Introduction and Details Your Skiing Ability List Of Participants Schedule Shuttles, Driving and Logistics Lodging Tips and Thoughts Social Activities Somewhat-related Videos Extra Reading Prior Multi-Day Trip Reports

CTA's 2025 "Multi-Day Tour #6" has completed, read here for trip reports, and check www.catamounttrail.org for more skiing opportunities. I'm Sam Bartlett, the volunteer Tour Coordinator for the CTA's 2025 "Multi-Day Tour #6", Sections 20 to 23, from Thursday February 20, 2025 to Sunday February 23, 2025. This is the site for dispensing information about the tour, both for people who are considering the tour and want to learn more, and for signed-up participants. My Assistant Tour Coordinator is my wife Marie. Go to the bottom of CTA's 2025 "Multi-Day Tour #6" page or here to REGISTER. You need to completely fill out this form before you are a registered MDT skier. Then, begin your tour by going to the Your Skiing Ability page on this site. Please review this information so we can all have an enjoyable tour. Then, go to List Of Participants page on this site and make sure I have your days listed correctly. You have to be on the List of Participants to attend this tour. This tour covers four sections of the trail, from Camel's Hump Road to Edson Hill. Section 22 is the famous Bolton-to-Trapps tour, the most challenging section of the Catamount Trail. This is a series of day trips, you stay somewhere nearby each night and drive to the trailhead. Please follow the links on the left for more information, read everything if you are planning on joining us. EMail: sam@bart-tech.com, please start your subject line with "MDT6" for "Multi-Day-Tour #6". Phone: 413-834-0274 8am-8pm

Sam, Marie and Jeannie at VT/MA border 2004 Photo by Lynn Fisher

Sam and Marie at VT/QC border 2008 Photo by Lynn Fisher

12/15/2024 - I've revised this site for MDT#6. There are many details yet to be determined and posted but this gives you a framework for the tour. Please let me know if you find errors, bad links, or have questions.

01/06/2025 - I've updated the List Of Participants page, please check to be sure I have your information recorded correctly.

02/13/2025 - Several updates, and I've posted the Schedule. It looks like we may get to ski all four days of our tour next week! The forecast I see is snow Sunday (lots!), then dry, cool and clear for the tour days. Please note that you should bring full length skins if you plan to ski Sec 22 or 20. If you signed up recently, please check that I have your details right on the List Of Participants page. I'm still working on some social get-together ideas. If anyone wants to offer something, let me know. If anyone has lodging space that they could offer, several of our group are looking for a place to sleep.

02/14-15/2025 - From Tracy: Section 22: Bolton to Trapps; done over two days, February 12 & 13. The snowload on top of Bolton is very heavy on the trees. Hoods required, and lots of ducking. I'd be very nervous to be up there if it was windy with all that snow load releasing. It's a beautiful section, though. The hardwoods down into and through Nebraska Valley are spectacular.

02/13/2025 - From George: Section 20: Sarah, Steve and I tried to complete it S-N but decided to turn around before reaching the CH Challenge Trail due to tough snow and weather conditions. They had skins and still found it tough going. I'm hoping with a bigger group and better conditions (and maybe others ahead of us?) we can make it through.

02/16/2025 - Looks like more snow and some sleet and ice and wind in the forecast. I heard that on Mt. Mansfield the snow depth is in the top 10% of the last seventy years of records. Less so in the valley, but still much better than last year. Ought to be an epic tour!

Note on Section 21: If you aren't skiing Section 21 with us Sunday, you can ignore this note! If you don't care if you officially ski all of Section 21, you can ignore this note! If you want to honestly say that you have skied all of Sec 21, let me know. There is about a one mile road walk at the north end of 21 that I do not intend to do (see the map and description). The trail description starts southbound at the Timberline Lodge, but the map shows a road walk north of there and the Bolton Nordic Center, where Sec 22 starts. You could argue (as I do for the long road walk at the Winooski) that you only have to complete the sections as described, and thus the Bolton Valley Road walk is not part of the CT. But if you are an "EFI" sort of collector, we can make arrangements for you to walk that mile. Do you have to carry your skis? I'll leave that up to you.

