Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hypothermia is one of the biggest dangers in the backcountry, especially for
day hikers in the summertime. That may sound strange, but imagine starting out
on a hike in midsummer when it's sunny and 80 degrees out. You're clad in nylon
shorts and a cotton T-shirt. About halfway through your hike, the sky begins to
cloud up, and in the next hour a light drizzle begins to fall and the wind starts to
pick up. Before you know it, you are soaking wet and shivering—the perfect re-
cipe for hypothermia. More advanced signs include decreased coordination,
slurred speech, and blurred vision. When a victim's temperature falls below 92 de-
grees, the blood pressure and pulse plummet, possibly leading to coma and death.
To avoid hypothermia, always bring a windproof/rainproof shell, a fleece jack-
et, long underwear made of a breathable, synthetic fiber, gloves, and hat when you
are hiking in the mountains. Learn to adjust your clothing layers based on the tem-
perature. If you are climbing uphill at a moderate pace you will stay warm, but
when you stop for a break you'll become cold quickly, unless you add more layers
of clothing.
If a hiker is showing advanced signs of hypothermia, dress him or her in dry
clothes and make sure he or she is wearing a hat and gloves. Place the person in a
sleeping bag in a tent or shelter that will protect him or her from the wind and oth-
er elements. Give the person warm fluids to drink and keep him awake.
Frostbite. When the mercury dips below 32 degrees, your extremities begin to
chill. If a persistent chill attacks a localized area, say, your hands or your toes, the
circulatory system reacts by cutting off blood flow to the affected area—the idea
being to protect and preserve the body's overall temperature. And so it's death by
attrition for the affected area. Ice crystals start to form from the water in the cells
of the neglected tissue. Deprived of heat, nourishment, and now water, the tissue
literally starves. This is frostbite.
Prevention is your best defense against this situation. Most prone to frostbite
are your face, hands, and feet, so protect these areas well. Wool is the traditional
material of choice because it provides ample air space for insulation and draws
moisture away from the skin. Synthetic fabrics, however, have made great strides
in the cold weather clothing market. Do your research. A pair of light silk liners
under your regular gloves is a good trick for keeping warm. They afford some ad-
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