During outdoor trip, it is possible that we will need to travel on a mountainous trail. Suddenly, it could be rather cloudy with some wind and the weather seems to become increasingly colder. This could happen when it is getting quite late in the day and the sun doesn’t shine as brightly. Bad things could happen if we take the wrong paths, which lead us farther from our destination and deeper into the thicker woods. When the sun is about to set and the temperature drops rapidly, we are in a potentially dangerous situation.
Many people hike in cotton shirt and hiking shorts, because it can be quite warm in the morning. However, we should be aware that light rain could start to fall when the light is fading. In some areas, cold front could come in rather quickly and this could cause the temperature to drop rather quickly. The moment we realize that we choose the wrong path, it could already be too late to go back.
We should be aware that at the moment, the heavy cloud could make it very difficult to get our bearing, because the sun is covered. This should be the time to ask a critical question, that is to press on or we seek place to spend the night keep ourselves warm. In general, we could choose the former if we have discovered the right path and we could be sure that we will return in a few hours.
However, when we start to shiver and our pace starts to slow to a crawl, while there’s no sign of the right path, it would be a good idea to look for place to spend the night. Hypothermia can be rather dangerous and it happens when our core temperature starts to go below the common standard. It is much more likely for us to get hypothermia during the windy and wet conditions. Whatever we do, we should focus on reducing risks of hypothermia by doing the right thing. Any hikers should carry waterproof lighter that they can use to start fire immediately. At this stage, there’s no time to make fire with primitive methods.
Shelter is critical and it’s important to get out of snow, wind and rain as soon as possible. Wool should have the ability to retain its thermal properties, although it is a bit damp. For this reason, we should carry waterproof clothing whenever we go during hiking sessions.
It could be hard determine the point when we should look for shelter and get warm, but we should start to consider it when we feel uncomfortable, which can be indicated by numb fingers and toes. An important thing is to keep ourselves prepared to avoid getting into a situation that could become much more serious. We should always seek assistances whenever necessary and it’s generally imperative to recognize possible problems. Our families could also be at risk of severe hypothermia during cold months when we are in outdoor excursions, so this handling the situation can become more complex.
