An assembly member recently said people live in rural areas of the borough to do whatever they want without regard for neighbors or the law. I live at Mosquito Lake and the reason is because it is peaceful and quiet. To disturb one’s neighbors and continually create strife within the community is irresponsible at least and anti-social at worst. Most of us that live up the valley are respectful and considerate of our neighbors and do not act in ways that are deleterious to the general good fellowship within the community.
The heli-ski industry conducts business in ways that are blatantly self-serving, irresponsible, even childish, despite every effort made by the rest of the community to allow helicopter ski tours to take place with a minimum of disturbance to wildlife and residents. I have no problem with heli-skiing, but the way the industry operates consistently crosses the line separating simple nuisance from an outright threat to the quality of life here at Mosquito Lake and other places. Opening Four Winds Mountain to helicopters would impact all of us who live at its feet, and disturb the goat herd on its slopes. That is why it has been excluded from the heli-ski map. It should remain excluded.
When I moved to Haines six years ago, I was ambivalent about heli-skiing. Now I believe it has a largely negative impact. The industry seems incapable of conducting itself in a responsible and propitious way. Put simply, they are bad neighbors.
Derek Poinsette