But it was surprising, the rapidity with which his cheeks and nose were freezing. And he had not thought his fingers could go lifeless in so short a time. Lifeless they were, for he could scarcely make them move together to grab a twig, and they seemed remote from his body and from him. When he touched a twig, he had to look and see whether or not he had hold of it."
-- From Jack London's "To Build a Fire," 1908.
In this American classic, London realistically describes a case of hypothermia, frostbite and other horrible consequences that can happen when an ill-prepared person is faced with long-term exposure to freezing temperatures. Almost 100 years later, spending time outdoors can be safer, for we have much better weather forecasting, as well as more suitable equipment and clothing. But you'll need to take advantage of them.
Hypothermia can begin when the body's core temperature falls even a few degrees below its norm of about 98.6 degrees (this varies somewhat from person to person). What you might not know is that it doesn't even take freezing temperatures to make that happen. Spending a prolonged time outdoors on a rainy and windy day, even in the 50s, can easily lead to hypothermia.
When heading outdoors for a winter hike or a snowshoeing excursion, you probably know to bring the essential items including water, map, compass, sunscreen and sunglasses, extra food, extra clothing, headlamp, first-aid kit, fire-starter and a knife. What also is crucial is to be well-nourished and hydrated, to have the proper clothing, and to avoid getting wet and exposed to excessive wind.
Dress in layers of clothing and at all costs avoid cotton. A well-thought-out layering system for your body's core will keep you warm for even extended periods of time outdoors, even in freezing temperatures. Depending on the conditions you expect to encounter, choose the weight of these layers in light, mid or heavyweight fabrics.
Your first layer ideally should be a synthetic wicking fabric such as Capoline, Coolmax, polypropylene or some other man-made fabric; second best would be silk or wool. This layer is crucial in keeping you dry because these fabrics won't absorb moisture from perspiration but rather lift it out to evaporate.
The second layer should be something like a synthetic fleece jacket or vest; wool is the second-best choice. This is your insulating layer, which will hold in body heat. For extreme low temperatures, a down-filled jacket also will work well -- as long as you can guarantee it won't get wet.
Your outer layer should be some sort of a shell jacket or coat. This serves two purposes: it keeps the wind, rain or snow out, but still allows moisture to escape. Ideally, find one that is a longer style so when you take that well-deserved break, like sitting on a cold or snow-packed rock, or while riding a ski lift, your derriere remains warm.
For winter hiking, snowshoeing or skiing, I have found that the same layering system also works well for the lower body. In wet weather, my outer layer is full-length side zipped pants of Gore-Tex or other waterproof fabric. Side zippers are handy because if the weather clears up, you can take off the outer pants easily, without removing your boots. In heavy snow or rain, add some knee-high gaiters.
Don't forget good waterproof hiking boots and proper winter hiking socks -- again, no cotton, but a polyester, acrylic or wool blend that will wick moisture. Add good gloves that are insulated and waterproof, and when returning home from the outdoors, store them in your pack or in your jacket pockets at all times because gloves are what people often forget. Top it all off with a warm fleece or wool hat, or even better, a balaclava.
I have seen even the most seasoned outdoorsmen leave out a crucial layer, usually the outer shell, knowing they will warm up just minutes after beginning strenuous activity. It is best to at least carry along all the clothes you might need in case of emergency. You might be carrying more bulk and a little more weight, but if an unforeseen event happens like an unplanned bivouac or needing to stay by an injured or sick person for an extended amount of time, it could save your life.
Learn to recognize the early warning signs of hypothermia within members of your group and have them check on you. Knowing the symptoms will help you take action before hypothermia advances past the early stages. Initial symptoms include shivering, numbness in limbs and some lack of coordination.
If you suspect even a mild case of hypothermia, take it seriously. Find shelter and a heat source, remove all wet clothing and replace with dry clothing, and help the person move around to warm his body. Offer the victim warm, sweet drinks, non-alcoholic. If the victim begins appear drunk, confused or non-responsive, these are worse symptoms, and you need to seek professional medical attention immediately, as the treatment changes in every stage of hypothermia. Hypothermia can rapidly become life-threatening.
No matter how prepared you are, a fall into cold water will bring on hypothermia even quicker. You will lose body heat about 25 percent faster than with cold air, and the longer you are in the water, the lower your chances of survival.
Many years ago, I was part of a group of four, out for what was supposed to be about 10 hours of midwinter canyoneering. We had to take an unplanned yet necessary 10-minute swim in a canyon pool complete with small icebergs. After this, things went downhill quickly. One disoriented person in our party wandered away and simply vanished. Unwilling to abandon our lost friend, the rest of us used up the daylight looking for him and had to spend the night huddled together, uncertain that we would survive. All of us heard voices that weren't there, became delirious and had trouble standing. If not for our essential emergency equipment, being properly dressed and in top physical condition, we probably wouldn't have lived through it.
With much difficulty the next morning, two of us were able to stumble out many miles to seek help, and the two others were rescued the following day. Several of us lost toenails, which seemed uncomfortably close to losing toes, and one of the survivors said he couldn't feel the ends of his toes for years afterward. And setting out on a hike, I'm no longer too shy to ask a casual acquaintance what kind of underwear she, or even he, is wearing.
Deborah Wall is the author of "Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide," published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.
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