Most folks associate the hazards of hypothermia with winter.
As surprising as this may sound, hypothermia is a more serious risk during
spring and early summer. As the temperatures warm up people, especially
children, turn to outdoor activities unaware that water temperatures can be
much colder than expected. When venturing out during the spring season use
caution and learn the symptoms and the steps to take if someone experiences
hypothermia.
Here is what to look for;
Mild Hypothermic Symptoms
·Uncontrolled shivering
·Slow Slurred speech
Medium Hypothermic Symptoms
·Extreme Fatigue
·Constant Stumbling or loss of balance
·Confusion
Severe Hypothermic Symptoms
·Semi-consciousness or unconsciousness
The dangers of hypothermia are directly influenced by
presence of excessive wind-chill, wet clothing and contact with exposed metals.
Cardiovascular disease, alcohol, exhaustion, and hunger will increase the
body’s vulnerability to a hypothermic threat. Spring time boating activities
present the greatest threat as sudden exposure to freezing water temperatures
can quickly induce the hypothermic symptoms. Water can cool down body
temperatures 25 times faster than air.
Here is what to do if
it happens to you or yours;
·DO NOT warm up too fast, no hot tub, hot bath or
sauna
·Get indoors or to a dry place protected from the
wind.
·Remove wet clothing and cover up with dry
blankets. Make sure to cover the head, hands, and feet.
·Lie down in a cot or bed next to a warm - not
hot - heater.
·If trapped outdoors lie under the covers next to
another person to transfer your own body heat. If possible, have someone else
lie on the other side.
·Drink warm - not hot - broth or soup. Do not
drink alcohol
·Wrap an infant inside your own clothing against
your skin.
·If a person becomes unconscious, get medical
help immediately
So, you want to go camping. If you’ve been camping before then you probably know what pitfalls to avoid, what to prepare ahead of time, your favorite campgrounds, etc….
What if you’re new or somewhat new to camping? How do you find a campground? What equipment should you bring? What pitfalls should you avoid? What do you need to prepare for ahead of time? There can be a lot of questions which may steer a lot of people away from camping… but really, it’s not that difficult.
There are many ways to find campgrounds for sure. I always suggest asking friends or family who have been camping. It’s the easiest way to get a good recommendation. Of course, if none of them go camping or the ones that do, don’t go anywhere you’d like to go…. then you’re left with some other resources. The Internet can certainly be useful, but difficult sometimes. Just try googling “Find Campgrounds near Rancho Dominguez“. You’ll see some good and some random results.
When searching online for campgrounds, I tend to recommend finding a website focused specifically on campgrounds as there are a lot of websites which just mix information together with no real value. It’s also really beneficial to find campground websites which provide some photos, a description, the activities available there, what hikes might be available, the weather forecast, local stores, local gas stations, local attractions, maps, reviews, etc. I know… I know… it’s a tall order for sure, but think about it. You would like to know more about the campground before making a reservation, right? Plus, knowing what facilities are local are important for sure… We all need gas for our cars or RVs. Plus, if it’s going to rain, heck that’d be great to know! There are probably only a handful of these sites available on the Internet.
In my next article, I’ll write about what equipment to bring. This does depend on who you are, the environment you’ll be in, the weather, your style of camping, and your budget.
Camping can be really fun and a great way to re-energize oneself…
What are you going to do?
The storm has turned and it’s heading straight for you, there is no
choice, you must bug out. So it can’t happen here you say? Don’t be so
sure, storms come in many forms. On the coasts hurricanes are the most
devastating, farther inland the threat of tornados and floods prevail,
and nowhere is exempt from a wildfire, earthquake or terror attack.
How will you and your family make it through the days until help
arrives? Will you be prepared to perform first aid? Can you keep
hypothermia at bay? You’ve heard the tragic stories about people who
survived a catastrophe only to perish later from exposure. Don’t allow
that to happen to you.
If you are forced to bug out here's
what to take: a tent, a battery less flashlight and radio, a lighter,
any essential medicines, snacks, water, water filter, baby food,
diapers, blankets or sleeping bags, cot and pillows, identification,
photocopies of valuable papers, playing cards, games, books,
eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures, special-diet foods, toiletries and
of coarse a first-aid kit. These items can fit into a good backpackwhich will allow them to travel with you even if you’re on foot.
