Lion Mountain mid-winter dog poop report

Here’s a mid-winter report on the chronic dog poop problem at Lion Mountain. In a word, disgusting. Although my dog and I have shoveled along the trail at least eight times this winter — sometimes just a few days apart — we’ve routinely encountered 30 or more deposits per trip.

Not surprisingly, the same issue applies to the Haskill Basin trailhead and other heavily used areas. The problem is especially acute within the first quarter-mile of such trails and, although owner-abandoned poop is a year-round issue, it’s especially trail-centric and glaring during winter.

Sadly, most dog owners can’t be counted on to act responsibly and the poop issue is only going to worsen over time. Therefore the various managing entities need to face this fact: We have a basic littering problem that needs formal management, not sporadic volunteerism.

Steve Barrett, Kalispell