The 2025 Mad River Triathlon: A Community Celebration

The 2025 Mad River Triathlon was a great community celebration! We had 301 participants, representing 11 states (CT, IL, MA, ME, NH, NY, OK, PA, RI, TN, VT), with 120 racers from the Mad River Valley area.

There were 65 individual participants and 70 teams. 20 of the teams completed the whole course racing together, embodying a collaborative spirit of the Triathlon. Our youngest participant was 9, and the oldest was 82! 76 volunteers prepared aid stations, pulled boats out of the cold water, and marshaled for upward of 8 hours; the volunteer spirit is alive and thriving in the MRV!

The Green Mountain Transit shuttle bus was filled to capacity, and the GMVS van helped to fill the gaps. Thank you to the many people who chose public transportation over driving, reducing the traffic and improving the safety of the event. MRVAS responded to two incidents, one involving an injured biker and another a hypothermic paddler, both were released.

Thanks to the MRV business community, we raffled off over 100 prizes donated by local businesses and auctioned 12 valuable local food and lodging options towards the fundraising goal of supporting the evolving cooperation between our organizations. 

Mount Ellen was vibrating with energy to the tune of Ragged Company, hilarious announcements by Doug Bergstein and Bear Simmons, and an exhausted, but exuberant crowd of participants, spectators, and volunteers. 

Rob Center, who founded the original Mad River Triathlon in 1979, put together an amazing team called Waddle, Wander, Wobble & Wipe Out! We were honored to have Rob, Silas, Ed, Ed, and Lucas compete and speak about the history of the event at the celebration. 

This was a harder race compared to 2024. The river was lower, requiring much maneuvering and effort, and the ski course was more than twice the length. Whitney Tree Service team came in first once again at 2:37 minutes, as compared to 2:11 minutes in 2024 on a fast-flowing river and a shortened (due to snow conditions) ski course. The fastest individual female was Elisa Otter from Montpelier at 3:30, and the fastest male was Schuyler Timmons from Richmond at 3:04.

One of the stated goals of the Triathlon was to welcome spring, and, considering that the temps rose to well over 60 with abundant sunshine on Monday, following the event, we did it!

We extend a heartfelt appreciation to our sponsors, Lawsons’ Finest Liquids, Sugarbush Resort, Red Hen Bakery, Madbush Falls, Waitsfield Telecom, Bicycle Express, VHB, Burlington Beer Company, Creative Micro, and Yoga Lab for helping us to offer a high-quality event to the community.

Finally, we want to thank the many spectators who showed up on a gray, cold April day to cheer on the brave participants, way to go MRV!

Working together, Mad River Path, Friends of the Mad River, Mad River Valley Backcountry Coalition, and the Mad River Riders were able to put together an incredibly well-supported event, way better organized than any of us could have done alone.

Mark your calendar for the 2026 Mad River Triathlon scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026. The registration is now open and you can get a 30% off the regular price if you register by May 18.

Making a Difference Where It Matters

These days, it seems like there is work to do everywhere to make our communities more sustainable, accessible, and connected. As federal funding for climate resilience comes under threat, we can all make an impact locally with just a couple minutes out of your day. We've highlighted three quick ways to make a real difference:

1. Sign a petition

Federal funding for active transportation is critically at risk. US Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is on course to freeze funding for several important projects in our state. Tell the Department of Transportation to reverse course and support human-powered transportation alternatives!

2. Vote on the future of the Active Transportation Corridor

We need as much input as possible on the various alternatives for the Active Transportation Corridor! You can review our recap of our latest meeting and add your own votes for the proposed segments.

VOTING DIRECTIONS: Scroll down the page until you get to each individual segment and find the purple Google Form to the right of each. Click on the form  for each segment to vote.

3. Volunteer in your community

The Mad River Triathlon is still looking for volunteers to help us pull off an amazing event! Click the button below to view available time slots and positions. There's still plenty of ways to plug in.

We're Hiring!

MRP is seeking a Summer Trail Steward and Teaching Assistant!

Summer Trail Steward and Teaching Assistant will gain valuable trail management and teaching skills while serving side-by-side with experienced staff in the beautiful Mad River Valley and the Central Green Mountains. You will have the opportunity to introduce local children and teens to outdoor living, adventure sports, and contribute to the development of an inclusive Active Transportation Corridor through the Mad River Valley. You will develop an appreciation for the importance of nature connection and the essential role of bike and pedestrian infrastructure in building communities. 

