Telluride Times, August 20, 2026

“The month of August had turned into a griddle where the days just lay there and sizzled.”
– Sue Monk Kidd, author

My daughter reminded me the other day that in the olden and golden days of her youth (90s and 2000s), after doing the Montrose shopping run in the summer, fried from the heat, we would beeline it back to Telluride, back to our beloved mountains.

I personally never wore shorts or flip flops in my many years at 8750 feet; and once the sun set, a hoodie or sweater was in order. Summer mornings were brisk, usually no warmer than 40 degrees; and evenings, slouching from purple dusks into indigo nights were chilly, utterly delicious.

This summer, as we have experienced drought, fires, smoke and weeks of extreme heat in our neck of the woods, we are having to take stock of how we cope and what we can do a bit differently. How not to complain so much (speaking for myself), how to adapt. How to stay cool and think of others who may be suffering.

Climate records show a warming trend in our region, including warmer nighttime temperatures. I know in Ridgway, we have had 60-degree nights and many 90-plus degree days in a row, for weeks on end, punctuated by very little rain. Telluride has itself been sizzling in the mid 80s. It is not the climate I have reveled in.

Of course, this is all relative, especially for those who come to the mountains to get away from “real heat.” In Las Vegas, my sister keeps her house at 82 degrees: because when it is 108 out, that is where your AC budget lands you. When we read of 111 degrees in France, 102 in Switzerland and 98 in Denmark, we feel deeply connected to their misery, as we have followed along in our own ratcheted-up daily highs. As in Europe, many of our mountain homes were built for a climate where air conditioning wasn’t necessary.

But heat at altitude is different: we have stronger solar radiation, lower humidity and faster evaporation, and increased respiratory water loss. Exertion already demands more from the body at altitude and sometimes we forget this.

Prolonged heat can affect, among other things, the circulatory system and heart, brain and mind, and kidneys. Perhaps the most relevant is that the heart is forced to pump harder during extremely hot weather in order to maintain adequate blood flow, as vasodilation is used to route warm blood to the skin. We all know what it is to feel sluggish and dull when overheated and we don’t like it. We head for shade, wait for breezes, and take our hikes and bikes as early as we can.

Cool water! We can soak our feet in cool or cold water (less than 60 degrees), soak our hands and forearms in the same way (the river is great for this). We can use ice or at our pulse points, or a cool, wet cloth around the neck. A lukewarm shower or bath can bring body temperature down, as can simply wetting the skin and letting the water evaporate. Spray bottles and traditional fans can bring actual joy!

Hydration. Baseline total water needs are roughly 2.7 liters per day for women and 3.7 liters for men, according to the National Academies. This includes water from food and other beverages; roughly 20% typically comes from food. Heat, physical activity and altitude can increase our fluid needs, sometimes substantially.

In our dry mountain climate, sweat evaporates quickly, so we may be losing fluid without realizing how much. Packaged electrolyte drinks can be helpful after prolonged or heavy sweating, as can natural versions – like water with lemon, salt and a little honey.

Many people do not have the resources to stay cool and suffer the effects of extreme heat. Those at greatest risk – the elderly, children, people with chronic health conditions, those who work outdoors, and those without access to air conditioning or other means of cooling – may have fewer options for escaping intense heat. Can we remember to check on friends or family who might be at risk?

Even though we may have turned the corner after our sizzling summer, heat like this is unlikely to be a one-off. What we can do is continue to revel in our mountains, especially as the summer turns its corner. We can hope for golden end-of-summer days and sharp temperature dips at dusk. And we can be doubly grateful for shade, cool rock, soft winds, and nourishing rains.