How to Avoid Hypothermia When Hiking

Hypothermia is a serious condition which can be life threatening. There are many misconceptions concerning hypothermia, including that hypothermia occurs only when a person is exposed to freezing conditions. However, hypothermia threats range from dampness to wind chill, and under normal conditions, often only present mild discomfort. When hiking in a remote area, these threats take on new relevance and danger.

Things You'll Need

  • Rain gear
  • Survival kit with fire starting supplies
  • Sleeping bag or blanket
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Instructions

    • 1

      Learn the symptoms of hypothermia. Early symptoms can be subtle and unnoticed. Early stages of hypothermia include shivering, loss of coordination, slowed breathing, pale skin, confusion and drowsiness. In later stages or severe cases, shivering may stop when the core body temperature drops.

    • 2
      Pack proper rain gear for your hike.

      Pack rain gear even for a day hike. Proper rain gear is customary on long hikes, but often left at home for hikes of shorter durations. A person losses body heat 30 percent faster when they are wet than when dry. This can greatly increase the risk of hypothermia, and results in a rapid onset of the symptoms. If hiking at higher elevations, a sudden rain shower can often be followed by a drastic drop in temperature as well as a breeze. Dampness, cool temperatures and wind are the three elements that will bring on rapid hypothermia.

    • 3

      Take along a small survival kit, which includes items with which to start a fire. If your body core temperature drops too low, you will need an external heat source in order to recover. Get dry, wrap yourself in multiple layers of clothing, and get to a heat source. If no fire is possible, huddling with other individuals can help to recover lost body heat.

    • 4
      External heat sources help a hypothermia victim.

      Observe other members of your hiking party. A person suffering from hypothermia may not recognize the symptoms, especially in the later stages. For this reason, it is imperative you are aware of what to look for and observe your traveling companions. Stumbling, slowed speech, poor judgment, amnesia and dilation of the pupils are all signs of advanced hypothermia. If untreated, the victim can go into shock, a coma and die. Hesitation in providing treatment could prove fatal.

    • 5

      Seek immediate medical treatment if the victim's skin begins to turn a bluish color, he can no longer articulate his words, stops shivering or has a slow or irregular pulse. All of these are signs of severe hypothermia and require immediate treatment. Unless you are extremely close to your destination, do not attempt to continue your hike. Stop and provide care for the victim as quickly as possible.

    • 6

      Build a fire, remove any wet clothing from the victim and begin warming. Alcohol should not be consumed; this will raise the temperature in extremities but lower core body temperature, the exact opposite of what is needed. If a sleeping bag is available, place the victim inside the bag. To help raise the body temperature, a second person can also enter the sleeping bag in order to allow their body heat to warm the victim. Once the victim has recovered and symptoms are absent, he should be examined by a medical professional as a precaution.