Columnist Susan Snyder: Taking a pass at trail issue

Monday, June 30, 2003 | 8:12 a.m.

A plan to pull the annoying thap-thap-thap of helicopters away from residents' homes could instead leave them chattering over a place residents use to escape the city's noise.

Officials hoping to build a heliport outside the urban core are considering a spot smack-dab on the River Mountains Loop Trail at Railroad Pass, west of Boulder City.

The Federal Aviation Administration has final say on whether a heliport can be built -- a decision that could take three years.

By then, the section of trail that traverses the proposed heliport site will have been built and open for more than two years.

Ever ride a horse next to a helicopter landing pad?

"It's not a compatible use with a recreational trail or with horses," John Holman, chairman of the loop trail's partnership, said. "That trail is already designed and ready to go to bid."

When completed, the trail will be a paved, 35-mile ring around the River Mountains that sit east of Henderson and west of Lake Mead. A roughly four-mile section running south from Lake Mead Parkway is finished.

The section that continues south another five miles will end at Railroad Pass, cutting across the proposed heliport site. It should be open by March (check out rivermountainstrail.org).

"We are drafting a letter of concern, because we have several concerns," Holman said.

Ruining an unprecedented and successful trail project is something that should concern all of us.

Bob Eddy and his desert lobsters are in a pinch.

You may recall reading about the Mina resident in Valley Views columns last year and in January. (Humor the fantasy, 'K?)

Eddy discarded cattle ranching for what he hoped would be a regulation-free endeavor raising Australian crayfish, which grow to the size of small lobsters and taste similar. Signs for his "Desert Lobster" sit on both sides of U.S. Highway 95 south of Mina.

Nevada Division of Wildlife officials, however, have never been hooked on the idea. They say it's illegal for Eddy to sell the crayfish to passersby who aren't licensed to possess live wildlife.

Eddy called and said the eight-year battle has ended with a court order that says officers could confiscate or destroy his lobsters after June 23.

"They're going to shut off the water to my ponds and dump $30,000 worth of ice in there," Eddy said.

The water comes from hot springs, and the crayfish will die without heat. There are more than 1 million of the little buggers in those ponds. Eddy figures he'll be left with quite a mess.

And he knows exactly where he's taking them.

"I'm going to take them up to Fallon and dump them on the wildlife service's lawn," he said.

Stay tuned.

And last, a note from inside the valley even though that's cheating on a Monday. More than 1,000 dancers will twinkle their toes at Riviera this weekend to raise money for AIDS research.

Every time a dancer hits the stage during the 119th annual Dance Masters of Americas' weeklong convention, $1 will be donated to Dancers Responding to AIDS, a nonprofit group. The convention opens Saturday.