August is going out with a bang! With the Wilmington MTB Festival right around the corner, BETA staff, volunteers and partners are burning the candle at both ends to finish new trail projects before the fall riding season. Here’s a quick update on our progress:


Wilmington
Thanks to a very generous donation from Tahawus Trails and our long-standing partnership with the Adirondack Land Trust, BETA was able to break ground on the first new trail in Wilmington since 2019. At the Three Sisters Preserve - now owned by ALT after its merger with the Lake Placid Land Conservancy - work is underway on a new downhill-oriented, machine-built trail featuring super fun (but friendly!) jump features that utilize the natural terrain and high-quality soils found in the Beaver Brook Valley. The new trail can be seen on TrailForks. We anticipate that construction will continue for another two weeks and the new trail remains closed during this time for the safety of trail builders and riders.  

​The existing “Three Sisters” trail was rerouted in one location to accommodate the new trail.  The reroute was completed during a well-attended volunteer trail day (see photos below!) on August 19 and is now open to the public. The Three Sisters and Noreen’s trails are also getting a complete tune-up to correct some maintenance issues that have arisen thanks to the record-setting rainfall we’ve seen this summer. During your next visit to the network, please take notice of the beautiful new kiosk at the Hardy Road entrance added by The Adirondack Land Trust.

Saranac Lake
After a 4-year delay, BETA is back to work at the Fowler’s Crossing trail network in the Saranac Lake Wild Forest (state Forest Preserve land). A new 1-mile loop of singletrack is under construction and we anticipate work will be complete by early September. The new trail can be seen on TrailForks, and will form a “loop within a loop” on the western side of the network and utilizes the existing “Oseetah View Loop,” a portion of which will be rerouted to achieve consistency with the state’s mountain bike trail design guidelines. This project is funded in part by the North Elba LEAF program. Work began in early August, and we were grateful to have the opportunity to work with the Adirondack Mountain Club trail crew for a full week, as well as the half-dozen local volunteers who came out to help on August 20.  

For those that don’t know, Fowler’s is adjacent to the Adirondack Rail Trail on the eastern edge of Saranac Lake and home to a beautiful section of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail and a number of other informal trails that have been around for decades. Fowler’s is one of the only tracts of state land directly accessible from the hamlet of Saranac Lake, and is dominated by plantation pine forests and the kind of well-drained, sandy soils that trail builders like us love. The friendly, smooth trails (virtually no rocks) and minimal climbing make this network a perfect destination for novice riders, families with small kids, or anyone looking for a soulful pedal or walk in the woods.  
BETA first advocated for additional singletrack to be built in this network, long enjoyed by local mountain bikers, following our founding in 2009. We constructed two new trails in 2019 following the adoption of the unit management plan by NYSDEC, but work was soon put on hold following a series of court decisions related to trail construction and tree cutting on state lands. It seems the logjam of bureaucracy has started to give way, and we’re excited to resume work on this amazing trail network.  

Keene
With your help, we have successfully met our 2023 fundraising goal of $30,000! In continued partnership with Peduzzi Trail Contracting, Phase 2 of trail construction on the property is in progress and anticipated to be completed soon. Phase 2 will expand on the success of the multi-use trails, and will feature a new 3/4 mile, machine-built, mountain bike specific trail. The new trail will be fun for beginners and rippers alike and will bring riders back to the Leepoff Loop without riding down the climbing trail. 
Upon completion of the new trail, the lower half of the climbing trail will be designated for uphill bike traffic only (foot traffic will remain two directional). Once additional downhill-oriented bike trails are constructed higher on the mountain (2024 and beyond), the entire climbing trail will be one-way for bikes. This is the preferred design for an enduro-style mountain bike network and allows for some trails to be enjoyed by walkers and trail runners without concern for potential conflicts with downhill riders.
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Lake Placid
Backslope Trail Building has crafted an insanely fun new jump trail at Craig Wood in Lake Placid that is now open. "Green Jacket" is stacked with jump features of all shapes and sizes and perfect berms that will allow riders to progress their riding skills and confidence, although riders may experience facial soreness from grinning so hard.  The new trail is located inside the loop formed by the 19th Hole and Back Nine trails and merges into the popular 19th Hole downhill run (see map on TrailForks).  A new climbing trail is in the works to allow riders to short lap Green Jacket (please don't hike up the jump line). Work continues on an adjacent pro line for advanced riders that we're calling "Gold Jacket". This work is supported by a grant from the North Elba LEAF program, as well as a handful of major donations and investments from BETA's Sterling Watchorn Trail Fund.

