Hypothermia

[~Reason~]

I have a strong connection in my head between "fingers not working" and "danger, brain not right" . It has saved me several times. Good thing is, its a simple rule that works for hypoxia, hypothermia, narcosis etc. If you struggle with something like a buckle, keys or zipper, stop.

It happened to me skydiving. That time was hypoxia, but I find the two very similar. There was traffic passing below us, so the pilot held and spiraled up as we waited. When it was time to exit I couldn't tighten my chest strap and stow the extra strap. I told my group something was wrong and I was riding the plane down. At about 8000 feet my periferal vision came back and I could suddenly see in color again. Until it did I had zero awareness that I was seeing only a tiny tunnel of black and white.

The few times with hypothermia I was also only keyed in by clumsy fingers, never by shivering nor feeling particularly cold or odd.

Trying to rapidly tap your thumb to your pinky is a good test. Don't depend on being aware enough to recognise it in yourself, but for me "fingers not working" has the best chance of penetrating a foggy brain.

[WV]

As I recall, at Mt. Rogers last year I was busy getting my shivering legs into dry pants (3 layers), and it was Bonsaihiker and Doctari who put their heads together and decided they were at risk and needed to change plans. It was a group decision, which I readily agreed with, but I'm not sure I would have recognized their danger as quickly. Communication becomes more important when the weather's bad.

[mgreg.scout]

Thanks for posting this. I've read it all and will probably review it again before I go hiking next month, just as a reminder. People laugh at me all the time for carrying my rain jacket an rain pants wherever I hike, but they have come in handy on a couple of occasions, sometimes when I have to loan them to someone else who is suddenly cold or worse, not properly dressed for the weather.

[donig]

Thanks for posting this. As I read this, I recognized some of the symptoms from a recent backpacking trip I went on with some Boy Scouts. It was around 70 degrees in the morning, but a drizzly rain moved in and the temperature dropped to around 50 while we were hiking. By the time we reached the campsite, I was soaked to the skin and COLD. I got my hammock setup, and after an hour or so or trying to figure out what to do, got into the hammock and changed into dry clothes. I ate a bit, fell asleep, and didn't wake up until morning.

I hadn't really realized it until reading this, but thinking back on the shivering and being in a mental fog makes me realize I probably had the at least the beginnings of hypothermia.

Doni

[sliver]

I got stranded once without a coat in the rain when it was 50 degrees. I only had to walk about 2 miles to the police station. But, by the time I got there, I was so hypothermic, I couldn't open the door or talk coherently. That's the last thing I remember until I woke up the next day in the hospital.

I had to no idea I was getting hypothermic until it was too late because I didn't know the signs. I had that floating sense of disregard you described - knowing you should eat and/or crank up a stove for warmth but just not caring.

In my case, I was completely unprepared. But, I think one of the key things I notice about your situation is that you were sufficiently prepared but didn't recognize the need to remedy the problem until it was too late. That's a common issue with survival situations - most people don't recognize that they are in trouble early enough and take steps to alleviate the problem before becomes serious.

I'm grateful that you told us all this story so we are reminded that we need to pay attention to when we're getting cold and do something about it right away.

It seems kind of risky, IMHO, to wait until we get to a point where we're testing whether we're cold enough to feel our fingers. If you get to that point, it's rolling dice as to whether you'll be able to save yourself.

My $.02.

[BillyBob58]

I have a strong connection in my head between "fingers not working" and "danger, brain not right" . It has saved me several times. Good thing is, its a simple rule that works for hypoxia, hypothermia, narcosis etc. If you struggle with something like a buckle, keys or zipper, stop. ................

The few times with hypothermia I was also only keyed in by clumsy fingers, never by shivering nor feeling particularly cold or odd.

Trying to rapidly tap your thumb to your pinky is a good test. Don't depend on being aware enough to recognise it in yourself, but for me "fingers not working" has the best chance of penetrating a foggy brain.

Sounds like a very useful test that you have learned tells you that you are now in trouble, though you had no other signs. I will pay more attention to that in the future. I wonder if having cold hands effects this, though the rest of your body might still be A-OK, IOW core temp still in fine shape despite fingers messed up, maybe just do to lack of dry mittens or no gloves at all?

Thanks for posting this. As I read this, I recognized some of the symptoms from a recent backpacking trip I went on with some Boy Scouts. It was around 70 degrees in the morning, but a drizzly rain moved in and the temperature dropped to around 50 while we were hiking. By the time we reached the campsite, I was soaked to the skin and COLD. I got my hammock setup, and after an hour or so or trying to figure out what to do, got into the hammock and changed into dry clothes. I ate a bit, fell asleep, and didn't wake up until morning.

I hadn't really realized it until reading this, but thinking back on the shivering and being in a mental fog makes me realize I probably had the at least the beginnings of hypothermia.

Doni

Yep, neither the shivering or the mental fog is a good sign, both probably alerting that you are in trouble and need to correct things right now. Unfortunately, I have observed this in hiking and/or skiing partners and it told them nothing. It took others who were in the large group to recognize it ( the signs were milling about lethargically, shivering and blue lips) and badger them into doing calisthenics while others in the group pulled out several white gas stoves and started melting the falling June snow. It didn't take long until lots of hot chocolate was available, and they were badgered into drinking plenty of that. Within a short time, all signs of hypothermia has gone away.

