Roger Carr left this flattering comment appended to my recent post on benefits of hiking:

You have done a terrific job demonstrating the health benefits of hiking. As you know, there are many additional benefits that come from hiking. Some of these positive benefits include reducing stress, a better mental outlook, and bonding with family and friends.

Roger also left a link to a post on his blog which covers additional benefits of hiking.  I thought you might be interested in reading it. Here’s the link.

Enjoy. ~Richard Davidian

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Crossing a Stream Safely

Hiking Nutrition: Energy Snacks

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Here are online sources of information on the topic of hiking benefits. Some of these benefits fall nicely into the category of health.

Image by jpstanley via Flickr

Know the Wonderful Health Benefits of Trekking and Hiking – Makenn …

Nowadays most of the people, particularly in Europe and America are adopting trekking and hiking as major outdoor events. The trend of trekking and hiking is also increasing in various other areas of the world because of …

Publish Date: 05/06/2011 20:08

http://makennanilhif.typepad.com/blog/2011/05/know-the-wonderful-health-benefits-of-trekking-and-hiking.html

Health Benefits of Hiking

Health Benefits of Hiking – Hiking is a popular, low-cost way to get out and take a break from daily life. It is also a fun, and natural way to improve your physical, mental, and emotional states.

Publish Date: 06/28/2010 11:30

http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/health-benefits-of-hiking-29623094

Top ten health benefits of hiking | Have fun. Stay safe. Tread …

How much activity do you need to reap these incredible health benefits? Experts say getting active for just 150 minutes a week – doing “moderate-intensity” aerobic exercise such as moderate hiking or brisk walking …

Publish Date: 05/25/2011 0:01

http://www.goodhiker.com/2011/05/25/health-benefits-hiking/

The Benefits of Hiking | Simple But Powerful Remedies For Allergies

The Dr. Bob show tells us about the many benefits of.

Publish Date: 06/15/2011 15:07

http://remedies.allergyu.com/the-benefits-of-hiking/

The Benefits of a Hiking Blog

The Benefits of a Hiking Blog. June 10, 2011 By mrmermai Leave a Comment. Article by Janet Slagell. If you are a beginning hiker and are trying to figure out what you really need, where the best places to hike are and how to connect …

Publish Date: 06/09/2011 19:55

http://www.mermaiden-love.com/the-benefits-of-a-hiking-blog/

of Hiking – Ask A Fitness Coach

Obviously you know hiking is a workout — but do you know just how much? I didn’t. Yet after 4 hikes in 3 days, I’m convinced: it’s a secret weapon workout.

Publish Date: 05/31/2011 23:12

http://www.askfitnesscoach.com/the-joys-and-hamstring-aches-of-hiking/

Hiking fitness safety protocols Articles – Health Link Central

Hiking fitness can be very enjoyable and educational. However, safety protocols must be carried for a more safe and fun hike. Here are some helpful tips that you can follow for your first hiking fitness getaway …

Publish Date: 05/27/2011 14:04

http://articles.healthlinkcentral.com/13371/nutrition/hiking-fitness-safety-protocols/2011/05/27/

STOP: Assess hiking fitness « Alyeska Journal

STOP: Assess hiking fitness. April 20, 2011 by alyeskatraveler. Sometimes, a photo just has to be shared. This is from Another Header’s post on Carlsbad Canyon. Share this: Email · Facebook …

Publish Date: 04/20/2011 19:19

http://alyeska.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/stop-assess-hiking-fitness/

GaryMoller.com – Health, Fitness – Naturally!: Hiking or Mountain …

Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness. Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. …

Publish Date: 04/30/2011 0:00

http://blog.garymoller.com/2011/04/hiking-or-mountain-biking-your-cell.html

Cool Hiking Fitness pics | Power Hikes

Cool Hiking Fitness pics. by admin on Saturday, June 11th, 2011 | No Comments. Some cool hiking fitness photos: Day 111/365 – my total steps after Sunday’s 2 1/2 hour hike hiking fitness. Image by Newbirth35 April 21, 2009 …

Publish Date: 06/11/2011 2:30

http://power-hiking.info/camping/cool-hiking-fitness-pics-2/

Hiking Benefits: Videos

Outdoor Training | Fitness Training | Personal Training Services

www.getfitoutdoors.ca Specializes in Mountain biking fitness, Kayaking fitness, Hiking fitness, Road biking fitness, Golfing fitness, Trekking, Backpacking, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowboarding, Canoeing, Rock climbing, Stand-up paddle boarding, Persona…

Walking & Hiking at an all-womens weight loss program in Vermont

www.fitwoman.com Green Mountain at Fox Run, the original pioneering diets dont work weight loss spa, offers women serious about permanent weight loss and healthy lifestyle change an active fitness program. Hiking and our very popular, Vermonting prog…

Stacy’s Butt-blaster workout #1

Lower Body Workout at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.

