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Letters: Expanding Mount Ashland not right for community Regarding the proposed expansion of Mt Ashland: much ado has been made about the needs of beginner skiers. Before anyone accuses me of wanting to ruin skiing for the children (they are the future skiers after all), let me set the record straight: I have two young children who are learning to ski on the mountain. I am thrilled that they can become thrill-seekers so close to home. But as a parent, I do not want merely to raise good skiers. I want my children to understand stewardship of the land and water, and I want them to have common sense and practice fiscal responsibility. As a citizen of Ashland, as a skier and as a mother of little skiers, I oppose the current preferred plans (labeled 2 & 6 on the EIS) for expansion. Additional beginner runs and improvements to existing facilities can be done without spending almost $3 million, doubling the size of the ski area and clearcutting through our municipal watershed, all of which the Forest Service will allow Mt. Ashland to do, unless people speak up. Environmentalists have proposed several modest improvement plans for the ski area. The current plan for expansion is an outsized dream of a few, to the likely detriment of many. Concerned citizens need to educate themselves and get involved. Consider hiking the proposed expansion area with a knowledgeable KS Wild guide. There is another hike scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27. If there is to be an expansion of Mt. Ashland, it should be modest, in keeping with our moderate climate, our small skier base and our sensitive watershed and erosive soils. It is also crucial that further steps be taken to counteract erosion and other environmental damage caused by existing ski runs. Remediation should take place before expansion, whichever plan is adopted. There will be a rally with speakers presenting the environmentalist positions at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, on the Plaza. The group will then march to City Council chambers for the public input meeting at 7 p.m. It is imperative that citizens who oppose this OVERexpansion contact the Forest Service and each City Councilor. The final deadline for public comments is Oct. 23. Shelley Elkovich, Ashland LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -