Tim Leadem of the Sierra Club calls hypothermia the greatest single cause of death among amateur hikers.

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 coordination, slurred speech
• confused or unusual behaviour, poor judgment
• 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
• 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 & hot food

The best strategy is prevention. Stay warm and dry. If you start to get a chill, drop what you are doing and climb into your sleeping bag until warm.
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Heat Exhaustion?

Every year we hear of football players & other athletes who die of heat stroke in front of thousands of onlookers.

Though infrequent on coastal hikes, 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

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Dehydration?

Plan to drink far more liquid than normal. It is not unusual to drink 4 - 6 litres of fluid / day). Plan ahead for your water stops. Keep your water bottle and filter handy. Consider adding powders (e.g. Crystal Lite) to make fluid intake a little more palatable.

Many hikers are using Platypus, Camel-bak, or Dromedary hydration systems these days – but a good old water bottle will do just as well.
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