It’s early October, and as Coloradans know so well, that means the potential for some pretty significant snowstorms at higher elevations around the Centennial State.
This seasonal hazard for hikers was put on display on October 1, when El Paso County Search and Rescue responded to the report of a stranded hiker on the 14,115-foot Pikes Peak outside of Colorado Springs. Thankfully, the mountain’s namesake highway allowed the rescue team to reach the summit, leading to a successful mission. Despite the snowy conditions, mountain crews have been able to keep the road open to the public with only a delayed opening of the summit-bound portion on October 1 and 2.
This situation is a good reminder to the state’s hikers to be highly aware of the forecast, especially during a time of the year when deadly wintry conditions may pop up. Most of the state’s high-elevation terrain is far less accessible than the summit of Pikes Peak, which can mean a very dangerous situation and a long rescue mission should things go wrong. Implementing a very conservative approach toward risk is recommended…