We'd like to share an update on our search for a new Executive Director following the planned departure of Josh Wilson at the end of this trail season.

The hiring committee of the Board of Directors carefully considered and interviewed several candidates for the ED position over the past month, but has decided to continue the search process. This is a unique position we are seeking to fill, and the Board anticipated that it may take time and more than one round to find the right candidate.

Josh Wilson continues to serve as Executive Director in a full time capacity until Labor Day, at which time he will assume an interim leadership role with support from the Board. BETA's capacity will remain strong into the fall and beyond to the new year thanks to the generosity and commitment of our donors and volunteers, and the hard work and strong organization knowledge of Jamie McGiver, Outreach Coordinator, and Dusty Grant, Trails Coordinator. We are well positioned to implement several major projects this summer while preserving BETA's momentum and direction over the long term. 

The hiring committee is accepting applications and conducting interviews on a rolling basis with an anticipated fall start.
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Please help us get the word out about this exciting professional opportunity in the Adirondacks.

CRAIG WOOD: JUMPS, BERMS & ROLLERS
​This project includes the construction of two new mountain bike trails on North Elba Parks District lands at Craig Wood with skills features and jumps for mountain bikers.  The goal is to create approximately 1 mile of new downhill-oriented trails that provide youth and adult riders with challenging features that sharpen skills, inspire confidence, and spark JOY. Trails with safe, well-designed jumps and other skill building features are in demand and BETA recognizes the need to better accommodate this type of riding into the existing trail systems. This is especially important as more and more local families embrace mountain biking, as evidenced by the immense popularity of the pump tracks and bike skills parks in Wilmington and Saranac Lake and the work to establish similar facilities in other towns. 

Our partner in this project is Backslope Trail Building, a professional trail building company based in Vermont and the Adirondacks with experience in dirt all along the East coast. Grant funds will support 4-6 weeks of work by Backslope and BETA's seasonal trail staff. If you've visited the new Harrietstown Bike Park dreamt up by SLICK - Saranac Lake Innovative Cycling Kids - you've already enjoyed the high quality product created by Max Van Wie, owner/operator of Backslope Trail Building. 

The main trail will be approximately 1/2 to 3/4 mile long and designed to be inclusive of beginner and intermediate riders - but loads of fun for everyone - with numerous individual features like jumps, berms and rollers for riders to practice on.  A secondary trail will provide more challenging options for advanced riders and will be constructed adjacent to the main trail.  The two trails will merge at a safe and appropriate location. Both trails will be located inside the "loop" formed by the popular Back Nine and 19th Hole trails. This will be a great companion to the Craig Wood trail system. 

FOWLER'S CROSSING: MELLOW CRUISING FOR ALL 
This project includes the construction of a new singletrack trail on state Forest Preserve lands at Fowler’s Crossing in Saranac Lake.  The goal is to further develop the existing multi-use trail system adjacent to the Adirondack Rail Trail in the hamlet area of Saranac Lake by constructing a new 1.25 mile singletrack trail loop designed for mountain bike and foot travel.  The Fowler’s Crossing trail system is already popular with local residents and visitors of all ages for non-motorized activities and will be a key destination along the Rail Trail once completed. 

BETA has been planning new trails in the Fowler's Crossing network for a number of years. We began advocating for new trails in this zone in 2010, back when BETA was just getting started as a grassroots effort. Finally in 2018 the unit management plan for the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest - which included an expansion of trail mileage at Fowler's - was adopted by the NYSDEC. In 2019 we constructed about 1 mile of new trail on the north side of the Fowler's network, but work has been stalled since then due to multiple court decisions relating to snowmobile trail construction in the Forest Preserve. This project is still pending work plan approval by NYSDEC, but we are hopeful that we can proceed with the project by the summer. Grant funds will directly support 6-8 weeks of paid work by BETA's seasonal trail staff and volunteers. 

