We're Hiring!

MRP is seeking a Summer Trail Steward and Teaching Assistant!

Summer Trail Steward and Teaching Assistant will gain valuable trail management and teaching skills while serving side-by-side with experienced staff in the beautiful Mad River Valley and the Central Green Mountains. You will have the opportunity to introduce local children and teens to outdoor living, adventure sports, and contribute to the development of an inclusive Active Transportation Corridor through the Mad River Valley. You will develop an appreciation for the importance of nature connection and the essential role of bike and pedestrian infrastructure in building communities. 

This position is part of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board AmeriCorps (VHCB AmeriCorps).  The VHCB AmeriCorps program supports the innovative dual-goal approach to creating stable affordable housing opportunities for Vermont residents while preserving the natural and working landscape. VHCB AmeriCorps is a national service program that places members with non-profit housing or land and energy conservation organizations around the state.

Mad River Path is a community-supported organization leading the implementation of the Active Transportation Corridor from Warren to Moretown in the Mad River Valley, Vermont. We connect communities and provide access to nature and opportunities for outdoor recreation for valley residents and visitors. We believe that inclusive and safe human-powered transportation infrastructure fosters positive social change, healing our relationships with nature and each other leading to a sustainable future.

More information and full job description can be found on the VHCB website.

Backcountry Skiing in Gaspésie National Park, Québec, Canada by Lauré Murphy

“The laughter in this group was infectious and plentiful.  On trail we looked out for each other…Encouragement and guidance from our teammates helped us to scale, what seemed in the moment, insurmountable obstacles.  I felt the confidence in my backcountry abilities grow with each excursion.”

Expedition Team (from left to right): Lynne Boudreau (Waitsfield), Kitter Spater (Burlington), Mike Maloney (Burlington), Lauré Murphy (Moretown), Shane Bowley (Burlington), Bob Gifford (Starksboro), Jamie Fanning (Fayston).

Roughly 550 miles north of the Mad River Valley you will find the trailhead to Québec’s Chic Choc mountains in the Gaspésie National Park.  The Chic Chocs, part of the Appalachian Uplands of Canada, are home to an array of wildlife including a small heard of endangered Woodland caribou (34 individuals remaining as of 2022) living in the wildlife preserve on an upper plateau, moose yards, the Ruffed grouse, and the elusive, nocturnal, Artic hare.  You may ask where I’ve learned about this magical snow-laden kingdom.  Simple, I signed up for the annual backcountry ski expedition sponsored by the Mad River Path Association.  Tour guides Misha Golfman and Lynne Boudreau taught our group some incredible facts about the region, along with map-reading skills and survival techniques for this cold and often brutal climate.  All this and more while we were skiing and living hut to hut for five days.

The journey from Waitsfield, VT started at 5 am on Monday, February 24, 2025.   Two of us joined Misha and Lynne for a carpool to our first night’s lodging.  We loaded up the backcountry skis, our personal backpacks with our required gear, and headed north for five days of backcountry adventures.  Old man winter had been dumping snow in the Chic-Chocs and we were excited to carve new trails and explore this untouched wonderland.   

Our first night was spent in the small town of Sainte-Felicité, in Québec.  Nestled on the shores of the partially-frozen Saint Lawrence River, the quaint Auberge de Jeunesse du Manoir des Sapins, was the meeting point for the six participants and two guides.  Introductions were made over dinner, followed by a team meeting to discuss our daily itinerary, food supplies, and safety protocols.  The expedition would include four nights sleeping in two huts along the trail, heated by wood, cooking on a woodstove, each hut with a friendly little outhouse.   After a long day’s drive, we set off to bed as the winds were howling off the St. Lawrence River.

The morning of Tuesday, February 25th, we awoke to no power.  The raging winds had knocked out power along the St. Lawrence, so we began our “backcountry” cooking a meal earlier than anticipated.  No worries, the Manoir des Sapins’ woodstove worked well to heat the water for cooking.  A wonderful spread of fresh local bagels, cream cheese, and lox, as well as hard boiled eggs, yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.  A few team members ventured out for hot coffee and our meal was complete.  