Winter Hiking : Benefits of Hiking in Winter

Learn the benefits a good winter hike can bring; find tips for hiking in winter and staying warm in the snow in this this free video on winter exercise. Expert: Sheryl McGlochlin Contact: www.crazysherl.com Bio: Sheryl McGlochlin loves spending time …

The Big “O” Hike – Hiking for Health

The Florida Trail: Lake Okeechobee Part of the larger documentary “The Florida Trail: Florida’s own National Scenic Trail,” this segment focuses on the Florida Trail’s journey around Lake Okeechobee, where it passes through the rural agricultural tow…

Super Stamina: Hiking Downhill & Eccentric Muscle Actions

www.youtube.com Super Stamina: Hiking Downhill & Eccentric Muscle Actions Super7System.com http

As if you weren’t convinced before! Now, you have hiking benefits information for handling skeptics. ~Richard Davidian

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For Your Backpacking First Aid Kit

Among the World’s Most Prolific Wildlife Viewing – Close to Home

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The North Face Sleeping Bags

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Outdoors and Hiking Tips

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Are you planning a mountain climbing expedition? Then you need to know some tips on how to avoid altitude sickness. But, before we get into avoidance, I want to discuss a couple of other related issues. First, I will relate some personal experiences. Then, we’ll talk about some of the physiology related to altitude sickness (also known as “mountain sickness”). I will end up with five rules to avoid getting sick at altitude.

Personal Experiences

I have a pretty good stomach. Some would say it is made of cast-iron. I have traveled and hiked in many countries and lived in several. I have tried a number of exotic foods and had little or no difficulty with them. I remember a deep-sea fishing expedition where I was the only one on board besides the crew who wasn’t sick.

I got to eat all the yummy food that people brought and had a great time fishing while others were hanging over the rail feeding the fish that I hadn’t yet caught.

Once, I sailed by ship from San Francisco to Yokohama, Japan – with no sea sickness. I also crossed the Atlantic in a cargo ship, again with no sea sickness. As a bush pilot in Africa, I was never air sick. As a passenger in small and large aircraft I’ve never been air sick.

But, I met my Waterloo on Mount Whitney. I was climbing with my brothers. It was my second time to make the ascent. As we neared the summit, each of them got sick one at a time. I was fine.

I gloated. I even teased them a bit, later to my chagrin. It wasn’t until descending the other side of the summit that my turn came to meet face to face the devil called “altitude”. I had been eating raisins for energy. I guess most of that energy went to my stomach because it, with little warning, ejected those raisins with great force. After that I couldn’t look a raisin in the face for years.

Physiology of Altitude Sickness

Now, I’m not a medical doctor. So, what I say here comes from research and not from experience or training.

All parts of our bodies need oxygen. Our muscles, our hearts, our stomachs, our brains and all our cells depend on oxygen to function properly. The lungs breathe in oxygen and hemoglobin in the blood carries that oxygen throughout the body.

At sea level a person gets plenty of oxygen from the air for his or her body to function. Lungs function adequately, and blood hemoglobin is maintained at normal levels.

At higher elevations, there is less oxygen in the air. For example, at 16,000 feet above sea level, the oxygen content in the atmosphere is only half of what it is at sea level. If a person lives at say 4,000 feet above sea level, his or her body has physiologically adapted to the diminished oxygen in the air. As with people living at sea level, hemoglobin levels are adequate and the body functions normally.

The problem comes when a person moves quickly from a lower to a higher elevation. The body doesn’t have time to adapt. Hemoglobin levels drop dramatically, and the body begins starving for oxygen. Heart rate increases. Breathing rate increases to compensate. But, it is not enough. And the blood pH gets out of balance, making it difficult for hemoglobin to work efficiently.

Here is where altitude sickness can strike.

