Safety @ MRS

Please review all safety documents on this page prior to you day visit or overnight stay.  It may save your life!

Field Safety Guidance Slides and video - An overview of Niwot Ridge, safety resources on Niwot Ridge, field safety planning, gear essentials, and all things to consider for mountain safety.

 (including evacuation route and location); updated March 2022

Field Safety Plan Template - Required for all researchers using Niwot Ridge.  (other templates are fine, but similar content required)

- We recommend all researchers take a NOLS wilderness first aid course.

 - know how to respond if caught in a lightning storm.

Altitude Sickness; To minimize risk, we recommend....
* if arriving from a much lower elevation, an overnight stay at lower elevation - i.e. Denver or ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ
* good hydration
* keeping activity low key during their first few days
* no alcohol or sleeping pills
 
Heat Exhaustion / Heat Stroke - due to high intensity sun at altitude coupled with high exhertion, heat illness is a real concern even on a 70 degF day in the mountains

Wildlife Information Brochures

 - know how to prevent bear encounters and how to react if you do encounter a bear.

 - moose are the most dangerous large animals in Colorado, know what to do during a moose encounter.

 - know how to prevent or react to a mountain lion encounter

Rodents and Hantavirus - common deer mice, other rodents, and their feces can carry Hantavirus.

Ticks - Colorado has multiple ticks species that carry disease and ticks range up to 10,500ft in elevation (MRS is at 9,500ft).  Tick checks and preventative measures should be practiced at the MRS.