Visiting Colorado - 6 things you actually need to know

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

The reference to the LNT Principle in the article otowi linked?

Yes. It's not OK to go anywhere and throw your trash around and leave it behind. That's not Colorado specific.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Yes. It's not OK to go anywhere and throw your trash around and leave it behind. That's not Colorado specific.

Agreed.

[grad_student200]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Adds-


Watch for loose rocks on or coming onto the road, especially after rains. Same while hiking, loose rocks can move, small, huge, many or a wall of snow. Move light and watch ahead.




If you are going too fast or are distracted, don't expect a guardrail to be there to keep from going off the road.


Research back roads with government offices, guidebooks and / or locals to know whether high clearance is needed and what conditions are like. Get stuck and it may be expensive / long time to get out or your vehicle might not get out (except piecemeal by part scavengers).


A campfire isn't "alright" with a quick splash and slight scatter. Drown it and drown it and drown it again til even the under-bits and inner pockets are dead.


If you get a hail warning, take what measures you can to get off road and get covered.


It is not that common, but sometimes bears and mountain lions will come at someone with intent.


Filter your water properly and avoid taking from areas with high human & livestock traffic. It could make you sick not just briefly but possibly affect you for long time or forever.




UV is high. Sunscreen (lots of it, everywhere exposed and re-applied), hats, long sleeves, pants likely needed even for a few hours. The middle of day is especially strong. The precautions can be annoying if you let it, but the alternatives are worse. Be unlucky or push it too hard and skin cancer is a possibility.


Rivers can be playgrounds for the properly trained who know the risks and conditions but can take the ignorant, too bold or too casual.


Trespass may draw heavy response. Accidental may not lessen response.


Wear orange in hunting season, even as a hiker. Or stay out.


Always think about where you are shooting. People may be out of sight but nearby.


Don't leave valuables in cars. At the trailhead or outside a store, restaurant or motel. Or maybe even inside a motel.


Do all these things need to be said / read? Not for everybody but something might be worth a reminder on for for somebody.

This is a great checklist. When I hiked the "14teeners" I learned tidbits that can help avoid altitude sickness:
* Acclimizate - fastest is "alpine" climbing - go up as far as you can and then return to Denver's altitude, rest for about 2-3 days, then go back up. The difference is very obvious in VO2 max adaptation.
* avoid caffeine at high altitude - it's a vasoconstrictor that impedes altitude acclimatization
* In the summer months, go up early and start coming down by noon before thunder clouds come. The electromagnetic fields from late afternoon thunderstorms are prone to lightening and literally can make hair stand up like magnetic dipoles.
* Some of the modern trucks have a strange composite part to cover the oil pan that probably can't make it to some of the trail heads. The old Ford trucks from the 1990s and early 2000s were great for driving to trailheads like at Mt. Bierstadt. But I wouldn't take a 2016+ Ford up there. The strange composite parts are "lighter" in some cases but very weak and prone to damage on rugged mountain roads. Just ask an experienced truck mechanic - they will know what I mean.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by grad_student200

This is a great checklist. When I hiked the "14teeners" I learned tidbits that can help avoid altitude sickness:
* Acclimizate - fastest is "alpine" climbing - go up as far as you can and then return to Denver's altitude, rest for about 2-3 days, then go back up. The difference is very obvious in VO2 max adaptation.
* avoid caffeine at high altitude - it's a vasoconstrictor that impedes altitude acclimatization
* In the summer months, go up early and start coming down by noon before thunder clouds come. The electromagnetic fields from late afternoon thunderstorms are prone to lightening and literally can make hair stand up like magnetic dipoles.
* Some of the modern trucks have a strange composite part to cover the oil pan that probably can't make it to some of the trail heads. The old Ford trucks from the 1990s and early 2000s were great for driving to trailheads like at Mt. Bierstadt. But I wouldn't take a 2016+ Ford up there. The strange composite parts are "lighter" in some cases but very weak and prone to damage on rugged mountain roads. Just ask an experienced truck mechanic - they will know what I mean.

I agree with most of what you said. You picked a really bad example to make your bolded point, however. The road to the Bierstadt trailhead (Guanella Pass) has been paved all the way through for about 4 or 5 years now. Almost any road-worthy passenger car can make it up there.

Before the road was paved from Grant to the Clear Creek County line I drove my Honda Fit up it. Other than rattling all our teeth on the washboards it did just fine.

To be fair there are still plenty of rough 14er approaches, but Bierstadt isn't one of them.

[TCHP]

grad_student200 hasn't lived here for over 18 years now, so he is a bit out of date to more than a few things in the region.