2013

Formation of Rochester / Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance (R.A.S.T.A)
First annual Vermont Backcountry Forum takes place at Pierce Hall
R.A.S.T.A becomes chapter of Catamount Trail Association
US Forest Service (Green Mountain - Rochester & Middlebury Ranger Districts) approached by R.A.S.T.A. for proposed nation-wide-first: “Managed Backcountry Terrain”
Paul Kendall & Sharon Rives (Todhah Hill Foundation) donate 1547 acres to New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF), forming the Braintree Mountain Forest

2015

USFS approves “Trial Backcountry Skiing Project” which includes the zones at Brandon Gap
NEFF & Todhah Hill Foundation approve R.A.S.T.A.’s plan for managed glades in Braintree Mountain Forest
R.A.S.T.A.’s first volunteer work days take place at both Brandon Gap and Braintree Mountain Forest
NJ & NY based LEAVE NICE TRACKS film crew contact R.A.S.T.A. president Angus McCusker, attend volunteer work days, and begin documenting their focus (on & off) for the next 4+ years!

Winter… never shows. womp womp
Leave Nice Tracks continues to cover R.A.S.T.A. related efforts (we’ve got no ski footage, gotta film something!). Plus, R.A.S.T.A. folks are awesome and so is local beer.
Braintree Mountain Forest warming-hut volunteer renovation occurs
Vermont Youth Conservation Core assists with trail work at Brandon Gap

Winter finally shows
LNT gets their first real taste of filming BC skiing. It’s f*ing hard. We need more batteries. Fast and light is key.
R.A.S.T.A. has group tours of their newly filled-in zones. Winter is a success.
Off-season, glading takes place
LNT works with Vermont Huts Association & Braintree 357 Gravel Enduro

LNT crew complete AIARE 1 Course @ Mount Washington. (-35 degrees & 70-100 mph winds). Great time had by all.
Winter filming continues. It does not disappoint. (We envy film productions with sleds, or more crew, or budgets. The beer is still good, though.)
R.A.S.T.A. introduce alternative trail uses - including Mountain Biking. (Much easier than filming on snow.) Proposed Velomont Trail introduced.

LNT commits to premiering at VTBC Forum.
Backcountry Film Festival premieres’ Leave Nice Tracks Official Trailer at screenings across the country
LNT Director of Photography takes over Editor position. (This time in production includes a lot of coffee, a lot of swearing, pizza, some laughs, and many, many late nights. And yes, a hard drive did crash the night before the premiere. That actually happens. Backups, backups, backups.)
Ranch Camp’s General Manager / MTBVT managing partner, talented illustrator, and generally rad dude, Evan Chismark, designs incredible custom art for LNT
Kickstarter is launched, and successfully funded, allowing completion of a very polished rough cut*. (*To those asking about the status of the film - polished rough cut is where we still stand! )
Special thanks to our sponsors for donating goods during our campaign: Back Country Access - Bent Hill Brewery - Danner Boots - Scarpa - Ranch Camp - Vermont Huts Association - Vermont Glove
Leave Nice Tracks premiere’s at the 6th Annual VTBC Forum, in Rochester, VT.
Outdoor Gear Exchange hosts (and sells out) a second screening two days after VTBC Forum. LNT crew celebrates and then finally goes to sleep for a few days.
Kyle Crichton departs the project. We appreciate the hard work and passion he brought to the film.

Leave Nice Tracks is in the final phases of post-production, will soon deliver digital downloads to Kickstarter backers, and is looking for appropriate outlets for distribution as well as gearing up for festival entries.