This position is part of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board AmeriCorps (VHCB AmeriCorps).  The VHCB AmeriCorps program supports the innovative dual-goal approach to creating stable affordable housing opportunities for Vermont residents while preserving the natural and working landscape. VHCB AmeriCorps is a national service program that places members with non-profit housing or land and energy conservation organizations around the state.

Mad River Path is a community-supported organization leading the implementation of the Active Transportation Corridor from Warren to Moretown in the Mad River Valley, Vermont. We connect communities and provide access to nature and opportunities for outdoor recreation for valley residents and visitors. We believe that inclusive and safe human-powered transportation infrastructure fosters positive social change, healing our relationships with nature and each other leading to a sustainable future.

More information and full job description can be found on the VHCB website.

Backcountry Skiing in Gaspésie National Park, Québec, Canada by Lauré Murphy

“The laughter in this group was infectious and plentiful.  On trail we looked out for each other…Encouragement and guidance from our teammates helped us to scale, what seemed in the moment, insurmountable obstacles.  I felt the confidence in my backcountry abilities grow with each excursion.”

Expedition Team (from left to right): Lynne Boudreau (Waitsfield), Kitter Spater (Burlington), Mike Maloney (Burlington), Lauré Murphy (Moretown), Shane Bowley (Burlington), Bob Gifford (Starksboro), Jamie Fanning (Fayston).

Roughly 550 miles north of the Mad River Valley you will find the trailhead to Québec’s Chic Choc mountains in the Gaspésie National Park.  The Chic Chocs, part of the Appalachian Uplands of Canada, are home to an array of wildlife including a small heard of endangered Woodland caribou (34 individuals remaining as of 2022) living in the wildlife preserve on an upper plateau, moose yards, the Ruffed grouse, and the elusive, nocturnal, Artic hare.  You may ask where I’ve learned about this magical snow-laden kingdom.  Simple, I signed up for the annual backcountry ski expedition sponsored by the Mad River Path Association.  Tour guides Misha Golfman and Lynne Boudreau taught our group some incredible facts about the region, along with map-reading skills and survival techniques for this cold and often brutal climate.  All this and more while we were skiing and living hut to hut for five days.

The journey from Waitsfield, VT started at 5 am on Monday, February 24, 2025.   Two of us joined Misha and Lynne for a carpool to our first night’s lodging.  We loaded up the backcountry skis, our personal backpacks with our required gear, and headed north for five days of backcountry adventures.  Old man winter had been dumping snow in the Chic-Chocs and we were excited to carve new trails and explore this untouched wonderland.   

Our first night was spent in the small town of Sainte-Felicité, in Québec.  Nestled on the shores of the partially-frozen Saint Lawrence River, the quaint Auberge de Jeunesse du Manoir des Sapins, was the meeting point for the six participants and two guides.  Introductions were made over dinner, followed by a team meeting to discuss our daily itinerary, food supplies, and safety protocols.  The expedition would include four nights sleeping in two huts along the trail, heated by wood, cooking on a woodstove, each hut with a friendly little outhouse.   After a long day’s drive, we set off to bed as the winds were howling off the St. Lawrence River.

The morning of Tuesday, February 25th, we awoke to no power.  The raging winds had knocked out power along the St. Lawrence, so we began our “backcountry” cooking a meal earlier than anticipated.  No worries, the Manoir des Sapins’ woodstove worked well to heat the water for cooking.  A wonderful spread of fresh local bagels, cream cheese, and lox, as well as hard boiled eggs, yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.  A few team members ventured out for hot coffee and our meal was complete.  

Each morning during our expedition, Misha and Lynne would set out food for us to fill our “day food” bags.  We would snack as we needed energy while skiing. We filled our insulated water bottles with hot water to mix with snow for drinking along the trail.   This method allowed our drinking water to be stretched further during our day-long outings in the backcountry.   Following the packing of our food and water, we would share stretches and yoga poses to help limber our bodies for the day’s ski.   We would then share a poem or inspiring reading to prepare our hearts and minds for the day’s adventures.  Misha would cook up a hot and hearty breakfast using locally sourced grains, eggs, and meats – always delicious and filling.  Hot camp coffee or tea with maple syrup was also on tap. 

