Regarding a Potential Land Sale at Bolton Valley Resort
- Skiers break for a photo at Bryant Camp, along the Catamount Trail as it passes through the Bolton Valley Nordic Center trail system.
CTA is currently fielding calls and emails expressing concern over the potential sale of a parcel of land utilized for backcountry skiing at Bolton Valley Resort. This potential sale is in its early stages, with many variables at play, and may or may not come to pass. The Catamount Trail is legally protected across the property in question via a trail access easement that is 30 feet wide and 3.5 miles long. The CTA easement starts by the gate below the S turns on the Bolton Access Road and continues through the current Bolton Valley Nordic Center to Mt Mansfield State Forest, just beyond Bryant Camp. In the event of a sale, if and when that time comes, the Catamount Trail will remain open across this property precisely because a permanent trail easement was put into place in 2008.
This situation illustrates the importance of protecting the Catamount Trail with trail access easements. If there were no easement in place across these lands, access to the Bolton to Trapp Trail, one of the most beloved backcountry trails in New England, could be lost in a single real estate transaction. While the fact that the CT is protected at Bolton Valley brings some relief, there are many miles of backcountry ski trail that currently constitute the Bolton Valley Nordic Center that are not protected, and that are subject to the plans of current and future landowners.
The CTA appreciates the time and effort, put in over decades, that has resulted in Bolton’s backcountry ski trails. At this time, we do not have sufficient information about the potential transaction to draw any conclusions about future land uses or development. We encourage you to pay attention, listen carefully, and keep an open mind. Many rumors are afloat, and adding to them will not help the situation. In keeping with its mission, CTA will continue to work diligently to develop, manage, and conserve the Catamount Trail, and to advocate backcountry and cross-country skiing for the quality of life, recreational, health, economic and educational benefits they provide.