Hypothermia?
Summer high temperatures average around 14 C (57 Fahrenheit). Winter days are much colder.
Hypothermia is a real danger on the Paine Circuit.
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 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, drop what you are doing and climb into your sleeping bag until warm.
Heat Exhaustion? Sunburn?
Bring a broad brimmed hat — it's easy to get burned. The ozone layer is thin this far south.
Though rare on mountain 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
Dehydration?
Plan to drink far more liquids than normal. It is not unusual to drink 4 - 6 litres of fluid / day). Fortunately most of the water on Paine is potable without treatment. We had no problems drinking directly from creeks & lakes in 2004. Leave the filter at home.
But keep your water bottle handy. Consider adding powders (e.g. Crystal Lite) to make fluid intake a little 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.
Stay hydrated.
