Homer Alaska - Letters

This is a desperate call for help. As in each of the past few years, the Kachemak Nordic Ski Club extends the marathon trail across my family property, with our permission, located to the south of Ohlson Mountain Road and below Lookout Mountain. This year is no exception, and they have run a beautiful trail, of about 5 kilometers. The full loop to the Lookout Mountain Trails is around 7 kilometers. All of this trail is groomed by volunteers, and was groomed all of last week, including Friday (March 4). I skied it in the afternoon, coming home about 3 p.m.The trail was beautiful and in perfect condition.

Several of our neighbors have our permission to ride their snowmachines across, as our family does. However, we and they respect the ski trail and are careful to cross the trail slowly and leave little trace, and they respect my wishes not to go up on the knoll. My neighbors have all respected our private property and our wishes, which is so greatly appreciated.

Sometime between 3 and 7 in the evening of Friday, snowmachines came past the private property signs in the swamp area of Ohlson Mountain Road, came onto our lands and drove over the knoll, into the neighbor's yard and, worst, drove right down the trail, ruining it.

I think of the hours of work that went into the trail and it made me heartsick. I do not know who is riding out there, I do know they come along Skyline Drive both west and east. They appear to be coming a long way, and then come onto private property as if it was their playground.

My huge concern now is the marathon race on Saturday.I beg your readers, if you have any idea who is riding their snowmachines over here, please ask them to respect our private property. There are sufficient public lands around. There should be no need to abuse private property.

Milli Martin