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Leaving kids to fend for themselves? Unconscionable

To the two women hiking on the Tom Blake Trail with an unleashed white lab on July 2:

I find it unconscionable that you would cause an accident and walk away, leaving my daughter on the ground without knowing if she was OK. This was after you saw my daughter flip over her handle bars on Valhalla after braking for your dog who appeared at the bottom of the Valhalla bridge as she was coming down. She could have broken her neck.

There are signs to leash your dog. If you would have done so, your dog would have never been running loose on the Valhalla biking trail. Valhalla has 1,400-foot vertical drop designed for downhill bikers; we cannot stop on a dime. Hikers and their dogs are not allowed on this trail. If paths were to cross, hikers yield to downhill bikers.



My twin daughters Jade and Jude Hanson, who are 12 years old; their friend, 13; and another person, 17, were left to handle the situation you created, on their own, with no assistance from either of you. You walked away continuing on your hike until one of them asked you to stop, at which point you said, “It isn’t my fault, they were going too fast.” You were told to meet at the bottom but you just took off, not to be held accountable. Two grown women leaving the scene without a care? Even my 12-year-olds would have the common decency to stay until help arrived.

I highly doubt you are a local because in this unique and small town we all come together to care for one another.




Mostly everyone knows Jade and Jude. They were born in this town and will continue to be raised here. It’s a very small town. I hope you shared this incident with someone and they convince you to do the right thing since both of you couldn’t come to this realization on your own.

In case you’re concerned, we were in the emergency room for three hours. Your carelessness has ruined the duration of my daughter’s summer as she will be in a cast.

I am writing this letter in hopes it will inform those who are not aware of what a danger it can be to our children or truly anyone on the biking trails if one person chooses to disregard the leash law. Please read all signs and adhere to them so everyone can enjoy their summer on the mountain safely.

Deborah Konig and Kim Hanson

Snowmass Village