The Catamount Outdoor Family Center has been working on a comprehensive trail plan for the last year in order to earn landowner permissions and state permits for vital repairs, reroutes, upgrades and other changes. We shared our goals in 2023, then conducted online surveys and held public meetings to hear from the community. This helped guide our on-the-ground planning.

As required by the State of VT, we reviewed the entire network for an overarching Act 250 permit, which will have additional Wetlands and Streambank Alteration permits associated with it. We worked to identify ways to build climate resiliency, improve sustainability, ensure long term financial stability, reduce impacts, enhance navigation and increase accessibility. These goals are detailed below.

This project is designed to be implemented in smaller phases over 10-15 years. Changes will be incremental, reviewed for refinement, and constructed with oversight by relevant state permit agencies.

Below are before and after maps of the Goose Hill and Northside networks for comparison. The proposed changes are finely detailed further down too.

If you would like to provide feedback on these plans, please fill out this survey.

Existing Goose Hill network with access across McCullough property. The Wedding Field is shaded yellow.

Proposed Goose Hill network with access on Catamount Community Forest property.

Existing north side network with unprotected portions not on Catamount Community Forest land.

Proposed north side network with trails on CCF land or with protected access.

Goals

Use best practice design/build guidelines to construct essential trail reroutes, improve drainage, harden core routes and enhance experiences on the Catamount Community Forest trails to:

  • Address trail network climate resiliency and sustainability under decreasingly snowy and increasingly rainy conditions, including year round flooding and erosion potential
  • Ensure long term COFC financial stability in a changing climate and with competition from several better free-to-access trail networks in the immediate area
  • Increase trail accessibility to a wider range of visitors while managing shared use and reducing user conflicts
  • Make trails usable in all seasons/weather conditions and in both directions as much as possible
  • Upgrade connectivity, navigation and enjoyment through trail reroutes and improvements
  • Reduce overall impacts and maintenance to improve resource protection
  • Secure a permanent solution for the Lookout viewshed
  • Secure permanent trail access easements for trails, trailhead and proposed changes on adjacent properties
  • Reclaim and enhance Wedding Field as a trailhead and event site
  • Close trail sections that are too steep/tight, overly impactful, redundant, confusing, unsafe and/or off CCF property with no long term access protection

Trail Standards

We follow a mix of USFS, IMBA, Town of Whistler and Kootenay Adaptive best practice standards for appropriate pitches, widths, challenge, construction methods, signage and long term stewardship planning.

Wetlands, Wet Areas and Water Crossings

Bridges, armoring, culverts and other wet crossing features will meet state wetlands and stream bank alteration rules and fit the trail standards above for accessibility and sustainability. We plan to use natural surface drainage and calming dispersive structures throughout the network.

The Town of Williston has committed support for replacement of five bridges on the Three Rivers and one bridge on the Southeast Connector trails. VELCO and COFC are responsible for culvert crossing maintenance on the Woods Trace powerline access route from the parking lot. Other hardened areas, culverts, bridges and wooden structures in the network will be replaced, repaired or rebuilt depending on condition.

Trail Closures

Proposed trail closures for steep pitches, better locations, safety, reduced impacts, redundancy and navigation improvements will be completed as replacement sections are built in each phase. There are three exceptions.

  • Powerline A-Line – erosion issues and dangerous intersections
  • Middle section of Chameleon – dangerous intersection
  • Off property sections of Coyote – should be rerouted as soon as possible out of landowner respect. These sections can be hand built without major fundraising.

Trail closures will use sufficient on-site organic materials to restrict access and return natural drainage to the area.

Signage and Naming

Signage and trail names will be updated in each phase of the project. Names will be reduced for easier navigation and network understanding. For example, Gremlin, Hawk, Moose Poop and Cow Path will likely become just Moose Poop. The phased signage and naming updates will be limited to the specific area of work within the CCF. A full signage and naming update will be completed at the end of the greater project.

Trail Project Phases

The trail improvements are planned to be built in phases to accommodate time, resource and funding restrictions. Priorities within each phase will be based on easiest trails first- most difficult trails last, proximity to other work areas and construction limitations.

Phase 1 – Trailhead Area and Coyote

Time Estimate – 1 Construction Season
Define trailhead entrances, upgrade terrain areas around parking lot and Hub, refresh and repair Elbow and Balsams trails. Reroute sections of Coyote to CCF land.

This will create a cleaner, friendlier, more fun and easily understood trailhead welcome area, while reducing impacts and increasing usability, accessibility and sustainability.

