by Circa » Mon May 24, 2010 11:17 am
I don't mean to be presumptuous, but I've lived in the Fairplay area for most of my life, so I thought I'd offer my experiences. It's a very pleasant place, but it does take some adapting and preparation.
First and foremost; dress warm! The temperature changes drastically and quickly here, so dressing in layers is ideal. Snow on the ground in any month of the year is not unheard of.
Bring lots of water- It's a very very dry climate due to both elevation and wind. Keep water with you at all times and offer it to your friends. It'll help with the whole altitude thing, too. Salty snacks are are also recommended. Because of the dryness, people don't realize how much moisture and salt they lose through their skin. Pop a handful of gorp into your moth from time to time and you'll be fine.
The altitude - It's a valid concern, certainly, and I won't dismiss it. Most 'lowlanders' only suffer from fatigue, headaches, and maybe a little nausia. There's a clinic in Fairplay, and they're quite adept at helping people whose symptoms are more severe.
The recommendation for those visiting is to take it easy (which is hard during a festival, I know) and to drink plenty of water. Asprin can also be helpful as a blood thinner - helps the headaches, and the oxygen move along easier through your body and all that, but I'm not recommending it on any level of medical professionality. If your doctor is fine with you taking it, bringing some might just be a good idea though.
Makara makes a valid point! I won't dispute it, but I will say, as someone whose worked on an ambulance here, that there are very few severe cases of high altitude cerebral or pulmonary edema. And we get a variety of tourists from all walks of life and physical existance, and all over the world.
Alcohol and most other recreational substances hit harder up here, just so you're all aware. Thought I'd throw that in.
The whole South Park bowl is a bit of a wind tunnel. Trees and hills do a good job of blocking it in places, but the breeze is pretty much constant. Doesn't help with the chill factor either. So again, dress warm and be prepared to put rocks on whatever you don't want blown away.
The rocks are also something warning-worthy, especially if you plan on anchoring your tent with pegs. Bring sturdy pegs and a good hammer.
Critters! There are plenty of rodents around. Chipmunks, mice, ground squirrels, few other things. The chipmunks are the bold ones that'll chew open bags and gnaw holes in Tupperware. There are also some birds affectionately refered to as 'camp robbers'. They're friendly, fearless grey jays that'll swoop in and pluck the potato chip right from your hand.
There are deer, elk, and antelope. The antelope are the curious ones. They might swing by to investigate.
There are bears. The local game wardens recommend keeping your foodstuffs very separate from where you sleep. Like, don't even sneak an Oreo after you've brushed your teeth and crawled into your tent. They smell it.
Mountain lions are pretty darn rare, but they do exist. If you bring dogs, you might want to keep them close.
After having thoroughly horrified all of you, I'll mention that the noise from the festival will most likely keep the critters away.
The sun is pretty darn brutal up here. SPF 90 is not out of the question. Re-apply often. Chill in the shade. Fair-skinned people (like myself) can turn pink in as little as 15 minutes without protection.
Rain will probably make an appearance in the afternoons. Late summer/early fall is our rainy season. The mornings are bright, clear, and wonderful. The afternoons and evenings are usually a bit damp.
Ticks and other parasites, of course. Not too numerous, but worth checking for from time to time. I'm sure you're all aware of that, though.
I feel I should offer some good points to balance out the warnings.
The big thing, to me, at least, is the sky at night. You're at 10k feet - the stars are spectacular. There aren't words to describe the night sky there.
The scenery is amazing. It's a thrilling combination of a beautiful open valley with a mountain view on all sides.
It's an incredible and very spiritually charged place. The Native Americans thought so, and so do most of the locals who've lived there for any amount of time. The region has a unique history ~and~ the site is right next to an area known as the Dragon's Spine. (Look at the satellite map of the ridge to the west. You'll see it.) On the map, it's Reinecker Ridge.
So, if you come prepared, it'll be great fun in a new and slightly challanging environment. If you have the luxury of cargo room for extra stuff, you might wanna bring some along for friends and neighbors who may not have planned so well.
