Honoring Mike Cain

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On New Year’s Day, Mike Cain passed away unexpectedly in his home. Mike was a tremendous advocate and steward for numerous local trail networks. He was also the main groomer for the nordic ski trails at Hard’ack. He put in thousands of volunteer hours to improve our local trail networks, and worked with youth of all backgrounds and abilities to get them outside on the trails for work and for recreation. Mike was an incredible asset to our community, and he will be greatly missed. Below is a collection of remarks from members of the community to honor Mike’s memory.

You can find the obituary from the family here.

If you would like to add your own comments, please email admin@stalbansnordic.org

Submitted by Tyler Magnan: Although Mike and I have both been involved in the local ski community for 20 years or more, we were mostly just passing acquaintances until recently. In the past 3 years, I have become more involved, and consequently, I have gotten to work a lot with Mike, gotten to know him personally, and learned how much he does for this community and what a great man he was. Mike liked to fly under the radar a bit. He preferred to be out in the woods doing the hard, dirty work rather than sit in planning meetings. He was the main steward of the Fairfax town forest trails, and contributed a lot of work to the St. Albans town forest and the Hard’ack trails. He was also the main groomer for the nordic trails at Hard’ack, and helped out the BFA St. Albans nordic team. That’s just the stuff I know about. The amount of volunteer work he put in rivals what many do at their full time jobs. Mike was not just devoted to supporting the development of outdoor activities like nordic skiing and mountain biking. He was devoted to making the community a better place for all of us, and he always practiced his devotion with grace, honesty, and humility. I’m incredibly grateful that I got to know a man with such great character and generosity. Mike embodied everything about the good side of humanity, and he will be greatly missed. Rest in peace Mike. Your spirit will live on inside all of us and make us stronger.

Submitted by Mike Mashtare: Where does one begin to reminisce about a man who had such a lasting impact on so many people. Mike Cain lived to help all, two of his greatest loves were working with kids and teaching them how to cross country ski.

Mike and I coached the BFA Nordic program together for 13 years. Mike came on board when the Skating Technique was new. At the time we had no home course to train on, and we spent way too much time skiing up and down the ski hill at Hard’ack. Mike struggled to pick up the technique himself, but he managed to encourage and get the team to pick it up. His positive, laid back approach was exactly what first year skiers needed. When we finally were able to ski on a flatter surface, Mike was able to pick up the technique, but Classic skiing was always his go-to technique.

We had the time of our lives coaching together. Mike would often say, “ Can not believe they pay us to ski and share our passion with kids!” We were both new coaches, neither of us skied in high school or college – here’s some of our stories:

Early on in our coaching days our bus broke down on the way to the Northern District Ski Championships. We had some strong skiers who should qualify for the State Championship race. So as we got there, the race had already started, we made a quick decision to change the bibs around to give our top skiers a chance to qualify. Of course this was against the rules and we got our skiers disqualified……lesson learned.

In our early days at BFA, coaches drove the buses. One snowy day on our way to a race at Craftsbury, the bus slid off an unplowed dirt road. We were about 2.5 miles from the race site. It looked like we were going to miss the race. Mike quickly suggested that I stay with the bus, I was the driver, and he take the team and ski to the race on the snow covered roads. They made it, they were plenty tired, but they made the race.

Mike and I always enjoyed skiing in the Craftsbury Marathon. We would take our top skiers and have them ski the half marathon, 25K, while we skied the 50K. One year it was so cold our blow torch, to apply Klister wax, froze on us. We used the tailpipe of our car, to heat up our Klister, and unthaw the blow torch. It was a long cold ski that day!

We have skied in ditches at Champlain Country Club, enough snow had drifted in so we could ski back and forth and get a workout in. Skied on the Rail Trail with limited snow, but plenty of strong winds. Finally, after years of having no home course, the Wolf Run Golf Course opened in Bakersfield and had trails in the winter for skiing. It was a haul each day, but groomed trails were too good to pass up. 

Hot waxing skis took forever the day before races. We would use Mike’s woodshop in Diversified Occupations. The kids would clamp their skis in the woodshop vises, use a hand iron with a blow torch to heat it up, to melt the wax into the skis.

Submitted by Perry Bland: The most remarkable thing was his consistent enthusiasm for the sport , the team and the whole outdoor lifestyle. He ALWAYS thought the weather was perfect and wasn’t it great that we would be skiing in it.

