Champlain Area Trails Finishes 2020 Grand Challenge Hike

View from the Boquet Ridge Ramble, one of the
routes for the 2020 CATS Grand Challenge. (Credit: CATS)

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) finished its 2020 Grand Challenge on December 31^st, 2020. Over 300 participants hiked one of three challenge routes described on the CATS website, and earned limited-edition commemorative patches.

“We had a fantastic turnout for the Challenge and are so grateful for all the hikers who showed their support of CATS and having trails in the Champlain Valley,” said Derek Rogers, CATS Development Director. “It was great to see the Challenge get people outside and connected with nature in a time when it was needed.”

CATS usually hosts its annual “Grand Hike” in May, a 10-14-mile long community hike and fundraising event that goes from hamlet to hamlet, combining CATS trails and some scenic backroads. Due to COVID-19, the plans had to be altered for safety concerns.

“We had to switch up how we did our Grand Hike this year,” said Chris Maron, CATS Executive Director, “So we decided to offer the Grand Challenge, a self-managed event where people can hike on their own, and connect with our magnificent Champlain Valley landscape. We had such a great participation this year that we’re already planning more CATS Grand Hike Challenges for 2021 and coming years.”

Adirondack Mountain Club Cold River Chapter members picking up their patches at the CATS Westport office after participating in the 2020 Grand Challenge. (Credit: CATS)

The 2020 CATS Grand Challenge began on September 21^st as a fundraiser to support its mission of making trails, saving land, connecting people with nature, and promoting economic vitality. CATS encouraged people to register with a $25 donation and complete one of three trail loops. Participants who completed the challenge by December 31^st received a commemorative patch designed by Willsboro resident and CATS Board Member, Rob Powell.

The Grand Challenge attracted many people from outside the area to explore new hiking opportunities in this region. Tom Beebe and his family brought along some out of town visitors on the Challenge, reporting back: “The weather was beautiful and the trail was in great shape and marked well. The view of Champlain as we walked down to Westport was spectacular. We’re hoping to get to the Boquet Ridge Ramble soon. Thanks for organizing this and what a great job considering the problem with COVID-19.”

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) is a non-profit organization, begun in 2009, which creates and maintains hiking and cross-country ski trails in the Champlain Valley that link communities, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality. In its short history, CATS has developed 35 miles of trails that when added to existing trails, gets it half-way toward the long-envisioned goal of a 30-mile trail loop between Westport and Essex. CATS will extend its trails to neighboring towns and eventually connect them to trails in the Adirondack Mountains, Vermont, and Quebec. Learn more on the CATS website.