Tips to Avoid Hypothermia
Plan for the worst weather. Always pack a jacket.
Choose wool, or synthetic clothing. Wool will insulate you even when wet. Synthetic fabrics dry quickly and will still insulate when wet.
Do NOT wear cotton t-shirts and jeans when outdoors. When sweat or water soaked, they will not keep you warm.
Seek shelter in your tent or in a dry place if thunderstorms occur near you
Always keep your sleeping bag dry. If your body temperature drops, use your sleeping bag to warm up.
If cold, drink warm liquids.
Flash Floods
Flash floods are a dangerous phenomenon that occurs when heavy rain falls in a mountainous area unleashing a fast moving torrent of water into a dry gully, creek, or river. In desert places, many arroyos, and creek beds are dry for much of the year. But heavy rain in mountains miles away can cause a large amount of water runoff to flow rapidly downhill and cause a flash flood in low lying areas and normally dry creek beds. When hiking near creeks, always watch for sudden changes in water level and move to higher ground. Never camp close to creeks or streams or in a dry creek bed. Overnight, the weather may worsen and you may find you and your campsite washed downstream.
Water in the backcountry
With the exception of the highest elevations, most of the state of Colorado is dry and gets under 20 inches of precipitation. This makes backpacking at lower elevations, where water is scarce, difficult.
When on a multi-day backpacking trip, it isn’t practical to carry gallons of water due to its weight. Backpackers and hikers in Colorado tend to use rivers, streams, or alpine lakes as sources of drinking water. In desert country, characterized by sagebrush, or juniper vegetation, water will be difficult to find. In these areas, it is important to be knowledgeable about local water sources prior to embarking on your trip. Use topographic maps and guide books to identify water sources you may be able to rely upon.
Giardia
Some Colorado lakes and streams contain a tiny water-borne parasite called giardia which can be harmful to humans if ingested. To be safe, treat all surface water by either boiling or using a water filter/water purification method proven to remove/kill giardia protozoa.
Water Purification
To kill harmful bacteria and parasitics like giardia, backpackers often use some form of water purification or sterilization. There are many techniques, each with their own advantages and drawbacks. Here are the most common methods:
Water filtration (many products available, gravity assisted or hand pumped)
UV light sterilization (Steripen)
Boiling
Additives (Chlorine/iodine tablets)
Unless you are able to test and prove that a water source is verifiably clean and safe to drink (which most people cannot), you should always purify or sterilize water from all Colorado lakes, or streams before drinking or cooking.