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COLD AND SNOW

People in California are often not prepared to deal with problems related to prolonged exposure to the elements. If you are planning on hiking or backpacking in an area where there is snow or where it is cold, it is very important to be properly prepared for what you may be dealing with, such as frostbite, sunburn or hypothermia. Improper preparation for the cold or snow can lead to loss of limbs, blindness or death.

General Tips for Hiking in the Cold and Snow

Hydration and nutritional needs are very different in the cold. The body burns more calories to stay warm and needs to hydrate more frequently to metabolize nutrients effectively.

• Layer your clothes and make constant adjustments to maintain a consistent, comfortable temperature. It is important to keep your body temperature balanced, not too hot or too cold, because if you overheat and get sweaty it can lead to rapid chilling. To cut the wind chill factor you will need, a wind-resistant outer shell.
• Keep your water supply from freezing. Try as starting the hike with heated water, storing it inside your pack and using an insulated hydration hose.
• Hiking in snow is similar to hiking in deep sand; you will need to exert more to accomplish the same goals.
• Avoid eating snow as a source of water. The body has to expend a great deal of energy to warm even a small amount of snow/water.
• If you need water, melt and warm the snow before drinking.

Preventing Sunburn

The reflection of the sun on the snow poses a greater risk for sunburn.

• Wear sunscreen with a high SPF (such as a zinc oxide)
• Wear good sunglasses to prevent burning your eyeballs with “snow blindness” (see below)
• Wear Lip balm to protect exposed skin from chafing due to wind and cold
• A hat will not protect much against sunburn, because UV rays are reflecting up off the ground.

Snow Blindness

Snow blindness is, in essence, sunburn of the eye tissues.

Snow blindness is dangerous and can result in permanent blindness. The cause is increased exposure to ultraviolet rays reflected from snow, sea, or even sand. High altitude contributes due to a 4% increase in UV intensity for every thousand feet of elevation above sea level.

To Prevent Snow Blindness

Wear sunglasses! Purchase sunglasses that absorb nearly all UV rays large lenses and a design that covers the side of the eyes.

Symptoms of Snow Blindness

Like sunburned skin, symptoms aren’t evident immediately and it can take several hours for injury to manifest.

• Eyes may become bloodshot and tear
• Pain and a gritty sensation may develop
• Eyes may even swell shut.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia results when body temperature falls below the threshold to maintain normal metabolism due to prolonged exposure to cold, wind, wet environments, inappropriate dress or a combination thereof.

Hypothermia will kill you. DO NOT fall asleep!

Prevent Hypothermia by Dressing Properly

In order to prevent hypothermia, you must shield your body from the cold by wearing proper clothing. Layering is key!

• A beanie for the head
• Gloves
• Balaclava (hood) to cover the face
• A wicking base layer (silk, wool, polypropylene)
• An intermediate layer (fleece, wool)
• An outer layer which is breathable or can be vented to protect from wind (down, water and wind resistant shell)
• Cotton clothing is not good protection against cold because it retains water and speeds heat loss

Symptoms of Hypothermia

Initial Hypothermia

The initial stage of hypothermia requires immediate intervention. Body temperature drops below normal resulting in:

• Mild to Severe Shivering (the body’s involuntary attempt to warm itself via muscular activity)
• Dexterity suffers as the hands become numb, both due to cold and restriction of blood flow to the arms and legs
• Goosebumps on skin
• Fast and shallow breathing
• Increasing nausea and fatigue

As hypothermia progresses, a warm sensation may be felt. This is not recovery but the beginning of moderate hypothermia. Vision may become impaired.

Moderate Hypothermia

The moderate stage of hypothermia includes

• Violent shivers
• Coordination is impaired
• Movement slow and difficult
• Gait marked by stumbling.
• Confusion though often aware
• Skin is pale, while toes and fingers
• Lips and ears may turn blue

If weather conditions permit, keep victim moving and do not let them fall asleep.

Severe Hypothermia

The severe stage of hypothermia is a life-threatening medical emergency.

• Shivering stops as neurological symptoms increase
• Impaired speech
• Sluggishness
• Amnesia
• Inability to use the hands or walk
• Incoherence, irrational (even combative) behavior.
• Heart arrhythmias may result. The heart may stop, but the cold may delay the process of brain death.
• The sensation of a warm sleep and pleasant hallucination will lull the victim into a deep and permanent sleep.

If weather permits, keep the victim talking and moving in the direction of safety. If they fall asleep they will probably not wake up.

