Yes, its not a Mountain Dew commercial out there! Two years ago a mom and her three kids stopped at Baker's Bridge on the Animas River north of Durango, CO. She decided to go for a swim, and jumped right into a fast moving river that had been snow a few hours earlier. The cold water locked up her muscles, and she sank like a stone and drowned right in front of her children. I am sure she watched those Mountain Dew commercials that show people leaping into mountain lakes and streams and smiling and having a good time.
This kind of thing happens constantly in Laplata County. In 2009 a father and son were hiking, and the son decided to go on a higher trail by himself. he never returned. They found him at the bottom of a 500 foot cliff. They think he walked right up to the edge to look over, and the wind took him right off! Never approach a cliff edge standing! Always approach on all fours on your stomach! I have seen wind gusts of 80-100mph up in the high country that come and go like explosions.
Just last summer was retreating down the Vallecito watershed ahead of a huge storm up higher. I cam across a young guy headed up with no pack or equipment at all, and just his dog. He had on shorts and a t-shirt, and flip-flops. I warned him several times he needed to turn around and head back down, but he just smiled like I was a flatlander. Even though I had on full mountain gear and wet wear, and was soaked head to foot! He kept going up, and I continued down. I hope he learned something if he survived.
