{"id":2446452,"date":"2019-07-17T20:16:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-18T02:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/forest-service-investigates-independence-pass-snowmobiling-case-alleged-culprit-posted-pictures-on-social-media\/"},"modified":"2019-07-18T08:22:18","modified_gmt":"2019-07-18T14:22:18","slug":"forest-service-investigates-independence-pass-snowmobiling-case-alleged-culprit-posted-pictures-on-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/forest-service-investigates-independence-pass-snowmobiling-case-alleged-culprit-posted-pictures-on-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Forest Service investigates Independence Pass snowmobiling case; alleged culprit posted pictures on social media"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.8246628131021\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-309653-141\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"| In a July 4 Facebook post, the outdoor clothing company David Lesh founded, Virtika, posted three pictures of Lesh riding a snowmobile with the caption \u201c@davidlesh sledding today on Independence Pass on Independence Day.\u201d\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>In a July 4 Facebook post, the outdoor clothing company David Lesh founded, Virtika, posted three pictures of Lesh riding a snowmobile with the caption \u201c@davidlesh sledding today on Independence Pass on Independence Day.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1.jpg\" alt=\"In a July 4 Facebook post, the outdoor clothing company David Lesh founded, Virtika, posted three pictures of Lesh riding a snowmobile with the caption \u201c@davidlesh sledding today on Independence Pass on Independence Day.\u201d\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Karin Teague\/courtesy photo | A snowmobiler picks his way down fragile, snow-free terrain to the Upper Lost Man Trailhead on July 3. Snowmobiles are not allowed in the wilderness even if there was snow.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>A snowmobiler picks his way down fragile, snow-free terrain to the Upper Lost Man Trailhead on July 3. Snowmobiles are not allowed in the wilderness even if there was snow.<\/strong><br \/>Karin Teague\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"A snowmobiler picks his way down fragile, snow-free terrain to the Upper Lost Man Trailhead on July 3. Snowmobiles are not allowed in the wilderness even if there was snow.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Karin Teague\/courtesy photo | One of two snowmobilers reaches the Upper Lost Man Trailhead parking area on July 3. He and a companion traveled in closed areas and damaged snow-free ground when they exited.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>One of two snowmobilers reaches the Upper Lost Man Trailhead parking area on July 3. He and a companion traveled in closed areas and damaged snow-free ground when they exited.<\/strong><br \/>Karin Teague\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"One of two snowmobilers reaches the Upper Lost Man Trailhead parking area on July 3. He and a companion traveled in closed areas and damaged snow-free ground when they exited.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Karin Teague\/courtesy photo | The snowmobiles left grooves where they crossed the wet, fragile terrain.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>The snowmobiles left grooves where they crossed the wet, fragile terrain.<\/strong><br \/>Karin Teague\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-3.jpg\" alt=\"The snowmobiles left grooves where they crossed the wet, fragile terrain.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"| In a March post on Facebook, David Lesh post photos from Mount Elbert proclaiming to make it to the summit of the tallest 14,000-foot mountain in the Rocky Mountains. According to a San Isabel National Forest spokesperson, snowmobile travel is not allowed on the upper mountain.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>In a March post on Facebook, David Lesh post photos from Mount Elbert proclaiming to make it to the summit of the tallest 14,000-foot mountain in the Rocky Mountains. According to a San Isabel National Forest spokesperson, snowmobile travel is not allowed on the upper mountain.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/sledfollo-atd-071819-1-4.jpg\" alt=\"In a March post on Facebook, David Lesh post photos from Mount Elbert proclaiming to make it to the summit of the tallest 14,000-foot mountain in the Rocky Mountains. According to a San Isabel National Forest spokesperson, snowmobile travel is not allowed on the upper mountain.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/forest-service-investigates-independence-pass-snowmobiling-case-alleged-culprit-posted-pictures-on-social-media\/?#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/forest-service-investigates-independence-pass-snowmobiling-case-alleged-culprit-posted-pictures-on-social-media\/?#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">The U.S. Forest Service opened an investigation Wednesday into a case of two men snowmobiling on snow-free terrain in designated wilderness on Independence Pass after receiving tips that one of the alleged culprits posted pictures of his illegal activity on social media.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe\u2019ve been given information about the possible identifications of the people,\u201d White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Law enforcement officers for the agency will follow up, he said, and added he couldn\u2019t discuss the case further.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Numerous people contacted The Aspen Times on Wednesday after reading a story about three Aspen-area <a id=\"N0xd7d1f0N0xface20:N0xd7d1f0N0xdbe8e0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/ecologists-encounter-with-snowmobilers-in-aspen-wilderness-on-july-3-raises-broader-concern\/?fbclid=IwAR0SG3Vd_Zb2cPKX9QlO0wIUxBC1D9hVUmCylPCThbbhms9s6rzsb-51s9o\">ecologists encountering two snowmobilers<\/a> on the Upper Lost Man Trail on July 3. Readers noted that Breckenridge resident David Lesh posted pictures about snowmobiling on the Pass the next day on his Instagram and Facebook accounts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On Facebook, the outdoor clothing company Lesh founded, Virtika, posted three pictures of Lesh riding a snowmobile with the caption \u201c@davidlesh sledding today on Independence Pass on Independence Day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On <a id=\"N0xd7d1f0N0xface80:N0xd7d1f0N0xdbea90\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/davidlesh\/\">Lesh\u2019s personal Instagram<\/a> account (which has more than 36,000 followers) he posted the same photos and wrote: \u201cIndependence Pass on Independence Day. That\u2019s a first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The pictures posted on July 4 show that Lesh found enough snow to sled on parts of the Pass. The Times cannot confirm what day those photos were taken.