Each morning during our expedition, Misha and Lynne would set out food for us to fill our “day food” bags.  We would snack as we needed energy while skiing. We filled our insulated water bottles with hot water to mix with snow for drinking along the trail.   This method allowed our drinking water to be stretched further during our day-long outings in the backcountry.   Following the packing of our food and water, we would share stretches and yoga poses to help limber our bodies for the day’s ski.   We would then share a poem or inspiring reading to prepare our hearts and minds for the day’s adventures.  Misha would cook up a hot and hearty breakfast using locally sourced grains, eggs, and meats – always delicious and filling.  Hot camp coffee or tea with maple syrup was also on tap. 

On day 1, we could opt to have our packs transported with the team food to the first hut (La Paruline), or carry our packs.  Two of us opted to carry small day packs and send our 30 lb. packs by snowmachine to the hut.  The first leg of the expedition was twelve kilometers, mostly a gradual uphill climb (no skins required), to La Paruline.  The weather was beautiful, lots of fresh snow, and the winds had calmed from the previous night.  We initially followed a snowmachine trail, soon splitting off to a less-traveled ski trail to our hut.  La Paruline is a small and cozy hut.   It was already warmed by the remnants of a fire left by a day skier passing by.  This would be the only day skier I saw the entire week in the Chic-Chocs.  We had the mountains to ourselves!  La Paruline is located just above one of the many lakes in this region.  Upon arriving, just past mid-day, Misha divided chores amongst us. Chores consisted of clearing snow from the hut’s deck and stairs, making a path to the outhouse, and shoveling a path to the sump station (where we were to dump waste water and have team hand washing before our meals).  We collected fresh snow in large pots to melt on the stove for drinking water and cooking, chopped wood, and assisted with food prep.   When all the chores were done, folks were free to explore the area by ski, relax by the fire with hot tea, read a book, or chat.

The tours into the backcountry were exhilarating!  As the most novice backcountry skier of the team, I found the daily “optional” expeditions to be rigorous and breathtaking (visually and physically), and not to be missed!  Misha is an excellent guide and bushwhacker (breaking trail), teaching as he moves along.  He was always full of encouragement and confident in each person’s ability to meet a new challenge.  Both Misha and Lynne readily coached and instructed those who were newer to the sport, while allowing the more experienced members to take turns bushwhacking and leading the group across snow bridges and around obstacles.  I loved how Misha included everyone in reading the maps and how he taught us to keep a “chair rail” (a large natural feature such as a tributary or mountain) as a point of reference while we traversed the backcountry so as not to lose our way.  The snow on these expeditions into the wilds was untouched and DEEP.  We would often spot animal tracks, and, on one excursion, we had the good fortune to glimpse a moose and her calf leaving their moose yard and moving up the river, pushing through the drifts and snow bridges.  On another excursion, we came across a flock of grouse foraging the snow-laden forest for food near the shores of Lake Cascapédia.  We crossed this frozen lake on the way to our second hut, Le Pluvier.  On the last day, another moose sighting occurred on our journey down to the trailhead.  It was a true gift to spot these creatures in their natural habitat.

Our group formed fast and easy friendships over the course of our expedition.  In the evenings, after Misha’s amazing one bowl meal and then dessert, contributed each evening by a participant, we would sit around the candle lit table to share a gratitude from that day’s events, play games, talk, and laugh. The laughter in this group was infectious and plentiful.  On trail we looked out for each other.  Two of us (yes, I was one!) found ourselves sinking into tree wells and it was our teammates that pulled us to safety.  There were a few harrowing traverses and climbs, where the encouragement and guidance from our teammates helped us to scale, what seemed in the moment, insurmountable obstacles.  I felt the confidence in my backcountry abilities grow with each excursion.  The six of us arrived on expedition with different gear and different levels of experience.  The variety of gear included wider alpine touring and narrower Nordic backcountry touring skis.  No matter the equipment, all of us were able to keep up and we all used skins for steep ascents.   Downhill was a bit easier for those who had stiffer boots and bindings to support easier turns on the steepest descents.  We all had fun and were able to navigate the terrain with a few tumbles, a lot of laughter, and most importantly, no injuries!

