Ascutney Outdoors Center To Open In Time For VMBAfest

After several years of hard work, fundraising and planning, a new 3,000-square-foot Ascutney Outdoors Center will open at Mount Ascutney this summer, just in time to host the Vermont Mountain Bike Festival, July 27-29. The center will serve as a base for the mountain’s year-round, multi-use trails, which host mountain biking, hiking and skiing.

The bottom floor of the center will serve as bike, ski and sports shop, operated by Paradise Sports of Windsor. Upstairs, there will be a large, open room with a small kitchen, restrooms, large windows with a view of the mountain and a deck.

“It will serve as a gateway for all of Ascutney Outdoors’ activities,” says board member Glenn Seward. It will also serve as a gathering place for the community, hosting regular open mic nights, film series, naturalist talks, and a lodge where folks can relax after a ski, ride or hike. The space will be available to rent for gatherings like birthdays and reunions.

“We’re already getting inquiries about the availability of the space,” Seward says. “The future looks really promising for the use of the building. We’re extremely excited.”