On day 1, we could opt to have our packs transported with the team food to the first hut (La Paruline), or carry our packs.  Two of us opted to carry small day packs and send our 30 lb. packs by snowmachine to the hut.  The first leg of the expedition was twelve kilometers, mostly a gradual uphill climb (no skins required), to La Paruline.  The weather was beautiful, lots of fresh snow, and the winds had calmed from the previous night.  We initially followed a snowmachine trail, soon splitting off to a less-traveled ski trail to our hut.  La Paruline is a small and cozy hut.   It was already warmed by the remnants of a fire left by a day skier passing by.  This would be the only day skier I saw the entire week in the Chic-Chocs.  We had the mountains to ourselves!  La Paruline is located just above one of the many lakes in this region.  Upon arriving, just past mid-day, Misha divided chores amongst us. Chores consisted of clearing snow from the hut’s deck and stairs, making a path to the outhouse, and shoveling a path to the sump station (where we were to dump waste water and have team hand washing before our meals).  We collected fresh snow in large pots to melt on the stove for drinking water and cooking, chopped wood, and assisted with food prep.   When all the chores were done, folks were free to explore the area by ski, relax by the fire with hot tea, read a book, or chat.

The tours into the backcountry were exhilarating!  As the most novice backcountry skier of the team, I found the daily “optional” expeditions to be rigorous and breathtaking (visually and physically), and not to be missed!  Misha is an excellent guide and bushwhacker (breaking trail), teaching as he moves along.  He was always full of encouragement and confident in each person’s ability to meet a new challenge.  Both Misha and Lynne readily coached and instructed those who were newer to the sport, while allowing the more experienced members to take turns bushwhacking and leading the group across snow bridges and around obstacles.  I loved how Misha included everyone in reading the maps and how he taught us to keep a “chair rail” (a large natural feature such as a tributary or mountain) as a point of reference while we traversed the backcountry so as not to lose our way.  The snow on these expeditions into the wilds was untouched and DEEP.  We would often spot animal tracks, and, on one excursion, we had the good fortune to glimpse a moose and her calf leaving their moose yard and moving up the river, pushing through the drifts and snow bridges.  On another excursion, we came across a flock of grouse foraging the snow-laden forest for food near the shores of Lake Cascapédia.  We crossed this frozen lake on the way to our second hut, Le Pluvier.  On the last day, another moose sighting occurred on our journey down to the trailhead.  It was a true gift to spot these creatures in their natural habitat.

Our group formed fast and easy friendships over the course of our expedition.  In the evenings, after Misha’s amazing one bowl meal and then dessert, contributed each evening by a participant, we would sit around the candle lit table to share a gratitude from that day’s events, play games, talk, and laugh. The laughter in this group was infectious and plentiful.  On trail we looked out for each other.  Two of us (yes, I was one!) found ourselves sinking into tree wells and it was our teammates that pulled us to safety.  There were a few harrowing traverses and climbs, where the encouragement and guidance from our teammates helped us to scale, what seemed in the moment, insurmountable obstacles.  I felt the confidence in my backcountry abilities grow with each excursion.  The six of us arrived on expedition with different gear and different levels of experience.  The variety of gear included wider alpine touring and narrower Nordic backcountry touring skis.  No matter the equipment, all of us were able to keep up and we all used skins for steep ascents.   Downhill was a bit easier for those who had stiffer boots and bindings to support easier turns on the steepest descents.  We all had fun and were able to navigate the terrain with a few tumbles, a lot of laughter, and most importantly, no injuries!

Upon our departure from each hut, we left the sites better than we found them.  We chopped wood for the next group coming through, swept, mopped, shoveled, cleaned the outhouse, and did our best to leave no trace.  As I reflect on this time spent skiing in the Chic Chocs, it was a much-needed respite from the busyness of life and the noise of our culture.  It was an exploration of self with the added benefit of making new friends and connections with my guides and teammates.  

A new look for the Mad River Triathlon

A new look for the Mad River Triathlon 

We have an exciting triathlon update: we have an updated logo with new-and-improved beaver mascots!  Big thanks to Kristen at Yellowwood Designs for our new graphics. Sign up for the triathlon today and you'll have the opportunity to add a t-shirt with our new logo. Top finishers in each category will also receive local Vermont maple syrup prizes! 

