Find a Forest (NF)
or Grassland (NG)
USDA Forest Service
Arapaho & Roosevelt
National Forests
Pawnee National
Grassland
2150 Centre Avenue
Building E
Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119
970-295-6600
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Safety
General
- Make sure to drink enough water to avoid dehydration. Symptoms of
dehydration are headache, feelings of irritation and frustration, and
more tiredness than warranted by the trip. If your headache persists
after drinking plenty of water, you may have altitude sickness. Return
to a lower elevation and seek medical attention if warranted.
- Wear clothing to protect you from the elements, such as wide-brim
hats for sun protection or long pants and sturdy shoes for protection
from insects and sticks. Check the list
of day-use gear.
- Always let someone know where you are going and when you plan on returning.
- Do not travel alone; take a companion with you.
- Pay close attention to your surroundings and landmarks, and relate
this to your location on a map.
- Stay calm if you get lost. Try to remember how you got to your present
location. Trust your map and compass, and do not walk aimlessly. If
you are on a trail, do not leave it. Stay put if it is nightfall, if
you are injured or if you are near exhaustion. As a last resort, follow
a drainage or stream downhill. This can be hard going but will often
lead to a trail or road.
- Also follow the rules
and regulations of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and
Pawnee National Grassland.
Specifics
Altitude Sickness
- To treat mountain sickness, rest, move more slowly, drink water, assure
adequate salt from food or salt tablets, and eat high energy food. If
this does not help, return to a lower elevation immediately. (Learn more)
Camping
- Make camp before dark. Give yourself about two hours of daylight to
set up camp.
- Check for potential hazards. Be sure to check the site thoroughly
for glass, sharp objects, branches, large ant beds, poison ivy, bees
and hazardous terrain.
- Pitch your tent in a safe spot. Make sure your tent is made of a flame-retardant
fabric, and set up far enough away from the campfire.
CORSAR (Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue) Card
- The CORSAR card replaces what was known as the Colorado Hiking Certificate.
Money generated from the sales of these cards goes to the Colorado Search
and Rescue Fund, which then provides reimbursement for expenses incurred
during search and rescue missions. The cost is $3.00 for a one-year
card or $12 for a five-year card. A list of CORSAR Card Vendors is available
by contacting the Colorado Department of Local Affairs at (970) 248-7310.
Heat Exhaustion
- Heat exhaustion is possible, but more commonly occurs at lower elevations
of 5,000 to 9,000 feet. It is caused by excessive heat, exertion and
dehydration. The symptoms are headache, dizziness, nausea and a "flushed"
feeling. Get out of the sun, rest, drink plenty of liquids and replenish
lost sodium with food or salt tablets. Try to lower body temperature.
Water can be useful for this, if available.
Hiking
- Do not attempt a route that is beyond the ability of any individual
in the party.
- Before starting out, do warm-up exercises. Stretching gradually increases
heart rate, temperature and circulation to your muscles.
- Allow enough time for the return trip. Turn back immediately if fatigued
or if adverse weather conditions develop.
- Take frequent rests or vary your pace to recover from strenuous activity
spurts.
Hypothermia
- Hypothermia can even happen in summer months. It is caused by wind,
wetness, cold and exhaustion. The symptoms are uncontrollable shivering,
uncoordination, clumsiness and incoherence. If putting on more warm
clothing seems like too much trouble that is when you need it most.
To treat a victim, provide shelter from wind and rain, and warmth in
the form of extra clothing, fire, warm liquids and body heat from someone
warm. To prevent hypothermia, wear proper clothing, stay dry, stop before
exhaustion and know your limitations. Dressing in layers is the best
prevention, and pack rain gear even for short day trips.
Plants
- Beware of poisonous plants. Familiarize yourself with any dangerous
plants that are common to the area. If you come into contact with a
poisonous plant, immediately rinse the affected area with water and
apply a soothing lotion such as calamine to the affected area.
Water
- Water from streams and lakes should be considered unsafe to drink
until properly treated by boiling, filtering or chemical purification.
Always pack drinking water no matter how short the planned trip.
- Check weather reports before venturing out into the Arapaho and Roosevelt
National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. Always carry extra clothing,
blankets, tire chains, a shovel and sand, and some non-perishable food.
- Also monitor backcountry avalanche danger provided by the Colorado
Avalanche Information Center.
- Beware of lightning. Summer afternoon storms are usually electrical.
Plan to be off summits and exposed ridges not long after noon. Turn
back or seek shelter if you see thunderstorms building. Colorado is
the state with the second most lightning strikes in the country. If
caught in a lightning storm, seek shelter. Get out of the wind and do
not be the tallest or most isolated figure in the landscape. Remove
metal objects. Move from exposed ridges or open flats to lee sides,
behind trees, rocks or other barriers. Find natural shelter in rock
formations, caves, dense evergreen forest or behind large logs.
- Do not sit or lie down in an electrical storm. These positions provide
much more contact with the ground, providing a wider path for lightning
to follow. If you are with a group and the threat of lightning is high,
spread out at least 15 feet apart to minimize the chance of everybody
getting hit.
Wildlife
- Check with the Colorado
Division of Wildlife for specifics.
- Rattlesnakes are a natural part of the environment. If you hear a
rattler, stop, locate the snake and move away slowly.
- Keep your food in bear-safe containers. Put garbage in bear-proof
garbage cans where available or secure it with your food and then pack
it out. Don ot burn or bury garbage. Bears will dig it up.
- Store toiletries with your food. Like other scents, the smell of
toiletries may attract bears. Practice good personal hygiene.
- Stay calm. If you see a bear and it has not seen you, calmly leave
the area. As you move away, talk aloud to let the bear discover your
presence. Back away slowly while facing the bear. Avoid direct eye contact
as bears may perceive this as a threat.
Contact
Us
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