Treatment of Hypothermia

If you or someone in your group suffers hypothermia go seek immediate and specialized treatment by medical personnel as soon as possible.

Depending on the situation, continuous movement to a warmer location is recommended.

• Movement such as walking is the best treatment.
• If weather forces you to take shelter keep yourself and the victim in dry shelter and warm them gradually. Remember to keep yourself warm.
• The core must be warmed first, to avoid cold blood forced to the heart from the extremities causing arrhythmias.
• Have the victim drink warm, sweet liquids that do not contain alcohol.
• Blankets are not enough to warm a person with hypothermia; hot packs may be placed under the armpits and the groin.
• Do not warm the victim directly with your own body heat if you are in an outdoors situation. Great care must be taken when attempting to warm a victim of hypothermia with one’s own body; the result can be two victims of hypothermia.
• Once the victim has been prepped (wet clothes, boots/shoes removed) a safer alternative is sleeping bag to sleeping bag contact.

Frostbite

Frostbite is localized tissue damage to the skin and deeper tissues due to exposure to extreme cold.

The most serious cases occur at snowy, higher altitudes, usually in the extremities (hands and feet). The face, often left unprotected, is also at high risk.

As exposure to cold causes surface blood vessels to constrict to maintain core temperature; the combination of cold and low blood flow can result in the body tissues freezing. Low oxygen to the affected area causes nerve damage and feeling is lost. The formation in ice crystals in the cells destroys the cell walls and the result is tissue death.

Symptoms of Frostbite

• Affected tissue will discolor, blister, turn purple, and then black.
• Loss of feeling in affected tissue.

Prevention of Frostbite

• Avoid alcohol and tobacco in cold areas
• Diabetics should avoid cold environments due to their impaired circulation
• DO NOT WEAR COTTON IN COLD ENVIRONMENTS
• Keep clothing dry or change out of wet clothes
• Wear wool blend socks, caps, gloves
• Protect the nose and face with a balaclava or muffler
• Increase activity to stay warm
• Do not over tighten boots and clothing
• Supplement inadequate gloves or footwear with spare socks or any extra clothing
• Seek shelter from winds

Treatment of Frostbite

Warm the victim by wrapping in blankets or moving to a warm environment. More aggressive means should be conducted by medical personnel. The victim requires medical attention as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage. The area may need to be amputated.

Black Ice

Black ice takes its name from its appearance on asphalt. It is transparent, difficult to see and is not limited to highways. An ordinarily passable rock surface can become as slick as a hockey rink without warning.

Chains may be required for vehicles; ice grippers or crampons may be as necessary footwear as are warm boots.

Familiar to drivers as a cause of skids and accidents in winter and also known as black ice, clear ice or glare ice.

Falling Ice/Avalanches

You are more likely to encounter falling ice as temperatures increase rather than in the winter. A roof, rock surfaces above, tree branches overhead, antenna structures can have icicles or other ice formations that can either collapse under their own weight or break free and strike those below. Be aware of what is overhead.

Whispering in avalanche territory may help prevent an avalanche, but advance awareness of terrain is a must.

Before hiking or backpacking in any area, have an advance awareness of risks:

• weather forecasts
• observation of terrain to avoid disturbing slopes
• avoidance of hazards like gullies or cliffs
• clear communication
• cooperation and planning
• careful route selection

Never hike alone. An honest assessment of you and your hiking partner’s skills will help you avoid risky situations.

What to do if Your Tongue becomes stuck to a metal cup or spoon

If you are unfortunate enough to find your tongue stuck to a metal cup or spoon while in the backcountry, do not pull away or try to get up enough spit to work free.

Warm the metal with your gloved hands or pour warm water on the metal until free.

Prevention is best, don’t lick frozen metal.

What to Do if You Fall Through Ice

The best thing to do is to avoid walking on thin ice; but if you fall through ice, the greatest danger is not drowning but hypothermia.

• If underwater, surface immediately.
• Yell for help.
• Find the direction you came from where the ice was able to support your weight.
• Swim and kick your legs to surface onto the ice as a seal does, onto your belly.
• If you get out, roll away from the hole.
• If you can’t get out; hold your arms and chest to the ice to freeze you in place.
• In either case, keep yelling for help.

A 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Copyright © 2006 to Present OC Hiking Club/Hike Everywhere, All rights reserved. Distribution or publication of this site's content without prior written permission is prohibited.