Phase 2 – Sandmans Area

Time Estimate – 3 to 4 Construction Seasons
Woods Trace/Sandmans Area – Northside Network

This is our most popular trail use area. Work here will increase sustainability, connectivity and accessibility, while reducing impacts and navigation challenges.

Phase 3 – Goose Hill Area

Time Estimate – 2 to 3 Construction Seasons
Goose Hill Area – Southside Network

This is our second most popular area. This phase does not include the potential boardwalk across the wetlands, which would increase the time estimates. Reclaiming portions of the Wedding Field for events and enhancing it as a trailhead are important for year-round connectivity and organizational stability. Overall work on Goose Hill will increase sustainability, connectivity and accessibility, while reducing impacts and navigation challenges.

Phase 4 – Northside hills and Lookout area

Time Estimate – 5 to 8 Construction Seasons
Upper Trails – Northside Network

This is the most complex and hardest to access area. Work here will increase sustainability, connectivity and accessibility, while reducing impacts and navigation challenges. Also includes viewshed POI long term stewardship.

Themes and Objectives across all phases

1) Adaptive Accessibility Trail Upgrades

Catamount Outdoor Family Center is dedicated to opening the doors to the outdoors to every body, regardless of abilities. The trail network already features some of the first adaptive accessible routes in VT and we are proud to work closely with VT Adaptive and Special Olympics to include visitors with a wide range of abilities.

Benefits

  • Make more CCF trails welcoming to visitors, regardless of abilities
  • Increase trail accessibility to as wide a range of users as possible
  • Make trails usable in both directions and in all seasons/weather conditions as much as possible

Trails to be upgraded for adaptive accessibility

  • All doubletrack trails. Already adaptive-friendly width and radii, need to reduce pitches in many places, harden and smooth some areas and improve drainage throughout.
  • All terrain areas (pumptracks, dual slalom, drops, jumps/tabletops/rollers) wherever possible
  • All green-easier trails
  • All blue-intermediate trails
  • Reroute connection from Ridge Run to Moose Poop
  • Pop’s reroutes and existing trail

2) Proposed trail hardening with onsite mineral soil / rock, boardwalks, bridges, drainage structures and off-site crushed stone as best suits the terrain

Benefits

  • Address trail network climate resiliency and sustainability under decreasingly snowy and increasingly rainy conditions, including year round flooding and erosion potential
  • Ensure long term COFC financial stability in a changing climate and with competition from several better free-to-access trail networks in the immediate area
  • Increase trail accessibility to as wide a range of users as possible
  • Reduce overall impacts and maintenance
  • Make trails usable in both directions and in all seasons/weather conditions as much as possible
  • Provide a four season accessible loop to the top of the CCF and the Lookout.

Trails To Be Hardened

  • Sandmans refresh – easier
  • Woods Trace refresh – easier
  • Post Rd refresh – easier
  • Pump tracks and event field terrain area – easier
  • Elbow – easier
  • Balsams – easier
  • Three Rivers to north side of Lookout – intermediate
  • South side Lookout to top of Labyrinth/Powerline – intermediate
  • Labyrinth – intermediate
  • Powerline terrain area – easier/intermediate/more difficult
  • Goose Hill terrain area – easier/intermediate/more difficult
  • Pure Bliss/Cliffs of Insanity – easier
  • New trailhead entrance from Gov Chittenden to Applesauce – easier
  • Lower Applesauce to Goose Hill 1 – easier
  • Goose Hill 1 – easier
  • Farm Rd 2 – easier
  • Moose Pop / Cow Path/ Liquid Velvet – easier/intermediate
  • Porcupine/ Taiga’s pines/ Slickrock – intermediate/more difficult
  • Northsouth Connector – easier

3) Trail Reroutes/Eliminations for Improved Navigation and Connectivity

Currently, many trails start and finish at random locations. These frequent intersections make it difficult to navigate the trail network and degrade the enjoyment of this outdoor experience.  Connecting trails together with short new sections of trail will simplify the network with many benefits including the following:

Benefits

  • Less intersections for easier navigation
  • Longer contiguous sections of trail improve user enjoyment
  • Simpler trail map and signage with less named trails and more longer trails.
  • Winter fatbike and snowshoe users kept separate from ski trails to maintain quality grooming for longer periods.
  • Eliminate old/redundant/confusing trail sections

Goose Hill Area – Southside Network

  • Reroute Black Bridge (easier trail off Ramway) to meet Shovelhead and Gullywhumper trail crossings, eliminating additional confusing intersections on Ramway, resulting in 2 co-located crossings to enhance navigation and better organize connections. Eliminate old portions of this trail.

