Volunteers, contractors, and the BETA trail crew have been checking trail projects off the list left and right. Here are some highlights:​

Jackrabbit Ski Trail | Paul Smiths, Lake Placid, Keene

• Replacement of the Bird Song Bridge in Lake Placid (below).
• Side cutting from Paul Smith’s VIC to Haul Road, Bird Song Lane to Craig Wood, Craig Wood to Route 86.
• Additional signage from Paul Smith’s VIC to Haul Road for easier wayfinding.
• New ramp and railing extensions at Bob’s Bridge near the Keene trailhead to make a safer entrance for skiers (below).
• Upcoming Jackrabbit Trail Work Projects
  • Railing replacement on Theresa's Bridge in Lake Placid.
  • Seasonal mowing with Tony Goodwin and Woods McCahill.
  • Volunteer day to clean drainage on McKenzie Pass from Whiteface Inn Lane, Lake Placid on October 25th.
• Upcoming Trail Work Projects on Other Ski Trails
  • Side cutting at the Hays Brook trail in Paul Smiths. 
  • Blowdown removal and clearing in the High Peaks Wilderness 

Trail 7 and Trail 8 at East Branch are ready for real names and we want your ideas!

Submit your suggestions here: www.bit.ly/trail78 by September 28th.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Submit your suggestions. Use the form above. You can suggest names for one trail or both. Feel free to submit more than once, just fill out the form separately for each new idea. Good trail names are easy to remember and pronounce, and respectful and appropriate - that gives them the best shot at becoming a finalist! Submissions close at 11:59pm on Monday, September 28th.
2. We pick finalists. Submissions will be reviewed to build a shortlist. We may also mix and match names from different entries.
3. Community vote. Voting on finalists opens in early October, with the link shared on our website, email list, Instagram, and Facebook. Voting closes about two weeks later, and we'll announce the winning names!

Effective today, 08/20, Trail 7 at East Branch Community Trails is re-opened after a temporary closure due to nearby construction on Trail 8. During that phase of construction, heavy machinery could have rolled boulders and trees into Trail 7. Now that that phase of construction is finished, Trail 7 is open once again. 

Trail 8 is still under construction -- please help us keep construction on-track by staying off of Trail 8 until it is finished and officially open.

Since our last e-news blast in mid-July, we've hosted four volunteer trail work parties led by Chris, our Trail Stewardship Leader.  We still have at least one more scheduled for this season, so if you want to volunteer with us but haven't had the chance yet, there is still time.  Not to mention, ski trail work will be starting soon...

Without further ado, a rundown of the awesome work volunteers have done in just the last couple weeks:

08/10 | Craig Wood, Lake Placid
Great turn out for this work party sponsored by Capisce Coffee and Espresso Bar. We lopped branches, cleared blowdown, made tread improvements, and cleaned out drainages. Especially gnarly were the culverts nearly full to the top with sediment. It's a good thing we cleaned them out --  it started to rain right as we left!

WHAT'S IT ALL FOR?
Volunteer workdays like these can vary widely in what, exactly, we work on, but they are all important to keep the trails we love in good working condition or to keep new trail construction moving forward with speed.

Some people feel a duty to give back to the trails through volunteering, while others find it satisfying and rewarding in its own right. Some feel both -- that it is a responsibility and a joy to warm your muscles doing hands-on work for the good of the trails and the people who use them. Whatever your reason for donating your time and energy, we appreciate your help to no end. Thank you, volunteers!
​
SKI SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER
While work continues on our bike trails, the BETA team is already thinking ahead and working with the new Ski Trail Committee to plan ski trail work that needs to happen before the snow flies. You'll hear more from us soon about how we're preparing for the 2026 ski season; we won't be able to do it without your help.

Thanks to a huge amount of work by Chris Gosling (Trail Stewardship Leader), David Hunter, David Radcliffe, Rachel Carey, and Patrick Carey (Co-Chair), we can unveil these epic new features at East Branch Community Trails. They essentially worked for an entire week on these. The result is pretty awesome.

​These three well-designed and progressive drops provide an opportunity to develop new skills that are useful on the trail.

​That is the intent behind the entire Skills Loop: allowing you to session technical features and develop your skills.

​Other features already built include skinnies and rock gardens. More features to come 🤙

This story was also featured in Adirondack Explorer in an article skillfully written by Tim Rowlands.  Thank you Tim for such a great piece about this project, the people involved, and the ceremony to celebrate it all.

Where does your mind go when you hear the phrase “trail town”?  

Places like Bentonville, Asheville, Park City and Jackson are often cited as big trail towns across the country.  We think great trail towns are much closer.  They’re the towns we call home, right here in the Adirondacks.

As we enter our 40th year of advocating for, building, and stewarding trails that connect us, we encourage you to consider making a year-end donation to support this work.  

Join the 135+ people who have already given this season.  Help us build trails and create community in 2026.

You may have seen the incredible news: together, our community met our goal of raising $20,000 in community donations to unlock the full $20,000 matching donation from a generous anonymous donor.  That’s a powerful reminder of what this community can do together!

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed.  If you were hoping to make a donation this year, you can still be a part of this moment.  Every donation supports our work to build and care for trails and strengthen the community.