Paragliding at Hatcher Pass

By To the editor:

I am a frequent summer visitor to Alaska staying with my inlaws at Fishook. Yesterday we visited Seven Lakes, an extraordinarily beautiful area, and I observed the paragliders ascending ridges afoot, aided by the updrafts filling their shutes, a very elegant and no doubt enjoyable pursuit!

But there is a problem, because I have also observed the areas where they are ascending before launching are devoid of vegetation because of the repetitive treading of the aerialist footprints. I don’t really call myself a naturalist or expert, but it is not exactly an over-reach to suppose that killing the ground cover on near vertical ridges is going to lead to soil erosion and will be very hard to restore.

There is one favored launch site that is already extensively eroded, and a look around reveals other bare spots that are on the way and in sum, I find it rather alarming! While I have no desire to intrude on the artful fun of the aerialist, I would suggest the activity be restricted to specific areas where a management plan can be implemented to protect the vegetation and by extension the structural integrity of the mountain sides.

Tom Hagood