the upper body workout, and many swear they need them to protect their knees. Keep in mind that using poles means making four points of contact per walking cycle instead of two, which can complicate the process, especially on rocky and rooty trails.
Maps and Navigation
Each hike description includes a diagram of the route. The intention is to provide a snapshot: something to help you choose the hike, imprint on your brain, and keep in mind while walking. A bold dashed line represents the route described in the text; lighter-weight dashed lines are branching trails and alternative paths. These diagrams are not meant to substitute for actual navigation maps, which you will probably want to buy if you do more than a little hiking. A good topographic map not only helps you avoid getting lost, it adds great pleasure to the hiking experience. You can compare what you see with what’s on the map, learn the names of things near and far, get to be on a first-name basis with many mountains, and come to greet them as old friends. You can be more confident in making route deviations, and—best of all—get lots of ideas for your next hike.
My favorite set of topographic maps are in the National Geographic Trails Illustrated series. They are accurate and durable, and their size and scale usually give an appropriate level of detail: not too little, not too “zoomed-in.” For me it is just as important to track features several dozen miles away as it is to see things that are close.
No matter how careful you are, or how good your map is, you are going to lose your way at some point. Accept it; it’s part of the deal. Try to have fun with it, and don’t freak out. Stay calm, relaxed, look at the map, look at the features around you, and plan your next move with confidence. Usually the best bet is to retrace your steps until you feel more certain of where you are, even if it means lengthening your trip. Prevention is best, of course. Don’t let your confusion build too much before you check the map.
Personal Safety
Hydration
Two liters of tap water per person will carry you through most of these hikes. You should assume that all surface water (lakes and streams) contains the giardia parasite, which can create nasty intestinal trouble.
Drink plenty of fluids before starting out, and spread out your water intake over the hike. Humans can’t process more than about a liter per hour; the excess just gets filtered out.
Thunderstorms
Practice helps in reading the weather and judging the likelihood of thunderstorms. Cumulus clouds that are spaced apart and fluffy white at the bottoms pose no danger; watch for the very dark ones with an anvil shape at the top. Five seconds between a lightning flash and thunder means the event is a mile away; anything less than 20 seconds signals danger, since lightning can travel ahead of storms. Cold rain and hail are also concerns.
Get off summits and ridges if a storm approaches. Also stay away from depressions, gully bottoms, the bases of rock overhangs, large solitary trees, and standing water. The best place to be is among a group of small, uniformly-sized trees, where you should sit on your pack with your elbows outside your knees to help ball yourself up small. Companions should space out about 50 feet apart.
During a lightning storm, try to stay calm and enjoy yourself. Storms are exceedingly common on summer afternoons, and great times to feel connected with nature’s beauty and power. The whole reason for the hazard is that humans are not separate from nature. Rather we are connected, a part of what is going on. Storms usually don’t last long, and the lighting effects are gorgeous when the storm passes and the sun reemerges.
Altitude
Altitude sickness is a biological disturbance brought on by inadequate oxygen intake. Susceptibility depends on the individual and can be unpredictable. The key is to pay attention to your body and know how it tends to react. Common symptoms include headache, nausea, loss of appetite, and lethargy. You might also experience swelling in your face and hands or feet.
If you are visiting the Front Range from sea level, it’s a good idea to spend at least two days at around 8,000 feet before going much higher. Then ascend slowly, stay hydrated, and don’t overexert yourself. Above 13,000 feet it is normal to walk in such a way that you can include a brief pause with each step.
A good attitude helps in dealing with altitude. Be relaxed and positive, and try to keep a sense of humor. If you or anyone in your party feels too crappy, just go back down and try again on a different day. The mountains aren’t going anywhere.
Sun
You can get sunburned, including on your eyeballs, on a cloudy day. This is especially true at higher altitudes and in snow, which intensify the sun’s effects. I speak not proudly from experience, having snow-blinded myself three times during my younger years; two of those times were on cloudy days. You can also get burned in places like the palms of your hands, the roof of your mouth, and beneath your chin. Solution? Bring good sunscreen and good sunglasses on every hike, and use them.
Heat
Heat exhaustion happens when the body absorbs and works up heat faster than it can dissipate it. Dehydration is the first symptom, followed by cool clammy skin, weakness, nausea, and perhaps fainting. In such cases, find shade and fluids, elevate the feet, and focus on cooling the face and head. Prevention is best: on hot days, hike the high country. It’s right there.
Cold
Hypothermia is evidenced by uncontrollable shivering, loss of coordination (especially in the hands), fuzzy thinking, drowsiness, and slurred speech. It doesn’t have to be terribly cold to occur; many cases occur between 30 and 50 degrees, especially in wet and windy weather. It is best to prevent this condition rather than let it develop, and the solution is to get dry and warm.
Someone going into hypothermia might not be aware it is happening, and even deny it. Reluctant to get up after a rest, they might want to stay back on the trail and wait for you. Don’t agree to this. Trust the symptoms and treat them then and there.
General Safety
If hiking alone, be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back. It’s also best to maintain a conservative hiking practice when alone and not go for risky rock scrambles, never push time or weather limits, and so on.
No trail in this book requires crossing waist-deep streams, but there are hundreds of small crossings, many on ad hoc bridges of fallen logs or sequences of rocks. The biggest hazard is usually dunked feet; however, it is important to be mindful of how deep and fast-flowing water can be at different times of year. Don’t attempt a crossing if you feel it is “over your head.” Better to turn back and try a different route, or return later in the year.
Break in your boots, try to keep your feet dry, and cover trouble spots as soon as they develop with moleskin or tape. If a blister forms, don’t pop it as this can invite infection. Instead, cut a circle in the moleskin. If a blister becomes too uncomfortable to continue walking, you can drain it by making a small puncture with a clean needle.
There is no excuse for not having a first aid kit in your backpack. Drugstores sell great ones at very reasonable prices. If you never open it, that’s great, but make sure it has bandages (including butterflies), gauze, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment, blister protection, tweezers, a clean needle, and disinfectant pads.
Wildlife Safety
Most animals don’t want to be near you. To be respectful, it is important to keep your distance. Mountain lions, bears, and bobcats almost always avoid people when they can. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats are more
