Staying Safe and Healthy on the Trail

Hypothermia?

Tim Leadem of the Sierra Club calls hypothermia the greatest single cause of death among amateur hikers. It can happen on the Queen Charlotte Track. It can happen to you.

Hypothermia is profuse loss of heat from the body core. Despite all warnings, a high percentage of hikers still set off with insufficient clothing.

Signs & Symptoms of Hypothermia:

• shivering (may be absent in later stages)
• numbness
• lack of co-ordination, slurred speech
• confused or unusual behaviour, poor judgement
• body temperature below 35 degrees C (95 degrees F)
• loss of consciousness (in extreme cases)

First Aid:

• remove wet clothing and dry the casualty
• put on dry clothes
• keep the head warm
• put the hiker into a pre-warmed sleeping bag
• add hot water bottles into the bag or, even better, have another hiker strip down to underwear and climb into the sleeping bag with the victim to share body heat
• if the casualty is alert, have them drink warm liquids & high calorie hot food

The best strategy is prevention. Stay warm and dry. If you start to get a chill, get moving. Pick up the pace to increase your own body heat.

Heat Exhaustion? Sunburn?

Bring a broad brimmed hat — it's easy to get burned though a good deal of the Track is shaded.

Heat stroke is rare on coastal hikes, but you still should be alert to prevent a progressive overheating emergency. Watch for signs of heat cramps, which often precedes heat exhaustion, and the potentially fatal heat stroke.

Signs & symptoms of heat cramps:

• severe muscle contractions, usually in the legs and the abdomen
• normal body temperature (usually)

Treatment:

• cool the body (wet the clothes)
• have casualty rest in a cool place
• drink fluids
• stretch and massage muscles

Dehydration?

Plan to drink far more liquids than normal. It is not unusual to drink 4 - 6 litres of fluid / day. Plan ahead your water stops. (There are sections of the Track with poor water sources; particular between Bay of Many Coves DOC campsite and Portage.) Keep your water bottle handy. Consider adding powders to make fluid intake more palatable.

Many hikers are using Platypus, Camelbak, or Dromedary hydration systems these days – but good old water bottle(s) will do just as well.

Check the colour of your urine as an indicator to see if you are drinking enough liquids.

Are there any dangerous snakes or spiders?

No snakes. You often hear about the single poisonous spider in New Zealand, the katipo, but it is almost impossible to find one.

We have been warned by locals about a spider called a White Tail — it is large with a white spot on the backside.