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But when he and a partner on July 3 traveled down Upper Lost Man, they were on bare ground. The three hikers confronted the men, who contended they weren\u2019t doing anything illegal and had looked at maps of the area, according to Karin Teague, executive director of the Independence Pass Foundation and one of the three hikers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Comparing the social media photos Lesh posted July 4 to those that Teague took of the July 3 encounter, the photos show a man in red ski pants, a black-and-gray jacket and backpack, black hat and same custom-design paint work on the snowmobile, which includes the outerwear company Virtika name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Lesh didn\u2019t reply to messages and emails from The Aspen Times to his social media accounts and business. The identity of his sledding companion has not been verified.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">According to Lesh\u2019s <a id=\"N0xd7d1f0N0xfacee0:N0xd7d1f0N0xdbedf0\" href=\"http:\/\/davidleshphotography.com\/about_me\/\">photography website<\/a>, the Chicago native moved to Colorado in 2005 to ski professionally and concentrate on photography. He said he founded Virtika in 2009 after he became \u201cfrustrated with my outerwear sponsors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Snowmobile use is only allowed on Highway 82 on the Independence Pass corridor. It\u2019s never allowed in wilderness, where all motorized and mechanized uses are prohibited.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Lesh nurtures a bad-boy image and Virtika uses \u201cbro-marketing\u201d video clips and images that feature scantily clad women, drugs, guns and adventure to sell its clothing and gear \u2014 albeit with a sense of humor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On his personal social media accounts, Lesh shows an ignorance or disregard for rules on snowmobile use on national forests. He posted pictures of himself March 27 on a snowmobile at what he identified as the summit of Mount Elbert.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cBattled our way to the summit of 14,439 ft tall Mt. Elbert, the highest peak of the North American Rocky Mountains,\u201d he posted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mount Elbert is on the Twins Lakes side of Independence Pass in the San Isabel National Forest. Snowmobiling is not an allowed use on the upper mountain, forest spokeswoman Lucero Hernandez said Wednesday. Forest maps clearly show where snowmobiles are prohibited, she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Fitzwilliams said he heard from representatives of the snowmobiling community who were appalled by images of snowmobiles in the fragile, snow-free terrain of Upper Lost Man.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Colorado Snowmobile Association, United Snowmobile Alliance and Backcountry United issued a joint statement Wednesday about the Lost Man incident.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The coverage and photos of the parties \u201coperating snowmobiles without visible snow in a Designated Wilderness area does not reflect the Colorado community of tens of thousands of snowmobilers in any manner,\u201d the statement said. \u201cRather this behavior is exactly the opposite of the community represented and is deeply troubling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cAs partners with federal, state and local managers in maintaining great recreation opportunities, we support strong environmentally friendly regulations as it pertains to state and federal riding areas,\u201d the statement continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Scott Jones, president of the Colorado Snowmobile Association, said in the statement that the groups are working with the Forest Service to identify and prosecute the parties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe are fully cooperating with law enforcement efforts from the U.S. Forest Service and are helping to identify the individuals in these pictures and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,\u201d Jones said in the statement. \u201cOur organizations work diligently with public land agencies to ensure access and responsible recreation and as such, we do not condone behaviors that damage the natural resources of Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Lesh was also getting push back from individual snowmobilers on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cYou dumbass. Great job helping to close access to sledding,\u201d one person wrote on Lesh\u2019s Instagram page.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Another wrote, \u201cWay to show the non-sledders how it\u2019s done. (Expletive.) Just proof that some people don\u2019t deserve to be able to do whatever they want.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Fitzwilliams said if a person is convicted of operation a snowmobile on a closed portion of the national forest, the penalty is a fine of $250 to $5,000.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Even if the tips don\u2019t lead to prosecution, it will be an opportunity to educate people about the importance of snowmobiling where it is allowed and \u201ccertainly not in areas without snow,\u201d Fitzwilliams said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Teague said Wednesday that the incident has resulted in \u201cdisbelief and outrage from snowmobilers and non-motorized types alike.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She is optimistic it can lead to a community-wide conversation about valuing and enjoying public lands in Colorado \u2014 and the importance of being good stewards of them. Forest visitors must take personal responsibility for knowing the regulations on use of the lands, she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI think we can all get along,\u201d Teague said. \u201cHopefully this incident will move us in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:scondon@aspentimes.com\">scondon@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/forest-service-investigates-independence-pass-snowmobiling-case-alleged-culprit-posted-pictures-on-social-media\/?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a July 4 Facebook post, the outdoor clothing company David Lesh founded, Virtika, posted three pictures of Lesh riding a snowmobile with the caption \u201c@davidlesh sledding today on Independence Pass on Independence Day.\u201d A snowmobiler picks his way down fragile, snow-free terrain to the Upper Lost Man Trailhead on July 3. Snowmobiles are not [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2446452","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-21 12:07:00","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2446452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2446478,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446452\/revisions\/2446478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2446452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2446452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2446452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}