As BETA's first screening of the Backcountry Film Festival, we weren't sure what exactly to expect.  Measured in smiles, handshakes, and cracked cans it seems we can mark it as a sizeable success.  Shout out and thank you to the businesses, organizations, and volunteers who made this event possible.  Thank you to all attendees for coming out to the event -- your participation and investment in BETA helps us do what we do: advocate for, build, and maintain ski and bike trails that connect people to one another.

In total, over 150 people joined us at the North Country School and Camp Treetops WallyPAC to enjoy a social hour with snacks, drinks, and good friends; two hours of hand-picked films highlighting both the deep thrill of winter recreation as well as the unstable future of those same activities; and introductions from some of our region's nonprofit leaders in protecting and expanding winter recreation.

We are already looking forward to hosting this film festival in the future. 

WE OWE SO MANY THANK YOUS!
We'd like to thank The Devlin Inn & Suites once again for supporting this community event as our presenting sponsor.  Thank you to the North Country School and Camp Treetops for lending us their space and thank you Larry Robjent for doing so much to coordinate this evening.  Thank you to Hex and Hop, Capisce Coffee, and High Peaks Cyclery for donating beer, hot coffee, and raffle prizes, respectively -- your donations added an element of excitement to the evening that was well-appreciated.  Thank you to Zach and Leah of the Adirondack Mountain Club and Ron of the Adirondack Powder Skier Association for telling us about the important work you're doing.  Likewise, thank you to Winter Wildlands Alliance for coordinating this film festival and for fighting on behalf of winter recreation interests on a national scale.

Thank you to BETA board members Karen, Bob, Thea, Kaley, and Wes as well as Toni, Linda, Sarah, and Becca for all your help to set up, run, and break down the event.  Once again, thank you to everyone who came out on a blustering January evening -- it was great to see so many familiar faces in the crowd.

Mount Pisgah has had some big developments lately.  Recently, the Village of Saranac Lake approved pitching in about half of the funding for a trail design plan at Mount Pisgah.  Another big win for the village-owned recreation area is a new land use agreement with Cure Cottage Development LLC that will grant public access to Mount Pisgah through their Park Ave property.  The planned trail is shown on the map below.

By granting public access through their private property, Cure Cottage Development LLC has facilitated safer access for the many bikers (including student members of the Saranac Lake Middle School Outride Club), hikers, and walkers who enjoy Mount Pisgah.  Accessing the trails by riding or walking on busy roads like Route 3 and Route 86 will no longer be necessary for many visitors.

We’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to Wayne and Scott Zukin and Brian Draper of Cure Cottage Development, LLC for this incredibly generous decision.  It is a pleasure to collaborate with landowners like them who are committed to the safety and joy of our community.  Thank you!  

The Jackrabbit Rally is a choose-your-own-ski-adventure fundraising event with the goal of celebrating the long and storied history of Adirondack ski touring.  This year we also mark the 39th anniversary of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail and the founding of the Adirondack Ski Touring Council (now called BETA!).

WHY?
Outside of showing your love for BETA, what's your why? Maybe you could use a little motivation to get outside, period.  Maybe you need a nudge to ski that section of trail that has always been a mystery — or MAYBE your puffy coat leaves a trail of feathers in your wake.

No matter your why, your Jackrabbit Rally donation directly supports advocacy efforts, the building and maintenance of our trails and administrative services that keep our organizational wheels spinning. None of what we do would be possible without the grassroots support of trail-users like you.

HOW?

1. SIGN UP and donate $35 to the Rally (below).
2. GET OUT and ski* any day between now and March 20th.  It’s not about speed or distance.  One mile counts.  Putting on skis and drinking a beer on your tailgate counts, too.  *If you prefer to snowshoe/run/dog walk, we’re all for it.
3. SHARE your adventure with the BETA community by tagging @BETAtrails and including the hashtag #JackrabbitRallyADK.
4. BASK in that après glow and celebrate the fact that we have access to these magical places and spaces.

“This is the biggest improvement to the Jackrabbit in at least a decade” – Josh Wilson, former BETA executive director, regarding the Jackrabbit Trail reroute around Scott's Cobble that was finished this fall. Josh has been involved in the project from the very beginning. He offered his chainsaw skills in late October alongside Dusty and Glenn (our Trail Coordinator and Executive Director, respectively) and many longtime volunteers.

The new section (red trail on the map) is approximately two miles long. By linking Craig Wood Golf Course to the intersection of Mountain Lane and State Route 73, it will eliminate two crossings of highway and offer a direct route for skiers touring between Lake Placid and Keene. It is incredible to see this vision become a reality for our community at last.

We asked on social media what we should rename the retired section of the JRT. It was really fantastic to hear from so many people and your creative suggestions were great -- thank you!  

We were specifically moved by an outpouring of support for honoring the late Art Jubin.  Art built the Cascade Ski Touring Center in 1979 (now owned by the Adirondack Mountain Club and known as the Cascade Welcome Center) and helped make this JRT reroute a reality. After consulting with his family, we are proud to move forward with naming the old JRT section "Jubin's Jaunt." Check out the map for updated names -- Jubin's Jaunt is blue and bookended by triangles.

This reroute has been a labor of love for many people over many years, including Art, Josh Wilson, and countless other trail advocates.  It's incredibly rewarding to see their hard work come to fruition -- thank you to every person who helped make this vision a reality for our community!