Gunstock trail path Mr. Buckman longs for was very dangerous

To The Daily Sun,

Mr. Buckman starts his article, "Belknap Trail changes break with tradition" in the OUTDOORS section of last week's Sun using the inclusive WE pronoun, waxing eloquently about a shared love for our local mountains and trails. As part of that WE, I heartily agree.

Unfortunately the article then proceeds to blatant errors of fact presumably shared by all of us nature lovers. Mr. Buckman presumes WE share his personal opinion that WE nature lovers are ill served by the trail work that has been done by the volunteer BRATTS. This member of the WE vehemently disagrees.

Mr. Buckman states as fact that work done in trail maintenance causes erosion when the exact opposite was its intent and result. Mr. Buckman then states that the group operates with no authority or control which is false as the group scrupulously adheres to state or private owner dictates as work is proposed and gains approval. And then Mr. Buckman cites an example of work done within the Gunstock Mountain boundaries which I am willing to wager was performed with the full permission and cooperation of Gunstock management.

Mr. Buckman then concludes with what I believe is a dangerous suggestion — namely to revert the trail connection to the top of Gunstock back to the notoriously dangerous, slick, slippery and almost always wet granite bed rock slopes leading to the glorious Gunstock views WE all love so much.

I personally have slipped and fallen on that dangerous stretch of tradition and say “Thank you BRATTS” for rerouting me to the beautiful stone stairway to heaven now connecting the trail to the view.

David Friedman

Laconia