The project will help expand and improve access to the Fowler’s Crossing trail network, which provides an accessible and user-friendly mountain biking opportunity for adult and youth mountain bikers who are new to the sport and developing their skills, or who are simply seeking a more mellow riding experience as compared to some of the more technical trails in the area. This small but growing trail system is directly accessible from multiple points in the hamlet area of Saranac Lake (on the North Elba side of the village), via the Adirondack Rail Trail (which will be paved in this area) and multiple “neighborhood” trails.

To send a personal note to Josh, email him at [email protected].
For additional information about the leadership transition, please contact Board President, Patrick Carey at [email protected].

The “Old Mountain Road” section of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail is an ultra-classic backcountry tour for Adirondack skiers, traversing a beautiful mountain pass in the Sentinel Range Wilderness which straddles the towns of Keene and North Elba.  Old Mountain Road is one of the oldest historic routes in the Adirondacks that is still in use today, dating back to the first half of the 18th century.  The famed abolitionist John Brown frequently traveled the road, and once nearly perished in a blizzard attempting to hike through deep snow to his home in North Elba (guess that makes him the original post-holer).

The route had been neglected for some time when the Adirondack Ski Touring Council was formed in 1986 to build the Jackrabbit Ski Trail.  ASTC began its trail building efforts with the reopening of the Old Mountain Road in 1986-87, and the organization invested significant resources and volunteer time in subsequent years to improve and maintain the route for skiing and other uses.  From 1989 to 1994 four new bridges and a dozen culverts were installed.  Major floods in 1995 and 1996 required many trail repairs (including the blasting of two boulders that slid into Chimney Hill).  A massive clean-up effort followed the great ice storm of January, 1998, which brought down about 400 trees on the Old Mountain Road section.

​More recently, BETA worked with the Town of Keene and the Ausable River Association to complete a series of stream restoration projects along the Old Mountain Road.  The project replaced aging culverts with bridges to restore the natural stream flow for small tributaries entering Nichols Brook, and was funded in part by a grant from the Patagonia Action Fund, secured with assistance from the Mountaineer Keene Valley.  

This section of the Jackrabbit route has served as a crucial year-round access point to the Sentinel Range Wilderness area, but not just for skiers.  Rock climbers frequent the Barkeater Cliff and ice climbers flock to the routes on the North Face of Pitchoff in winter.  Hikers look to the Old Mountain Road for a gentle grade and beautiful views of Nichols Brook, beaver ponds and hardwood forests.  The road is used by local hunters during big game season, when limited ATV access is allowed on the Keene side for residents with a permit.   

A decade-long legal battle over the abandonment status of the road was settled in 2018, and jurisdiction over Old Mountain Road was returned to the towns of Keene and North Elba.  The towns quickly affirmed that the historic recreational use of the road would not change despite the court’s decision.  The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which previously managed the road as part of the Sentinel Range Wilderness, said at the time:

“After reviewing the March 2018 decision, DEC determined that we would not pursue an appeal, rather we will continue working with local partners to achieve an appropriate resolution of this issue without further litigation. The State and DEC are committed to working with the town to determine appropriate future uses of the Old Mountain Road.”

BETA too is committed to working with the DEC and Town of Keene to determine “future uses of the Old Mountain Road”.  Local volunteer trail adopters and staff from ASTC and now BETA have consistently performed seasonal trail maintenance on the road for nearly 40 years, ensuring a quality, safe experience for all users and helping to preserve access to surrounding state Forest Preserve lands.

Since at least 2017, there have been growing issues with the current trailhead parking lot on Alstead Hill Road.  While a portion of the parking lot is within the town’s right-of-way for Old Mountain Road, much of the lot is located on private property.  The limited parking area routinely fills up with trail users on busy weekends, leaving no space for Rock & River customers.  Ed and Teresa Palen - the owners of Rock & River - have routinely plowed another parking lot in the field below their house in the winter months, at their own expense, to accommodate the numbers of people seeking access to the trail and the wilderness area.  On occasion the parking lot situation is exacerbated by people trying to enter private lodges and the residence to use bathrooms, ignoring clear signage.