There are undoubtedly a number of other factors, caused by the drop in oxygen availability, that contribute to altitude sickness. I don’t know them all, nor do I understand them all. But, here is one that I learned from my research. And it makes sense to me. In the environment of diminished atmospheric oxygen, the body, for self-preservation, shunts hemoglobin away from the stomach and other organs to try to maintain a sufficient cardiopulmonary reserve.

So the poor stomach, with a diminished oxygen supply, cannot function as it should. It is unable to properly digest the food that it is working on. And, to use crass layman’s terminology, things go sour and the food goes north.

Ways of Preventing Altitude Sickness

1. Acclimatize. As we have said above, the body can adapt to an environment with less oxygen –  to a degree. To do this, the kidneys excrete into the urine excess bicarbonate that has built up in response to hyperventilation caused by diminished oxygen in the air. But it takes time. Full adaptation takes several days. But, for hiking purposes, it is sufficient to follow this rule: gain no more than 1500 to 2000 feet in a day until your body has acclimatized and is ready to function on less oxygen.

Another thing you can do is to spend a day or two at an intermediate elevation before your assault on the summit.

2. Avoid over exerting yourself. Ascend slowly and deliberately. It’s not a race. Enjoy the view.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Adequate fluid intake helps the kidneys in their job of rebalancing the chemicals in the blood. Remember that bicarbonate problem?

4. Stay warm and dry. Avoid cotton clothing. Hypothermia can contribute, devastatingly, to altitude sickness.

5. Avoid alcohol and other sedatives. I don’t know the exact reason for this, but keep it on your “to not do” list when climbing.

So there you have it: after some explanation and self revelation, how to avoid altitude sickness with five rules. See you at the top of Mount Whitney! ~Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Give this post a boost on StumbleUpon. Click this button. Thanks. ———- We welcome comments. Please join the conversation. Please subscribe to our RSS Feed for more great outdoors tips and issues (top right corner). A Double Whammy against Insects Safety Features and Injury Decline: The Disconnect Acquire survival skills quickly with Survival Playing Cards. Double Sleeping Bags Follow me on Twitter for more great outdoors tips and issues. Outdoors and Hiking Tips

One of the most poignant preoccupations for a hiker or a backpacker is preventing blisters while hiking. Here are some blister-prevention tips.

Image via Wikipedia

Tip #1: Always break in hiking boots or other trail footwear before starting a hike of any considerable distance.

Tip #2: Wear lighter hiking shoes. The lighter the shoes, the less chance of blisters there is. Heavy hiking boots are not always the best choice. If you are hiking on well-maintained trails, trail running shoes may be a better choice. Even basketball shoes work well in many hiking and backpacking situations. If you have weak ankles or hike on rough terrain, then maybe heavier hiking boots are called for. Otherwise, think lighter with regard to hiking and backpacking footwear. You’ll have easier blister management.

Tip #3: Wear moisture wicking liner socks. Polypropylene is a good choice of fabric.

Tip #4: Prevent blisters before they start. As soon as you feel a hot spot anywhere on your feet or toes, cover it liberally with moleskin, athletic tape or duct tape. Some veteran hikers tape up spots on their feet that they know, from previous experience, are liable to develop blisters.

Tip #5: Always bring along extra socks.

Tip #6: When you stop to rest, take up your boots or shoes and let your feet air out. Just keep downwind from your hiking partners.

Tip #7: Wear plastic bags on top of your socks if you anticipate hiking in extremely wet conditions. One gallon Ziploc bags are about the right size.

Preventing blisters while hiking is not that easy. But the above tips should help. ~Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Choosing a Great Campsite

Choosing Hiking Footwear

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Outdoors and Hiking Tips

This blog post is about DEET bug repellent.

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Insects are a bother. As hikers and backpackers, we can undoubtedly all tell about unpleasant encounters with bothersome insects.

Insects are not only a bother but a pain – or an itch.

Insects are not merely a pain, but can be downright dangerous. Some have the ability to transmit diseases that are a major threat to our health.

It follows, therefore, that doing what we can to repel bugs is important while we are hiking or backpacking.

One of the best ways to send bugs packing is to apply an insect repellent to one’s skin. And,

insect repellents with DEET are the best of the best. DEET has been faithfully doing its job for decades. It has repeatedly passed tests for toxicity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider this chemical to be safe and recommend its use.

