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

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

Safety Guideline Packet听(including evacuation route and location); updated March 2022

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

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


Lightning Safety听- 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 Boulder
* good hydration
* keeping activity low key during their first few days
* no alcohol or sleeping pills
Heat Exhaustion / Heat Stroke听- 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

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

Watch Out for Moose听- moose are the most dangerous large animals in Colorado, know what to do during a moose encounter.

Mountain Lion Safety听- know how to prevent or react to a mountain lion encounter

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

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