Stowe Trails Partnership gears up for bike season

Learning to mountain bike or trail run can be tough. But as defeating as those first few rides or runs may feel, you can’t help but chase those fleeting moments of elation that got you hooked. Perhaps it’s finally pedaling over that infuriating root. Or running up that hill for the first time without stopping.

Or being surrounded by your friends in the forest on a sunny day.

At the end of the day, community is what makes trail sports so special. The friends. The businesses. The strangers you say hi to at trail intersections.

Individuals are uplifted by our communities in so many ways, especially those new to mountain biking, trail running or another sport that brings them joy. When you’re frustrated, a day on the trails is made so much better if breaks to catch your breath are peppered with jokes with friends or family. Don’t know anything about mountain bikes, the gear, or how it all works? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the trail-running shoe options on the wall? There are loads of local, friendly experts ready to answer all your questions.

These aspects of community and more are why thousands of people have fallen in love with mountain biking and other trail sports in recent years. But it’s also why Stowe Trails Partnership is able to maintain and build the trails that folks care for so deeply.

A 501c3 nonprofit organization, our focus is to help people experience the benefits of recreating on trails. We build, maintain and promote access to a diverse, sustainable and fun trail network that brings joy to all users by partnering with our community. If you’ve ever adventured in Cady Hill, Adams Camp or Sterling Forest, then you know about the 38-plus miles of trails and all they have to offer.

Last year was a big year for Stowe Trails Partnership. In Adams Camp, we completely refurbished Haulapalooza and opened our first double-black diamond trail, part one of Serenity & Adrenaline. In Cady Hill, we redid the entrance to Charlie’s and finished implementing adaptive mountain bike enhancements. In Sterling Forest, we completed a class 1 pedal-assist electric mountain bike (eMTB) pilot study to gather data and eventually help us and our stakeholders make the most informed decision about allowing eMTB access on the trails. These projects, combined with continuous trail maintenance, led to over 100,000 uses of the trails in 2022 alone.

With spring just around the corner, we are gearing up for another great season of playing outside on the trails. We have some fun projects on deck for 2023, including machine improvements in Cady Hill to rebuild eroded sections of trail, updating Shredder in Adams Camp to have more flow and consistency, and continuing efforts to finalize plans for phase one of Sterling Connector, a singletrack trail that will connect Adams Camp to Sterling Forest. We are also continuing advocacy for Class 1 pedal-assist electric mountain bike access in Cady Hill and Sterling Forest.

But all this work would not be possible without our community. The same businesses, trail users and individuals that lift up those that are new to trail sports lift up our organization as well. We owe a ton of gratitude to the 1,200-plus Stowe Trails Partnership members, 80-plus donors and 90-plus local businesses that supported us in 2022 and look forward to building even more partnerships in 2023.

Thank you for all you bring to this community. Whether it’s supporting new recreators or supporting the organizations that create opportunities for them, we appreciate you and look forward to seeing you on the trails this year.

Please join us for a season kick-off party at The Alchemist on Wednesday, April 12. There will be beer, food and fun.

Carolyn Lawrence is executive director of Stowe Trails Partnership. Learn more at stowetrails.org or send an email to info@stowetrails.org.