Having these items pre packed in a bug out bag will help ensure you
will have everything you need when you need it in a hurry. Be ready to
set up a home away from home on the floor. Hundreds of other people may
be in the same predicament, so be prepared to live with strangers at
close quarters for an indefinite period of time. Remember to secure
your home and shut off the water, gas and electricity before you leave.
The best plan is to have a plan. Keep a bug out bag packed and
ready to throw in the trunk or on your back. Pre-plan an escape route
and prepare for the unexpected. Don’t expose yourself please, have a
plan and the resources to keep your family dry, warm and safe.
A person can last weeks without food but only days without water. This fact
promotes the ability to find potable water to the most important survival skill
you can learn. Some symptoms of dehydration are physical and emotional weakness
accompanied by impaired judgment. Dehydration is the most critical obstacle
associated with extreme survival situations. It weakens then kills. Lack of
water also impairs your body’s ability to keep warm, or cool. Drink plenty of
water when it is available and when it’s not avoid eating too much food.
Water can be a breeding ground for harmful organisms that could make you
sick or worse. It can also contain chemical contaminants which can have a
variety of ill effects. If at all possible purify and filter your water before
drinking it.
Any water source that is known to be contaminated with a toxic chemical, or
biological contaminate should be avoided. If you have to drink from this type of
contaminated water source, find any way you can to purify and filter it. Boiling
will kill most organisms but is not so effective with toxins.
If you do not have a way to collect water easily, improvise by using plastic,
cloth, paper, etc. A straw will help to extract water from crevices in rocks
and trees and cloth rags can be used for absorbing water & condensation. For
catching rain water and condensation a tarp or plastic sheet is an invaluable.
If you are near a salt water source a fire can be used to get fresh
water from the salt water. Heat up some rocks with a fire then drop the rocks in
the hole and slowly pour the salt water on them. Use a tarp to catch and collect
the steam then channel the condensate into a container.
Collecting
condensate from the air is a great way to get clean drinking water, but it will
takes a long time. Building a water still using a large tarp can help to collect
considerable amounts of water from condensation. Blankets and clothing can be
used to absorb moister. Then wring them out or suck on it to remove the water.
Areas that can collect water are: • Low lying areas • River beds
• Depressions cracks and holes in rocks • Areas of where the vegetation
is unusually green
If you’re faced with dehydration and no immediate means to purify or filter
your water source, then drink it; it is better to take a chance on contaminated
water, than to die of dehydration. Lack of water will impair your judgment, and
your will to survive.
The secret of gourmet cooking outdoors is to make two separate fires, a cooking campfire and the camp campfire. The obvious reason is for heat control. It's difficult to cook on the same fire that the rest of the group is counting on for heat, clothes drying or just plain pyromania.
You can accomplish both tasks with one pit; just make an extension for the cooking fire that puts the grill a foot or two away from the main fire. It can't be stressed enough that heat control is the prime ingredient to successfully making a gourmet meal. After the fire is started feed it with wood that is close to the same size, ¾ inch diameter branches are perfect. Place the wood in a checkerboard pattern i.e. one layer has all branches running parallel to each other and the next layer is parallel to each other but perpendicular to the layer below. This provides for even airflow and consistent temperatures.
Make the fire ring in a "U" shape with a few very tall rocks in the back and the opening at the front. This will allow air to flow from the front to the back and allows easy access for adding kindling as necessary. The tall rocks will reflect the heat at the back and channel the smoke.
Don't make the mistake of trying to cook in the flame, use the coals to cook with. When they are spread as described below there will be a selection of temperatures to work with. Be sure to include a cooking glove in your cooking gadget collection. A glove makes moving things around on the grill much safer and enjoyable and saves you from dropping morsels into the coals.
Take extra time during the fire ring building to ensure the grill will have a strong and level foundation. Check the level by filling a pot with water and placing it on the grill before the fire is started. Pick rocks that are not likely to move and will hold the grill about 6 to eight inches above the ground. You can control the temperature by stacking or removing coals beneath it. I like to have the back of the grill hot enough to boil water and the front more of a simmering temperature. It will require some practice but soon you will be master of the fire.