Submitted by Erynn Ferraro: Coach Cain was an amazing man. He was always there to support me and give advice. Coach Cain was such an inspiration to everyone on the Nordic team and it was always a good practice when he was there. He was the one who didn’t let anything you do go unnoticed and he made sure everything and everyone was recognized. Coach Cain has definitely made a positive impact on my life and that will always be remembered. 

Submitted by Olivia Ferraro: Coach Cain was always the man behind the curtain, he did so much for our team day after day and never took any credit. Without him out  grooming trails or helping wax skis, no one’s success on the team would have been made possible. In regards to my technique and lengthening my stride he always told me to “look at Perry so I can look like Perry”. He shaped me into the skier I am today with his constant advice and support. He was a great coach and I’m sure everyone he came into contact with can agree, when I say his commitment to the sport was undeniable. He will be missed by so many, and I’m grateful for the impact he had on my passion for Nordic skiing. 

Submitted by Tim Smith: The passing of Mike is a huge loss for Franklin County, he was such an asset to our community. In Mike’s non-retirement years he was a mentor to many high school students who may have struggled to find a place within BFA.  Mike was compassionate and knowledgeable when dealing with these youths.  In his free time, he was one hell of an athlete.  What I enjoyed most about Mike was his sense of humor and how he was always interested in making our community a better place to live.  Mike was, in my mind, a big picture type of guy who was not afraid to dig in and complete that picture.  Mike always went about his work in such a quiet manner but made a huge difference for those who came in contact with him and those who enjoyed the fruits of his labor i.e. trail making, grooming, coaching etc.  The passing of Mike Cain hits home on a lot of people and I am one of those that will not forget.  A couple of years ago I bought a bike from Mike and I will think of Mike Cain every time I ride it.  Rest in peace Mike Cain.     

Submitted by Jessica Frost: I met Mike through my work with RiseVT. When it came to the outdoors, nature, and youth, he was the biggest advocate. What made Mike special is that he truly gave from the heart, giving his time and knowledge without the expectation of recognition or compensation. He was always offering to lead a hike, do trail work or talk. Many of the largest turn out events that RiseVT sponsored he led. He just loved being outside and with our community. His easy-going personality and words of encouragement fueled me and my work, making me think about what else can be done, who else I can talk to and where is there potential to get more kids outside and loving nature the way that he did. The loss of Mike leaves a huge hole in our community. I did not get the chance to tell him, but RiseVT selected him for our “Rockstar” award this year, because that is what he was, someone who unselfishly gives above and beyond for the greater good. Someone with a heart for the community, trying every day to make it a little bit better.

Submitted by David Hutchinson: What a wonderful guy Mike was, a great friend and ally of so many of us. He made so many contributions to this community, perhaps particularly to the young people he mentored. His loss is huge. The days ahead will be a bit darker without his good humor, gentle wit, and generous spirit.

Submitted by John Holzscheiter: Mike’s passion, enthusiasm, spirit and commitment to the trails at Hard’ack/Aldis Hill and throughout our area was unrivaled and will be irreplaceable.  I always enjoyed my conversations with him and always knew what ever he was doing it was being done with great care, expertise and thoroughness.  He was one of the “Good Guys,” we will miss him dearly. 

Submitted by Matthew Allen: My interactions with Mike were limited but always appreciated. He was always so kind and was sincere in his caring for others. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that, almost every time I saw Mike, he was volunteering his time. For a while, he was helping lead one of the St. Albans City School walking school bus groups. He had no ties to City School that I’m aware of, but that didn’t matter to him. He saw an opportunity to help out and he took it. That’s the kind of guy he was. He was the kind of person we should all strive to be. A world full of people trying to be like Mike would be a better world for all.

Submitted by Preston Fuller: I have only recently joined the Hard’Ack team when I designed the new disc golf course. However, My family and I have enjoyed the fruits of Mike’s volunteer labor and spirit as we love to XC ski there. I never met Mike, but I was always surprised (and boasting to family who do not live in the area) that we have the most amazing groomed XC ski trails I have ever seen in a public and honestly, private trail system. I would hit the trails shortly after a storm and sure enough they were already beautifully groomed to my skiing delight. It truly is the volunteers of a community that make the magic happen and bring a town from being average to being a destination. While I never knew him, he brought my family joy. I know as pastor of St Paul’s UMC many did know him and he brought them joy and light as well.

