Check mountain weather forecasts every morning and evening during trip planning, focusing specifically on afternoon thunderstorm predictions, temperature swings of 30-40 degrees between dawn and midday, and wind speeds above 20 mph that signal dangerous conditions in Dillon’s high-altitude environment. Download offline weather apps before leaving cell service and memorize the basic cloud formations that precede storms—towering cumulus clouds by late morning mean you should be off exposed ridges by noon.
Learn to read pressure changes using a simple altimeter watch or barometer, since dropping pressure indicates approaching …