinebikes.com

Friendly hometown service near Slate Valley Trails with all your bicycle needs in one place: repair & service, new & used bikes, bike rentals, accessories & apparel. Brands including Transition, Esker, Salsa, Woom, Strider, Skida, Wild Rye, Troy Lee, Sock Guy & more.

9 RTE 17, unit b   Waitsfield, VT 802-496-4800

Find us on Facebook

Located at the lowest spot in the Mad River Valley so you can coast in when you break your bike on a ride! 21 years of advice,directions and fixing anything that pedals. Thinking about a Yeti? Come ride one of ours,we have been selling Yeti since 2006! Hours: Tues-Fri 9-6*, Sat 9-4, and Sunday 10-2. *Closes at 5 on Thursdays for the Shop Ride.

802-387-5718 westhillshop.com

Right off I-91

Northbound! Proud to be a tier-1 Specialized shop, and one of the longest-standing independent shops in the region, with bikes also from Banshee, Cannonade, Devinci, Evil, Transition, and Salsa. Our curated garment selection from Patagonia, POC, and Specialized is based on what we have chosen for our own use in all of Vermont’s glorious conditions. The WHS service department is widely recognized as one of the best in the region. Call about walkin service availability on Fridays and Saturdays. Ask us about custom wheels, suspension service, and set-up.

VBy

100 Years of Parks

parks and recreation. He really was, in a lot of ways, the founder of the park system.

There are now 55 state parks. How have they grown?

The 1960s and 1970s were really a growth period for outdoor recreation, a time people called Vermont “The Beckoning Country.” For various reasons, folks started getting outside again and hiking and camping. Some federal funding also came in during that period. I feel like now we’re kind of in another big era in the importance of outdoor recreation and seeing expansion of the park system in a different way.

What is special to you about Vermont State Parks?

ermont’s state park system, one of the most robust in the country, celebrates 100 years this summer. We talked to the man who has help steward these public places, Nate McKeen. McKeen grew up in Maine, roaming the woods as a young boy. He went on to study forestry at the University of Maine.

After spending two and a half years in Senegal doing environmental education and forestry work, he relocated to Vermont, managing the snowboard department at Jay Peak in the winter and working as a seasonal park manager at Little River State Park in Waterbury in the summer. McKeen fell in love with the forests, waters, and communities that characterize Vermont State Parks. He became Vermont’s Chief of Park Operations in May 2007 and now as Director of State Parks is helping the park system celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.

Why is the 100th anniversary of our state parks important?

It is important that we recognize the past and understand where we’ve been and how we came to have this amazing, robust state park system. I mean we’re one of the best state park systems in the country. Not to get too hung up on that, though, because we really need to look ahead and make sure we’re getting new audiences and that facilities are being adapted to the needs of the current population.

How are state parks created?

For such a small state, we’re blessed. In the 1930s a lot of land was acquired or already in public ownership. The first park (Mt. Philo) and many after that were created when land was donated.

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built projects in 13 parks in the 1930s. Many of the structures that were built are still standing and in use. Perry Merrill was one of the first commissioners of forest

As the Chief of Operations for the state parks I went to almost every park every year. Without fail, each visit made me think, I have to bring my family here! particularly if it was my first time there. They’re each so unique and special. We have the busiest state parks like Mount Philo, Branbury, and Grand Isle— they’re all beautiful but developed so that you never feel too cramped. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s Townshend and Allis State Park in Brookfield. New Discovery State Park in the Groton State Forest is amazing—there are actually seven state parks within that forest and they each offer something a little different.

How are you honoring cultural heritage, like the history of the Abenaki?

This year, we have 17 Park Interpreters who are stationed at some of our bigger parks to acknowledge the Abenaki history and celebrate it. The Park Interpreters tell the story of each park and the Abenaki history that comes with it. With the legislation that was passed a couple of years ago, every state park sign will be replaced with a new sign that will have the current park name and the Abenaki name for that park.

What are the most interesting things discovered in state parks?

Jamaica State Park in southern Vermont is a beautiful park with about 20,000 acres of state land where you can hike, swim in the West River and then walk from your campsite to town to get a pizza or beer. The West River Trail was actually a route the Abenaki used for their seasonal migration and about 15 years ago, we had a marvelous archaeological dig there at an old Abenaki encampment. The dig found arrowheads, old fireplaces, and pots. u

tailor-made adventures. Norrøna Stores: New York, Boulder, Boston, Castle Rock. Find the collection locally at Sport Thoma / East Burke Sports, VT.

The fjørå collection

Bold. Innovative. Freeride inspired.

Let the mountains move you!