Burlington man is embarking on a trip to ski the length of Vermont

A Burlington man next week is embarking on a trip to ski the length of Vermont as part of an effort to call attention to our warming winters. On Saturday, February 25, Bill Burrell will take to the Catamount Trail, skiing from the Massachusetts state line to the Canadian border. The 317-mile trek is expected to take around 18 days and includes 35,000 feet of total elevation. Barring dangerously low temperatures, he’s aiming to sleep outside every night. He’s shooting for the “unsupported best-known time,” basically roughing it while trying to get through it as quickly as possible.  With that in mind, his pack weighs 47 pounds, making this a trek that requires a lot of training. He’s been prepping for over a year now and feels ready –that is, if the weather cooperates. The Essex Junction science teacher says the lack of snow has been an issue from the start. If there are too many un-skiable parts, he may have to call off the journey. The self-proclaimed lover of snow, will be documenting his chilly trek on Instagram and will also be included in a book he’s working on about climate change in Vermont. And with his departure date looming, Burrell is hoping Mother Nature gives him a few inches of snow as a good luck gift.