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Monday I responded to a call-out for an ovedue hiker. I was part of a 4 man team tasked to go search around a mountain lake. Base camp was at 4300 feet the pass was at 6400 in 3 1/2 miles. There was about 1-2 inches of snow at the base, weather was 32degrees, wind was 10-15 mph. My SAR pack is basically my BOB.
Soon after leaving base the snow depth incresed to mid-calf to eventally knee to mid thigh depth. At about the 3 1/2 hour point we stopped to eat a quick bite & it took me about 5 minutes to get a down coat out of my pack and on. Temp was 30 with a steady 10 & gust to 30 mph wind Yet I still didn't recognize how hypothermic I was becomming.
We finally had to turn around after five hours, at the 6350 foot level, it took us 3 hours to return the wind was blowing so hard that in some of the very open hillsides it had filled in our tracks.
lessons learned: get in in shape and stay that way, I really need to loose that 30lbs.
know your gear, I have used my SAR pack a lot but never in such adverse conditions, I couldn't find a sandwich or a dry shirt I had put in that morning.
know how your body reacts in different situations, I have been hypothermic before, but afterwards I'm always amazed at how subtle the mental confusion comes on. Symptoms of hypothermic can be remembered by the words Stumble, Mumble, Fumble, & Grumble.
if you have plans to Bug out overland have a realistic idea of how far and how fast you can travel.
And last if you go out to play in the woods, please go prepared. I know I preaching to the choir.
I was too fatigued to go into the field yesterday so I worked in base camp.
The good news is that the hiker was found yesterday alive but severly hypothermic after spending about 72 hours out.
Soon after leaving base the snow depth incresed to mid-calf to eventally knee to mid thigh depth. At about the 3 1/2 hour point we stopped to eat a quick bite & it took me about 5 minutes to get a down coat out of my pack and on. Temp was 30 with a steady 10 & gust to 30 mph wind Yet I still didn't recognize how hypothermic I was becomming.
We finally had to turn around after five hours, at the 6350 foot level, it took us 3 hours to return the wind was blowing so hard that in some of the very open hillsides it had filled in our tracks.
lessons learned: get in in shape and stay that way, I really need to loose that 30lbs.
know your gear, I have used my SAR pack a lot but never in such adverse conditions, I couldn't find a sandwich or a dry shirt I had put in that morning.
know how your body reacts in different situations, I have been hypothermic before, but afterwards I'm always amazed at how subtle the mental confusion comes on. Symptoms of hypothermic can be remembered by the words Stumble, Mumble, Fumble, & Grumble.
if you have plans to Bug out overland have a realistic idea of how far and how fast you can travel.
And last if you go out to play in the woods, please go prepared. I know I preaching to the choir.
I was too fatigued to go into the field yesterday so I worked in base camp.
The good news is that the hiker was found yesterday alive but severly hypothermic after spending about 72 hours out.
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