EDITORIAL:
Ski trail with overnight huts could be a boon to Maine
Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
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A project to establish a 180-mile cross-country ski trail system with a dozen log huts for cross-country skiers to stay in is an idea that has many benefits for Maine.
Larry Warren and his nonprofit Western Mountains Foundation want to establish the trail from the Bethel area to Moosehead Lake and set up cabins similar to a system in Colorado's Rockies.
Warren suggests that this trail system would be an excellent way to move visitors from the coast to inland, and he's right. He's also correct when he says this could have international appeal. This is a great way to draw people to the state in both the summer and winter months, and it would be a year-round gem for Mainers.
There are some drawbacks, however. To make the plan work, the Legislature must approve a bill to allow trail-grooming equipment in the 33,000-acre Bigelow Preserve, a point of contention with environmentalists. More people in the area also would mean more ecological impact, especially if mountain bikers are allowed to use the trail.
Establishing a system like this is no small task, and all of the potential negative impacts must be carefully weighed with the benefits. If done in the right way, however, this project could become another reason why Maine is such a great place to be.