The trail was first skied in 1984 by its founders, Steve Bushey, Paul Jarris, and Ben Rose. It was initially conceived as Bushey's thesis project when he was a geography student at the
University of Vermont. Since then, the Catamount Trail has been maintained by the Catamount Trail Association, initially incorporated in 1984. The Association coordinates volunteers, publishes a guidebook, and works to protect and preserve the trail. As of 2007, twenty-nine skiers had reported to the Association that they have skied the entire length of the Catamount Trail. ==Geography==