VMBA Annual Chapter Trail Clinic at Perry Hill
Kip Robers
Last weekend, VMBA Chapter staff and volunteers gathered at Perry Hill for our Annual Chapter Trail Clinic — a hands-on day of trail building education led by the pros at L&D TrailWorks.
Tom, James, and Nick of L&D walked over a dozen Chapter staff and volunteer attendees through techniques for upgrading existing trails to ride better and last longer, offering hands-on guidance and direct feedback to help everyone sharpen their skills. Whether a seasoned trail builder or just getting started, there was something for everyone to take back to their home networks. The crew also put knowledge into practice, implementing some long-overdue updates to upper S’mores/Campfire and addressing a perpetual wet zone on lower Six Flags.
Nick Bennette
Beyond the technical skills, the clinic was a great reminder of what makes VMBA strong — Chapters showing up for each other, sharing knowledge, and working toward better-maintained and more fun to ride trail networks across Vermont. The best practices learned at Perry Hill will have a real impact on trails statewide.
Kip Roberts
And of course, no clinic is complete without a proper post-build meal. Word has it that VMBA ED Nick Bennette grilled up a halfway-decent burger to wrap the day — high praise from the trail crew.
If you’re interested in building your own trail-building skills, start with your local Chapter. Volunteer dig days are not only great opportunities to maintain and improve the networks you love to ride, but also typically involve hands-on instruction and peer learning. And established Chapter volunteers have access to events like our Chapter Trail Clinic to further step up their game.
A big thanks, too, to our Members – your support makes events like this possible and help us keep Vermont’s trails among the best in the Northeast.
Kip Roberts