Safety and Outdoor Ethics
Please take time to review these safety tips to follow when enjoying your public lands.
Whether you're roughing it in a tent or planning a family outing to the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, there are many ways to make sure your experience is fun and safe. Here are just a few reminders to consider while enjoying a hike, ski, bike ride or camping trip on our forests and grasslands.
- Thunderstorms often develop in the afternoon in the Colorado high country. Visiting early in the day and being back near or in your vehicle by afternoon is advisable.
- Be aware of high altitude sickness; it can be life threatening. If you are not acclimated, do not overexert and drink plenty of water!
- Hypothermia can be a hazard year-round. It is the number one killer of outdoor enthusiasts.
- Watch the weather in September and be prepared for an early snow storm.
Additional Safety Tips
- Many forest roads are gravel and rough. High-clearance vehicles are advised. Take your time and stay on your side of the road.
- Travelling on the mountain passes should not be attempted by low-clearance passenger cars.
- Be aware of tourism traffic on our windy roads.
- Watch out for animals in the road, such as cattle, deer, sheep and elk.
- Comply with speed limits.
- Be aware of pedestrian and trail crosswalks.
Pack the "essentials" and be prepared for minor injuries, sudden weather changes or delays. The following are items you should include in your pack:
- Candle
- Clothing (always bring something warm, extra socks and rain gear)
- Compass
- First aid kit
- Food (bring extra)
- Flashlight
- Foil (to use as a cup or signaling device)
- Hat
- Insect repellent
- Map
- Nylon filament
- Pocket knife
- Pocket mirror (to use as a signaling device)
- Prescription glasses (an extra pair)
- Prescription medications for ongoing medical conditions
- Radio with batteries
- Space blanket or a piece of plastic (to use for warmth or shelter)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Trash bag (makes an adequate poncho)
Visitors should expect changes to the landscape after a wildfire. This could include hard-to-navigate stands of burned trees, eroded slopes, or missing sections of trail. Burned areas can also have an increased likelihood of landslides, mudslides, flash floods, and debris flows.
The PSICC has seen several substantial wildfires in the last several years, especially on the San Isabel National Forest. Hikers always assume risks when entering trails in natural areas, but in burned areas those risks are greater.