Things that will kill you in Durango.......... (Denver, Boulder: 2013, campsites)

[Gxhardyg4]

besides cars and people.

For all you naturalists (not nudists), I'm bringing my dogs with me for a visit. What plants or animals should we be on the lookout for in the summer? Is poison ivy prevalent? Rattlesnakes? Mountain lions? Corrupt cops? Bad restaurant food? All info will be appreciated. Thanks.

[DurangoJoe]

Not many rattlesnakes. They're here but not prevalent like they would be at lower altitudes. It's just a bit too high for us to be overrun with them here. We do have mountain lions but you'll probably never even see one. Bears too. If you're worried about it, be sure to make noise as you head through the woods. The only time bears become a problem is late summer into fall when they're everywhere trying to load up on calories for the winter & root through peoples trash, restaurant dumpsters, anything they can find.

Just watch out for the Texans & Californians while you're here. They're the real danger!

[jazzlover]

DurangoJoe is talking through his hat. There are areas around Durango that have plenty of rattlesnakes. They are not the large varieties that one sees in the Midwest, South, and East, but they are around and are equally as poisonous. Unlike DurangoJoe, I have spent my whole life in the region. The areas where rattlesnakes are not common are in the very arid desert areas, such the west central valleys of Colorado--Delta, Montrose, Grand Junction, etc. There it is the lack of precipitation that limits their range. The "sweet spot" for rattlesnakes in the mountain areas are the places that get over around 10" of precipitation and up and are around 5,000 ft. to 8,000 feet elevation. Durango gets around 18" of precipitation in a normal year and is 6,500 ft. elevation. The higher elevation number is "fuzzy"--I've seen numerous rattlenakes at 9,000+ elevations in the mountains west of the San Luis Valley.

The most rattlesnake infested area of the Colorado mountains are the southern foothills of the Front Range, from about Boulder south to the New Mexico border. The area around the foothills at Cañon City is about the worst.

As for mountain lions, they are around, but generally avoid human contact. They will gladly munch on an unattended dog or cat if they get the opporutnity, however.

Bears can be problem at trash cans, campsites, or anywhere food is around anytime when their food supply is short. Last year in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, they were tossing trash cans by Memorial Day. This year is stacking up the same. There may be fewer of them because last couple years of drought in southern Colorado have actually killed a lot off them off from starvation.

The biggest threat to animals and humans are the little critters: Ticks can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick Fever, which is a very miserable disease to contract. Hantavirus is common in deer mice, the most common mouse one will encounter at campsites and seldom-used cabins, etc. It can be fatal. So, too, West Nile virus carried by mosquitoes, usually the Culex variety in Colorado, can be fatal in some cases. Lest people think that West Nile is uncommon, I have lost 3 friends in the Rocky Mountain region over the last 10 years to West Nile virus. Fortunately, West Nile is relatively uncommon above about 8,000 ft. in elevation.

I do agree with DurangoJoe that the biggest pain in Durango is the two-legged turista--they usually aren't deadly, but sure are obnoxious.

[proveick]

The flatlanders driving Red Mountain Pass.

[jaekn]

People can kill you in Durango, also breaking a hip in the shower. Otherwise you're safe. Bears are not a likely threat, nor are mountain lions.

[Mike from back east]

A rock slide on US-550 can kill you. The road is closed now for removal of such a slide....and it's going to snow a lot this week to boot.

[davidv]

You should not worry so much about yourself as your pets.

It is highly unlikely that you will see mountain lions, but they will most certainly see you and they may make a meal out of a small dog left unattended. You could get accosted by coyotes, but that is unlikely. You have a better chance of seeing them, and they will take any opportunity to eat your pet (as will foxes). I live near the foothills in Denver, and anytime I see a lost pet poster, I refer to the lost pet as "lunch."

Bear attacks are rare, but could happen.

What is a real killer for many is heavy physical exertion at altitude by someone coming from a much lower altitude. You could develop high altitude pulmonary edema (fluid build up in the lungs), but it is not common. If you do have preexisting heart conditions, consult your doctor.

[elan]

They found a rattlesnake in the dog park year before last. They have a vaccine for dogs now, might be something to think about. I'd heard coyotes at night, so keep them inside. I dunno, it's pretty much like the rest of the state as far as wildlife is concerned. Your dogs will need tons of water, don't want them to get dehydrated. Lots of dog lovers in Durango, watch out for the dog dishes on the sidewalk.

[Gxhardyg4]

Thanks for the replies. I grew up in the south and have had dealings with ticks, spiders, skeeters, snakes. Friends have sighted bears and there are hunting seasons for them in Arkansas. I don't, however, know anyone who has actually seen a mountain lion. There have been reports of hearing them howling in the night (I believe it's probably bobcats.) To me they're like a tornado; would like to see one but not up close.

My 2 dogs are about 75 lbs each. I've been told that they'd probably be safe if they stayed close together. A mountain lion would most likely avoid them (dog vs. cat thing). However, a hungry lion wouldn't hesitate to attack one that's alone. Do any of you have any knowledge on this?

Also, no one commented on poison ivy. It's everywhere in the south. Didn't use to be allergic to it and would clear it out of my yard with bare hands. Now it's very unpleasant when I come into contact with its oils. A while back I was playing with my dogs not knowing that they had gotten into some ivy. Very bad results. Is the ivy everywhere in your area? Thanks again.

[GStone777]

Take plenty of water when hiking. Several of my buddies and I found a guy by the trail once in a remote area who had run out of water and appeared to be suffering from the beginning stages of heat stroke. He was miles from his car and the temperature was over 100 degrees and it was noon. We probably saved his life because nobody was coming back on the trail behind us and we didn't run into anybody on the way back either.

Watch out for cactus. If your dogs or you run into it you can be infected. There are several kinds where the thorns actually dig themselves into your skin. I don't know if the area around Durango has any Cholla but it is evil and you don't want to deal with the thorns. I ran into one once and I still have a small scar on my leg.

People with loose dogs are more likely to be attacked by wildlife if it is around. To be safe you may want to keep them on a leash. I did run into a Mountain Lion summer before last on Grand Mesa and it stood off at a hundred feet and watched me. I threw a rock at it and waved my hiking stick around in the air and yelled and it went away.

Don't let those tourists in Durango run you over. When they use their turn signal don't believe they will actually go in that direction until they have done it.