A mosquito repellent with DEET is long-lasting, maintaining its effectiveness for up to 14 hours, and works against most insects. There are a few flies, however, that don’t seem to be bothered by it. So, for this short list of insects, a different repellent like Picaridin or IR 3535 is recommended. To get a double-barreled effect, look for an insect repellent that contains both DEET and another ingredient that is effective against flies.

So, for your next hike or backpacking trip consider taking along some DEET bug repellent and give them pesky critters the brush off. ~Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Fitting a Backpack Properly

7 Ways to Put Wilderness into Your Daily Life

Our Natural Heritage: Largely Unappreciated

Learn to tie knots with Knot Playing Cards.

Backcountry Camping Gear

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Outdoors and Hiking Tips

This story, which takes place in Alberta, Canada, is about the joy of wilderness backpacking, serendipitous friendship and hypothermia. Any lessons in the story may be drawn, without my aid, by the reader. The names of characters have been changed — mostly due to the fact that I can’t remember them.

Image by Bill Gracey via Flickr

Derek and I were scaling the flank of an unnamed peak, at least unnamed to us, in Banff National Park. The sun, well past its zenith, set ablaze the near granite cliffs against an azure sky and warmed our shoulders. A variable breeze helped to dry our sweat and brought faint intermittent sounds of a dog’s joyous barking. We stopped and peered into the valley behind us, from where the sound was coming, and saw nothing.

I had met Derek at the trailhead while he was lacing up his boots. From Australia and traveling alone as I was, he pleaded with me to let him hike with me. I resisted as long as I could, but finally caved in to his insistence and allowed him to join me on my short backpacking trip.

As the barking got louder, we picked up the outlines of two hikers rapidly closing the gap that separated us. When they reached us, the source of the echoing barks also arrived, a black Labrador retriever with a friendly tail and a red doggie backpack.

Fred, young, buff and with a very light backpack, thrust out his hand and introduced himself. He was an off-duty ranger hiking with his girlfriend and dog to a National Park cabin on the shore of the lake that was our own destination.

“Do you have a map,” he asked? I pulled it, creased and wrinkled, from under my hip belt. Fred accepted the topo from my extended hand and pored over it a good two minutes.

Gwen, lithe and bronzed, pulled into the circle to introduce herself and stare cooperatively at the contour lines on the map. “We’ll never make it to the lake before dark if we follow the trail”, she said.

Fred nodded in agreement. “Look, we can go down the left side of the valley instead of the right where the trail is. It’s a lot straighter shot. The trail winds around too much.”

“Look, we’ll make you a deal”  said Fred. “You have a map and we have a cabin. Come with us with your map, and you two can sleep in our cabin.”

“Deal”, I shot back thrusting out my hand.

We five, counting the dog, left the trail and headed northwest to the left side of the valley. Cresting the pass, we crossed a stream and soon got a view of the emerald lake below. The fabled cabin, if it did indeed exist, was hidden somewhere in the trees.

Above the tree line, the gentle slope, devoid of significant vegetation, presented little challenge to our progress. The afternoon sun dipped behind the western ridge and the sudden chill raised goosebumps on my bare arms. Derek and I stopped, took off our backs, pulled out our jackets and put them on. Fred and Gwen seemed not to notice. It took us a good 20 miutes to catch up again.

Gwen, also a ranger, got Fred to stop and wait for us. “Can I have another peek at your map”, she asked politely? “Look, Fred, if we angle slight right for a couple of kilometers, we’ll avoid this cliff,” tracing her finger along a diagonal of compact contour lines on the map.

Fred bounded off in the direction indicated and the rest of us followed. The slick rock of the pass gave way to scree and occasional talus. Fatigue from trying to balance a heavy backpack on unstable rocks wracked my body. My joints  began to ache.

Even worse were the patches of brush that tore at our legs. I was glad for the long pants I wore. Derek’s shorts gave him no protection from the low and clawing branches. By the time we descended into the trees, evening was on us and the chill deepened. I could feel my sweaty cotton tee shirt turn cold. I began to shiver.

By the time we groped our way to the cabin with the help of Derek’s flashlight, my shivers had turned to shakes. I rolled out my sleeping mat and bag on a bunk bed devoid of mattress and climbed in. My violent hypothermic shaking threatened to bring down the sturdy bed. I couldn’t will the shakes to stop. They came in violent waves.

Fred stuck his head in the door and invited Derek and me to share a can of stew. Derek rose and hobbled to the door. I declined through chattering teeth. If I had known then what I know now about hypothermia, I would have accepted the medicinal gift. I shook the bed, and probably the cabin, through most of the night. Derek only got sleep because of his extreme fatigue.

