A shade shelter erected in memory of a mountain biker who died from heat exposure on Colorado’s Palisade Plunge trail near Grand Junction has already fulfilled its purpose, protecting another rider from potentially deadly heat after a mechanical breakdown last week.
On Monday 03 August, an unidentified mountain biker suffered a mechanical failure roughly 10 miles from the end of the 32-mile trail, which descends from the top of Grand Mesa towards Grand Junction, where the temperature was 105°F. Mesa County Search and Rescue used an all-terrain vehicle to reach the stranded cyclist at a shade structure built at the trail’s designated “bailout” point, giving the rider water and time to rehydrate before transporting both cyclist and bike the final 10 miles.
The shelter was installed in November 2025 by the family and friends of Jeff Higgins, a 52-year-old Colorado Springs cyclist who died from heat exposure and dehydration on the same trail in June 2022, as GFDN reported at the time. Local artist Jeff Bates designed and built the structure with support from the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and local authorities.
“It’s exactly the reason we put it there,” said Higgins’s widow, Amy, adding that her husband would never want the shelter to discourage riders from attempting the trail. Higgins’s brother, Dan, said the section now also carries improved signage directing riders to the bailout point.
Monday’s rescue is a stark reminder of the growing risk extreme heat poses to endurance cyclists. As record-high temperatures become more frequent across multiple continents, riders face increased risks of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, particularly on remote backcountry trails or roads with little shade and no reliable access to water. Safety officials urge riders to check forecasts, carry more water than they expect to need and recognize the early warning signs of heat illness, including dizziness, confusion and nausea.
Photo Credit: Mesa County Search and Rescue
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