Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply. To register, click here. Registration is FREE!
T O P I C R E V I E W
Jen
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 08:19:26 AMSummer Backcountry Safety
This handout contains various notes and tips that can help make your wilderness outings both safe and enjoyable.
Before Your Adventure Begins 1. Tell Someone Your Plans#151;: Leave a list including when you expect to return, what paths you plan on taking, what equipment you have with you (including your clothing, tent colors, backpack colors, etc.), where you will be leaving your car(s), and what your general experience level is with trails of this type. Make sure you call that person when you return. 2. Party Size: A party of four is best. A smaller group means that if someone gets hurt then sending for help means a team of one. Soloists must understand that the risks of a wilderness experience can be very high, indeed, it can be fatal. 3. Companions: #151;Choose carefully. Groups of similar experience and physical condition function together best. Groups with novices should have at least two competent and experienced people with them. The slowest individual should set the pace for the entire group. 4. Planning#151;: Make sure you have current information such as maps, trail condition/difficulty, weather forecast, known hazards, water sources, etc. This information is available from most local hiking/camping stores, the forest service, visitor centers, park personnel, local outing clubs, and local chambers of commerce. Make sure you have the proper clothing and equipment for the outing on hand. Carry a cell phone, but don#146;t count on it. #147; The Ten Essentials: 1. Extra food and water 2. Headlamp or flashlight with extra bulb and batteries 3. Extra clothing (In summer this usually means a light windbreaker, preferably with a lining. Will depend on your location.) 4. Waterproof matches (or a lighter) and a candle or other fire starter 5. Map & compass and the knowledge of how to use them. (GPS & cell phones are great, but you often won#146;t have a cell.) 6. Pocket knife & whistle (Swiss army style knives are best, big Crocodile Dundee knives are heavy and not very useful.) 7. Sunglasses#151;Extra pair of prescription glasses (Use a glasses strap in all cases to help avoid losing your glasses.) 8. Sunscreen, insect repellent, poison ivy block 9. Emergency shelter (space blanket, tarp, etc.) Large orange garbage bags work great & are visible to searchers. 10. First aid kit and the knowledge of how to use it
Minimal First Aid Kit: (This is a suggested minimum. Knowledge of basic first aid is assumed and a must.) 1. Latex rubber gloves (Assume that any blood other than your own is a toxic material.) 2. Triangle bandage or large bandanna with safety pins#151;a spare shirt could also be used in a pinch. 3. 1 elastic (#147;ace#148;) bandage (There is some evidence that you can slow the spread of snakebite venom by firmly wrapping the area above the bite. Do not wrap so tightly that deep blood flow to fingers/toes is constricted. Snakebite kits don#146;t work.) 4. 4" x 4" gauze pads 5. Band-Aids 6. Tape 7. Two rolls of 3" stretch bandage: self-clinging, Kling, Conform, etc. 8. Moleskin or other blister kit (It’s best to use it when you 1st feel rubbing rather than after the blister has formed.) 9. Analgesic: Tylenol, aspirin, Ibuprofen, etc. 10. Sting & bite kit: Sawyer Extractor (available at camping stores) and #147;Sting Eze.#148; 11. Tweezers 12. Anaphylactic kit (If you are sensitive to Bee stings.) You#146;ll need a prescription. Get the kind with two doses since the reaction can outlast the antidote. If you have any doubts about your sensitivity you should talk to your physician. 13. Personal medications
If You Get Lost: Stop and think! If possible, retrace your steps back to a point where you recognize the trail or to where it might be easier for searchers to find you. Don#146;t travel more than a short distance once you have decided that you have lost your way. Searchers will start looking for you from the point where you were last seen. Try to safely get to an open area and then stay put. If you have a whistle or other way to make noise, three sounds in a row is a recognized distress signal. Make yourself visible, wave a brightly colored cloth, people are very small when viewed from a searching helicopter. Clothing (Summer & Winter): Even in summer it can get cold at night or after a rainstorm. At higher elevations it can snow all 12 months of the year. For summer