Backcountry Expert Offers Safety Tips As Hiking Season Ramps Up
DENVER (CBS4) - With two weeks to go until the first day of summer, more and more Coloradans are enjoying the warm weather and taking hikes in the high country.
With that surge in outdoorsy activity, experts are reminding people about taking important safety precautions.
Mary Witlacil, an employee at the Wilderness Exchange in Denver, teaches teenagers how to survive in the outdoors.
She says many people who come in the store are not aware of the dangers present in the foothills and mountain regions.
"Half of our customers, they're new to the backcountry. They are getting educated about how to be safe in the outdoors and they're getting the right equipment so that they don't have accidents and need to be rescued," she said.
Two dramatic rescue efforts have already taken place along the Front Range this spring.
Crews used technical climbing ropes last month to rescue a man who got stuck in Horsetooth Falls.
And last Friday a helicopter landed on the summit of Longs Peak to evacuate a special forces military team that was forced to spend the night on the face of the fourteener when three of them suddenly got altitude sickness during a training exercise.
One of the biggest dangers for hikers is quickly changing weather conditions. Being aware of severe weather danger before heading out to the high country is always essential.
"If you're up on a ridge and lightning rolls in, there's a decent chance you could get cooked, and so a lot of folks don't know this," Witlacil said.
RELATED: CBS4 Hiking & Outdoor Weather Resource
Experts also recommend hikers bring a compass and a printed map with them instead of simply using a smartphone. The phone could run out of batteries, and the internet connection could be lost in remote areas.
Witlacil recommends bringing the essentials to her customers, including first aid supplies, food, a fire source, sun protection and a light source.
She also recommends against wearing cotton.
"Cotton does not insulate when it is wet, and it becomes quite heavy when it is wet, also," she said.
