Letter: Etiquette on the trail

Regarding the recent letter titled “Be dog-sponsible” (Commentary, The Aspen Times, Dec. 4), I would like to point out that users of the dog trails Labrador Lane and Bernese Boulevard who walk rather than ski or snowshoe on those trails ruin the trail by punching through the trail surface, degrading the experience for those who ski with their canine companions. People who understand ski culture and Nordic trail etiquette know that walking on the trail degrades the experience for others and mindfully refrain from doing so. Many local trail users, even some longtime locals, are oblivious to this simple fact. Our dedicated crew of grooming-machine operators do an excellent job, and their efforts to create a smooth skiing surface are much appreciated. Walking on the ski trails shows a lack of respect for the public spaces that we all share. There are plowed trails around the perimeter of both golf courses for those who cannot or do not want to ski or snowshoe. In the thin snowpack we are currently experiencing in the Roaring Fork Valley, the walking traffic on the dog trails has resulted in a trail surface pockmarked by holes left by ignorant bipeds. Please be courteous and ski or snowshoe on the cross-country trails and walk only on the paved and plowed paths.

Scott Brown

Woody Creek