A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it.
Sonny Vaccaro
A few weeks back I watched the movie, “Air”, which tells the story of how the Nike, Air Jordan franchise came to be. The shoe line was built FOR the athlete, Michael Jordan, instead of the athlete representing the shoe brand, a first at that time. This quote came from the film and has stayed with me since- the idea that an opportunity is just an opportunity until someone acts upon it.
30 years ago, a small group of community leaders and trail enthusiasts embraced an opportunity to better represent and serve the growing needs of the local trails community and stepped into a shoe of their own- a grassroots, trails advocacy shoe, and the Mountain Trails Foundation was born. The hiking boot, Nordic ski boot, mountain bike wheel and horse shoe that make up our logo, represent the diversity of trail users that mirror our community and the individuals whom we serve. It’s our “swoosh” and it’s this inclusivity and diversity that makes our trail system and community uniquely special.
In the three decades since, our organization has grown and evolved with the times, technology and changes within our local community. We have conceptualized and facilitated dozens of meaningful connections and purposefully built trails, with safety and a smile-inducing user experience as the ultimate goals. We’ve spearheaded directional, bike and hike-only trails as well as adaptive and eMTB-friendly trails for all ability levels. And our work doesn’t stop when the snow flies, as we have become a true, year-round trails organization, investing in equipment and personnel to expand upon a winter trails program that includes nearly 50 Km’s of regularly groomed Nordic and over 20 miles of groomed fat bike/multi-use trail. And let’s not forget the ever-changing etiquette messaging designed to engage and educate.
It’s our passion for trails and human-powered recreation that continue to drive what we do. And while our shoes, and those who have filled them, may have changed a bit over the past 30 years, our commitment to you, the local trails community, continues to be the primary focus of our mission. YOU are our Air Jordan’s and we’ll continue to build our shoe and our trails around the idea that we are one community with many different needs.
Lastly, and most importantly, we couldn’t do what we do without your support, so, speaking on behalf of our entire team, thank you!
Looking forward to seeing y’all out on the cord this winter!
Rick Fournier, Trails Manager
