Safety & Staying Healthy
Hypothermia?
In August ‘99, eight West Coast Trail hikers were evacuated with hypothermia on the same day. The week prior was hot & rain free.
Tim Leadem of the Sierra Club calls hypothermia the greatest single cause of death among amateur hikers. About 10% of WCT evacuees are hypothermic.
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.
Every year we hear of football players & other athletes who die of heat stroke in front of thousands of onlookers.
Though rare 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
Dehydration?
Plan to drink far more liquids 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, 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.
