March 17, 2011 (Burlington, VT) – Forty-five adventurous skiers from throughout New England and New York stood on the starting line at Trapp Family Lodge for the 4th Annual Catamount Trail Backcountry Challenge Race and Tour on March 13th.

As the valley residents were experiencing rain in the lower elevations, these hardy backcountry participants were treated to lightly falling snow and up to five inches of fresh cover in the elevated mountainous areas. Unlike other Nordic ski races and tours, the participants were totally self sufficient on this remote backcountry trail. The 17km course in one of the most famous and well used sections of the Catamount Trail, generally skied from South to North. Race and Tour participants skied it in reverse fashion, which entailed a 2300 ft vertical climb and a 1300 ft hair raising descent off Bolton Mountain to the Bolton Valley Nordic Center below.

The touring division was given a head start before the competitive skiers raced off the start line 90 minutes later. While the touring division was able to enjoy the incredible scenery on their leisurely tour up and over Bolton Mountain, the racers were giving 100% of their effort to reach the finish line in the shortest possible time.

In the hotly contested field of elite racers, it was Eli Enman of Huntington Vermont who broke free of the main pack early in the race to set a new course record of 1:30:30, improving on his winning time and record from the 2010 race. Olympian Marc Gilbertson of Hyde Park and Eric Tremble of Jericho raced head to head down the mountain with Gilbertson making up ten seconds in the last kilometer to place second while Tremble nailed down the third position in 1:34:50.

The women’s race developed into a similar scenario as the men’s competition with Kate Crawford of Essex breaking free from the pack early in the race and setting a new course record in 2:05:22. The second and third positions were up for grab as Brie and Tyne Pike-Sprenger of West Dover, Vermont raced head to head throughout the entire race. Brie’s alpine racing experience paid off in the final descent, edging out her sister Tyne by two seconds to take second in a time of 2:13:13.

Following their heroic efforts over the grueling course, all participants were treated to a meal and over $2000 in donated raffle prizes and awards. Sponsors included Outdoor Gear Exchange, Rossignol Ski Company, Darn Tough Socks, Seventh Generation, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Silverwear Jewery. A special thanks goes out Trapp Family Lodge, Bolton Valley Resort, and the Bolton Valley Ski Patrol for making this Catamount Trail Association event so successful. Proceeds from this event will help protect the 300-mile Catamount Trail.

Full results HERE.

December 16, 2010 (Burlington, VT) – The Catamount Trail Association has a great line-up of winter events for you to participate in this season, including a Ladies Nordic Ski Expo, the Catamount Trail Outdoor Winter Photography Workshop, and the Get Out and Backcountry Ski Festival. Read on for more details and how to register.

Ladies Nordic Ski Expo – January 8th at the Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT
If you are a woman and want to learn or improve your classic, skate, or backcountry technique, you wont find a better way to spend a winter day. This all-day clinic features some of the best women instructors in the East, helping you to fine tune your technique or teach you the basics of the sport. The day consists of three ski sessions, lunch, a backcountry slide show presentation by author David Goodman, and a wine and cheese social to top off a perfect day. This event is almost full with just 8 spots left to fill. Visit www.CatamountTrail.org or call 802-864-5794 to register or for more information.

Catamount Trail Outdoor Winter Photography Workshop – Jan 14-16th at the Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT
Whether you are a passionate amateur photographer or an aspiring professional, well-known photographers Emily Johnson and Brian Mohr will give you all the tips and techniques needed to get the most out of your winter photos. Brian and Emily will lead participants on skis or snowshoes to the virgin snow of the backcountry to shoot everything from landscape to action photography under their experienced guidance. This two-day workshop will cover the following subjects:

– Winter Light – Being comfortable and creative with winter’s challenging and ever-changing light;
– Creative Compositions – Exploring focus, perspective, and composition with a variety of winter scenes;
– Exposure – Understanding and balancing shutter speed, aperture and ISO;
– Camera Handling – Tricks to making winter photography easy in the face of winter’s elements;
– Advanced Techniques – Action; Night/low-light; Macro-photography; Tri-pod use;
– Digital Workflow – Advice on how to store, organize, protect, process and display your photographs.

The workshop will include lodging, meals, and trail pass. Visit www.CatamountTrail.org or call 802-864-5794 to register or for more information.

Get Out and Backcountry Ski Festival – Jan 23rd at Bolton Valley Resort,VT
Designed for beginner to intermediate backcountry skiers, this popular full day event will promise to be another sell-out. Learn from expert backcountry instructors as they take you through a wide range of skills designed to improve everything from your telemark turns to maneuvering in unbroken powder. Try out demo skis, listen to talks on equipment and safety, and enjoy the end of the day social gathering with refreshments. The clinic includes instruction, trail pass, demo tryouts, and drinksl. Visit www.CatamountTrail.org or call 802-864-5794 to register or for more information.