I am writing in response to your editorial on safety, clichés and Cascade Creek. This is a pathetic piece from the editors of The Durango Herald (Herald, July 10). It represents the response of the Herald staff to a request for comment about the recent incidents at Cascade Creek.

The editorial contained nothing more than an almost parenthetic mention of the incidents in a frivolous article about safety clichés that dismissed the suggestion that warning signs might have a positive effect.

At the same time, there was an article about the reasons for the unusually high flow rate in the creek (Herald, July 9) and excuses for the lack of warning signs couched in terms of the difficulties created by multiple land ownership in the area.

Many more words were employed to describe the trail and the experience (Herald, June 17) with reference to nothing more than a warning about the dangers on the San Juan County Sheriff’s Facebook page (Herald, June 17).

Surely, there could be warning signs at the trailheads and other access points to the creek.

Surely, the cost of signs would be less than the cost of rescuing six people this year and recovering the body of one fine young lady.

Certainly, the 200 people who attended the celebration of life for Haley Clarke would have rather each donated $1 to the cause than attend such an event. Needless to say, I am dumbfounded, perplexed and angered by this lukewarm response to a clear danger to our youth.

Frank R. Masiarz

Bayfield