“With the increased numbers of outdoor users heading to our area, the current situation in which we plow, post and oversee the parking at the trailhead is simply not sustainable for much longer here on the Jackrabbit Trail,” said Ed Palen.  

BETA has been assisting the Town and the Palens with a plan for a new public parking lot and an adjoining new “bypass trail” - both designed to move the Old Mountain Road trailhead away from the private residence and lodging buildings. The new parking lot will be located on Rock & River’s property about 200 yards down the road from the current location. Local engineering firm AES Northeast donated design services for the parking lot, and the project was permitted by the Adirondack Park Agency in January, 2023. 

In 2020 the NYSDEC adopted the final unit management plan (UMP) for the Sentinel Range Wilderness Area (SRWA), which included approval for a new bypass trail to alleviate the situation.  The UMP states:  

​Rock & River Bypass - Allow a possible reroute of the Jackrabbit Trail off Alstead Hill Lane, near the western end of that road. This option for a trail may be needed to address concerns of public use impacting private property. The new trail may enter the SRWA from private property at Nichols Brook, parallel Nichols Brook in the SRWA for about 0.3 miles, then cross Nichols Brook again on to the private property, and back to the Jackrabbit Trail.

37 Year History
This coming year marks the 37th anniversary of the founding of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail, and the founding of our parent organization - the Adirondack Ski Touring Council.  ASTC was formed in 1986 by local skiers who saw an opportunity to link up traditional ski routes and create a trail system that took people from town-to-town or at least from the towns out into the backcountry. ASTC’s first project was construction of the Jackrabbit Trail, which, it was hoped, would link Keene, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake.  

Much of the construction and marking of the original 25-mile route between Keene and Saranac Lake occurred in the first two years from 1986 to 1988, including the re-opening of the Old Mountain Road and McKenzie Pass sections, which had been more or less abandoned up to this point.  While the plan to reach Tupper Lake was ultimately scrapped and replaced with a connection from Saranac Lake to the VIC trail system in Paul Smiths, the overall goal of the trail was realized in short order, and today the Jackrabbit is recognized as one of the classic ski tours of the Adirondacks.

The Jackrabbit is located on state Forest Preserve lands, North Elba Parks District lands, and about a dozen privately-owned parcels. While the route was originally conceived for winter use by skiers and as a Scandanavian-style “town to town” ski route. Over time much of the winter use has become concentrated in the more contiguous sections like Old Mountain Road and McKenzie Pass, while the sections in between are used more by “thru skiers” looking to make longer trips along the route. In the past 15 years, certain sections have become more popular for summer use by mountain bikers and hikers.  

For almost four decades, our organization and a veritable army of passionate volunteers has worked to preserve access to the various sections of the Jackrabbit and to maintain the trail at a high standard for the benefit of community residents and visitors. We have made some improvements and also experienced a few setbacks over the past couple of years, and felt it was a good time for a holistic update on the “state of the Jackrabbit.”  

Paul Smiths to NCCC
Beginning at the VIC or the Red Dot trail in Paul Smiths, the trail traverses some beautiful terrain between Osgood and Church ponds, passes through a handful of Paul Smith’s College forestry plots, a small section of state lands, and then logging roads and a powerline on the 9-mile route to Lake Clear.  Over the past couple of years BETA has updated signage along this “least known” section, installed new bog bridging, and worked with the college to accommodate timber harvesting operations that temporarily impacted trail access.

Skiers heading south from Lake Clear to Saranac Lake must follow the former Remsen Lake Placid Railroad corridor, which is now being converted to the Adirondack Rail Trail.  The railroad tracks and ties were removed from the corridor in 2020 to prepare for rail trail construction, which made it easier for local snowmobile clubs to groom the corridor, which in turn dramatically improved the skiing on this otherwise uneventful (but pretty) 6-mile section of the route.  NYSDEC officially broke ground on the Rail Trail in November, 2022.  Some sections of the rail trail will be temporarily closed until December 19, which will only affect the early ski season.

