Monty Fuss, left, and Jacob Sexton at the Eastern Terminus of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in Fort Kent, Maine. The duo completed the canoe trail in 2024. (Provided photo — Jacob Sexton)

WAITSFIELD, Vt. — The Northern Forest Canoe Trail has announced its official roster of 2024 thru-paddlers and will host a virtual session on Wednesday, April 16, featuring three individuals who completed the trail last year.

The NFCT, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is a mapped inland water trail tracing 740 miles of Indigenous and historic travel routes across New York, Vermont, Qubec, New Hampshire and Maine. The canoe trail starts in Old Forge and ends in Fort Kent, Maine, traversing 23 rivers and streams, 59 lakes and ponds, 45 communities and towns, and more than 65 portages. In 2024, 12 individuals were recognized as having paddled the NFCT from end to end.

“A 740-mile thru-paddle requires grit, skill, attention to detail and above all, perhaps, a relentlessly positive attitude,” said Karrie Thomas, the NFCT’s executive director, in a news release. “Paddling 20 miles in one day is a grueling task. To do that for over a month straight is a feat worthy of commendation. Our team sends its congratulations to this year’s class of thru-paddlers — this is an inspirational crew.”

Thru-paddling involves traversing the NFCT by paddlecraft, downstream and upstream via flatwater, whitewater and overland, through deep wilderness and trail town communities. To be recognized as an NFCT thru-paddler, individuals must complete the entire route as one expedition during a single season. They are also required to formally register their trip for thru-paddler status.

Thru-paddlers are classified in two categories: those who complete the trail from west to east self-propelled, and those who complete the trail west to east supported by shuttles. The following individuals completed the NFCT self-propelled in 2024: Monty Fuss of Akron, Ohio; Eli Idec of Dallas, Pennsylvania.; Adin Jacobs-Johnson of Argyle, New York; Duncan Lumia of Dallas, Pennsylvania.; Fiona Morrison of Harvard, Massachusetts; Chrissy Noble of Berkshire, New York; Jan Ptacek of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Jacob Sexton of Hinckley, Ohio; and BobbiJo Tallon of Berkshire, New York.

The following individuals completed the NFCT in 2024 supported by shuttles: Syd Levy of Wyoming; Cade Marshall-Bowman of Wyoming; and Mack Truax of Lowell, Michigan.

“Our team sends a special congratulations and its gratitude to Mack Truax in particular,” said Chris Morris, the NFCT’s communications and outreach director, in the release. “For the past 10 years, Mack has returned to the canoe trail over and over, documenting every step, sharing his adventures with our community, providing tips, and being an exemplary member of the outdoor recreation community. When people seek advice, Mack always listens and helps without judgement. Mack has stated that 2024 was his last journey on the NFCT, but we will welcome him back if he decides to come out of retirement one day.”

The April 16 virtual session will be hosted on Zoom at 7 p.m. and feature presentations by Adin Jacobs-Johnson, BobbiJo Tallon and Jacob Sexton. There will be time for questions. The session is capped at 100 participants, so the NFCT requests that people register in advance at bit.ly/2024thrupaddlers. It will be recorded and posted to the NFCT’s YouTube Channel the following day.

“Things that were once mentally or physically challenging to me now seem like a walk in the park after completing that trail,” Jacobs-Johnson said of his thru-paddle.

For more information about the NFCT, visit northernforestcanoetrail.org.