JEFFERSON COUNTY — While winter is not the busiest season on Jefferson County Open Space trails, there are still people like Justin Brown who come out for snowpacked hikes.
Brown — who recently visited Deer Creek Canyon Park in the Ken-Caryl area — said he hikes about once a week in the winter and brings water, layers of clothing and traction devices for his feet.
“I bring different gear for my feet and always want to stay warm,” Brown said.
But not all visitors are as prepared as Brown, and since more and more people are starting to hike in the winter, Jeffco Open Space rangers want to educate the public on how to prepare for a snowy hike.
“We’re finding we have visitors 365 days a year,” said Mary Ann Bonnell, visitor services supervisor for Jeffco Open Space.
Rangers are on patrol all times Open Space parks are open, though one is often responsible for a whole region of parks and will have to commute in if a problem arises. But while making the rounds, rangers try to engage people on what to do when preparing for a hike.
Bonnell said the first steps are taken at home and people should look at the weather report to decide if they should go out. They should also realize that the conditions at their home might not be the same as at the park.
Visitors should have sand and a shovel in the car in case they get stuck. Most often, the park lots will be plowed, but they can still be icy.
“We’ve even had people take spills in the parking lot because you can’t count on the parking lot being clear,” Bonnell said.
Bonnell also encourages park users to follow local law enforcement on social media and said Open Space will post updates using the Twitter hashtag #jeffcotrails.
As Open Space district ranger Maria Stelacio makes her way around the parks, she said she’ll often stop people who she thinks are ill-prepared to take on the trails.
“I see a lot of people who don’t dress appropriately, don’t bring water and are surprised at how cold it is,” Stelacio said.
She added that people should dress in layers, even if they are thin layers, bring water and traction devices for shoes such as Yaktrax and microspikes. Trekking poles are also recommended as are layers for joggers. Runners who are sweaty are at a higher risk of hypothermia should they be stopped for an injury or any other reason.
One ranger can get out to between three and seven parks during a normal wintertime patrol day, and they’ll be on the trails a little more often than during the summer when it’s more crowded.
“There’s not a lot of routine,” Stelacio said. “I will check bathrooms, talk to people, but otherwise it’s whatever comes up.”
Two issues that come up yearround are pet safety and muddy trail etiquette.
People should know that pets still need water when it’s cold, and petwear is encouraged. Leashes are even more essential as dogs are still prone to chase after wildlife and would have a lower survival rate if they are missing overnight.
Also, as snow melts, people are encouraged to stay on trails so as to not widen them by going around mud.
Bonnell said there are , but winter biking is on the rise with some better equipment now available.
“Winter patrol is really fun,” Bonnell said. “It’s a very different pace than summer, but some things can be more serious.”
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or @joe_vacc
