Creag Nan Drochaid
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
- Messages
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Hello, everyone.
If the State Approves the Mount Sunapee Resort's West Bowl expansion, we lose Summit Trail probably for good. We can still resist, but time is short.
We have until June 5 to send our comments to the State of NH at [email protected]. Please be aware that the comments are treated like ballots in an election: the first sentence should say "I oppose..." or "I support..." whatever proposal you are commenting on. The staff who counts the comments count them as opposed, supportive, or neutral if the first sentence says something else. Neutral therefore doesn't count for much. This is the word I have from the people at Friends of Mount Sunapee friendsofmountsunapee.org which website has all the background on this issue. Friends of Mount Sunapee also is on Facebook.
Now, the background: the State leases part of Mt Sunapee State Park to the Mt Sunapee Resort (Resort) for a downhill ski area. Recently DRED Commissioner Rose gave preliminary approval for the Resort to expand to what they call the West Bowl, with a new chairlift and several new downhill ski trails.
Aside from many other impacts and issues, the Resort plans to cross Summit Trail at least five times, which would make for medically interesting collisions between snowshoers and downhill skiers. Summit Trail was cut by volunteers in 1997 at the State's behest in order that hikers and skiers would not have to share the same trails. It is the only hiking trail to the top of the mountain that keeps the two separate AND has its trailhead on State land. The other three trails (Goshen, Newbury, Andrew Brook) all start on private land, and exist because the owners tolerate us.
Summit Trail is gaining in popularity in part because it is a hiking trail only and you can park off Province Road in Goshen rather than lower down in the big lot at the Resort. It is an integral part of Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway as well as a feeder trail to the north end of Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. It is still maintained by local volunteers.If Summit Trail were relocated, it would still have to cross ski trails at least twice, plus zigzag up a steep slope in a narrow strip of woods between ski trails. Very expensive to build and maintain.
The Resort has a large and profitable ski area in this State Park. Non-skiers have only this one trail. Please help by signing the petition at the Friends of Mount Sunapee website and emailing "I oppose the West Bowl expansion of Mount Sunapee Resort." to [email protected] .
Thank you for caring for this trail.
If the State Approves the Mount Sunapee Resort's West Bowl expansion, we lose Summit Trail probably for good. We can still resist, but time is short.
We have until June 5 to send our comments to the State of NH at [email protected]. Please be aware that the comments are treated like ballots in an election: the first sentence should say "I oppose..." or "I support..." whatever proposal you are commenting on. The staff who counts the comments count them as opposed, supportive, or neutral if the first sentence says something else. Neutral therefore doesn't count for much. This is the word I have from the people at Friends of Mount Sunapee friendsofmountsunapee.org which website has all the background on this issue. Friends of Mount Sunapee also is on Facebook.
Now, the background: the State leases part of Mt Sunapee State Park to the Mt Sunapee Resort (Resort) for a downhill ski area. Recently DRED Commissioner Rose gave preliminary approval for the Resort to expand to what they call the West Bowl, with a new chairlift and several new downhill ski trails.
Aside from many other impacts and issues, the Resort plans to cross Summit Trail at least five times, which would make for medically interesting collisions between snowshoers and downhill skiers. Summit Trail was cut by volunteers in 1997 at the State's behest in order that hikers and skiers would not have to share the same trails. It is the only hiking trail to the top of the mountain that keeps the two separate AND has its trailhead on State land. The other three trails (Goshen, Newbury, Andrew Brook) all start on private land, and exist because the owners tolerate us.
Summit Trail is gaining in popularity in part because it is a hiking trail only and you can park off Province Road in Goshen rather than lower down in the big lot at the Resort. It is an integral part of Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway as well as a feeder trail to the north end of Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. It is still maintained by local volunteers.If Summit Trail were relocated, it would still have to cross ski trails at least twice, plus zigzag up a steep slope in a narrow strip of woods between ski trails. Very expensive to build and maintain.
The Resort has a large and profitable ski area in this State Park. Non-skiers have only this one trail. Please help by signing the petition at the Friends of Mount Sunapee website and emailing "I oppose the West Bowl expansion of Mount Sunapee Resort." to [email protected] .
Thank you for caring for this trail.