Be careful with claims about tents that say “2-man”, “6-person”, etc. They may be technically correct, and absolutely wrong. Factors like your size and willingness to “be cozy” may make a tent small in a hurry. For example, some two-man tents won’t have enough side room to lay two mattresses together – I guess they assumed one guy would just lie on the ground. Some family-sized tents claiming room for 5 or more only fit that many if you stack everyone in a certain way, or if some are small children.
Check lengths to make sure your head and feet won’t be pressing up against the walls. Some tents get tight for those over 6’ tall. For multi-person tents, consider how campers will get in and out without stepping on someone else in a middle-of-the-night, two doors help.
In short it’s better to pick a size larger than is specified by the tent. If you and a buddy are camping together a “4-man” tent is what you need.
Take a close look at a campfire Pie Iron. This gadget is sure to raise you to campfire gourmet stardom. You won't believe the magic this tool can perform on regular bread and pie filling. The deserts possible are as delicious as they are numerous. Welcome back the simpler times when true magic happened in plain site and not at the store.
If the route is going to
place you above tree line beware of an onset of altitude sickness. The
condition can be avoided by a slow accent. Once altitude sickness has
set in the only cure is to go back down the mountain. Altitude sickness
will cause disorientation, skew judgment and induces severe nausea. A
person afflicted with altitude sickness is done for the day and will
require help walking down to a lower level; it comes on fast with
little warning and can end the adventure. The rule is to take it slow
when approaching the 10,000 feet threshold and closely monitor the
group for any signs. Once everyone successfully acclimates to the
higher levels altitude sickness becomes less of a concern.
Often when well equipped with a GPS or maps and a compass the urge to break off the trail and oreinteer to your destination will overcome you. As thrilling as that may seem my advice is resist it. The trails in the forest were initially game trails and were developed over a very long time frame. Believe me the forests' natural inhabitants know best. When you do give in to the urge be prepared for some major obstacles such as swamps, talos piles, thick brush, steep hills and deep canyons. I have experienced all of these so believe me the trail is a good thing. Have you ever pioneered your own route?
I love the recipes, I will plan on printing off some of them for our next camping trip. Also, the products are awesome, I love the pink compass that works on GPS, much cheaper than a regular GPS. GOOD PRODUCT, thanks for offering items that are very useful and make me feel safe while out in the the mountains.
Only a few species of fresh water fish thrive in waters at higher altitudes. One distinct and rare catch is the golden trout. Golden trout in Wyoming waters is a highly touted and a difficult catch. The brilliant golden color of the fish is second to none. The difficulty is in the find of the waters that support the elusive fish. It is well known that the golden is found in abundance in the Wind River Range but finding the right timing of the aggressive feeding patterns are as difficult as a finding a good investment, few and far between. Early June seems to be best but at times is fruitless. Backpacking into the natural lakes in early June will increase your success but snow pack may slow your progress. Either way the beauty of the trip is worth the effort.
At times breakfast is a paradox when packing. It is essential to keep up bodily energy stores before a day of heavy exertion, but taking time out to cook a breakfast cuts into prime wildlife viewing and fishing time. All too often breakfast is skipped in wilderness camps which contributes to less than prime physical performance on the trailhead or on a stream.
A solution is to pack energy bars for breakfast. They are lightweight, packed with essential nutrients and delicious. Don't miss out on a real luxury though by using them for all breakfasts. It's wise to set aside a couple of mornings to relax and make time for a hearty meal.
Timing is very important when entering the mountains in the spring. The fishing is usually terrific just after runoff and its tempting to be stream side as soon as the snow permits. A significant pitfall though is mosquitos. When the trail is still relatively wet from lingering snowmelt the mosquito populations are at their peak and can be quite aggravating. Although I'm not a proponent of using harsh chemicals in the wilderness I do make an exception in the early spring, especially with the threat of the West Nile Virus.
Clothing is the first defense against mosquito bites; wearing a long sleeve shirt, long pants, hat and a net around the face work well during the day. Sleeping in a tent and keeping the tent doors and windows sealed can bring relief at night. A repelent containing DEET is also very effective. Although a chemical barrier is not the heathiest solution, the health risks seem small compared to contracting a life threatening disease.
Has anyone else found or discovered other or better options?
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