Thursday, Nov. 1, 4:30 p.m.—ROCHESTER—The sixth annual Vermont Backcountry Forum is being held Thursday, Nov. 1 in Rochester, and will be bigger and better than ever! Join Catamount Trail Association (CTA) and the Rochester Area Sports Trails Alliance (RASTA) for an evening of fun focused on backcountry skiing and riding in Vermont, with a new feature – a film fest. The event is co-hosted by CTA and RASTA, and is a benefit for both organizations’ backcountry programs.
Kicking off the event is the backcountry gear swap at 4:30 p.m. on the Park in Rochester. Drop off gear anytime; 20 percent of sales goes to RASTA projects. The sale will go on the entire evening.
At 6 p.m., doors open at Pierce Hall for the forum, with a potluck, cash bar, and vendors selling items. Bring a dish to pass for the potluck. At 7 p.m., hear updates on backcountry projects. Work days have been taking place regularly, getting the trails ready for the coming snow season.
New to the forum this year, the first annual Vermont Backcountry Film Showdown will begin at 7:30 p.m.
This is intended to highlight regionally produced videos and video slideshows that capture and share all of the different flavors of skiing and riding that the Vermont backcountry has to offer.
A select panel of judges will have reviewed submissions and identified the videos worthy of being shown at the forum. The top submissions will be shown and the crowd will vote on their favorite. The winning creator will win a special prize.
At 8 p.m. will be the raffle, with big prizes from sponsors like Osprey, Salomon, Dynafit, and more.
Pierce Hall is located at 38 S. Main St., Rochester. The Park is directly across the street.
The association was incorporated in 1984 with the purpose of building, administering and maintaining the Catamount Trail as a public resource. Now the trail can be enjoyed for generations to come.
For more information, visit catamounttrail.org.