Submitted by Cipperly Good: I have been skiing some Ks for Coach Cain since hearing of his passing.  He was always an advocate for putting in our kilometers (or K’s as he called them) to build up our endurance.  I remember him saying how he preferred the classic technique over skating because of his old hips- I totally agree with him. I could go for hours with the classic technique, but the skating technique is for those young folks.  His advocacy of those with developmentally differently-abled ensured that we trained with, and in turn, advocated for our fellow human beings.  Waxing in my basement will never compare to the time spent waxing in his workshop at BFA.  We may have overused the wax as novices, but by the end of our first year, we knew what to do and we had skills to sustain us as master’s skiiers when no one else is going to wax our skis for us.

Submitted by Scott Magnan: My relationship with Mike Cain goes back pretty far, I joined the Nordic team in 1990 and quickly earned the title boss, which even though I shared the title with several of Coach Cain’s students, it still had a special meaning and with it some increased self confidence. There are many memories to share but a few stick out that i’d like to share. I remember very clearly challenging Coach to a race at Wolf run my freshmen year. I had started the season with a rough result and low confidence. I am not sure how the challenge happened, but we went head to head early and I was able to gain ground on the flats after a hard climb and never looked back, the rest is pretty much history, my confidence grew into a lifetime of racing and coaching. A few years back, I tasked Coach Cain with grooming for the impossible. We had received about 2 inches of rain on top of our snow base, followed by freezing cold weather which turned the race course into a skating rink. My determination to host would have turned most away, but he and my diligent if not partially crazy crew, acquired a Harley rake used to smooth out dirt and driveways, hooked it to a tractor with chains and he spent the good part of a day Harley raking snow for a race held later that day. Mike always rounded out our coaching staff with a leave no one behind attitude, he always managed to find a new boss each season, and I watched those bosses grow each and every time they acquired the title. In my last conversation with him, we were gearing up to build a canoe trailer to assist in helping kids who would not have otherwise had access to lessons of outdoor activity. Mike was a tremendous person and we should all be proud to carry on what we will miss most. 

Hard’ack Fall Running Series Week 3

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The third and final installment of this year’s series looked far different than last year’s. It was a more typical mid-november day in St. Albans, if there is such a thing. As opposed to last year’s sunny skies, cold temps, and ample snow that made it feel like a perfect february day, this year featured cloudy skies, but temperatures warm enough to comfortably run in shorts and a t-shirt. Even though the lack of early snow is a small disappointment to some skiers who have been spoiled the last couple years, the conditions were near perfect for those runners who loathe the heat and relish the opportunity to suck in that cool, crisp air while still running free from the restriction of cumbersome cold weather apparel.

40 runners took the start line today, with the usual wide variety of speed in the mix. A number of local high school runners came to utilize their good form from the running season before they make the transition into nordic ski training. It was great to see St. Albans Nordic board member Perry Bland make it out for the final race after he had to forgo the first two events to sell some of his fine produce at the local farmer’s market. A special shoutout to all those who attended all three races this year: Sara Heth, Brook Hodgeman, Melissa Seymour, Damian Bolduc, Jessica Bolduc, Bill Simmons, Scott Magnan, Kristofer Anderson, Jackson Sargent, Roy Sargent, Ashley Sargent, Deb Riopel, and Hillary Stine. All of you are All-Stars. It’s a shame the Westford Turkey Trot is not happening this year, those Westford hills would feel a lot easier after racing on the hills of Hard’ack.

This week’s course featured another new route. It was billed as a less hilly route than the previous two races, and it was to some extent, but it was not flat by any means. Still, if you had the energy left, you could punch up the shorter hills, and find time to recover before the next one. We got lots of positive feedback on this course, so be prepared to see it again next year!

I want to thank everyone who came out to race over the past weeks. It was very uplifting for me to be able to bring you all together for these events. I want to wrap up this series by trying to answer the question “Why do we run?” There are some obvious answers, like “It’s a healthy lifestyle”, or “It helps me clear my mind and reduce stress.” Those are perfectly good reasons to explain why an individual may run, but it still doesn’t answer the question of why WE run, why we show up to run together at a race like this. If you really think about it, to an outside observer, it’s extraordinarily odd for 40 people of such varying ages and abilities to put so much effort into congregating at one venue so they can put their body through pain and suffering while weaving through the woods and meadows with no apparent real purpose. Perhaps we just like to suffer, because suffering heals us and makes us stronger. Perhaps we’re competing to see who is the best, or how we measure up against the best or against our rivals. I would suggest there is another purpose, a subtle but important one that has only become clear to me recently. We run together for the same reason that we sing and dance and laugh together, to express ourselves and release our emotions through the art of running, to share a common bond with our fellow human beings, to experience the true humanity that brings meaning into our lives and helps us deal with the harsh realities of the world. To an outside observer, what we do may seem frivolous or pointless, and it may defy logic, but to me, and to many of you, it is an essential part of our existence.

