COLORADO SPRINGS — Video intended as a fun look at an invention for outdoor thrill seekers is drawing criticism.The device with rugged large wheels, straps to lower legs to simulate a ski experience in the summer.
Snowboards, mountain bikes and many other outdoor activities came from Innovative thinking. In this case the concern is not about the invention, it the location where it was demonstrated.
"I'm not quite sure what to call it, but to us really sent up a lot of red flags," said Colorado Springs Parks Maintenance and Operations Manager, Kurt Schroeder. The video shows dirt flying, vegetation destroyed, and tracks left by the wheels on steep mountainsides in Cheyenne Canon Park. "That use was anything but environmentally sensitive and we're all responsible we all have a role in protecting our resources."
The trail building and repair experts at the non-profit Rocky Mountain Field Institute also reacted to the video. In social media post they say the choice of locations is “terrible for our natural resources and environment.”
“We put in trails thoughtfully and they’re for a purpose,” said Schroeder. Travel on Trails is a pillar of the Leave No Trace principles for outdoor recreation. It is outdoor etiquette for hikers, bikers or any other activity with the purpose of preserving and sustaining public lands, so all those outdoor activities can continue long into the future.
