Understanding and Preventing Hypothermia: Staying Safe in Winter

Exploring the winter wonderland of Snoqualmie Pass on snowshoes, surrounded by snow-laden trees.

Exploring the great outdoors is a thrilling experience, but it's crucial to be aware of the dangers that can come with cold weather. Hypothermia, a condition where the body loses heat faster than it can produce, can turn a fun adventure into a life-threatening situation if not properly managed. This is a real danger here in the Pacific NorthWET.  It’s not common to have severely below-freezing temperatures like they do in the Midwest or Northeast of the USA.  However, we do have very high levels of moisture.  Our snow is called the “Cascade Concrete” due to it freezing to a rock-like hardness.  This is because the ambient humidity level is so high.  Combine that with colder temperatures, and you’ve got a recipe for hypothermia.

So, let's explore hypothermia, how to avoid it, and what to do if you or someone else is affected.

What is Hypothermia?

Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops below 95°F (35°C). The condition can quickly become serious, leading to confusion, lethargy, and even unconsciousness. It's often caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, wind, or water, making it a common risk for hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts. This can happen quickly and without the victim realizing it.  Your sweat, ambient humidity, rain, wet snow, all combine to create a body heat-sucking situation that only needs the temperature to drop to below 40F for hypothermia to set in.

How to Avoid Hypothermia

1. Dress Appropriately:

   • Layer Up: Wear multiple layers of clothing to trap heat. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer, add an insulating layer, and finish with a waterproof and windproof outer layer. It’s also a good idea to bring one extra insulating layer to put on when you get to your campsite.  It’s easy to stay warm when you’re hiking, but when you stop, your body reduces heat generation and starts to cool down.

   • Protect Extremities: Wear hats, gloves, and thick wool socks to prevent heat loss from your head, hands, and feet.

   • Stay Dry: Wet clothing can rapidly increase heat loss. Always have a waterproof layer ready and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible.  This is a key aspect of winter camping in the Pacific NorthWET.  Bring extra socks (waterproof boots aren’t always), and a spare pair of gloves.  Your first pair of gloves can become wet and start pulling away body heat out of your hands.

     
     

2. Stay Hydrated and Nourished:

   • Drink Warm Fluids: Warm beverages can help maintain your core temperature. Hot cocoa is a good choice, in addition to the heat of the liquid, the sugar in the cocoa will give your body caloric energy. Avoid alcohol, as it can lower your body temperature.

   • Eat High-Energy Foods: Consuming high-calorie snacks can provide the energy your body needs to generate heat.

     
     

3. Take Breaks and Stay Active:

   • Keep Moving: Physical activity generates body heat. Take short breaks to rest, but avoid sitting still for too long.

   • Find Shelter: If conditions worsen, seek shelter from the wind and cold. A tent, tarp, or even a dense cluster of trees can provide protection. I strongly recommend bringing along one of those flimsy emergency blankets.  In a pinch you can rig up a shelter, wrap it around you or a buddy, or wrap it around your sleeping bag.

What to Do If You or Someone Else is Suffering from Hypothermia

1. Recognize the Signs:

   • Mild Hypothermia: Shivering, fatigue, loss of coordination, and confusion.

   • Severe Hypothermia: No shivering, slurred speech, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness.

     
     

2. Take Immediate Action:

   • Move to a Warm Location: Get the person indoors or to a sheltered area. Remove any wet clothing.

   • Warm the Body Gradually: Use blankets, sleeping bags, and body heat to warm the person. Avoid direct heat sources like hot water or heating pads, as they can cause shock.

   • Provide Warm Fluids: If the person is conscious, give them warm (not hot) beverages. Avoid caffeinated drinks.

     
     

3. Seek Medical Help:

   • Call for Emergency Assistance: Hypothermia can be life-threatening. Seek professional medical help as soon as possible.

   • Monitor the Person: Keep a close eye on their condition and be prepared to perform CPR if necessary.

Staying informed and prepared can make all the difference when venturing into cold environments. By understanding hypothermia and taking preventive measures, you can ensure your outdoor adventures remain safe and enjoyable.