Woods Trace/Sandmans Area – Northside Network

  • Reroute and eliminate several intersections and trail portions of Newt’s, Deer Yard, Rock Spine, Porcupine, Slick Rock and Taiga’s Pines trails to better link and loop this area. This relatively small portion of the network contains several short sections of trails and numerous confusing intersections. Eliminating sections of these trails and connecting them together with rerouted sections will result in easier to navigate trails with less intersections and less crossing the adjacent Sandmans double track trail.
  • Eliminate the redundant Sandmans Winter Route adjacent to Sandmans/Taiga’s/Porcupine.
  • Reroute the intersection of intermediate Newt’s on the middle of beginner Post Road to the existing intersection of beginner Sandmans and beginner Cliffs of Insanity/Pure Bliss for better connectivity and separation of winter uses.
  • Reroute the exit of new Newt’s/Ridge Run/Rock Spine to connect directly with intermediate Moose Poop to reduce confusing intersections, improve sustainability by eliminating steep eroding pitches and separate narrower trails from the main Sandmans loop for better connectivity.
  • Eliminate a redundant portion of intermediate Hawk that connects to the western side of beginner Sandmans Connector.
  • Connect currently separated tail ends of intermediate Moose Poop to Cow Path, Cow Path to beginner Liquid Velvet, Liquid Velvet to Central Ave, Central Ave to Moose Poop and Gremlin to reduce confusing intersections and improve connectivity and navigation. Eliminate old portions of these trails.
  • Reroute two short portions of easier Pure Bliss to directly connect with easier Cliffs of Insanity and eliminate two intersections with Sandmans to form one continuous loop, improving navigation and connectivity. Eliminate old portions of Pure Bliss.
  • Eliminate a redundant Snowshoe Trail from easier Lower Night trail to beginner Woods Trace paralleling intermediate Fred and Ethel to reduce impacts and intersections.
  • Re-establish a direct connection to intermediate Fred and Ethel from the Powerline and eliminate the older Fred and Ethel original entrance to get it out of a wet area and onto an existing drier raised tread.

Upper Trails – Northside Network

  • Eliminate Service Road that connects Woods Trace, Geronimo and Three Rivers to the adjacent property for improved navigation and reduced impacts in a wet area.
  • Eliminate redundant and steep Trillium trail from Powerline to Pop’s to reduce impacts and intersections.
  • Reroute top of intermediate Gravy Train to meet beginner Pop’s Connector intersection for better connectivity, navigation and enjoyment.
  • Connect lowest point of Slalom to Governor Chittenden Rd on short section of gentle switchbacks to improve connectivity and options.
  • Connect the current high point on Labyrinth to Lookout, completing a friendly intermediate two-way route adjacent to the Powerline.
  • Connect the current top of Watermelon to Labyrinth/Clover’s for better connectivity and navigation, matching the tops of Labyrinth and the new Powerline terrain area for better navigation, connectivity and enjoyment.
  • Eliminate redundant and wet Snowshoe Trail near Mad Max to reduce impacts and improve navigation.
  • Connect Skidway’s flatter middle section to the Lookout trail for better connectivity, improved sustainability and point of interest below a rocky cliff band.
  • Reroute short section of Trout Lily to new Lookout connection to separate mandatory expert rock/wooden bridge feature from intermediate Trout Lily. This would become an expert option to reflect existing challenge level and retain a signature network feature.

4) Trail Reroutes/Eliminations for Reducing Steepness and Impacts/ Increasing Sustainability, Accessibility and Enjoyment

The current COFC trail network has many overly steep and wet sections that increase impacts, while reducing usability in all seasons and for most visitors. This negatively affects maintenance inputs, grooming possibilities, accessibility, enjoyment and overall sustainability. Because of these deficits, visitation, membership, camps, clinics, races, programs and events are also continually challenged. We hope to trade sub-optimal trail sections for safer, more fun and sustainable trails.

Benefits

  • Address trail network climate resiliency and sustainability under decreasingly snowy and increasingly rainy conditions, including year round flooding and erosion potential
  • Ensure long term COFC financial stability in a changing climate and with competition from several better free-to-access trail networks in the immediate area
  • Increase trail accessibility to as wide a range of users as possible
  • Upgrade trail experiences and enjoyment through reroutes and improvements
  • Reduce overall impacts and maintenance
  • Make trails usable in both directions and in all seasons/weather conditions as much as possible
  • Ensure a long term solution for the Lookout viewshed
  • Close trail sections that are too steep/tight, overly impactful, redundant and/or confusing

