Health & Safety

The rugged landscape that makes Rocky Mountain National Park such a beautiful destination can also be hazardous to your health, especially if you're not used to the extremes of climate and altitude. Since many of the areas you'll seek out are isolated, there may be no one there to help in an emergency. The answer is to be prepared, like any good Boy Scout. Most importantly, check with park visitor centers, rangers, and other local outdoor specialists about current conditions before heading out.

The main concerns for visitors are the weather and elevation. Those who have not spent time in the West's mountains may have trouble understanding how quickly weather can change -- from a warm sunny afternoon to blizzardlike conditions in a matter of minutes -- and how elevation can affect their stamina. If you're prone to dry skin, moisturizing lotion is a must; even if you're not, you will probably end up using it. Everyone needs to use a good-quality sunblock, wear a hat, and wear sunglasses with full ultraviolet protection. Hikers and others planning to be outside will also need to carry water -- at least a gallon per person per day is recommended.

Many park visitors find that they have much less stamina than normal, especially during their first few days in the park. The reason for this is that there's less oxygen and lower humidity up in the mountains than most of us are accustomed to. Those with heart or respiratory problems should consult their doctors before planning a trip to the mountains. If you're generally healthy, you don't need to take any special precautions, although it's advisable to ease into the high elevations by changing altitude gradually, perhaps by spending a few days in Denver, at 5,280 feet, before venturing into the park. Also, get plenty of rest, avoid large meals, and drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids, especially water. There are prescription drugs that can help ease the transition to higher elevations; consult your doctor several weeks before leaving home.

Afternoon thunderstorms are fairly common in the park, especially during July and August, when visitors should avoid mountaintops, ridges, and other open areas to minimize the risk of being struck by lightning. Lightning is not the only concern: Visibility becomes difficult in rain or snow, and hikers have been known to accidentally step off terra firma into nothingness, with fatal results.

Hikers, especially those venturing into lesser-used areas of the backcountry, need to be careful to avoid confrontations with mountain lions. When entering lion country (rangers can advise you on specific areas where mountain lions have recently been seen), travel in groups and make plenty of noise. Keep children with you at all times; and if you do see a mountain lion, stop but do not run. Raise your arms to try to appear as large as possible and then back away slowly.

In recent years problems with black bears have been increasing, in part because below-average precipitation has caused a shortage of the berries and other foods the bears usually eat, but also because the bears have learned that where there are humans there is food. Although generally less aggressive than mountain lions, bears can be dangerous, and you'll want to be wary of them. First and foremost, do not get between a mother bear and her cub. Also, do not leave food or anything that might smell like food in a tent -- store food in airtight containers in a car trunk. It's both foolhardy and illegal to feed bears or any other wildlife, or to leave food unattended. Rangers warn that pepper spray does not deter bears; in fact, some types of pepper spray actually attract bears. Bears are also attracted by perfumes and other scented products, and some bear experts add that even the smell of humans having sexual relations can attract bears.

Another potentially hazardous form of wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park is Giardia, a microscopic organism that is found in lakes, streams, and possibly even snow. In humans, it can cause diarrhea, cramps, bloating, and weight loss. To avoid problems, backcountry campers and hikers should not drink lake or stream water, or even melted snow, without bringing it to a full rolling boil for a minimum of 3 to 5 minutes or without using another reliable water-purification system.

Hikers will also want to avoid ticks. These are found mostly in brushy and wooded areas; they attach themselves to the skin and drink their victims' blood. Use a tick repellent on your lower legs, and wear light-colored clothing so you can more easily spot ticks. Inspect your skin well during and after outings. Remove a tick with tweezers, after putting oil or ointment on it to cut off its air supply, and be careful to remove the entire tick in one piece. Only a small percentage of ticks carry disease, although several hundred cases of Colorado tick fever are reported each year. If you are unable to completely remove a tick from your skin, or if a rash develops or you become achy or nauseous, consult a physician.

Health officials warn outdoor enthusiasts to take precautions against bubonic plague, which was known as the Black Death during the Middle Ages. The plague is frequently detected in wood rats, rock squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, and other rodents throughout the western United States, including Rocky Mountain National Park. Avoiding contact with infected animals will greatly minimize the chances of contracting the plague, but caution is still necessary. Those taking pets into the park should dust them with flea and tick powder. Contrary to popular belief, bubonic plague is treatable with antibiotics if caught early. Symptoms, which generally occur 2 to 6 days after exposure, may include high fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and swollen glands. Anyone with these symptoms following a park visit should get immediate medical attention because the plague can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Another potential health concern is the hantavirus, a rare but often-fatal respiratory disease, first recognized in 1993. About half of the country's several hundred confirmed cases have been reported in the Four Corners states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The disease is usually spread by the urine and droppings of rodents, and health officials recommend that campers avoid areas with signs of rodent occupation. Symptoms of hantavirus are similar to flu and lead to breathing difficulties and shock.

Colorado is also one of the worst places in the United States for the West Nile virus, reporting more than 3,000 of the 9,800 cases of infection in the U.S. during 2003. The best prevention is mosquito repellant and keeping mosquito populations across the state in check. The virus can be fatal, but is typically not. Symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches.

Warning: You're in Bear Country! -- If a bear enters or approaches your campsite, or approaches you while you're on a trail:

Stay calm.

Don't run, but move slowly away from the bear.

Look carefully to make sure you are not getting between a mother and her cub.

Make noise by clanging pots and pans together, clapping your hands, or shouting.

If possible, put any exposed food in airtight containers.

Report the bear sighting to a park ranger.

Lightning -- A Potential Killer--Colorado, with some of America's most spectacular scenery and rugged terrain, is a wonderful place to explore the great outdoors. But like most other places, outdoor activities here are not without risk. In the summer of 2004, Mary Wiper, an experienced hiker who was head of the Sierra Club in neighboring New Mexico, was struck and killed by lightning while hiking with friends near Breckenridge. Two of her companions were also struck by lightning and were knocked unconscious, but survived. In the past, lightning has also claimed lives in Rocky Mountain National Park, with the East Longs Peak Trail being especially hazardous. The National Weather Service says that although the number of deaths from lightning is not high -- an average of 67 each year in the U.S. -- lightning does kill more people than either tornadoes or hurricanes, and injures hundreds more. The agency says that most people struck by lightning are not in the rain, and that lightning can travel sideways for up to 10 miles. It recommends that whenever people hear thunder, they should immediately seek shelter in a building, cave, or hard-topped vehicle. If trapped by a thunderstorm, the weather service says to try to be the lowest point in the area, stay out of the water, and avoid metal by dropping metal-frame backpacks and not leaning against cars. Of course, lightning is not the only outdoor hazard in Rocky Mountain National Park.