This is a serious issue, so here's some further related reading:

• Hiking Between Scales: Celsius vs. Fahrenheit on the Trail

• 10 Must-Have Winter Camping Gear Essentials for Your Next Adventure

• Surviving Winter in the Pacific Northwest: Top Ten Tips for Hiking and Camping Like a Local

• Tips for the Cold and Rainy Season!

• Top Ten Winter Hiking Mistakes

Ipsut Creek Campground and Carbon River Trail Review

• When: January 11th & 12th

• Conditions: On and off rain, some sun breaks, no snow.

• Requirements: If you are camping, get a permit at the Carbon River Ranger Station

• Length: 9-12 miles depending on if you take some of the smaller side trails.

• Elevation Gain: ~1,500 feet

  
  

  

  The Carbon River in the Mount Rainier National Park from the trail going to Ipsut Creek Campground

  
  

This time of the year you’re not likely to see Mt. Rainier or even much of a view when hiking the Carbon River Trail to Ipsut Creek Campgrounds.  And that’s OK.  You’re not there for the views so much as you are there to take the time to soak in the beauty of an inland temperate rainforest. The hike is really more like an easy nature walk.  Only about 600 feet elevation gain by the time you get to the campground.  Which is good, because this gives you the time to relax and marvel at the old growth Western Red Cedars and Douglas Firs.  Some of these giants are 30+ feet in circumference and tower over their younger siblings.  Thick moss covers 90% of what you see in the forest and, yes, the air smells and feels fresher, more intense somehow.

A moss covered tree growing out of a tree stump

Along the way you’ll cross bridges that have been kept up from when the trail used to be a road.  When it’s cold like this use caution crossing them.  The wood is slick and just a little ice can by treacherous.  As you progress up the trail keep your eyes out for the Old Mine trail, Green Lake trail and the trail across the Carbon River to Chenius Falls.  The Old Mine and Chenious Falls trails are short, about a 1/3 of a mile and have little to no elevation gain.  The Green Lake trail on the other hand is a nine-mile round trip with an elevation gain of just under 1,500 feet.

Just before you reach the Ipsut Creek Campground, you’ll encounter a stream with occasional delusions of grandeur in the spring when it thinks it’s a river.  This is the big washout that eliminated the road to the campground.  To cross this there are three single log bridges with a single handrail on each bridge.  Again, when wet or icy, these bridges are slippery so take your time, take small steps and keep your hand on the handrail.

The campground has taken a beating over the years, with several trees having fallen on the campsites and some of the remaining picnic tables crushed under a fallen tree.  Nonetheless, there are plenty of good sites for tent or hammock camping along with bear boxes for your food and other smellables.   Further up the trail from the sign announcing your arrival at Ipsut Creek Campground, there are two solar powered toilets.  When I was there the weekend of January 11th, the first one was locked but the second was open.  Just past that there is a log cabin which is locked up.  At the back of the log cabin there is a covered area where you can get out of the rain if you’re not planning to set up a camp. 

A picnic table at the Ipsut Creek Campground crushed under a large fallen tree

Continue up the trail a little more and you’ll see the trail goes to Ipsut Falls.  To get to the falls you’ll go down a tiny valley and have to cross a stream.  There are two logs that have fallen across the stream which look like some folks have used as bridges.  They looked far too risky for my taste.  I was able to cross the stream hopping from rock to rock, using my hiking pole as a support.  If I can do that on a prosthetic leg, a healthy two-legged person should be able to manage with no problem. 

Ipsut Falls is a beautiful mountain fall tucked away in the forest.  There’s not much room there to admire the falls, just enough to find a place to sit and take in the natural beauty and relax to the sounds of rushing water. I would have spent more time there, but it started to rain more, and I needed to get my camp set up.

Back at the campground, I found a great location with an intact picnic table and a nearby bear box.  I rigged up my rainfly and hammock and assembled my sleep system, underquilt, Reflectix, sleeping bag and cocoon liner in the sleeping bag, (I’ll have a video of my camp on Amputee Outdoors in a week or two.)  Note, campfires aren’t allowed in the Mount Rainier National Park, so instead of sitting around a campfire contemplating the meaning of life, I relaxed with a cup of hot cocoa and read my copy of Beowulf. Darkness falls quickly in a valley like this, especially when surrounded by 200-300-foot-tall trees.