Thank you all again, best wishes, and I hope to see you sooner rather than later.

Tyler Magnan

Results

Harda’ck Fall Running Series Week 2

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The skies were much clearer this week, as the meadows and trails were fully bathed in sun on a beautiful, late autumn afternoon. The overnight lows dropped into the teens in some places, reminding everyone that winter is truly on its way, and the last holdouts who resist turning on their home heating were forced to give in. The early morning sun quickly baked away the night’s frost, and temperatures rose close to 40 degrees by race time.

This week featured a never before seen race course, a course that race director Tyler Magnan discovered this summer and fell in love with. After the tough but relatively short climb up the bottom of the sledding hill, the course gently rolls downward back towards the low point of the course. At this point, the runners took a direct route to the top of Mashtare’s Massacre, the highest point of the XC trail network. It is a nearly continuous climb for about a quarter mile, with only a short flat section for relief. Once at the top, the course is mostly downhill for the next half mile, providing some recovery time before hitting the dragstrip. The dragstrip is a straight shot across the meadows, stretching for about 600 meters. It looks flat, but locals know that running north across the strip is much easier than running south across the strip. Today, we were running south.

In a cruel twist, a steady breeze from the south picked up just before race time, causing many runners to find that running the strip into the wind was more difficult than the climb. Tyler was aware of this risk, knowing a southern wind would suck some of the fun out of this course, but his strong desire to do this course and the lack of wind earlier in the morning perhaps clouded his judgment. Nonetheless, I don’t think it ruined anyone’s day. It was still a beautiful day for some fall running.

42 runners made the start line today. In an extra show of perseverance, Scott Magnan managed to get to the line after his car broke down. He could have bailed on the race, but he found a ride, borrowed a vehicle, and when he got to Hard’ack, he ran straight from the car to the start line, still pinning on his bib as the first racers left the start line. It was great to see the Georgia middle school runners come out in force. Jonah Gorman edged out Matias Citarella to get the win in the 2.5k race. Unbeknownst to them, a vintage tractor trophy was up for grabs. Perhaps Matias would have kicked a little harder if he had known.

Through the first lap of the 5k race, a battle for top honors was shaping up between Joe Frost and St. Albans Nordic board member Brook Hodgeman. Joe pulled away on the 2nd lap, posting a winning time of 21:07. Lurking behind in 3rd place was Damian Bolduc, whose race form improved from last week, but wasn’t quite enough to reel in Brook. Elisabeth Vachon took top honors for the females, finishing 4th overall with a time of 24:05, just ahead of local legend Bill Simmons, who has a perfect 5 for 5 attendance record at this series. The next 3 places were filled out by women, as Laura Schned, Jessica Bolduc, and Jessica Bunce put in strong performances.

Most impressive from the day was the amount of youngsters that tackled the full 5k. There were at least half a dozen middle or elementary school runners who took on the difficult 5k course. The older folks will look on with a mix of enthusiasm and envy as we watch these young runners start to set PRs in huge chunks as they grow older.

After the race, runners were able to enjoy the sunny skies, the company of fellow runners, refreshments from Hannaford, and the ample prize table. One of the younger runners went home with a slick new Salomon jacket, so he can look like a pro.

The final race of the series is coming up on the 14th, and runners will get a slight reprieve, as the course will not go up either side of the massacre. We’ll see what the weather brings. Anything can happen in mid-november.

Results

Hard’ack Trail Race, Week 1

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Anyone who woke up early this morning arose to what appeared to be a fairly nice day for late October. It was a bit cloudy, but the calm wind and 60 degree temps were a perfect combo for a running race. As runners finished their breakfast, and prepared to depart for the trails of Hard’ack, the weather took a dramatic turn. The skies opened up, first with a spurt of heavy rain, then a lighter rain. Some runners who had a bit of a commute saw the temperature drop about 15 degrees by the time they exited their vehicles at Hard’ack. It was a day where walking out the front door is the hardest part of the race for some people.

As runners arrived for registration, the rain was rather heavy again, and things looked rather bleak, but the 29 hearty runners were ready to go as they warmed up and tried to figure out the race course on the interweaving Hard’ack trails. Just before the race got started, the skies let up, and although the ground was well saturated, the runners would be spared the misery of a cold, drenching rain soaking through their clothes.