I got stranded once without a coat in the rain when it was 50 degrees. I only had to walk about 2 miles to the police station. But, by the time I got there, I was so hypothermic, I couldn't open the door or talk coherently. That's the last thing I remember until I woke up the next day in the hospital.

I had to no idea I was getting hypothermic until it was too late because I didn't know the signs. I had that floating sense of disregard you described - knowing you should eat and/or crank up a stove for warmth but just not caring.

In my case, I was completely unprepared. But, I think one of the key things I notice about your situation is that you were sufficiently prepared but didn't recognize the need to remedy the problem until it was too late. That's a common issue with survival situations - most people don't recognize that they are in trouble early enough and take steps to alleviate the problem before becomes serious.

I'm grateful that you told us all this story so we are reminded that we need to pay attention to when we're getting cold and do something about it right away.

It seems kind of risky, IMHO, to wait until we get to a point where we're testing whether we're cold enough to feel our fingers. If you get to that point, it's rolling dice as to whether you'll be able to save yourself.

My $.02.

Definitely a 50F rain and some time is all it takes to do you in. The other day we had an all day rain( sometimes heavy rain) in the 30s just a few degrees above freezing. And windy. I kept thinking "what if I was over in the Sipsey wilderness ( where they were in the same weather system) and had been hiking for hours in this, and a good 5 miles from my truck?". That could be real challenging, fighting sweat from the inside and pouring ice water on the outside. And if you didn't manage to stay pretty dry, it could kill you.as quick as as much colder temps. Just so dang wet and windy and cold enough!

Which now makes me think of the first official HF group backpack/hang in the Sipsey Wilderness, AL back in Feb 09. We actually ended up with a good solid snow on that trip, a true rarity for us southern boys. But looking back on the hike in the rain and bushwhacking through soaked vegetation, followed by snow for the hike out, that could ended with some chilled campers. It was cold and raining, mostly lightly I think, on and off all day. The planned route was changed due to too many high water crossings, all of those little almost dry creeks in the Sipsey fill up impressively and quickly in a good rain. We still had several water crossings where it was very tricky to stay dry, as more than one person slipped on the mud banks and fell in the mud, don't remember if any one actually fell in the creeks, though surely some of us at least got wet feet. But we all did OK far as I know. We got a big fire going under one of the overhanging cliffs, so we were sheltered from the rain and had the warmth of the fire. Talked, ate supper, went to bed, and woke up to a bunch of snow, hiked out in that after breakfast.

So I managed to stay warm and dry enough on that trip. I hiked in a Merino wool base layer covered by a TNF WPB shell ( not GoreTex, I think Hydrovent or something), and I think Merino wool LJ bottoms but I did not have on rain pants, just a nylon cargo pant cover. But if we stopped for very long, I had a thin Polarguard hooded jacket with WPB shell to throw on, and once in camp I had pants of the same thickness PG, but not waterproof. Apparently I somehow stayed just warm enough, not too much sweating, or if I did sweat I got nothing wet except my wool base layer, then I always had dry insulation to pop over all of that when we stopped. All worked out good.

[Doctari]

I got stranded once without a coat in the rain when it was 50 degrees. I only had to walk about 2 miles to the police station. But, by the time I got there, I was so hypothermic, I couldn't open the door or talk coherently. That's the last thing I remember until I woke up the next day in the hospital.

I had to no idea I was getting hypothermic until it was too late because I didn't know the signs. I had that floating sense of disregard you described - knowing you should eat and/or crank up a stove for warmth but just not caring.

In my case, I was completely unprepared. But, I think one of the key things I notice about your situation is that you were sufficiently prepared but didn't recognize the need to remedy the problem until it was too late. That's a common issue with survival situations - most people don't recognize that they are in trouble early enough and take steps to alleviate the problem before becomes serious.

I'm grateful that you told us all this story so we are reminded that we need to pay attention to when we're getting cold and do something about it right away.

It seems kind of risky, IMHO, to wait until we get to a point where we're testing whether we're cold enough to feel our fingers. If you get to that point, it's rolling dice as to whether you'll be able to save yourself.

My $.02.

Yea, my (sadly) 3 times never happened quickly. As in: It's 430 Pm & I'm fine, , , OOPS, now it's 435 PM & I got hypothermia. Every time it has been a gradual thing, & Never have I been able to see it in me as it's happening.
I know it's review; but:
Episode 1 was pure luck that I got to my half way for the day point at an AT shelter & managed, pure luck again, to get warmed up enough to see that I had been in grave danger.

Episode 2: again LUCK played a major part. Please note that I was nearly willing to fight with my rescuers, because even though all of the signs were plain to see, I was "FINE!!!!"

Episode 3: OK, with 32 years of emergency medical training & experience AND 2 previous times with serious Hypothermia, I WAS FINE!!! Or at least I thought I was, until the signs presented by others caused me to look at me too. Needless to say, I know,,, that's KNOW what to look for, but once it starts, (for me at least) I don't have the mental ability to look, let alone see.
I have learned that as you can't think, but can follow (at least in the early stages) a plan, have a back up plan IN PLACE before you get that bad. My plan B for the 2013 hike to the Wise SH, was a quick escape to the cars. I had that plan* in place before posting "Hey, lets start planning the hang!"
On episode 2, not having a plan B is what nearly killed me. I could have followed it, but the only plan my fogged in brain had to reference was plan A "get to the Spring Mt SH!".



*#3 I could not truly access plan B until all parties had said, lets go. Would it have helped if I was solo? No way to know, but it makes ME feel better to think it would.