Middlebury Gap, VT (Tuesday, July 25, 2006) -

Vermont's Middlebury College Snow Bowl is doing its first major ski and snowboard trail work in 20 years this summer, widening two key front-side ski trails. (photo: Middlebury College Snow Bowl)

Central Vermont's Middlebury College Snow Bowl ski and snowboard area is completing its first major trail work in 20 years this summer.

The work is taking place on the Bowl's two most popular front side ski trails, the Allen and the Ross. Both ski trails are being expanded, one and a quarter acres on Allen and two acres on Ross, and recontouring will be done to selected areas on both trails. Snowmaking pipes will be moved to the west side of the Ross, and a series of tower snowguns will be installed there which will greatly enhance the snowmaking capabilities on the trail.

These improvements will bring both of these trails up to USSA and FIS standards for width and will reduce recreational skier densities on each trail. The nearly $400,000 project, which is being done by Royal Trail Works of Royalton, should be completed by September.