The next morning, after a breakfast of powdered eggs and coffee, we headed up the trail to the pass.

by Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Wear Hydrophobic Fibers next to Your Skin

Don’t Invite the Bears to Supper

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Ultralight Backpacks

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Outdoors and Hiking Tips

One member of your hiking group is injured. Should you take her out to the trailhead? Or should you summon professional help? It’s not an easy decision to make. Every circumstance is different. So, there is no way I can give a definitive answer that would cover all cases. But, let’s take a look at some factors that could help with making a decision.

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1. Gravity of the injury: How badly hurt is the victim? Can she walk with help? Can you improvise a stretcher if she can’t, and do you have enough people to carry the stretcher? If you can’t answer yes to the last two questions, sending for professional help is likely to be the better decision.

2. Distance to the trailhead: Is it close enough to be able to get out before the sun goes down? Remember that, to answer this question,

you must keep in mind that carrying a stretcher with an injured person will go a whole lot slower than normal hiking. Consider, instead, sending a hiker without a backpack to get help. Such a hiker could no doubt make relatively good time.

3. Daylight hours remaining: Do a quick check of the time that remains before it gets dark. Put this calculation together with the information mentioned in number two above to help make the right decision.

4. Physical condition: What is your level of strength and stamina and also skill at this point in time? Do you and your friends have what it takes to help or carry her to the trailhead before the sun goes down? How strong is the weakest link among you?

5. Strength of the victim: Is she physically up to making a rough journey with improvised equipment like a stretcher, and perhaps a splint and with little in the way of pain management? It may be better to make the victim as comfortable as possible and wait for trained rescuers who could bring proper emergency gear and medications. Even an overnight stay with proper shelter may be better than jouncing painfully down the trail. This is not an easy call. It may even be good to ask the victim her opinion.

6. The weather: Are there thunderstorms building in the area? Is rain imminent? Will the waning daylight bring numbing cold? These are just examples of further questions that need to be considered in making a decision to go or to wait.

7. Impending danger: Is the ground unstable? Is there danger of an avalanche or rockslide? Answering such questions need to be factored into the decision to carry out the victim or to wait for professional rescuers.

This is not a definitive list of factors to consider when trying to make the right decision about whether to carry a victim out or send for help. Each scenario would carry its own set of factors and questions. All or some of these factors may be among them.

by Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Solo Backpacking: Antidote for a Frenzied Life

Four Legs Are Better than Two

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Outdoors and Hiking Tips

Here are videos and blog posts on what to include in a hiking first aid kit. I hope they’re helpful.

Hiking first aid kit (Maxpedition FR-1)

This is the bigger of my two first aid kits, usually attached to the side of my Falcon when hiking. If you have any suggestions on what should be added, taken away, or modified, please share! (do keep in mind though, that it’s pretty stuffed as it is…

First Aid Kit Level 2 , hiking or emergancy medical kit bug out bag

This is my level 2 first aid kit in review. I am not a profecional, this is just what I take with me hiking camping or if needen in any situation that might use the help. Please SUBSCRIBE!

Backpacking/Camping Emergency First Aid Medical Kit

Many commercial first aid kits are seriously deficient. Most include little more than a few band-aids and bandages to cope with minor cuts or scrapes, some aspirin and salve, maybe a compress and triangular bandage, if you’re lucky. Many low budget c…

Ultralight First Aid Kit For Backpacking and Hiking

Everyone should carry a basic first aid kit on every hike. We show you our first aid kits and what they contain. Be a ready hiker. Don’t be that guy. Disclaimer: The owners and staff of Readyhiker.com are not medical professionals and the contents of…

Hiking, Camping and Backpacking First Aid Kit

Hiking, Camping and Backpacking First Aid Kit; See upcoming blog post on backpackbasecamp.com

How to Choose Hiking & Backpacking Equipment : How to Choose a First Aid Kit for Hiking Trips

Learn how to choose a first-aid kit for your hiking excursions that will allow you to stay safe and found while spending the day hiking in thisfree hiking safety video series. Expert: Kate Carcio Contact: www.zoaroutdoor.com Bio: Kate Carcio, a white…

Only The Lightest: Ultralight Backpacking First Aid Kit

You can cram a lot into an ultralight backpacking one or two-ounce first aid kit. Keep your lightweight hiking first aid kit versatile and light with these tips. Chapter 27 in a series of more than 30 videos. hikelight.com

How to Survive Hiking in the Appalachian Mountains : How to Prepare a First Aid Kit for Hiking

How to prepare first aid in the Appalachian Mountains in thisfree how-to video. Expert: David Jackel Bio: As a singer, David Jackel knows the dire effects that a cold can have on his ability to perform. Filmmaker: David Jackel

Hiker First Aid Kit

A description of what I carry in my first aid kit.