NCCC to McKenzie Pond Road
In case you’re not up to speed on our local acronyms, NCCC is North Country Community College, which is the start/end point of the original 25-mile Jackrabbit route.  From here skiers follow the rail trail for another 0.5 mile before turning into a beautiful plantation pine forest and following an old snowmobile trail to McKenzie Pond Road.  This area of state land is commonly referred to as Fowler’s Crossing and is part of the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest.  This year the BETA trail crew added about 100 feet of new bog bridging to this section to make the trail more sustainable for year-round use and protect sensitive wetland habitat.  These projects were funded by a grant from the North Elba LEAF program. 

Side note - BETA began work on a new system of singletrack trails in this parcel in 2019, but work was stalled by the Protect the Adirondacks! v. NYSDEC court decision that year (and the subsequent final decision in 2021).  ​

McKenzie Pond Road to Whiteface Inn Lane
Some might say this is the best section of the whole trail, but we’ll leave it up to you to decide.  From McKenzie Pond Road, the trail re-enters the forest at a parking lot where BETA has installed a new information kiosk about the Jackrabbit with beautiful cartography work by Adirondack Research.  The first section leads to McKenzie Pond and is popular year-round with locals and visitors, many of whom probably are not aware that the first mile between the road and the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness boundary, and public access (and parking) is only possible thanks to a permanent easement purchased by our organization in 2010.  

In 2022 BETA installed additional bog bridging on both sides of the state boundary to better accommodate the steady stream of hiker traffic in the summer months (no mountain biking is permitted on this section).  This work, along with the new kiosk, was also funded by the North Elba LEAF program.  Two miles in from the road the trail splits with the spur to the pond heading left, and the infamous climb to the top of  “McKenzie Pass” begins.  Skied in the opposite direction, this is one of the finest cross country ski descents in the Adirondacks.  

From the top of the pass to the intersection with Whiteface Inn Lane the route follows a trail corridor that has been used by skiers for at least a century.  Just before beginning the final descent to the road, the trail traverses a private inholding for about 0.5 mile before re-entering state land. This property changed hands in 2016 and BETA has worked tirelessly with the new owner to preserve public access for the trail. Additional “winter trail etiquette” signage has been installed and the DEC marked the trail “for skiing only” for the winter months, both were an effort to dissuade the dreaded “postholers.”

In 2021 and 2022, the Trail Crew and volunteers have put considerable effort into repairing drainage ditches and addressing persistently muddy areas on McKenzie Pass that have grown worse with an explosion in hiker traffic on this section.  It seems that with Google searches and online maps like AllTrails, the word is out that this is an easier approach to the summits of McKenzie and Haystack mountains.  On a random weekday this past July, we counted almost 40 cars parked along Whiteface Inn Lane.    ​

Whiteface Inn Lane to Mirror Lake/Lake Placid Club
***Updated Dec 21  - A previous version of this post reported that thru-skiers had to walk or ski on the road through the Whiteface Club property***

We're happy to report that we have reached an agreement with the Whiteface Club & Resort to reopen the route for skiers this season.  As of December 20, the Jackrabbit Trail is once again marked across the golf course, allowing skiers to traverse between Whiteface Inn Road and the Brewster Peninsula Trails without walking on the road.   

​Please join us in expressing sincere thanks to the Whiteface Club & Resort for working with BETA to find a solution to reopen this section for the 2022-23 season.  

If traveling toward Saranac Lake from the Brewster Peninsula Trails, skiers will cross the bridge over the Lake Placid Outlet before heading west for about a quarter mile to reach the Whiteface Club Nordic Center. Upon reaching the edge of the golf course/Nordic center, bear right and follow the obvious red & white Jackrabbit markers all the way to the intersection of Lodge Way and Whiteface Inn Road.  From here, walk across Whiteface Inn Road to reach a short spur that leads to the trailhead for the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness area (which incidentally is also Whiteface Club property).  

Please stay on the marked Jackrabbit route at all times. The marked route purposely avoids the groomed trails of the Nordic center as much as possible. Those wishing to ski the groomed tracks should purchase a trail pass.  

Between the Peninsula and the Whiteface Club the Jackrabbit traverses multiple parcels of private land. Please stay on the trail at all times, keep noise to a minimum and respect the privacy of landowners as you pass through this residential zone. The section of trail on the golf course is only marked in the winter and only open to the public for winter use from December 1 to March 31.  

