Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ditional warmth, but more importantly they'll allow you to remove your mitts for
tedious work without exposing the skin.
If your feet or hands start to feel cold or numb due to the elements, warm them
as quickly as possible. Place cold hands under your armpits or bury them in your
crotch. If your feet are cold, change your socks. If there's plenty of room in your
boots, add another pair of socks. Do remember, though, that constricting your feet
in tight boots can restrict blood flow and actually make your feet colder more
quickly. Your socks need to have breathing room if they're going to be effective.
Dead air provides insulation. If your face is cold, place your warm hands over
your face, or simply wear a head stocking.
Should your skin go numb and start to appear white and waxy, chances are
you've got or are developing frostbite. Don't try to thaw the area unless you can
maintain the warmth. In other words, don't stop to warm up your frostbitten feet
only to head back on the trail. You'll do more damage than good. Tests have
shown that hikers who walked on thawed feet did more harm, and endured more
pain, than hikers who left the affected areas alone. Do your best to get out of the
cold entirely and seek medical attention—which usually consists of performing a
rapid rewarming in water for twenty to thirty minutes.
The overall objective in preventing both hypothermia and frostbite is to keep
the body's core warm. Protect key areas where heat escapes, like the top of the
head, and maintain the proper nutrition level. Foods that are high in calories aid
the body in producing heat. Never smoke or drink when you're in situations where
the cold is threatening. By affecting blood flow, these activities ultimately cool the
body's core temperature.
Altitude sickness (AMS). High lofty peaks, clear alpine lakes, and vast moun-
tain views beckon hikers to the high country. But those who like to venture high
may become victims of altitude sickness (also known as Acute Mountain Sick-
ness—AMS). Altitude sickness is your body's reaction to insufficient oxygen in
the blood due to decreased barometric pressure. While some hikers may feel light-
headed, nauseous, and experience shortness of breath at 7,000 feet, others may not
experience these symptoms until they reach 10,000 feet or higher.
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