Welcome skiers one and all. We are in the process of revising this page to reflect both a name change and new leadership. Don't worry, the Jackrabbit Trail will always be the Jackrabbit Trail, but the organization will now go by "Bark Eater Trails Alliance" (BETA). This is the name of the mountain biking organization that was founded in 2010 to build bike trails in Wilmington. Since then, that group has built over 50 miles of new trail in Wilmington, North Elba, and in Saranac Lake at Dewey Mt. and Mt. Pisgah. In 2012, BETA became a "project" of the Adirondack Ski Touring Council, allowing them to benefit from ASTC's not-for-profit status and insurance policies. In 2014, the organizations were combined, and this year the decision was made that "Bark Eater Trails Alliance" better described an organization that was building Adirondack trails for multiple purposes. Additionally, "Bark Eater" is a catchier designation than "Adirondack". The North Country phone book for Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties, for instance, has eight columns of "Adirondacks" over four pages. By contrast, the same phone book has just two "Bark Eater" entries.
We can assure you that ski trail construction and maintenance will still be an equal priority for the combined organization. All of the current board members are skiers who quickly put away the bikes and put on the skis as soon as it snows. The trail work schedule for 2015 includes a lot of bike trail work up to September, but then it's get the Jackrabbit Trail and the other trails for which ASTC has assumed responsibility in shape for the coming winter.
Along with the name change comes a new Executive Director, Josh Wilson. Josh has been part of BETA from the start and an ASTC director since 2011. Most recently, Josh has directed the New York Bicycle Coalition. Josh lives in Saranac Lake with his wife Jecinda and step-daughter Evelyn. Jecinda is in the process of opening a bakery and coffee shop on Main St. in Saranac Lake. Josh is an avid skier as well as biker, and he has said he is looking forward to a job that combines administrative work with the need to periodically get out on the trail to do some needed work. The current Executive Director, Tony Goodwin, will move to fill Josh's seat on the nine-member board of directors.
We can assure you that ski trail construction and maintenance will still be an equal priority for the combined organization. All of the current board members are skiers who quickly put away the bikes and put on the skis as soon as it snows. The trail work schedule for 2015 includes a lot of bike trail work up to September, but then it's get the Jackrabbit Trail and the other trails for which ASTC has assumed responsibility in shape for the coming winter.
Along with the name change comes a new Executive Director, Josh Wilson. Josh has been part of BETA from the start and an ASTC director since 2011. Most recently, Josh has directed the New York Bicycle Coalition. Josh lives in Saranac Lake with his wife Jecinda and step-daughter Evelyn. Jecinda is in the process of opening a bakery and coffee shop on Main St. in Saranac Lake. Josh is an avid skier as well as biker, and he has said he is looking forward to a job that combines administrative work with the need to periodically get out on the trail to do some needed work. The current Executive Director, Tony Goodwin, will move to fill Josh's seat on the nine-member board of directors.
