YOUR AD HERE »

Hit Highline, not closed trails

Aspen Times writer

Dear Editor:

While mountain biking on the Highline Trail in Snowmass today, I noticed a proliferation of clayified 2-inch-deep indentations and grooves left by overanxious cycle and equine enthusiasts who used the trail in mud.

Riding wet trails leaves bad conditions for future users. The effects range from aesthetically displeasing to the hiker to mild annoyance to the rider of a full-suspension bike, to a rough ride on a rigid bike, to irreparable erosion. In this case the erosion can be repaired by a lot of riders riding the trail now that it is dry. (Ride fast, it smooths out the rattling.)



So, to the responsible riders of the valley: Go hit the Highline Trail; it is one of the only open and dry trails in the upper valley. Please respect other users and wildlife; don’t ride muddy trails or closed ones. No renegade riding on the Government, Tom Blake or Rim trails; they are closed until June 20 for elk migration and deer fawning – a very fragile time of the year for these beautiful creatures. These trails (with the exception of the partially open Rim Trail) are also likely to have large mud sections.

Thanks, and ride a lot.




Chris “Dogger” Anderson

Aspen

P.S. Thanks, Sue Gray, for your recently terminated letter campaign. I will truly miss reading your insights. You are a woman of sanity, strength and conviction. I will continue mine, as my agenda goes beyond the exposure of the immorality of war, but expands into the immorality of virtually all of the policies of this administration. Therefore, as November nears, my focus is going to turn to other actions of this unelected bunch; expose them as the environmental, social, and economic rapists and pillagers, hell-bent on the amassing of personal wealth for themselves and their wealthy campaign contributors. We will rid ourselves of Bush before he destroys the world.