Ultralight First Aid Kit – Backpacking & Hiking Safety

Functional and light, this compact kit carries enough medical supplies for a group of four, yet tips the scales at a mere nine ounces.

Camping : Backpacking First Aid Kit Checklist

A first aid kit is essential when going hiking, backpacking or camping. Include mole skin, bandages, gauze, pain reliever and ointment as explained by a veteran camper in this free video on camping. Expert: Charlie Vance Contact: WeAreHDTV.com Bio: C…

Hiking First Aid Kit: Blog Posts.

Going Bushwalking? Make Yourself a Natural First Aid Kit

As part of any planned long bushwalking, camping or kayaking trip, a first aid kit is essential. All the usual bandages, antibiotics, slings, analgesics, tourniquets, artery forceps, suture material, etc. will already be part of your …

Publish Date: 01/19/2011 0:44

http://www.suite101.com/content/going-bushwalking-make-yourself-a-natural-first-aid-kit-a334778

Lifesystems Sterile Kit First Aid Kit

Shop online for Lifesystems Sterile Kit First Aid Kit – low internet prices from hiking gear | sportboutiques Lifesystems Sterile Kit First Aid Kit – The Lifesystems Sterile Health Kit is ideal for when you travel around the world, …

Publish Date: 01/21/2011 23:12

http://www.sportboutiques.eu/hiking-gear/product/4673432/lifesystems-sterile-kit-first-aid-kit/lang/en

Lightweight First Aid Kit for Camping and Hiking

Ultralight hikers and campers aren’t the only ones who can find a use for a lightweight first aid kit. Just a few simple items can offer many uses.

Publish Date: 11/09/2010 7:30

http://www.suite101.com/content/lightweight-first-aid-kit-for-camping-and-hiking-a306521

Get your own hiking first aid kit ready for your next hike. Richard Davidian

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Hoisting Your Backpack Safely

Hiking Tips: Avoid Hypothermia on Winter Hikes

Learn to identify edible wild plants with Edible Wild Plants Cards.

Wholesale Sporting Goods

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Outdoors and Hiking Tips

Last August I posted a piece on avoiding cotton as a base layer. In it I used the oft-published warning “cotton kills”.

Image via Wikipedia

I was taken to task by a commenter for using “cheap hyperbole” and exaggeration to make a point.

I believe that you will agree, after reading the recent experience of a hiker in the Shenandoah National Park, that using the term “cotton kill” my not be an exaggeration after all. I include below the entire comment without modification:

On a backpacking trip two weeks ago(first week of jan 2011) in the shenandoah national park, I wore a inner suit (union suit) made of cotton on the inside and wool on the outside. It was a gift from ll bean. After an ardous hike up the mountain I was soaked with sweat. I was immediatly freezing. I was alone, save for my dog, and I attributed this coldness to hunger. So I cooked dinner early and kept adding layers. It is hard to accuratly describe the feeling but I stayed cold and I think I was confused. I started to gather wood feverishly for a fire. It was 25 degrees out with no wind and I had brought clothing for 0 degree weather. At some point something dawned on me and I stripped down to nothing and took off the suit and redressed without it. It was so wet it froze ridgidly. I eventually warmed up but i felt rather sick and mentally off for entirety of the evening. It wasn’t until later at home that I considered that I might have had a mild case of hypothermia. Maybe close to being a serious case. To call “cotton kills” hyperbole is ,I think, uninformed. The nature of the beast is that you don’t know that your in a deadly situation. I am an avid hiker from colorado. I am 31 and in great physical shape. I report this to say that it can happen to anyone. Not to be melodramatic but the mistake of wearing cotton as a base layer may have almost cost me my life. Thanks

I stand by my warning that “cotton kills”. Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Dehydrated Backpacking Food and More

Hiking Tips: Safety First and Last and Always

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Winter is here with its joys and hazards. Learn from these YouTube videos and blog posts on the topic of symptoms of hypothermia and treatment of the same.