Upon our departure from each hut, we left the sites better than we found them.  We chopped wood for the next group coming through, swept, mopped, shoveled, cleaned the outhouse, and did our best to leave no trace.  As I reflect on this time spent skiing in the Chic Chocs, it was a much-needed respite from the busyness of life and the noise of our culture.  It was an exploration of self with the added benefit of making new friends and connections with my guides and teammates.  

A new look for the Mad River Triathlon

A new look for the Mad River Triathlon 

We have an exciting triathlon update: we have an updated logo with new-and-improved beaver mascots!  Big thanks to Kristen at Yellowwood Designs for our new graphics. Sign up for the triathlon today and you'll have the opportunity to add a t-shirt with our new logo. Top finishers in each category will also receive local Vermont maple syrup prizes! 

Sponsor Spotlight: MadBush Falls

For hospitality during Triathlon weekend, look no further than Madbush Falls, conveniently located on Route 100 along the triathlon course! Madbush Falls has pledged to donate 50% of lodging proceeds that weekend to the Mad River Triathlon. We will also provide free shuttles to and from the start, finish, and transition locations. Book at madbushfalls.com/triathlon.

As a reminder - the triathlon is a fundraiser that will ultimately ensure sustainable access to outdoor recreation in the Valley. Thanks to MadBush Falls for helping us reach our goal.

Good news from the Mad River Path!

Thanks to over 150 generous donors, we have raised $70K and are only 10K short of our 2024 Annual Giving Goal! 

Today, we have an amazing opportunity: A generous donor pledged to match every donation made before December 31, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000! Every dollar you donate to the Mad River Path in the next 18 days will be doubled in value.

Help take care of the paths we all love, support youth outdoor programs and the Mad River Triathlon, and move the Valley's Active Transportation Corridor forward by donating today.

Registration is open for Summer 2025 Mad River Path Adventures!

Mad River Path Adventures offers accessible day and overnight adventure camps for students ages 9 – 15. Our dynamic programs are designed and led by professional guides. Students enjoy adventure sports and the art of wilderness living while developing close connections to nature and the social skills for thriving in an interconnected community.

We believe that outdoor pursuits should be a part of every Vermonter’s experience and teach the know-how that often translates into a lifelong love of adventure and discovery in our special backyard.

Group sizes are small and space is limited, so grab your spot today! Details and tuition can be found at the link below, along with registration information. 

We hope you'll join us out on the trail this Summer.

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We have one space left for a woman to join our Winter backcountry ski trip in the Chic Choc mountains!
To learn more and register please visit the link below.

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New from Wasted*, our partners in sustainable sanitation, comes WeeBloom - a new fertilizer made recycled from human waste. The Mad River Path recently installed an offgrid Wasted* toilet behind the Recreation Hub, which lowers our impact on the environment and creates a cycle of nutrient reuse. Get some local fertilizer for your Spring garden plans.

Ready, Set, GO!

2025 Mad River Triathlon - Sunday, April 13

Registration is open now for the Mad River Triathlon, taking place on April 13th, 2025. If you're feeling overwhelmed by consumerism and advertisement this season, consider giving the gift of active outdoor recreation. The triathlon begins with a six mile run, transitioning to a six-mile paddle, followed by a ten-mile bike, and ending with a ski run up and down Mount Ellen.

An Event for Everyone

We are making every effort to create an inclusive event by allowing a wide range of equipment, offering group raft rides down the river, allowing you to choose the legs you wish to participate in, and a broad range of categories and accommodations for adaptive athletes. Additionally, if you cannot afford the

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Summer Camps are around the corner...

As the snow and ice comes our way, are you already thinking ahead to Summer? Our Mad River Path Adventure programs are coming soon, so be on the lookout for more information about the sessions and registration process. June will be here before you know it!

Envisioning a Connected Mad River Valley

Active Transportation Corridor Meeting Resources

Thank you again to our partners and community members who attended the public meeting last week for the Active Transportation Corridor. Big thanks also to Mad River Valley TV who covered the event and put together a video recap featuring interviews with attendees and committee members speaking about their questions and priorities for the corridor. 