Goose Hill Area – Southside Network

  • Reroute or harden Shovelhead (intermediate trail from the top of Goose Hill to the Ramway/Talcott Forest access) and Gullywhumper (more difficult trail below Shovelhead) to replace steep eroding pitches, too tight turns and switchbacks that are too close to each other. Eliminate old portions of these trails.
  • Extend drops/rock/dual slalom/jump terrain area to a rocky outcrop on the Goose Hill 3 trail on an easier/intermediate trail with low long rollers and gentle turns in the field to allow for broad access, and for mowing and ski grooming to continue. The trail would transition to more progressive features in the woods and finish with a slowdown feature with clear sight lines where it joins the existing terrain area on Goose Hill 1.
  • Construct an easier jump line on the existing mowed trail adjacent to the existing Goose Hill jump line, joining the intermediate line about ⅔ of the way down with clear sight lines and separate merge lanes. This will broaden accessibility and progressive features to allow for more users to learn and enjoy this area.
  • Construct 2 additional features on the bottom traverse of the Goose Hill jump line exit, one medium sized fun feature and one slowdown feature above the bottom intersection with Farm Road 2. This will complete the line and address intersection safety.
  • Eliminate the middle portion of most difficult Chameleon trail in a wet area and where it crosses the jump line for reduced impacts, better navigation, and improved sustainability and safety.

Woods Trace/Sandmans Area – Northside Network

  • Define and harden trail entrances to easier Elbow, Woods Trace, lower Night trails and lower terrain area through the event field to improve navigation, four season usability and enjoyment, while reducing impacts and maintenance.
  • Improve and harden terrain areas adjacent to the parking lot and event field for better accessibility, four season usability and enjoyment, while reducing impacts and maintenance. Eliminate wooden features and replace with dirt and rock features for improved safety, enjoyment and consistency.
  • Reroute the exits of expert Rock Spine and Ridge Run trails to co-locate with the new Newt’s/Sandmans intersection and eliminate steep eroding pitches and co-locate three intersections into one. Eliminate old steep sections and redundant intersections.
  • Reroute portions of Moose Poop to reduce steep pitches and impacts, while increasing accessibility and enjoyment. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Reroute section of the second portion of easier Balsams trail where it goes steeply down and up through a wet area, changing to a rocky well drained traverse to reduce impacts and increase usability and sustainability. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Eliminate Snowshoe Trail from Powerline to Balsams to reduce impacts in a wet area and improve navigation with less intersections.

Upper Trails – Northside Network

  • Reroute existing intermediate Powerline trail to separate it better from intermediate Labyrinth. Convert Powerline trail into a terrain area with three interconnected lines, easier/more difficult/most difficult. VELCO has provided us with parameters for what can happen in this area and we are well within their requirements. Final approval from VELCO should be pursued once TOW and VLT approve.
  • Reroute steep section of expert Pop’s below Powerline with connection to intermediate Gravy Train and Cabin Run. Eliminate lower portion of Gravy Train and steep section of Pop’s.
  • Reroute steep sections of expert Pop’s trail above Pop’s Connector to Powerline. This should turn this section of Pop’s into an intermediate trail and improve access and navigation. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Reroute steep section of expert Lookout to Pop’s below Powerline. This should turn this section of Lookout into an intermediate trail and improve access. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Reroute upper intermediate Powerline switchbacks to reduce steep pitches, round turns and improve access.
  • Construct intermediate level switchbacks on east side Powerline above Slalom to height of land to improve connectivity in an already disturbed area. Trail will improve access for VELCO crews too and fits within their requirements.
  • Reroute/replace steep unmaintainable and unsafe Powerline A-Line to connect with Skidway and Mad Max on challenging but fun sustainable rocky traverse descent. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Reroute the majority of Slalom trail to improve sustainability and enjoyment, reduce steep pitches, round turns and increase access. The top side is proposed to have more fun features and the bottom side will be less featured to encourage directional use. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Reroute steep sections of Lookout adjacent to the Powerline on the eastside with switchbacks under the Powerline. This should improve access for VELCO also. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Eliminate steep unmaintainable section of The Wall trail, from Off The Wall to Lookout below the Powerline.
  • Reroute steep section of Lookout near the bottom of Off The Wall. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Separate lower intersection with Bear and Off The Wall to eliminate steep sections and simplify navigation.
  • Reroute the bottom of Bear to lower Lookout near the bottom of Slalom to make use of all the vertical and improve navigation.
  • Reroute bottom of Off The Wall to Lookout to improve drainage and sustainability.
  • Round turns on Bear and Off The Wall. These lines are not on the map, the turns will push the current turns out ~20-30 feet for better radii.
  • Reroute steep section of Lookout near the bottom of the existing Trout Lily to connect to the current top of Mad Max. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Reroute most of the low wet traverse on Trout Lily to a higher, drier traverse off Lookout. This also removes a mandatory expert feature from an intermediate route.
  • Reroute lower Mad Max out of wet area and onto rocky rollers. Eliminate old portion of this trail.
  • Reroute Clover’s Rollers to high and dry rock line similar and adjacent to Watermelon trail. Eliminate old portions of this trail. Below where this trail crosses Woods Trace, it follows a stone wall through a wetter area that will require good drainage work to construct.
  • Reroute steep sections of Lookout and alternate trail near Three Rivers to connect with Geronimo and upper Clover’s Rollers. Eliminate old portions of these trails, including old bridge.
  • Reroute top portion of Geronimo to reduce steep pitches and improve drainage. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Eliminate steep top and bottom sections of Skidway.
  • Reroute sections of upper Pop’s, Skidway and Lookout to eliminate steep pitches and simplify navigation. Eliminate old portions of these trails.
  • While there are no orange reroute lines on Bear or Off The Wall Trails, we plan to refine the corners on both of these trails to round them better. Each corner will be pushed out 15-20 feet for improved drainage and flow.
  • Reroute steep portions of Lookout adjacent to Coyote and Trout Lily. Eliminate old portions of this trail.
  • Switch gentle section of Coyote for steeper section of Lookout to improve sustainability, accessibility and navigation. Upgrade each section to reflect existing Lookout and Coyote trails.
  • Reroute tight steep Trout Lily switchbacks near Lookout to gentler pitches and turns.
  • Reroute steep Lookout section above Geronimo/Night/Torch intersection to Skidway bridge. Eliminate old portion of this trail.

