Why do we not have a Designated Dog Trail? A few years ago, there was an initiative to build a dedicated dog trail, starting down near the Cedar Lake access road. Plans were drawn up. Several factors led the Club to abandon the plan. Those factors include: a) a dog trail project needs funding, and the groomer is our current priority;
b) the initiative needs dedicated volunteers willing to see the project through to completion;
c) the Club is concerned about an uncontrolled access to the trail system, reducing our ability to collect fees and our ability to advise members of safety issues that may be present on the trails; d) the proposed dog trail is outside the Club's agreement area in which we have authority; and
e) the proposal received a lukewarm reception from Recreation Sites and Trails, mostly related to disturbance of wildlife.
Snowshoe Trails The club must manage use of all its trails in a uniform manner concerning dogs, and in particular the points where snowshoe and ski trails intersect. While most owners are responsible and their dogs are well behaved, unfortunately not all dogs are controlled by their owners, and the GNSC is not equipped to monitor appropriate and inappropriate dog behaviour.
In addition, the snowshoe trails pass across wetland areas that are beaver habitat. Beavers do not, in fact, hibernate. One of the goals of the Golden Nordic Ski Club is to manage the trails in a manner that has the least disturbance of wildlife. We consider dogs to be a threat to beavers that is not presented by people.
President: Phil Carson