Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Surviving The Cold


Considering my score on yesterday's Survival Quiz, more articles like this one from Planet Fear might do me some good.

The article is an extensive look at what cold weather can do to our bodies and how environmental factors can play into those issues. For instance, damp weather, creating a damp body, allows heat to escape more quickly than a dry body. Add in some wind to the equation, and it just gets worse. And if environmental conditions aren't enough of a consideration, there are plenty of individual factors to think about as well, such as body fat, hunger, clothing worn, and so on.

Planet Fear provides plenty of practical advice and info in the article as well, explaining the best ways to build an improvised shelter for an entire group, how to dig a snow cave, and more. They also tell us what signs to look for when watching for hypothermia and how to treat it, as well as frostbite too.

All in all, in a good article for anyone who goes on any cold weather adventures, whether that's climbing in the mountains or skiing in the backcountry, or dogsledding in Alaska. And with winter setting in here in the northern hemisphere, it's always a good time to be reminded of these things.

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