The course took the main perimeter loop through the wooded cross country trails. The challenging loop has a lot of twists and turns, and ups and downs. Even the sections that appear to be flat aren’t really flat at all, or they certainly don’t feel like it. It’s not the type of course you’re likely to set a PR on, but when you finish, you always feel good about it.

The field spread out quickly, as tends to be the case in a small field with such a diverse group of competitors. Lucas Calcagni set a blistering time of 17:59 to take the win, all the more impressive on a hilly 5k course that is slightly long, and he was running solo off the front. Brianna Welch was the top female runner, setting an impressive time of 21:05, even though she didn’t seem that thrilled about the tough hills after her pre-race course inspection. A couple of impressive young middle schoolers took on the 2.5k option, with Alice Kredell and Kate Carlson posting times of 11:49 and 12:46, running the first lap with some of the faster 5k runners.

A few runners completed this same course in last year’s series. Scott Magnan improved his time by nearly 9 minutes, but it’s worth mentioning he was pushing a baby stroller last year. The biggest improvement was by Theodore Tremblay, improving by nearly 2 minutes over last year, and doing it with tougher conditions.

After the race, runners enjoyed refreshments supplied by Hannaford, and got their shot at the random prize raffle. Most of the prizes were donated by members of the nordic ski community, a testament to the support and passion for the sport that these community members have. Of course, the Maple Syrup donated by Runamok Maple was once again a highly coveted prize. Everyone left with a prize, but the real prize was being able to come together with people who share a love for running, and all those people who made it out the door this morning were rewarded. I don’t think anyone went home regretting it.

Next week, the race falls on Halloween, and costumes are welcome if so choose. There will be a different race course, and there will be a scary climb in it, but also more flats. You’re gonna love it.

Results

Keep the Torch Burning

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The following is an account of the annual BFA Citizen’s / Alumni Race held on March 15th, 2020. Authored by Tyler Magnan, it is not just a report about a tiny ski race, but an essay that exemplifies the passion for nordic skiing that lives in this community and is just waiting for an opportunity to blossom into something greater.

2020 BFA Citizen’s / Alumni Race Report

While the rest of the sporting world has been prematurely sent into the offseason, a small group of skiers descended upon a small farm in St. Albans to battle it out and earn the coveted epithet; The Pride of St. Albans.  This special farm tucked away in a cold hollow behind St. Albans Hill grows much more than grass, maples, and Angus beef.  Hundreds of local skiers have taken their first strides in these meadows, and honed their skills on the twisty, hilly tracks through the woods.  The roots of St. Albans nordic grow deeper and deeper on this property with every passing year, and are now older and stronger than many of the maple, birch, and beech trees that populate the landscape.

The warm March weather had taken it’s toll on the snowpack at the Dickinson Farm, closing down about half of the already limited trail network.  A combination of natural geography and snowfarming efforts earlier in the season produced good coverage on what remained.  The 1.25k race loop was groomed beautifully on Saturday afternoon, and with a deep freeze overnight, it was firm and fast, but very skiable.  The attempt to scratch up the surface in the morning was thwarted by a machine with chronic mechanical problems, but the course was deemed good enough for a race.  A touch of lightly falling snow came just before race time, and while it wasn’t enough to soften up the course, it was a welcome sight to see some snowflakes instead of raindrops.

The course started at it’s lowest point in the bottom of the horseshoe, went up, and took a right through the narrow connector and under the sap line, which some spectators graciously held up for the racers so they wouldn’t get clotheslined (or saplined?).  After a very brief flat section, the course headed up Doc’s Hill, steep at first, but mellows out the second half, a great place to gain some ground if you haven’t burned up on the steep section.  At the top of the hill, you enter the woods to do the rolling, twisty middle loop counterclockwise.  Then with a brief section of two way traffic, you wind your way back down the hill through the woods and meadows, under the sap line again, and down to the bottom of the horseshoe. 

About 15 racers took the start line.  Most notable was the presence of Damian Bolduc, Scott Magnan, and Perry Bland.  It was very fitting that these three were on the start line today.  There was every excuse to not show up today, but these are three of the original NWVE club members, and they built the club on the motto that you show up for a ski race anytime, and anywhere.  Anytime I see these three men gathered together, I know I’m in the right place. 

Besides these three, there were many more familiar names in the mix as well as some fresh faces from the high school team.  Other alumni included Tyler Magnan (NWVE), Brook Hodgeman(St Mikes), John Thompson (Castleton), and Meredith Mashtare.  Jessica Bolduc raced as an Alumni-in-law.  The rest of the field was filled out by some devoted high school skiers who show the passion and perseverance necessary to succeed in this beautiful but humbling sport we love.

