Saturday, May 25, 2013

Rocky Mountain Trail Conditions Update

Planning to do a little hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend? If so, you should be prepared for snow in the upper elevations of the park. There's still 22 inches of snow on the ground at Bear Lake! Below is some updated information, including a few late spring hiking tips, which were posted on the Rocky Mountain National Park Facebook page yesterday afternoon:
The weather is looking great for the Memorial Day weekend to get out and enjoy the park. At higher elevations (like Bear Lake) there is still plenty of snow (22” on the ground there today).

Hiking on snow is slippery now. Wear boots with good soles. Hiking poles are very helpful. Stabilizers can be too. As spring snows grow soft in the warm sun, expect to posthole, so gaiters are also helpful to keep your boots and pants dry. Without them and lug-soled waterproof boots, you will be wet, cold, and slipping around.

Stay away from steep snowfields. Many visitors have been injured or killed after taking long slides in the snowfields. Stay away from the edges of lakes and streams. Ice is melting and the amount of water runoff will increase dramatically with the warmer temperatures. Creeks and streams that were easy to cross in the morning may become impassible in the afternoon. Use extreme caution around fast-moving water. Remember! Safety is Your Responsibility.
For the latest trail conditions from around the park, please click here.


Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

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