Sponsor Spotlight: MadBush Falls

For hospitality during Triathlon weekend, look no further than Madbush Falls, conveniently located on Route 100 along the triathlon course! Madbush Falls has pledged to donate 50% of lodging proceeds that weekend to the Mad River Triathlon. We will also provide free shuttles to and from the start, finish, and transition locations. Book at madbushfalls.com/triathlon.

As a reminder - the triathlon is a fundraiser that will ultimately ensure sustainable access to outdoor recreation in the Valley. Thanks to MadBush Falls for helping us reach our goal.

Good news from the Mad River Path!

Thanks to over 150 generous donors, we have raised $70K and are only 10K short of our 2024 Annual Giving Goal! 

Today, we have an amazing opportunity: A generous donor pledged to match every donation made before December 31, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000! Every dollar you donate to the Mad River Path in the next 18 days will be doubled in value.

Help take care of the paths we all love, support youth outdoor programs and the Mad River Triathlon, and move the Valley's Active Transportation Corridor forward by donating today.

Registration is open for Summer 2025 Mad River Path Adventures!

Mad River Path Adventures offers accessible day and overnight adventure camps for students ages 9 – 15. Our dynamic programs are designed and led by professional guides. Students enjoy adventure sports and the art of wilderness living while developing close connections to nature and the social skills for thriving in an interconnected community.

We believe that outdoor pursuits should be a part of every Vermonter’s experience and teach the know-how that often translates into a lifelong love of adventure and discovery in our special backyard.

Group sizes are small and space is limited, so grab your spot today! Details and tuition can be found at the link below, along with registration information. 

We hope you'll join us out on the trail this Summer.

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We have one space left for a woman to join our Winter backcountry ski trip in the Chic Choc mountains!
To learn more and register please visit the link below.

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New from Wasted*, our partners in sustainable sanitation, comes WeeBloom - a new fertilizer made recycled from human waste. The Mad River Path recently installed an offgrid Wasted* toilet behind the Recreation Hub, which lowers our impact on the environment and creates a cycle of nutrient reuse. Get some local fertilizer for your Spring garden plans.

Ready, Set, GO!

2025 Mad River Triathlon - Sunday, April 13

Registration is open now for the Mad River Triathlon, taking place on April 13th, 2025. If you're feeling overwhelmed by consumerism and advertisement this season, consider giving the gift of active outdoor recreation. The triathlon begins with a six mile run, transitioning to a six-mile paddle, followed by a ten-mile bike, and ending with a ski run up and down Mount Ellen.

An Event for Everyone

We are making every effort to create an inclusive event by allowing a wide range of equipment, offering group raft rides down the river, allowing you to choose the legs you wish to participate in, and a broad range of categories and accommodations for adaptive athletes. Additionally, if you cannot afford the

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Summer Camps are around the corner...

As the snow and ice comes our way, are you already thinking ahead to Summer? Our Mad River Path Adventure programs are coming soon, so be on the lookout for more information about the sessions and registration process. June will be here before you know it!

Envisioning a Connected Mad River Valley

Active Transportation Corridor Meeting Resources

Thank you again to our partners and community members who attended the public meeting last week for the Active Transportation Corridor. Big thanks also to Mad River Valley TV who covered the event and put together a video recap featuring interviews with attendees and committee members speaking about their questions and priorities for the corridor. 

Below you will find a Story Map interactive website with the content from the meeting. If you were not able to attend or want to review the information, please click through the button below to interact with the maps of the various segments.

MRPA receives $22,000 E-Bike grant
 

Mad River Path is proud to have received a Mobility and Transportation Innovations Grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation. A $22,000 grant provides funding for research, design, and fabrication of three cargo e-bikes for the Wait House organizations. These bikes will allow for reduced greenhouse gas emissions and single-occupancy vehicle travel. It will also provide increased visibility of effective alternate transportation right in our community, hopefully inspiring others to make changes towards greener modes of travel. Thank you to VTrans for their ongoing support.

Please welcome Sarah Johnson, our new Communications Specialist! Sarah is a Montpelier resident with connections in the Mad River Valley through her work at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. Sarah works in marketing, communications, and outreach for nonprofits, and in her free time can be found running, hiking, or knitting.