Winter’s slow demise in the Colorado Rockies means that in the coming months, our beloved hiking trails will slowly reappear after being buried in feet of snow for months. By June, you can pack your snowshoes away and dust off your hiking boots for walking season, but once you hit the trail, there’s a new hazard in the place of snow and ice – and no, we’re not talking about bears.
Afternoon thunderstorms are a regular part of Rocky Mountain living in the spring and summer months, and for anyone who likes to get up above treeline, their existence should never be far from your mind. My friend Kelly learned this when she was hiking Notch Mountain, a 13er near Vail, and her long hair started to stand on end. Luckily, she was able to hightail it out of there before things got worse, and I was glad I hadn’t joined her on that particular hike.