Once past the golf course, the trail again traverses several parcels of private land before reaching the Peninsula trails and the trailhead on Saranac Avenue adjacent to Simply Gourmet.  Side note - this makes for an excellent lunch stop when skiing the trail, and there’s a Stewart’s across the street if that’s more your style.  BETA has installed new signage in this area to inform trail users that they are indeed on private land and to please respect this privilege.  From here to Fawn Ridge to Mirror Lake the route is still on private land and remains unchanged, save for a small disruption to the edge of the trail near the crossing of Wes Valley Road due to the construction of new affordable housing.  ​

Mirror Lake/Lake Placid Club to Craig Wood
We are endlessly thankful to the Lussi family of Lake Placid for generously permitting public winter use of the property surrounding Crowne Plaza Resort and the Lake Placid Club golf course. The remaining section of trail from the golf course to River Road also utilizes the Lussi property before traversing a handful of other private parcels.  Without the cooperation of these landowners, the Jackrabbit Trail as we know it would not be possible.  

After passing Mirror Lake and completing the walk through town, skiers continue across a marked route on the LP Club golf course and back into the woods, finally reaching River Road after 3 miles of enjoyable skiing. A new kiosk was installed at River Road and Bird Song Lane in 2022 (again, funded by the North Elba LEAF program).  BETA is working with a property owner along River Road to hopefully restore access to the former Snowslip Farm property, which would allow skiers to once again traverse the edge of the farm field and avoid walking on the road for 0.25 mile.  From here about 1 mile of skiing brings you to Craig Wood Golf Course, located on North Elba Parks District lands.  

Slightly New Route from Craig Wood to ADK Cascade Trails

***Updated Nov 23 - A previous version of this post reported that a section of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail was closed between Route 73 and the Adirondack Mountain Club's Cascade Welcome Center (formerly the Cascade XC Ski Center)***  

As of November 23, we are pleased to announce that the property owners along this section have graciously allowed for the clearing and marking of a new trail to preserve the historic ski connection between Lake Placid and Keene.   The trail is once again open to the public and is already developing a good base thanks to a recent early season snowstorm. Please join us in expressing sincere thanks to these property owners for working with BETA to find a way to keep the full Jackrabbit route open for the 2022-23 season.  

If traveling toward Keene from Craig Wood, skiers will cross Route 73 as usual, then follow red Jackrabbit markers to parallel the highway for a short distance before reaching the new "bypass" trail.  Continue skiing along relatively flat terrain to merge with the old trail before reaching a big downhill with views of the High Peaks in the distance, and proceeding along the usual Jackrabbit route to reach the lodge at the Cascade Welcome Center.  

A friendly reminder that the entire section of trail between Route 73 and the Cascade Welcome Center is located on private land and is only open to the public for winter use only from December 1 to March 31.  Please stay on the trail at all times, keep noise to a minimum and respect the privacy of landowners as you pass through this residential zone.  Please do not attempt to access this section of trail by parking on Coyote Way (private road) or by bushwacking into the trail from adjacent properties.  Dogs are not permitted on this section of the trail at any time of the year. 

Skiers can traverse the marked route through the ADK Cascade trails without purchasing a trail pass so long as you stay on the Jackrabbit Trail.  If you intend to ski the other trails, please stop by the lodge and purchase a pass (skiing is free this season for current ADK members!)

BETA will continue working with the NYSDEC and the Town of North Elba to establish a new section of ski trail on state lands between Craig Wood Golf Course and the intersection of Route 73 and Mountain Lane. This ski trail was approved in the unit management plan for the Sentinel Range Wilderness Area in 2019. This new section of trail would be approximately 2 miles long and has been scouted several times in winter and summer to determine the best route. 

The new trail will maintain the continuity of the Jackrabbit Trail between Lake Placid and Keene, and would eliminate the need to cross Route 73 twice (compared to the historic route through Cascade XC Center). BETA’s work plan request is under review by NYSDEC and we have our fingers crossed that approval will be granted in time to clear the route before the 2022-23 season is in full swing.

