Colorado Business Owner David Lesh At Center Of Controversy Again
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - A clothing business owner in Denver has once again found himself in the middle of controversy, this time in the Glenwood Springs area of Colorado. David Lesh owns Virtika, an outdoor retail shop.
The shop posted a photo to social media on Friday of who they claim as Lesh walking on a log in the middle of Hanging Lake. That post was taken down sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Due to its sensitive nature, the United State Forest Service prohibits swimming or any bodily contact with the lake. It is unclear whether Lesh will face punishment, and if so, to what degree.
"Hanging Lake is a unique example within the Southern Rocky Mountains biophysiographic province of a lake formed by travertine deposition," the National Park Service states.
According to a social media post -- showing the same picture -- by Lesh, he's been in Colorado for 15 years.
Lesh is no stranger to controversy. On July 3, 2019, he was caught riding a snowmobile on off-limits terrain on Independence Pass, the Vail Daily reports. He was charged in U.S. District Court. The next hearing in his case is scheduled for June 16.
Later that same year, in August, Lesh crashed a plane in the Pacific Ocean. He recorded the rescue and posted it to his social media pages. He had a passenger whom he was on a photo shoot with.
In April of 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home orders, Lesh was accused of trespassing at Keystone Resort after he posted a picture of himself snowmobiling on jumps, the Summit Daily reports.
The USFS tells CBS4 they have heard from many people upset about the Hanging Lake picture and other social media posts.
"It is against regulations to enter Hanging Lake including walking out on logs. This log has a sign right by it that says to stay off the log. Hanging Lake is a sensitive area visited by a lot of people, and the rules are in place so we can all continue to enjoy its scenic value," officials told CBS4.
