Close Encounters with Hypothermia

part of emergency first aid kit :

4-6 tbs brown sugar
2 oz olive oil

I was raised in this stuff, even walking to school. Heavy rain is rare, but it can drizzle for weeks in Winter and long hours or days even in the summer. I've been in 45f weather at moderate altitude on the 4th of July. As in the author's account, you get no respite from the rain and when it stops, no sunshine to dry your gear (Seattle has precip on an average of 150 days and 226 with overcast).

For day hikes or an overnight you can usually rely on the weather forecast, but conditions can change quickly with shifts in the Jet Stream. My solution is to always have rain gear and extra layers. My typical day hike CYA has a poncho, a synthetic mid layer, windshirt, fleece beanie, light gloves and an AMK space blanket bivy. That is along with the classic essentials including fire making items and extra food. That makes sure I can stay dry on the trail along with some emergency shelter if I get caught out overnight.

My mid layers vary from Power Stretch vest or hoodie, on up to a Primaloft puffy vest or hoodie. Along with my usual polyester base layers, this gives a wicking, breathable layering system with good performance in wet weather. I typically don't use down. Vests and hoodies allow all kinds of combinations and layer well with my rain gear.

If I know I'm going to be out in the rain all day, I'll start with something like a Cap2 long sleeve top and rain jacket, or Cap2, windshirt and poncho/cape, with silk weight long johns and rain pants. I prefer a wide brimmed hat, but a hood is better when the wind comes up. I can add the mid layer top for breaks or camp. I like shelled gloves with a light wicking liner— just like my base layer/rain shell combo.

Thanks for the great feedback on the article and for sharing your own personal stories. I have never since been that unprepared.

I like Art's additional items for his emergency first aid kit. Bogs N. Bergs … your story scares the bejesus out of me. That is as sketch as it gets. Jay, I pretty much carry an umbrella with me now on every hike (day hikes included) that I go on. It's 8 ozs of safe bet that I'm unwilling to leave behind.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/770542-clinical#showall

Mild hypothermia (32-35°C)
Between 34°C and 35°C, most people shiver vigorously, usually in all extremities. As the temperature drops below 34°C, a patient may develop altered judgment, amnesia, and dysarthria. Respiratory rate may increase. At approximately 33°C, ataxia and apathy may be seen. Patients generally are stable hemodynamically and able to compensate for the symptoms. In this temperature range, the following may also be observed: hyperventilation, tachypnea, tachycardia, and cold diuresis as renal concentrating ability is compromised.

Moderate hypothermia (28-32°C)
Oxygen consumption decreases, and the CNS depresses further; hypoventilation, hyporeflexia, decreased renal flow, and paradoxical undressing may be noted. Most patients with temperatures of 32°C or lower present in stupor. As the core reaches temperatures of 31°C or below, the body loses its ability to generate heat by shivering. At 30°C, patients develop a higher risk for arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation and other atrial and ventricular rhythms become more likely. The pulse continues to slow progressively, and cardiac output is reduced. J wave may be seen on ECG in moderate hypothermia. Between 28°C and 30°C, pupils may become markedly dilated and minimally responsive to light, a condition that can mimic brain death.

Severe hypothermia (< 28°C)
At 28°C, the body becomes markedly susceptible to ventricular fibrillation and further depression of myocardial contractility. Below 27°C, 83% of patients are comatose. Pulmonary edema, oliguria, coma, hypotension, rigidity, apnea, pulselessness, areflexia, unresponsiveness, fixed pupils, and decreased or absent activity on EEG are all seen.

Indeed, a good read. Back in my days as a Boy Scout in Northern Michigan, my troop would go out to camp in the Winter. The Scoutmaster (who had a military background) used our meals as places to teach us about hypothermia, its symptoms, and how to avoid it. He would give all of us scouts a bag of chocolate bars at the start of our expedition, and we were told to eat a bar with every meal, as well as for our snacks. Our meals always seemed to include hot rolls with lots and lots of butter. Again, we were told to eat all we could, and then some. We kids loved those camping trips, because it felt like the holidays!

hi lawton—-good story—thanks—with hindsight would you now sit it out?—what about food did you try and eat yourself some heat—-a friend of mine went shopping in winter in the russian countryside—broke down in the middle of nowhere and started walking —-after a mile the russian he was with said its too cold our only hope is to get back to the lorry—-back in the lorry—-he dived into the shopping —pulled out a packet of now frozen butter and convinced my friend to eat the lot—my friend who is farm boy said he had never been so cold —-after 1/2 hour he started warming up and is convinced the butter saved his life—-regards from U K

Thanks again everyone for the great stories, comments & feedback on "Close Encounters with Hypothermia."

b hitchcock posed the question: "In hindsight, would you now sit it out?"

As obvious as this question is, I've never seriously given it much thought and I definitely didn't consider it at the time.

I'd like to think that I've developed somewhat better judgement in the 8 years since my brush with hypothermia and that I would not find myself that unprepared ever again. I did have enough food to stay put for a day and that is what I probably should have done. But I was green and underestimated what I was walking out into when I packed up my tent at Rockpile Lake that fateful morning. I guess if I found myself that unprepared gearwise in the exact same circumstances, I'd sit it out. I just honestly don't see myself being that unprepared again knowing what I know now.

Great question.

Thanks, Disco