Below you will find a Story Map interactive website with the content from the meeting. If you were not able to attend or want to review the information, please click through the button below to interact with the maps of the various segments.

MRPA receives $22,000 E-Bike grant
 

Mad River Path is proud to have received a Mobility and Transportation Innovations Grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation. A $22,000 grant provides funding for research, design, and fabrication of three cargo e-bikes for the Wait House organizations. These bikes will allow for reduced greenhouse gas emissions and single-occupancy vehicle travel. It will also provide increased visibility of effective alternate transportation right in our community, hopefully inspiring others to make changes towards greener modes of travel. Thank you to VTrans for their ongoing support.

Please welcome Sarah Johnson, our new Communications Specialist! Sarah is a Montpelier resident with connections in the Mad River Valley through her work at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. Sarah works in marketing, communications, and outreach for nonprofits, and in her free time can be found running, hiking, or knitting. 

Community Input on the Active Transportation Corridor

This past Wednesday we welcomed over a hundred community members to give their input on the future of the Active Transportation Corridor. At seven stations, attendees responded to prompts about the use, location, and priorities of each segment of the corridor. We gained valuable insight from those of you who attended, and we are grateful for the support. Public input is not only crucial for securing the necessary funding, but also for ensuring that the corridor meets the needs of the community as best as possible.

You can review the content of the meeting on our Story Map website. Visit the link to see the questions posed about each segment. If you were not able to attend, we’d still love your input. Please email any responses to sarah@madriverpath.org.

And remember, the Mad River Path exists because of your support. Please make your donation to our annual giving campaign today! 

VT-100 Path Study is moving forward!

VT-100 Path Study is moving forward!

Mad River Path, in partnership with CVRPC (Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission) and MRVPD (Mad River Valley Planning District), received an $84K scoping study grant from the VTrans (Vermont Agency of Transportation) Transportation Alternatives Program. The engineering study will look at the alignment, opportunities, and challenges of the active transportation corridor running parallel with but separate from VT-100 within the State Right of Way from Warren to Moretown.

VT-100 Multi-Use Path Study Area

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velomont trail partnership

Mad River Path and Velomont Trail Collective have signed a Trail Partner Agreement. This agreement brings a 485-mile-long Velomont Bike Trail a step closer to passing through the Mad River Valley on its way from Canada to Massachusetts.

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updated Mad river path guide

We updated descriptions and maps to the 15 miles of the Mad River Path. We invite you to make the Path a part of your daily commute, or wellness routine!

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thank you to the triathlon volunteers and sponsors!

87 volunteers served homemade energy snacks, helped racers stay on course, safely cross the roads, and navigate the rapids, sold raffle tickets, drove shuttles, and labored at countless behind-the-scenes tasks, making the Triathlon a heart-felt community celebration. Thank you, everyone, for fully showing up!

44 local businesses, organizations, and individuals supported the success of the Triathlon with event sponsorships, raffle donations, and services. Thank you, sponsors:

Sugarbush, Creative Micro Systems, Discovery Map International, Elevation PT, Three Mountain Café, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Mad River Valley Ambulance Service, Green Mountain Valley School, Green Mountain Transit, Lawsons, Kitchenette, Mad River Riders, American Flat Bread, Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Bisbees, Stark Mountain Bike Works, Umiak Outfitters, Mad Rover, Justin Beckwith, VT North, Cabot, Clearwater Sports, Constable Jeff Campbell, Artisans Gallery, Carol Chamberlin, Sally Kendall Massage, Warren Store, Friends of the Mad River, Mad River Valley Backcountry Coalition, Charlie Hosford, Alpine Options, Product Think Tank, Warren Lodge, Mad Hiit, Mad River Glen, Raised VT, Village Grocery, Hartshorn Farm, Elwin Neill, Drip Sauna, Mad Bush Falls, Mad Valley Sports, Mad Taco and Yellow Farmhouse Inn!

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green valley rally

Vermont’s annual Green Up Day takes place on Saturday, May 4, 2024, with the Green Valley Rally being the epicenter for all activities here in the MRV. It will take place at the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center from 8 to 2. If you’d like to help with the Path clean up, please contact us, so we can coordinate the efforts!