Camping in weather extremes happens more often than we’d like. The wise camper always checks the weather forecast prior to leaving on a camping trip. But the weather can change in a twinkling of an eye from very pleasant to very dangerous. Hikingware.com suggests that if we want to avoid problems such as heat stroke, dehydration or frostbite, we take heed of the following suggestions.
For
cold weather:
·
Wear layers. You’ll stay warmer with several thinner layers of
clothing than with one thick layer.
·
Dark colors will attract the sun’s warmth.
·
Keep clothing loose; if it’s too tight it will restrict the flow of
blood.
·
Avoid cotton clothing; when it gets wet it’s very hard to dry in the
outdoors.
·
Stay away from alcohol; it wicks away your body’s heat by opening up
your skin pores.
·
A good time to quit smoking is when you’re in a sub-zero camping
situation; smoking constricts the blood vessels, making it much harder to stay
warm.
·
Remember that things like canned food, toothpaste, eggs and water will
freeze in below-freezing weather. Make sure you have dry pack food
available.
·
Have plenty of matches in a strong, sealable plastic bag.
·
Never bring a kerosene heater inside a tent, no matter how
well-ventilated you think it is.
·
Go to bed warm by doing some exercises first; a sleeping bag can keep
you warm but it can’t make you warm if you’re cold getting into it.
·
Urinate out of the wind; you can lose as much as one-sixth of your total
body heat if you urinate or defecate out in the open with a wind blowing on
you. But don’t refrain from going to the bathroom; that will just make
you colder.
·
Keep your flashlight batteries in bed with you to keep them warm; it
will make them last longer.
·
Sunglasses are essential to avoid snow blindness. You can suffer
from snow blindness even on an overcast day.
For
hot weather/desert conditions:
·
Carry your own adequate supply of water; you cannot trust any pool or
stream in any park in the United States. Never go far from guaranteed
sources of clean water, even if you are carrying a full canteen.
Accidents happen, and you could be trapped somewhere for days before being
found.
·
Wet a handkerchief and tie it around your neck; this will cool your
circulation immediately. Be careful about dipping your feet in mountain
streams; they can be so cold that the water injures your feet before you can
feel it.
·
Do as much as you can at night or early in the morning, so you can stay
immobile in the shade during the hottest part of the day.
·
Have a supply of salt and or mineral tablets. In an emergency you
can use any type of hard candy, especially jaw breakers.
Heat
stroke can occur at night as well as in the day; it is triggered by dehydration more
than by temperature. For more information on heat stroke, please click here. Visit us at www.hikingware.com
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Written by Tim Torkildson