It was an uphill start, but the fast conditions kept the pack tighter than it normally would be in a race of this size.  By the top of Doc’s hill, things had begun to sort themselves out, with Tyler taking the lead, followed closely by Brook and John.  Behind them was a mix of current BFA team members and alumni including Jacob Tremblay, Ethan Mashtare, Damian, Scott, and Lydia Hodgeman.  Further back, the field spread out quickly, as most were focused on staying on their feet while navigating the technical course in difficult conditions.  On days like this, even the most experienced racer can be swiftly brought down by a small rut or a poor weight shift.  At the front of the race, Tyler soon looked back with disappointment to see that nobody could hang with him, as Brook had some issues with soreness in his shins and resorted to double poling.  John took on the chase, taking 2nd quite comfortably and proving he is very much worthy of the BFA all-star team that was supposed to make an appearance at Craftsbury next weekend.  Things were a bit tighter behind, but Jacob pulled ahead and took a podium for the high school team, while Brook had to double pole into the uphill finish to fend off Ethan and Lydia, who won the women’s title for the first time.  Damian came in shortly after, while Scott, Jessica, Meredith, Perry, first year skier Maya Frost, and a couple more skied strong to the finish, even with no positions to fight for.  

While victory in this race is highly coveted by some, people show up to keep the torch burning; the torch within your soul that lit your passion for the sport, and the torch that brings energy and life into the local nordic community.  Back on November 16th, this community had the honor of hosting the first ski race in New England and possibly North America.  Although it’s nothing to celebrate, we may have also hosted the last race of the season in North America.  Here in St. Albans, the race must go on, and the sport will live on.  

A Message from the President

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I’ve been heavily involved in Nordic skiing since my freshman year in high school in 1997. My older brother had just taken the job as head coach of the BFA high school ski team, so I joined it, not having any clue how much that decision would impact my life. Since that moment, I have invested an enormous amount of time, money, and physical, mental, and emotional effort into this sport. Some would say an absurdly foolish amount, but I don’t regret any of it. This sport has kept me healthy, it has brought many great people into my life, and it’s just a lot of fun.

Most of that time, I have invested in making skiing enjoyable for myself, but over the last couple of years, I have discovered that making it more enjoyable for others is even more gratifying, and I’m in love with the sport more now than ever. I discovered something else in my efforts to help out. I learned that when you only have a handful of people with virtually no money, and few resources, it is impossible to build something great.

As long as I have been involved in nordic skiing, the St. Albans ski community has almost entirely revolved around the high school program. Coach Scott Magnan has done an amazing job building up that program since he took over 20+ years ago, but the students in that program are the only people in the community who get any real support. Most of the students who arrive in that program have never skied before, and a lot of them rarely, if ever, ski again after they graduate. We see the same thing with their parents, where they get involved by volunteering or participating, but then they disappear when their children leave because there’s nothing to be involved with outside the high school team. This is not a recipe for sustainable growth.

We are here to change all of that. Our central mission is to broaden that community, so people have a place to go and enjoy the sport from the day they are born to the day they die. We want a community where everyone can enjoy skiing at their own level, whether they want to be an elite competitor, or slowly plot around the fields with their family, or anything in between.

Please support us in our efforts. Subscribe to our newsletter to get trail updates, learn about new programs, and hear how we are making this community stronger. Click the big green Donate button to help us. Every little bit helps, even if it’s just $5.

Thank You,

Tyler Magnan
President of St. Albans Nordic

Hard’ack Fall Trail Running Series Is Back!

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Last year’s inaugural series was a great success, even amidst some amazing early season snowfall. Last year, we had over 50 runners for week 1 with moderate temps and clear blue skies. Week 2 saw 35 runners trampling through an inch or two of fresh snow with cold temps but clear blue skies once again. Week 3 was a real adventure. We got 6-8 inches of new snow during the following week. We could have cancelled, but we’re tough nordic skiers, so we groomed it out beautifully for skiing, and gave people the option to run, snowshoe, or ski the course. It was another cold day, but beautiful and sunny. The 20 people who showed up had a great time and all went home with smiles on.

The past few months have been loaded with uncertainty, but as last year proved, we take the attitude that the race must go on! Our goal is to make the event as normal as possible, but there will certainly be accommodations made for the situation. Stay tuned to the facebook page for the latest updates. We hope to see you there!

See the full details on our event page.