On a related note, just last week, High Peaks Cyclery of Lake Placid announced an agreement with the Town of North Elba to begin operating a “community Nordic ski center” with 10 km of groomed tracks and lights on the Craig Wood golf course, beginning in 2023. The groomed trails will be free for locals and will not impact access to the marked Jackrabbit route across the golf course.  BETA is excited for this new project and we believe it will complement the trails we have been establishing around the golf course since 2010, including the “backcountry” terrain on the old Scott’s Cobble ski area.    

ADK Cascade Welcome Center to Keene
More big news along the trail - in January 2022 the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) closed on its $2.5 million purchase of Cascade Cross Country Ski Center.  ADK opened the new “Cascade Welcome Center” over the summer to provide backcountry information, basic hiking gear and educational programs.  An official announcement about winter operations was recently released, including the excellent news that ADK members will ski for free this season. BETA is coordinating with ADK and has secured a trail access agreement to allow skiers to continue using the marked Jackrabbit Trail route across the property.  

Continuing south from the new ADK trail center, the route remains unchanged, passing through a chunk of state land before crossing Route 73 at Mountain Lane.  This is where the new bypass trail from Craig Wood will end once completed.  DEC is planning to build a larger parking lot here as well.  Skiers continuing to Keene must still walk roughly a mile on Mountain Lane in all but the best snow conditions.  BETA and our predecessors at ASTC have been working for LITERALLY 20 YEARS to gain approval from the state to build a short section of ski trail to bypass the first 0.5 mile of the road walk on Mountain Lane. The project is fully approved in the unit management plan for the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest (since 2018), and yet somehow, approval for this very simple project evades us.  20 years….let that sink in.

Once on the Old Mountain Road and with the road walk behind you, the skiing ahead is as classic as it gets.  Following its founding in the spring of 1986, ASTC began work on the 12 mile section from Keene to Lake Placid. This effort kicked-off with the reopening the long-abandoned Old Mountain Road running from the end of Alstead Hill Road in Keene to Rt. 73.  Fun fact - the Old Mountain Road is possibly one of the oldest historic routes in the Adirondacks that is still in use today, dating back to the first half of the 18th century.  The skiing on this section is some of the best in the Park and certainly has the best views on the whole Jackrabbit route.

In 2021, BETA worked with the Town of Keene and the Ausable River Association to complete a series of stream restoration projects along the Old Mountain Road section of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail.  The project replaced 3 aging culverts with bridges to restore the natural stream pattern and flow, and was funded in part by a grant from the Patagonia Action Fund, secured with assistance from the Mountaineer Keene Valley.    

BETA is coordinating with the owners of Rock & River to look at the options for building a new section of the Jackrabbit Trail to bypass the property at the trailhead.  There have been growing issues with their parking lot getting full with trail users on busy weekends for their business, leaving no parking for their customers. Some people are also trying to enter the private lodges to use bathrooms, despite clear signage.  

In 2021 and again in 2022 we flagged a route for the trail on the Wilderness side of Nichols Brook, and identified three good sites for the necessary bridges. The project is approved in the unit management plan for the Sentinel Range Wilderness Area and is pending NYSDEC review and approval, requiring various permits due to the crossing of Nichols Brook.   In the meantime, the landowners are proceeding with the construction of a new parking lot on their property (under permitting review now).  They are doing this in good faith and hoping the state will come through and find a way to approve the bypass project and the bridging work to ensure public access to the Old Mountain Road, Barkeater cliffs, and the north face of Pitchoff Mountain is preserved for the future. 

We’ve just hit the mid-season mark for BETA’s 2022 Trails Program and so much work has been accomplished already by our Trail Crew and dedicated volunteers. Since April we’ve engaged nearly 100 volunteers in trail projects across the region and our Trail Crew has logged more than 720 hours of construction and stewardship work.  ​

The BETA Trail Crew returns for another six weeks of projects on June 27.  Priorities for the second half of the season include:

• Installation of skier-friendly bog bridging on various sections of the Jackrabbit Ski Trail in Saranac Lake and Lake Placid to address impacts from summer use of the trail, and related trail maintenance on the McKenzie Pass section 
• Assisting Peduzzi Trails with finish work and bridge construction on the new East Branch trails in Keene
• Installation of new trail signage at the Craig Wood and Lussi trail system and improvements to the Cinderella Story and Flying Wasp trails
• Construction of new singletrack trails at the Saranac Lake High School, a project in support of the school’s new mountain bike program for middle and high school students
• Continued planning for new mountain bike trails at Fowler’s Crossing in Saranac Lake and the Three Sisters Preserve in Wilmington

The registration fee includes everything you need for the weekend including a sweet festival t-shirt, stickers, a BETA membership good for one year, access to group rides & shuttles, food & beer vendors, parking and sanitary facilities. (Camping is available too!)

