Events and Announcements

2008 RTA Membership Appreciation Day at Farm-Way in Bradford, VT                          Saturday, 5 July 2008

Rivendell Trails Association members can enjoy a 10% discount at Farm-Way in Bradford.  No need to bring a membership card; cashiers will have updated lists on our current membership.  Don't have a membership yet?  It's not too late--contact us today!

2008 Rivendell Ramble                                                                              
Saturday, 4 October 2008

We'll be hosting the fourth annual Rivendell Ramble with several hikes to choose from and as always, a fabulous dinner.  More details will be published in the summer, but please save the date!  See below (all the way below) for a description of last year's event.

National Trails Day Event:  Celebrating the Grand Opening of the  Cross Rivendell Trail        Saturday, 7 June 2008

RTA celebrates National Trails Day with a  reception ceremony and a variety of morning hikes for all ages and abilities.  Join us to celebrate the completion of the CRT, a 38-mile hiking trail with a morning ceremony and scheduled hikes.  We'll be serving light refreshments both at the reception on Blood Brook Road and at the summit of Bald Top.   We'll also be honoring the vision and achievements of community leader, Allen Avery.

7:30 AM:  Morning bird walk with Vermont Audubon.  Register in advance, please.

9 AM:  Reception on Blood Brook Rd. at the home of Roland and Marianne Kuchel.

9:30 AM:  Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting

10 AM:  Two hikes to the summit of Bald Top:  One birding hike led by Vermont Audubon, and one moderately-paced hike led by volunteers from the Rivendell Trails Association.

11 AM:  Refreshments served on the summit of Bald Top

12:30 PM:  Back to Vehicles.

Directions to celebration:  Turn onto Blood Brook Road from Route 244.  Travel 1.8 miles to the trail crossing.  Park on right side of the road only.  Reception will take place at the Kuchel's home on the left side of the road just north of the trail crossing.

Annual Meeting and Dinner                                                                                 Sunday, 6 April 2008

Please join us for our annual meeting complete with dinner, student presentations, door prizes, and raffle prizes.  Elect new board members, vote on the budget, see a presentation on this year's student work on the trail, and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal.

Presentations begin at 4:30                                                                                                                               Annual Meeting begins at 5                                                                                                                               Dinner begins at 6                                                                                                                                             Raffle and prizes to follow

The Ramble event:

The Rivendell Ramble is an annual event offering 7 hikes on the Cross Rivendell Trail throughout the day.  Hikers may choose hikes from as short as 1.5 miles to as long as 18 miles.  The RTA provides free shuttle rides to the trailheads and a free dinner after the hikes. 

How to Raise Funds:
As a Ramble participant, every mile you hike could raise money for the Rivendell Trails Association.  By asking friends and family to pledge their support, you will be supporting the Rivendell Trails Association in maintaining and promoting the Cross Rivendell Trail.  The pledges will be used by the RTA to run a student trail crew and to protect and maintain the trail.  Please use the Hike-A-Thon pledge form(available below) to solicit pledges and bring the completed form with you to the Ramble.  Please not that you do not have to raise money to participate in the Ramble.

Hiking/Fundraising Teams:

We encourage groups to team up to hike the entire distance in relays or together.  The top fundraising team from the previous year for each half (east or west) will be eligible to carry a special carved Rivendell Cane with the initials of the previous winners.  

Registration and Directions:

Registration for the Ramble is mandatory!  At registration, you will register for particular hikes.  You can also pick up free water, snacks, and maps for your hike.  A shuttle will take you to the trailhead.  Registration will occur at the Middlebrook Campus in West Fairlee at the corner of Middlebrook Road and Route 244.

Registration prior to the event is encouraged!  To plan transportation and food we strongly encourage you to register in advance.  Please call or e-mail Val Stori, 802-439-3079, vstori@rivendellschool.org by October 3. If e-mailing, send your name, hiking team members if any, address, phone and the sections your group members plan to hike.   You may register the day of the Ramble, but we'd prefer you to register in advance!

Hiking Schedule

The Hikes:

For all hikes, registration at parking is at the Middlebrook Campus of the Aloha Foundation.  Please see above for directions.   You may hike one or more of the trail sections below.  There is no need to return to Middlebrook between hikes if you choose to hike more than one section.

8 am Registration.  Expected return at 11:30

Flagpole Hill to Vershire Center Road: easy/moderate walk, nice views at Flagpole and Patterson Mountain - 5.3 miles.

2. Vershire Center Road to Westshire:

10 am Registration. Expected return at 1:30

Moderate walk, nice views near Coppermines - 6.7 miles.

3. Westshire to Middlebrook:

10 am, 12:45 pm, and 3 pm Registration.  Expected return 1hr 45 min. later.

Easy/moderate, pleasant mix of old town roads fields, ledges, woods - 2 miles.

4. Middlebrook to Bloodbrook Road:

1:30 pm Registration.  Expected return 5pm.

Easy/moderate, nice views of Middlebrook Valley 3.8 miles.

5. Mount Cube to Dame Hill Road, Orford, NH:

8:30 am Registration. Expected return 11:30 am.

Moderate/difficult, wide views from Cube summit ledges 6.2 miles.

6. 25A to Rivendell Academy:                                                                                                               10:30 am Registration.  Expected return 2:30.                                                                       Moderate climb with ledges over Sunday Mountain, nice views, then old roads to Academy - 6 miles. ** Note it is a roughly 5-mile road walk from Rivendell Academy through Fairlee and Orford villages to the Lake Morey Boat Launch.  You can walk it or we can shuttle you. 
   

    7.  Lake Morey Boat Launch to Blood Brook Road:

2 pm Registration.  Expected return at 5 pm.

Nice views from Bald Top, hike the new trail section to Blood Brook - about 5 Miles.