5) Trail Reroutes/Eliminations to Move Trails onto CCF Land

These trail sections and the Lookout viewshed were not addressed in the initial land purchase and need to be addressed in planning and permits going forward.

Benefits

  • Respect adjacent landowners access permissions with changes expected
  • Contain more of the trail network on public land for long term access protection

Goose Hill Area – Southside Network

  • Eliminate the easier main road access and front/back yard trail by the Gov Chittenden homestead due to land ownership. This access may be conserved with an easement, but is a complex issue with lots of moving parts. This area is included in our lease with the McCulloughs, which is up for renewal in 2028, barring any unforeseen challenges.
  • Eliminate the westernmost portion of the easier Sheep and Blackberry trail and adjoining portion of the Wedding Field. This access may be conserved with an easement, but is a complex issue with lots of moving parts. This area is included in our lease with the McCulloughs, which is up for renewal in 2028, barring any unforeseen challenges.
  • Re-establish former extent of Wedding Field to the east, represented by a gray polygon overlay, to replace loss of McCullough portion,. This access may be conserved with an easement, but is a complex issue with lots of moving parts. This area is included in our lease with the McCulloughs, which is up for renewal in 2028, barring any unforeseen challenges.
  • Construct a new easier trailhead entrance across from the Parking Oval into easier Applesauce trail. The section of Applesauce to Goose Hill 1 should be improved to match new trailhead and Goose Hill 1 challenge level. This new trail is already approved and described in the VLT easement and the TOW has set aside some funding to support it.
  • Construct an ADA accessible trail and boardwalk from the Wedding Field across the wetland area to the bottom of the sledding area to increase access to a prime wildlife viewing area and preserve a way to the sledding hill. This is an expensive project that will be more viable if we lose access to the main access adjacent to the homestead.

Woods Trace/Sandmans Area – Northside Network

  • Reroute beginning of easier Southeast Connector trail at Woods Trace to move it onto CCF land. Eliminate old portion of this trail.

Upper Trails – Northside Network

  • Secure an easement from the adjacent property owners for Cabin Run, Gravy Train and parts of Pop’s area to protect this vital trailhead and trail connections.
  • Reroute short portion of beginner Lower Night to put it on CCF land and preserve a potential connective section of this trail.
  • Connect an easier trail from the corner of Elbow and Lower Night to the Powerline at the bottom of Labyrinth to replace Lower Night connection.
  • Eliminate off CCF property sections of Lower Night and Getting Started trails. This access may be conserved with an easement, but is a complex issue with lots of moving parts. This is owned by a separate member of the McCullough family.
  • Reroute steep section of Lookout around knob area with potential views to replace existing Indian Lookout. Town of Williston supports a new Lookout site.
  • Reroute off CCF property sections of Coyote. Eliminate old portions of this trail.