hiking you should carry a small lightweight windbreaker as an absolute minimum. You should be prepared to survive the night; searchers will not usually start looking for you until the following morning. Good quality shoes that fit well and are broken in are a must. High-topped hiking shoes are the best. Choose shoes that provide good ankle support. Try the shoes on in the store with socks of the same thickness that you intend to wear while hiking. Unless you plan to travel in extreme terrain or unless you have foot/ankle problems, you should consider the lightweight-hiking boots over the old style heavy leather-hiking boots. Hypothermia can occur even when the air#146;s temperature is over 95ºF. If there is any chance of cool (below 50ºF) weather you should definitely be prepared with layered clothes. This is a year around list, for summer usually the first and fourth layers are good enough to survive: 1. First Layer#151;: A layer that does not absorb and hold water (perspiration) but transports it away from the skin. Similar to traditional #147;long johns#148; but made of a synthetic material such as polyester or polypropylene. This will keep you dryer and more comfortable. 2. Second Layer#151;: A layer of insulation that will stay warm when wet. Choose materials such as wool, polyester, or nylon pile. This layer is in the form of pants and a wool shirt, sweater, jacket, or vest. 3. Third Layer#151;: An additional layer of insulation similar to the above but is usually heavier. This layer can include down, but remember that down insulation must be kept dry! This can also include jackets (and/or pants) with synthetic insulation#151;examples include Holofil, Thinsulate, Qualofil, Capilene, and others. (This list is not exhaustive and should not be considered as an endorsement of these products over other high quality outdoor clothing materials.) Fourth (or outermost) Layer#151;Wind and rain protection for both the upper and lower body, the head and neck, and your hands. It should be waterproof and yet breathable enough to allow perspiration vapor to escape. It should be large enough both to fit over lower insulation layers and to allow freedom of movement.
A few special notes especially for cool (not just cold!) weather: 1. Cotton Kills: #151;Never use cotton as any essential part of your clothing. When wet, it not only retains little or no warmth but it also promotes heat lost through evaporation. Cotton does not dry fast, and it keeps moisture next to your skin. 2. Layer Your Clothing: #151;Layers are more versatile than one heavy coat. You can add or remove layers depending on your activity level. Pockets of air trapped between layers add additional warmth. 3. Keep Clothing Dry#151;: Make every effort to keep dry. Moisture from perspiration is as dangerous as moisture from rain. 4. Wear a Hat#151;: You lose 40%#150;70% of your body heat through your head and neck. Adequate hats or hoods are essential. 5. Gloves, Socks, Boots#151;: You can#146;t function with cold hands or feet. Frostbite usually occurs here first. 6. Always Carry Foul Weather Gear#151;: Mountain storms can occur with little or no notice.
Special Hazards: 1. Lightning: Lightning is most prevalent in the afternoon during the summer and early fall. Most lightning accidents occur after the storm has passed. If lightning is less than three miles away you should assume that it could kill you. You can determine the distance by counting the seconds between the flash and the thunder, fifteen seconds means three miles. If lightning is closer than six miles (30 seconds flash-to-sound) get clear of ridge lines, peaks, and/or lone trees. If you are trapped in an exposed area then crouch on your feet in a tight ball with your hands around your knees. If possible, do this on top of your backpack or some other insulator. 2. Rocks: Most mountain rescues involving rocks are not rock climbers in trouble. Instead, most falling injuries are hikers attempting to take a shortcut or inexperienced people scrambling on rock cliffs. A thirty-foot fall has a 50% chance of being fatal. 3. Snake Bites: Poisonous snakebites require urgent medical care but are rarely fatal. DO NOT PANIC. Use your Sawyer Extractor if you have one. Do not make incisions and suck with your mouth. Calmly walk out and get immediate medical attention. Loose fitting long pants may provide some protection but being careful to avoid snakes in the first place is the best approach. Don#146;t kill the snake, the emergency room doesn#146;t want it and you risk getting bitten again.
