Phung

You set out for a 10 mile hike alone on a well known trail in the mountains. It's cloudy with little wind and the temperature is a balmy 67 degrees. You have done plenty of hikes, and spend a lot of time outdoors. On this particular day, you take a slightly more adventurous route and move a little faster than usual. It's getting late in the day and you don't want be out after dark so you push a little harder. All is going well until you slip on a rock and mildly sprain your ankle. You can still walk, but you have been slowed down.

You are annoyed at yourself, but settle down to the fact that you are just going to be later than you thought. Unfortunately, you inadvertently followed the wrong stream which is now leading you deeper into the woods and not back to the main trail. Your life is now in grave danger and you don't even know it.

It's getting dark and you are dressed in hiking shorts and cotton shirt. The light is fading and a light rain has started to fall. A cold front has moved in the temperature has dropped quickly to 50 degrees and the wind has picked up. Feeling cold, you stop. You now realize that you picked the wrong trail and are now not certain which direction you should be traveling. The heavy cloud cover makes it tough to get a bearing from the sun. At this point you ask yourself a critical question - do I stop here and prepare to spend the night and wait for help or do I make an intelligent guess and press on. You pick what you think is the correct direction and move faster, using a stick as a cane.

It's now almost dark and the temperature is at 44 degrees with a 15 mph wind giving a wind chill of 27 degrees. You are shivering. Your pace has slowed to a pathetic crawl, and you can't even see the trail. Your fingers are numb and you struggle for a few minutes to unwrap the candy bar in your pack. Your clothes are wet from the rain and and your ankle is throbbing. The wind has picked up a little and the wind chill is well below freezing. You feel a little confused about the situation and can't really remember how you hurt your ankle.

After stumbling on in the dark for a few more minutes, you have to stop because of the violent shivering. Your thinking process has slowed dramatically and you feel signs of depression. Luckily you find a rock overhang and climb under it to get out of the now heavy rain. Your shivering stops and you feel that's a good sign. WRONG! You are now in the severe state of hypothermia. You start doing some irrational things and believe you hear voices to which you call out but hear no response. Your breathing has become shallow and erratic and you feel extremely tired, drifting in and out of consciousness. You curl up into the fetal position to keep warm and fall asleep.

The next morning your cold and lifeless body is found by some hikers approximately 150 yards from the main trail.

This story is a fictitious, although not impossible, example of what can go horribly wrong with a simple outing. Hypothermia is the silent killer. By the time you are aware that you may have hypothermia, it's too late to help yourself. Hypothermia results in hundreds of deaths each year in the United States and Canada.

What is hypothermia? Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscular and cerebral functions are impaired. Basically, it occurs when your body is losing heat faster than it is generating it.

How cold does it have to be? In wet and windy conditions you can get hypothermia at 50 degrees or even higher. You can become hypothermic in water temperatures of 60-70 degrees as water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air.

Recognizing Hypothermia Symptoms Knowing what symptoms to look for can significantly help you or others at risk of hypothermia. With that said, it is difficult to recognize the symptoms in yourself as the very symptoms impede rational thought. The following shows the symptoms that might occur as hypothermia sets in and progresses. Wet and windy conditions will significantly worsen the situation. Your chances of dying from hypothermia are also greatly increased if your judgment is impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Progressive Symptoms of Hypothermia

• Intense shivering
• Violent uncontrollable shivering. Poor coordination and stumbling Difficulty speaking.
• Shivering ceases. Muscles are stiff or rigid. Impaired thinking and judgment. Depression and amnesia.
• Muscle Rigidity continues, slowed pulse rate and respiration. Stupor, Immobility.
• Unconsciousness, most reflexes cease, heart beat erratic, possible death.
• Cardiac Fibrillation. Pulmonary edema. Cardiac and respiratory failure.
• Death!

How do I prevent Hypothermia ? The colder it is, the warmer you need to dress. If you do not have warm clothing, building a fire is essential. It is very important to get out of rain/wind/snow, so shelter is critical. Some clothing like wool, retains it's thermal properties even when wet. Always have warm clothing even if the weather looks great when you start out.

At what point do I stop and prepare to wait for help? It is tough to determine the exact point, as each situation is different. Basically you must not wait until you are too cold, that you can't use your hands. The secret is not even go out unprepared. In the event that you find yourself in a situation that could turn serious, seek assistance immediately. The word "could" is used as it is imperative that you recognize potential problems long before they arise.

In the northern states, you and your family are always at risk of hypothermia when outdoors during cold months. Be prepared for the worst and don't take chances with this silent killer, especially when out with kids.!

Be Safe !

About The Author Graham Armitage, is founder of the family outdoor website, Georec. The site allows anyone to discover new outdoor places and invites you to review and comment on outdoor locations. To access all the free hiking, fishing, paddling and other information available, or to add your own content, visit www.georec.com

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