More than 2 million visitors a year hike on the Appalachian Trail, from short hikes on day visits to months-long escapes as they traverse the sometimes rugged expanse from Georgia to Maine. The impact of their recreational experiences on the natural resources along the way is largely unknown. In 2015, a U.S. Geological Survey researcher…

KILLINGTON—Joe Jones was a 17-year-old kid from Rutland when he joined the volunteer Otter Ski Patrol organization in 1937 to help keep people safe on the slopes of Pico Mountain. On Sept. 20, the now 92-year-old Jones just might be the star attraction at a party at the Summit Lodge to celebrate the end of…

Congrats again to Clearly Moguls for winning the 2014 Killington Softball League Championship. On Monday, the All-Star Game was held which means the season has officially come to a close. This game is fun because teams are randomly selected and teammates get to face each other for the first time. The East Squad was made…

LUDLOW–The Okemo Valley Golf Club Men’s League came to a stirring conclusion on August 12.  The chase for the Commissioner’s Cup could not have been any tighter.  EVS Metal, which led the league for an unprecedented 11 weeks, came up short in the final night double-points scramble.  Stryhas Builders, the squad that was in last…

KILLINGTON — The weather held off and Killington Golf was able to host a great League Night: Pirate Night! The Killington Golf Course transformed into the stormy seas on Tuesday night, Aug. 12, for Pirate League Night. Golfers were challenged to putt with an eye patch, and were given treasure maps to find hidden prizes.…

WEST HAVEN–Devil’s Bowl Speedway has been the site of more surprise moments during the summer of 2014 than at perhaps any other point in its 48-year history.  While past seasons have seen one or two drivers dominate a particular division, nothing seemed to be guaranteed this year. Parity has ruled the Rutland County track during…

By Alan Jeffery QUESTION: Pat and Marcia are playing in a tournament. On the 6th hole, Pat’s second stroke lodges against a tree root. The tree is in an area that is marked as ground under repair but the root and ball lie outside the markings. Because the root is part of the tree, Pat…

WOODSTOCK — Vermont native Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Tour Rookie of the year and a star of the 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup team, returns to the Woodstock Inn & Resort Aug. 25 with fellow PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele to host the third annual Keegan Bradley Charity Golf Classic. The event benefits the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation in…

WEST HAVEN – Joey “Fireball” Roberts sat through a half-hour rain delay and braved cool temperatures on Friday night, Aug. 15, at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, but the wait was worth it – Roberts dominated Stand Night for his second victory of the season. He was joined as a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series winner during the evening…

By Kate Robitello As I peaked the top of Blue Ridge overlook with my trusty pit-dalmation alongside, I was kindly reminded by a text from a friend to meditate. Mountain meditation—such a wonderfully grounding, calming, yet powerful experience! Meditation in general has, ostensibly, presented a number of miraculous health benefits to those who practice regularly.…

MENDON – It’s been quite a week for the soon-to-be eighth-grader from Mendon. Logan Broyles aced the 177-yard 12th hole at Rutland Country Club on Aug. 9, then headed up to Green Mountain National Golf Club where he won the two-day stroke play Men’s Club Championship on Aug. 11. Broyles shot 73 and 74 at…

By Dave Hoffenberg The best of three Championship was under way this week between the #4 seed Phat Italian and the #1 seed Clearly Moguls. The Phat was vying for their first title, while C.M. was going for their third in five years. Game one Game one began with C.M. coming out cold and going…

CASTLETON – In an effort to increase interest in bear hunting, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will hold a free “Getting Started in Bear Hunting” seminar at the Kehoe Conservation Camp in Castleton on Saturday, Aug. 16. “Bears can be challenging to hunt, but hunters who know where to look for them and how…

The deadline to apply for a Vermont muzzleloader antlerless deer hunting permit is upon us, as it is set for Aug. 15. Hunters can apply on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s website at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Or they can apply with a paper application available from license agents. “The online application is a really swift and easy…

KILLINGTON — On Tuesday, Aug. 5, golf tournament players dressed up in camouflage and wore safari hats for Killington’s Safari League Night. Players were faced with challenges including snakes on the green to putt around and banana peels from a monkey’s mess on the fairway. The first place team included: K.C., Pete Lajoie, Kirk Turner, and…