Wewill behuntingelkin NW Colorado in the Flat Tops 2nd combined rifle season. What is the weather like now? Warmer, cooler or dryer than normal? We will be camping at 10,500 ft.

Thanks

Gonna give you more than you asked for, sorry.....

It don't matter what the weather there is now (moderate).

At the time you will be there it could be beautiful fall days with crisp mornings and warm noon hours (fair %)to black skies with thunderstorms and hail (happens) to blizzard conditions (though in late October probably won't last long).

One constant, if you don't like the weather, then just wait 5 minutes; it will change.
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So you gotta be prepared for them all.

If you are doing a DIY, then camp has to be able to keep you warm and recharge your battery. Make sure you can get your camp and vehiclesout in case of an extended snow. Make sure you have some serious "meat cutting capability" and some serious "meat hauling capability" in case you kill something (especially elk). IMHO, if time is limited it is better to sacrifice a couple days off of the end of the season and apply it to the front end for scouting and acclimation than it is to arrive the day before the hunt. To be most effective in terms of hunting, be sure to have the capability to navigate fearlessly in the dark. Please do not take ATV's or trucks beyond where it is legal.

We'll be leaving just as you are arriving. I'll be sure to cast a glance over your way across the valleyfrom our Elkhead Mountain Range(at a mere 8,000 to 10,000 feet)

Good Luck.

Thanks. That is what I expected. I hunted in NW CO last year and it was just as you said. Sometimes you needed sunscreen and sometimes you needed good wind-snow proof gear. We will be on a drop-camp hunt and really looking foward to it. We have been researching all year on what to be ready for and now and it appears to be paying off. Now we just need to Get-er-done. I have never hunted where I had to rely on a nearby stream for drinking/cookingwater, so that will be an experience. We are prepared to pump and purify.

Thanks for your reply and good luck this season.

I've done a drop camp in the 'Flat-tops' during the first season, but never the second. EKM is right on, you can have beautiful days or you can have a blizzard so you have to go prepared for both. I don't think I'd count on 'hot' weather that time of year at 10.5. Might get warm but I've not seen it hot. Plus, you can get alot of snow in a short period of time which can make getting out an adventure. Depending on your outfitter, I've seen one who wouldn't bring the horses in due to the snow. The flat-tops is a beautiful area and we almostalways hunted at the treeline. Lots of elk, and lots of quiet. Good luck, you're gonna love it.

Two ideas:
(1) Take a 5 gallon bucket or a large collapsable bucket.
(2) Take coffee filters and rubber bands.

If the creek is close, pull the water and let it settle out in the bucket by waiting 10-15 minutes while doing other stuffbefore filtering it and don't filter the last 2 inches in the bottom, this will keep the big stuff away from your filter.Use the coffee filters and rubber bands around the end of your intake hose to keep out the big stuff that can plug your filter upfast. Since you are totally dependent on the stream take a spare filter or a second filter system. If you have to drink unfiltered water then find a running spring source and get as far "back in there" as you can.

Depending on the type you use, if it puts any chemical into the water to kill viruses then using the charcoal filter on the output end returns the water to a normal tasteand is very nice since your coffee won't be wierd.

Here is info on road conditions: http://www.cotrip.org/

Here is some info on forecast: http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/co/co.html

and here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/

I check them as often as possible before I head back home.

Yep snowed on me two days not much but you never know.