• Sunscreen and lip balm
• Hand warmers
• CPR mask
• Small knife or multitool
• Energy gels
• Small LED flashlight
• Eye drops
• Burn cream
In addition, those with known allergic reactions to bees should carry an epinephrine pen.
Mountain Weather
Reading mountain weather is an art that is often practiced but never mastered. The best way to avoid storms is to start early (4–6 a.m., or earlier if you can) and be off all summits by 11 a.m. at the latest. Even with a perfect forecast, hikers should expect thunderstorms every day between May and September around 1 p.m. A barometer is useful to track incoming weather; in a very general sense, a dropping barometer means storms are brewing, while a rising barometer means the sky is clearing.
Just because storms regularly come in after noon does NOT mean they cannot develop earlier in the day. In June 2015, with a clear forecast, 15 people were injured when a bolt struck Mount Bierstadt shortly after 11 a.m. Thunderstorms are not to be trifled with. If there is already lightning and thunder before 10 a.m., it’s best to come back another day. Storms can grow in a matter of minutes. I’ve seen pristine blue sky shift to violent storms in under 15 minutes at all times of the day.
Autumn is a fantastic time to hike, especially mid-September–mid-October. Storms are less likely to develop, the weather is cooler, and the change of seasons means fewer people on the mountains (though most hikes in this guide are already low traffic).
Be aware of the forecast for the day, and keep an eye for building thunderheads, which rise up in great, puffy columns with a dark bottom. Also, even in midsummer, a day can go from hot to cold in a flash—make sure you have enough clothes in your pack for chilly conditions.
Nutrition and Hydration
Over the years, I’ve developed a system that makes sure I stay hydrated and well fed throughout the day. I try to take in 100–200 calories per hour (usually in the form of gels or gummies) and drink small sips of water every 15–20 minutes. I often have plenty of water left over after hikes, but it beats the alternative. I take 48–90 ounces of water, depending on the length and difficulty of the day.
With food, I’ve found my performance is greatly improved when I avoid breads, bagels, and other carb-heavy foods while on the trail. Protein-based food (nuts, salmon, energy bars) is what your body craves and is easier to digest on the move.
One mistake many, many hikers make—even very experienced hikers—is they don’t eat and drink enough on descents. While the hardest part of the day may be over, remain vigilant with your food (and sunscreen!) until the hike is done. A lot of people get dehydrated on the descent because they aren’t sweating as much, but rest assured your body is burning through its water even when you are standing still!
GPS and Cell Reception
GPS is a wonderful tool. The affordability and ubiquitousness of smartphone apps mean there is little excuse to not have GPS on your side. I strongly consider investing in a handheld, dedicated GPS unit (such as the Garmin Oregon 650t, used in this book) if you plan to undertake off-trail hikes. If you do prefer to use a smartphone app, make sure it’s one that can work in airplane mode to conserve battery life.
Because many of the hikes in this guide are well within cell phone range, chances are you’ll have reception in a lot of places. Cell communication is a nice backup for emergencies, but don’t count on it being reliable (especially the farther west you go). If you’re planning on heading into the deep wilderness in the Gore Range or do a lot of solo hiking, consider an emergency locator device such as the DeLorme inReach, which will get a satellite lock nearly anywhere in the wilderness.
And as many a crusty, old hiker would lament, be competent with a compass and map. When technology fails, the magnetic field of the earth remains the champion of uptime.
All the GPS tracks used in this book are available online for free use at mountainouswords.com/I70-hikes and are available in the .gpx and .kmz formats.
Hiking with Dogs
Hiking with dogs may be my favorite way to explore the mountains, but it is a big responsibility. There are a lot of opinions on what terrain is acceptable for dogs, especially since every dog is different. Here are some general rules for hiking with your canine pals:
• Please obey all leash laws in wilderness areas. They are there for the safety of your dog as much as they are for the wildlife.
• If your dog isn’t good with other hikers or dogs, keep them on leash (or seek out quieter hikes).
• Make sure you have more than enough food and water for your dog. I generally bring along an extra 48–80 ounces for my two dogs and top off my personal water to 100 ounces. Likewise, I make sure they have some healthy, yummy treats and make a point to feed them whenever I snack.
• Account for your dog by adding pet-specific items to your first aid kit. This includes pet wrap, needle-nose pliers (for thorns, porcupine quills, and so on), emergency blanket, paw wax (for heat or snow), and extra food. Additionally, a bear bell on the collar is a keen idea. Make sure your pups have some sort of orange vest or marking during hunting season.
My personal policy: Never take dogs on terrain harder than Class 2. There is no value in putting them in needlessly dangerous situations, even when they are physically capable. It’s irresponsible to project your climbing ego onto your dog. Save the Class 1 and 2 adventures for them—there are plenty in this book!
And finally, if your dog says it’s time to turn around … it’s time to go home, no questions asked.
Please consult the appendix for a list of veterinary clinics along the I-70 corridor.
How to Use This Book
Rather than address each individual peak with its own chapter, hikes in this book are arranged by trailheads. Because some of these trailheads offer access to the same peaks, it’s good to have options to explore new routes on the same mountain. In each trailhead listing, peaks that appear for the first time will appear in a list, while peaks already covered in previous chapters will be listed in parentheses. A good example of this is Torreys Peak, which can be accessed by Stevens Gulch, Waldorf Mine, and Loveland Pass (among others).
The upshot means you’ll have lots of great options at many of the trailheads. A weekend car-camping adventure to Mayflower Gulch can snag you Drift Peak, Atlantic Peak, Pacific Peak, Crystal Peak, and Mayflower Hill. Or you could even traverse over from Crystal Peak and do a point-to-point to the Colorado Trailhead at Copper Mountain. The ability to mix and match peaks is part of the allure of I-70’s summit collection.
Driving Directions
While most of the driving directions are straightforward, extra attention has been paid to the legality of parking areas and accurate mileage counts. It can be infuriating when you wait all week for a great hike, just to get flustered by shoddy directions. All these hikes have been personally climbed by myself (often several times) and driving notes are of special note for accuracy.
Vehicle Recommendations
For each trailhead, vehicle recommendations are made. The majority of trailheads are reachable by passenger car. If not, roads are declared passable by sport-utility cars (SUCs) such as Subaru Outbacks/Honda CR-Vs, sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) like Toyota 4Runners/Nissan Xterras, or dedicated four-wheel-drive vehicles like modified Jeep Wranglers. If a road gets close to the trailhead before hitting a tough four-wheel-drive section, passenger car parking is provided.
While