CATS Announces New Board Chair

We are pleased to announce that Evan George is the new chairman of the Champlain Area Trails’ Board of Directors. Evan, who works as the admissions director at Camp Dudley, has served on the CATS board for the past three years and most recently as vice-chair. Evan grew up in Westport and worked for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation before taking his position at Camp Dudley. He and his wife Diana are year-round residents in Westport.

Evan takes over as Board Chair from Katharine Preston of Essex, who held the position for the past five years. Katharine’s 30 plus years of experience with non-profits and environmental organizations was invaluable. She was a wonderful asset to CATS and we thank her for her service.

Trail of the Week

This week’s TRAIL OF THE WEEK is the Rocky Ledges Trail. This 2 mile loop trail is a great winter hike with some nice ledges that provide glimpses of the valley below. The trail is moderate/difficult with short steep terrain in its middle section. This winter’s lack of snow makes it a great winter hiking trail, but be aware of some small icy patches. The trailhead is located on Leaning Road, 150 yards south of Jersey Street.

Saturday’s Event

You can still sign up for this Saturday’s (January 30 at 10:00 a.m.) “Winter Hike with Tree Identification and Animal Tracking” led by artist and naturalist Sheri Amsel. We advertised this as a “Group Snowshoe,” but unless we get some snow between now and Saturday, you won’t need snowshoes. With or without snow the Beaver Flow Trail is beautiful this time of year with frozen waterfalls and all sorts of animal tracks. You might want to bring snow spikes to ensure better footing.

For more information and to register, click here now.

Chris Maron
CATS Executive Director

Champlain Area Trails Honors Founding Member Bruce Klink (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Champlain Area Trails (CATS)

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.