Craftsbury Outdoor Center

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Range and Rollerloop FAQ

Thanks to the paved loop, we're looking forward to reducing the number of rollerskiers on the roads - particularly juniors.

Q: What’s all the mess and dirt and rocks in the upper field?
A: We are building a rollerski loop and a 15-point biathlon range in the high ground at the south end of the upper field. The creation of the space for the range required both excavation and some blasting. 

Beyond the upper field, we are also going to be paving a few kilometers of the south end of Lemon’s, the sprint loop, and Round-a-Bit which will create beginner, intermediate and advanced rollerski terrain away from cars. We are especially eager to get our junior skiers off the roads. We expect parts of the paved loop will serve other purposes as well, such as access to the woods for people with mobility or physical disabilities, or a place to learn to ride a road bike. 

Q: What is the big rig that is out there making noise and burning diesel? 
A: The material that has come out of the range opening will be used as base layer for the paving - but it needs to be crushed first. That big rig is a crusher. By crushing material excavated from the range, we avoid having to bring in 100’s of truckloads of purchased material - saving roads, diesel and time.

Q: When will it be done?
A: We currently have permits in place to work in all areas except the wetlands. Our wetland permit is in process and we hope to have the whole loop prepped before winter. We don’t anticipate paving until late next spring.

Q: How will this affect the singletrack and ski trails?
A: Singletrack has already been modified slightly to avoid crossing the paved loop at blind corners or places where skiers will be going higher speed. A huge side effect of the work that we are doing will be improved smoothness and drainage of the ski trails and the upper field.

Q: How about the concrete slab under the tent - what’s up with that?
A: We will soon start construction on an event shed on that slab. It will be a very simple building, with 3 garage doors facing east, that will serve storage needs and provide bad weather shelter as needed.

Got other questions? Don't hesitate to reach out.