Nighttime temperatures dropped to just under 30F, but I was warm enough that I had to unzip my sleeping bag a little. The morning revealed a layer of ice on the picnic table and the handle to the bear box was frozen shut requiring a sharp hit to loosen it.

Breakfast was a healthy bowl of porridge and a cup of hot cocoa.  The camp breakdown was leisurely as I had no schedule to keep and I took my time on the hike back as I wanted to admire the old growth trees further.  Although the sky seemed to be threatening rain the whole way, I arrived back at the trailhead dry.  Of course, as soon as I started the drive home, it started to rain. Just beat it! 

Carbon River Trail and its peripheral trails are a treasure and suitable for families, and folks new to the hiking and backpacking experience. 

Here's my reviews of other hikes and camping trips:

Ipsut Creek Campground and Carbon River Trail Review

Annette Lake Solo Camping Trip Report (it rained)

Carbon River Trail to Ipsut Creek Trip Report

Solo Camping at Pete and Spectacle Lakes

Bandera Mountain – Easy to Moderate to Hard

Solo Winter Hammock Camping at Lake Ollalie

Poo Poo Point Hike Report

Mason Lake Overnighter: Perfect Weather, Cold and Windy, Near Perfect Weather.

Viking 32L Trident Backpack

Let me start with an explanation of this review. The Viking 32L Trident backpack is a sissy bar backpack designed with motorcyclists in mind. I've not ridden a motorcycle since my accident in '92. So why am I reviewing a motorcycle backpack? Well, Viking Bags asked me to and I saw this backpack as an urban/travel pack that could work well for me when I travel on business. So, this review is done from that position, is the Viking 32L Trident a good urban/travel backpack? Let's get started.

First some details:

• Material: Cordura

• Dimensions: 12" x 6.5" x 19" (L x W x H)

• Storage Capacity: 1952.76 Cubic Inches

• Lid Opening: 12" x 6"

• Includes 3 front pockets

• Padded Laptop Sleeve

• Top Fleece Pocket

• Separate compartment for shoes

• Weight: 3lbs 9oz

• Price: $119.99

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For my testing of this pack I stuffed it full with two sleeping bags in the main compartment and in all the other compartments, I stuffed in socks, t-shirts, etc., until the pack was stretched out to it maximum capacity.

I then headed out to a local open air mall precisely because it was raining. I wanted to see if the items I'd put in the bag would get wet. They didn't, but I suspect in consistent rainfall they would.

The shoulder straps are well padded and have a small mesh pouch on the left strap. My Samsung S12 fit into it snugly. There's also a sternum strap to keep the straps from sliding outward. The backpack doesn't have a waist strap, which I like to have. Nonetheless, fully packed, the pack is very comfortable to wear.

The stitching is doubled in all the stress points and bar tacked in others making for a pack that can handle a good deal of abuse.

The zippers are high quality and the three velcro pouches aren't the usual skinny strips of velcro. These are two inch wide strips of velcro to ensure the don't open too easily.

The interior is a bright orange which I really like as it makes finding things a lot easier.

The bottom 'boot' compartment is separate from the main compartment and has a small grommeted hole to let out water. This would be perfect to put dirty clothes when traveling on a one or two night trip.

After wearing the Viking 21L Trident pack around for a while, I decided it was time for the drop test. So from the second story level of the mall I tossed the pack up into the air and let it hit the ground. My reason for this is that I want to see if any seams, threads or material split or tore. Viking makes some tough packs and this one is no exception. I couldn't find any burst seams, no torn threads, and no fabric tears.

This is a very functional pack with a lid compartment, two sleeves for laptops, five pouches, two side mesh pouches and a 'boot' compartment that's completely separate from the main compartment. I'll be using this on my next business trip.

You can check out my review on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/VtwzxCnLbJA

If you want to check out the bag at Viking Bags, go to:

https://www.vikingbags.com/collections/motorcycle-backpacks

https://www.vikingbags.com/pages/adventure-touring-motorcycle-luggage-bags