Note on Trail Passes: Be sure to bring your CTA Rewards booklet for 2025! It has discounts for trail passes, among other things.
If you are skiing with us Thursday Sec 23, you will need to buy either an Edson Hill day trail pass or a Trapps Outdoor Center day trail pass.
For Edson Hill, Trail passes are available from the Front Desk at the Manor House. CTA rewards at Edson Hill is two for one, so at least the two couples in the group can buy tickets there. Price is not listed.
At Trapps we can buy tickets at the Outdoor Center near where we park. Your CTA Rewards gets you a $12.50 day pass.
If you are skiing with us Friday Sec 22, you need a Bolton Nordic, Backcountry & Uphill $25+tax. If I read the CTA Rewards booklet correctly, there is a free Bolton NBU pass. It says non-peak, and lists some blackout dates that are not when we are there 2/21. However, on the website they list their peak days as including 2/15-2/23. So I'm checking with them. Worst case you have to pay $25+tax. We'll also be skiing on (and parking at) the Trapps system but we only need a Bolton pass for this day.
If you have a seasons pass to any(?) Vermont XC resort, then you can probably get a free one-day pass at Trapps, Bolton and Edson Hill.
The Ski Vermont Cross Country Reciprocal Program offers season pass holders from participating cross country areas a one-time, complimentary, or discounted trail pass for a single day of cross country skiing or snowshoeing at any other participating cross country ski area.
But read the fine print! This might be a blackout week.

02/18/2025 - I changed our meeting place for Friday to Nebraska Valley Trail Head. Still 8:30!

Here is a little back-country skiing wisdom from the famous back-country cross-country skier Nelson Mandela:
“The greatest glory in skiing lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”*

And one final bit of entertainment, written over several tours:
The Old Back Country Skier's Lament
(with apologies to Janis Joplin)
'Sung' to the tune of Mercedez Benz

I'd like to sing a song of great social and political import.

Oh Lord won't you get me to the trailhead on time?
We meet at 8:30, or maybe it's 9,
To keep them all waiting that would be a crime,
Oh Lord won't you get me to the trailhead on time?

Oh Lord won't you find me a little more base?
I'm walking the downhills and losing my grace,
I keep hitting rocks and I fell on my face,
Oh Lord won't you find me a little more base?

Oh Lord won't you send me a little more fluff?
This scritching and scratching is sure getting tough,
I think 18 inches would be just enough,
Oh Lord won't you send me a little more fluff?

Oh Lord won't you buy me a new pair of legs?
My friends have all finished, they're back tapping kegs,
They'll drink all the good stuff and leave me the dregs,
Oh Lord won't you buy me a new pair of legs?

Oh Lord won't you teach me that telemark turn?
That's one of those skills that I still need to learn,  
I get in a few but it makes my thighs burn,
Oh Lord won't you teach me that telemark turn?

Oh Lord won't you buy me a new set of lungs?
I'm climbing these switchbacks, I'm no longer young,
These trails are like ladders that's lost half their rungs,
Oh Lord won't you buy me a new set of lungs?

Oh Lord won't you buy me titanium knees?
These old ones are hurting, there're swollen like trees,
So cut me and sew me, get me back on my skis,
Oh Lord won't you buy me titanium knees?

Oh Lord won't you buy me some stickier wax?
Or maybe a groomer that's leaving fresh tracks?
The sun's going down and I've finished my snacks, 
Oh Lord won't you buy me some stickier wax?

Oh Lord won't you lose me about 15 pounds?
I think they're from donuts and dinners in towns,
They hurt on the up hills but help on the downs,
Oh Lord won't you lose me about 15 pounds?

Oh Lord won't you buy me some edges of steel?
These trails are so icy I'm losing my zeal,
I'll give you my first born I'll make any deal,
Oh Lord won't you buy me some edges of steel?

Oh Lord won't you find me a nice skier chick?
These women are married, they don't want my love,
So make her a cutie and send her real quick,
Oh Lord won't you find me a nice skier chick?  

Oh Lord won't you let me just stay here and ski?
We're having a good time or maybe it's just me,
I don't want to go home and watch the TV,
Oh Lord won't you let me just stay here and ski?

That's it, heh, heh, heh.

I need to clarify that this is just a song, not an autobiography. I already have skis with edges of steel, a passable tele-turn, and a nice skier chick.

"What's the big hurry?" Photo by Ed Linton

* Alright, as far as I know, the late Nelson Mandela did not ever ski, and I changed 'living' to 'skiing', but otherwise it works.