For a recent episode of the OutThere Colorado Podcast, I sat down for a chat with Anna DeBattiste of the Colorado Search and Rescue Association to chat about how local search and rescue works, plus a few safety tips headed into summer.

The full episode can be found on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with one topic that’s discussed being the ‘three Ts’ of outdoor recreation safety.

The ‘three Ts’ are particularly important to know and put into practice heading into summer – trip planning, training, and taking the essentials. Following these steps ahead of an adventure is something that can prevent many search and rescue missions.

Here’s a breakdown of what each ‘T’ is:

Trip Planning: It’s important to know what you’re getting into prior to leaving the trailhead behind. Educate yourself on the route and its potential hazards, check the weather from multiple sources, and make sure that a responsible person back at home knows what you’ll be doing and when you’re expected to be back. Having a plan and sticking to it while also sharing that plan with someone else can not only increase the likelihood of successful adventuring, it can also help to expedite the response if rescue is needed.

Training: It’s important to make sure you have the skills that will be needed for a given adventure prior to leaving the trailhead behind, too. Know your limits and stay within those limits – train and push yourself in the gym, but avoid ‘getting in over your head’ in the backcountry. One case where this is often seen is people attempting fourteener hikes that are too technical for their abilities. Work up to that lengthy class four route – don’t pick that as your first fourteener hike, start with a shorter class one route instead.

Taking the 10 essentials: Here’s a list of the 10 items that everyone should carry when leaving the trailhead behind. While this is the standard recommendation, needs can vary for each adventure, which may mean bringing along additional gear. Anna gets into this on the show, but the punchline is, make sure you’re bringing all of the gear you’ll need – and not just the gear you’ll need if everything goes as planned, you’ll need to bring the gear for when things go wrong, too.

Listen to our full-length 30-minute chat on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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