We’re looking for suggestions. Personally we bring our beater instruments that we are less concerned about in the rigors of heat/cold and then don’t worry about it. This year we are bringing a friend who doesn’t have a beater instrument and is worried about the elements and instrument safety. Any advice?
:wave Planet Bluegrass has an instrument check near the front gate of the festival.
If you’re camping in Town Park or Warner field you are probably safe keeping your intrument ut of sight, zipped up in your tent. This is a very respectful crowd and there is very litte wierdness going on in the camps during fest.
Hope this helps…
:peace
As far as the weather is concerned, when coming into a warmer campfire area from the blistering cold outside, leave the instrument closed up in its case for a while to let it slowly warm up. The same generally applies in the other direction as well. Rapid change in temperature is an instruments enemy… As is lack of moisture.
Keep in mind that it can be rather dry at Telluride, so its possible you might run into problems from that. If you have a humidifier for your instrument/case, might as well bring it. Otherwise, I’ve heard suggestions of leaving half a potato inside the case to naturally humidify it, however a damp sponge works equally well and won’t stink up the case 
The instrument check-in is GREAT. And as the night goes, I’ve never gotten the tent-time cold shoulder from a guitar. They seem to love that cold night affection.
I would say that if high temperatures are a problem, leaving it in the tent all day is not a good idea, you could keep it there at night but leave it at the instrument check at the entrance to the festival grounds