What To Wear.

The weather in the Rocky Mountains can vary from one extreme to the other. From early spring to late fall you should be fine with the following good quality items, fleece jacket, outer water proof breathable shell, warm shirt, T-shirt, your favorite socks and thin gloves. All of these can be layered for comfort depending on the conditions. Shorts can be worn but long pants might be preferred if the mosquitoes are bad. Good foot wear is a must and can make or break your stay in the Rocky Mountains. A good quality light hiking boot with a water proof one piece gusseted tongue is best. Runner style hiking shoes are great when conditions are dry, but a complete let down when wet, which seems to be more often then not. Be careful with your footwear when sitting around camp fires. Without realizing it, over a few nights around a campfire, the heat and dryness can ruin the leather and sole adhesion. 

When day hiking you should always carry a small pack containing a fleece, outer shell, water, snack, sun glasses (especially if there is still snow on the ground), sun screen, bug repellant, small first aid kit, Whistle (for Bears) if you can't whistle without one, and a safe pocket for your car keys. A small 8 to 10 megapixel compact camera is great to have but don't carry it in your pack. All the pictures found on this web site were taken with a small Sony 10meg Cyber Shot that I carry in my breast pocket for quick access. If you have to stop and dig through your back looking for a camera, you won't. Having to stop often is uncomfortable and very annoying. Same idea for a water bottle, it's nice to have the water bottle fastened to the outside of the pack within quick reach. A hiking pole is also a plus, it definitely reduces uphill and downhill effort. Two poles feel ridiculously busy and doesn't outweigh the risk of not having a free grab hand.

In the mountains, when ever hiking towards a ridge or summit, spring, summer or fall, you should always carry layered clothing.  The start and finish can be totally different weather. You'll appreciate the warm jackets and snack when you quickly cool down at your hikes destination, which is usually a windy higher elevation. When you reach the summit or hike destination, don't wait to feel chilled, put your jackets on as soon as you arrive, this will allow you to spend much more time enjoying the views. If you wait until you feel cold, you won't warm up until you start moving again.

In the Badlands make sure to take a hat and pack plenty of water. In the summer as it can be very arid and hot. The Cactus plants found growing in this terrain is a good indication of just how arid the Badlands are.

Don't leave valuables in your vehicle while parked at trail heads. Especially trails that are located close to the larger cites and towns.