Adult 3-day Pass with camping (ages 16 & up) - $100
Adult 3-day Pass with no camping (ages 16 & up) - $50
Adult Day Pass (Saturday) - $35
Kids All Access Pass (ages 6-15) - $15
Kids under 6 - FREE

Unlike the price of gas these days, our festival registration fees have not increased since 2017! 
​Register online by June 21 and receive a 10% discount on the Adult 3-day Pass.  
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Did we mention live DJ sets by David Sommerstein, host of North Country Public Radio’s The Beat Authority on Saturday night!? If you know, YOU KNOW. Take our word for it, this is the kind of music that makes even self-proclaimed non-dancers dance. 

We want to thank the businesses and organizations that have joined our Community Partner Program this year:

Upstate Auto
Wilderness Van
Adirondack Process Control, LLC
Artemis Physical Therapy, PLLC 
Adirondack Field
Mountain Orthotic & Prosthetics
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The Community Partner program is for businesses and organizations, big or small, who want to invest in BETA, help us to inspire volunteerism and build upon our 35-year history of improving and expanding trail-based recreational opportunities in the region. In turn, we help to connect you with the ski and bike loving locals and visitors who want to give back to the businesses and organizations that support the trails. We have a growing network of over 1000 members!

And while we're sharing the trail, let's share other things too: encouragement, enthusiasm, snacks, bike tools or tubes (we've ALL been there!) and trail beta. 

Downhill riders should yield to uphill riders. Be courteous and slow down for runners, dog-walkers, and hikers.  Steer clear of wildlife and give them space.  It's always helpful to let the other trail-user know how many are in your party, too. A simple, "two more behind me! Thank you!" goes a long way. 
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Above all, welcome everyone and have a kind state of mind. 

Sign up to volunteer on the trails with BETA and you'll be entered to win a Theragun Mini courtesy of High Peaks Cyclery. If you've never used one before, prepare to fight over it with other members of your household. Perfect for recovery after a morning of riding or an afternoon spent digging. 
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Besides the Theragun Mini, other prizes include work gloves and foam/body rollers. Drawings will be at the end of May, June and July. 

For years, trail crews around the Adirondacks and beyond have employed badass women to build and maintain multi-use trail systems. We're so psyched and thankful to have some local experienced builders to help us with a women's trail work day. Let's dig, ride and celebrate women on the trails.

Please register only if you are able to commit to the entire day (10am-4pm-ish) as space is limited. Some heavy lifting/rock rolling (30-50lbs) will be required. Be prepared for typical moody, rainy, humid and/or freezing Adirondack weather as well as swarms of blood-thirsty mosquitos. Wear clothing appropriate for digging, hauling and moving (pants, work gloves, sturdy footwear and protective eyewear). Pack water, snacks and lunch, bug repellent, sunscreen and a first aid kit. 
All tools will be provided. 
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Bring a bike and if conditions permit, we'll tackle the features we just poured sweat into.

Special thanks to the women who are dreaming, scheming and volunteering their time to make this all-lady effort possible.
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Organizer: Keegan Kramer
Crew Recruiter / Organizer / Team Leader: Adeline Clayton
Team Leader: Kyra White
Team Leader: Julia Lareau
Team Leader: Carly Woodhouse

JUNE 4th: Wilmington Whiteface MTB 100K & 50K
Register.
The Adirondack Sports Council is still looking for volunteers for race day. Register here to help out on June 4th as a course marshall or at an aid station in Wilmington, Keene or Elizabethtown providing food, drink and good vibes to racers.
JULY 2nd: Whiteface Sky Race
Register to RUN.​
​JULY 9th: Pisgah Pedalfest
Register.​
SEPT 2-4 Labor Day Weekend: 5th Annual Wilmington Mountain Bike Festival 
Registration OPEN!