Hiking Survival Tips & Techniques : Avoiding & Treating Hypothermia

Learn how to avoid or how to treat hypothermia in this free wilderness survival video. Expert: Karl Jensen Bio: Karl Jensen has been hiking for seven years in the New England area. Karl is currently interning in the adventure program at Smith College…

Hypothermia Cure and Prevention

Please hypothermia is condition of organism exposed to low temperatures because of cold weather etc. and can be divided to 3 stages according to body temperature and associated signs and symptoms. Very important is to provide gradual warming, it mean…

Badlands National Park “easy” backpacking trip gone all wrong! The beginning

This is Monday morning, I had misread the weather report. Thinking it was going to be raining Tuesday I thought nothing of what should have been a modest backpacking trip in Badlands National Park. There are 18 videos in total that cronicle my strugg…

Hypothermia

United States Coast Guard University of Alaska Fisheries Safety & Survival Series Hypothermia AVA11657VNB1, 1986 Cold weather can kill as easily as a fall from a cliff. This program demonstrates the danger of hypothermia on a fishing boat, how to rec…

Emergency Hypothermia-Mayo Clinic

Every winter it happens: Someone dies from exposure to the cold. Hypothermia can happen quickly in very cold weather or in cold water. And it is often life threatening. But hypothermia is a good thing for people who have a cardiac arrest. Let’s go to…

The Effects of Hypothermia

Presented by LifeView Outdoors. A comical look at a serious subject, hypothermia, and the warning signs for colleagues to observe if caught in the outdoors. Are you Prepared to Survive? Visit www.lifeviewoutdoors.com for more information

First Aid & Safety Procedures : How to Prevent Hypothermia

Hypothermia prevention begins with proper dress and clothing. Prevent hypothermia withtips from a firefighter in this free first aid video. Expert: Joe Bruni Contact: firestop.staylow@verizon.net Bio: Captain Joe Bruni has over three decades of exper…

Blog Posts for Symptoms of Hypothermia and Treatment

The Busy Man’s Guide to Frostbite & Hypothermia | Symptoms …

Winter’s great. Love the snow – skiing, snowball fights, luge. But there’s some danger to being out in the cold, in particular – frostbite and hypothermia.

Publish Date: 01/04/2011 17:11

http://manofthehouse.com/health/doctor/the-mans-guide-to-frostbite-hypothermia

Blog Healthy Food | Symptoms of Hypothermia and how to Prevent and …

Signs and Symptoms of hypothermia: Blood pressure and heart rate increase. Muscles tense and shiver; this produces more body heat, but results in a loss of dexterity and motor control. As your body’s core temperature drops further, …

Publish Date: 11/30/2010 1:42

http://blog.find-healthy-food.com/health-news/symptoms-of-hypothermia-and-how-to-prevent-and-treat-it.html

How to Reduce Your Risks of Hypothermia

Put simply, hypothermia is when your core body temperature drops to 95oF (35oC) or below. As your core temperature drops and vital organs cool, symptoms of hypothermia range from simple shivering while waiting for a bus with too few …

Publish Date: 12/16/2010 10:00

http://sentarainfo.com/today/?p=4184

Symptoms of Hypothermia and How to Treat it: Cold, Windy, Freezing …

Recognizing and treating hypothermia early can not only save fingers, toes, noses and eyes, it can save a life. Administering early treatment is vital.

Publish Date: 12/28/2009 12:47

http://www.suite101.com/content/symptoms-of-hypothermia-and-how-to-treat-it-a183460

Hypothermia Prevention and Management

There are several clinical signs and symptoms of hypothermia. Infants, for example, will display bright red and cold skin, or they may not appear to be very active. Adults will shiver and demonstrate confusion, exhaustion, …

Publish Date: 12/26/2010 18:37

http://www.suite101.com/content/hypothermia-prevention-and-management-a324847

hypothermia symptoms, causes of hypothermia, symptoms of hypothermia

Hypothermia symptoms show up as soon as the body temperature drops below 95 degress. It is easier to prevent it than overcome it. Here is what you need to know.

Publish Date: 12/09/2010 0:00

http://www.seeyosemite.com/hypothermia-symptoms.html

Having knowledge of the symptoms of hypothermia and its treatment can give you lots more confidence when you hike in cold weather.

Richard Davidian

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