jo webber
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Sept 9th 2017
After reading the Hot, Get a Hat thread I decided to post a bit of information on how to survive a heat wave or just heat one is unaccustomed to. I have lived in the desert for 55+yrs, where summer temps reach 115F on a normal summer day. Last year we had a person die almost every weekend from hiking in the heat.
Take extra water, at least twice the amount you think you need.
If you are walking in the sun:
wear a hat, use some of the water to keep the hat wet. Use anything to wear around your neck, keep this wet also. Cut the sleeves off of a shirt, one sleeve around your neck, one cut in half to use as hand coverings.
wear long sleeve shirt to keep the sun off, long pants as well.
cut seams in the under arm area of the shirt you are wearing to increase heat venting. Walk with elbows pointed out to get more evaporation from under arm areas.
stop more often and cool completely down, cooling down completely is key. The wait about 10 minutes more.
eat small amounts of food, anything with salt, and or sugar is best.
If you become ill, stop sweating or can not continue:
use your sleeping bag and hiking poles to make a shade. If no poles, use your head as the center pole. Face a breeze if any and you can remain in the shade.
drink half your water, pour a quarter over you, wait 20 minutes and drink the rest of the water if needed.
take off shoes and socks
put a wet cloth on your neck, inside your elbow area, behind knees.
keep small packets of sugar and salt with you. Eat just a touch of the salt and half the sugar.
eat a small bit of food
do not urinate, even if you think you need to. Your body will reabsorb the fluids.
Please be careful. Too many here die in the heat as they are not used to it or do not understand how dangerous it can be. If you stop sweating, become dizzy or are unable to think clearly - these are very bad signs.
Take extra water, at least twice the amount you think you need.
If you are walking in the sun:
wear a hat, use some of the water to keep the hat wet. Use anything to wear around your neck, keep this wet also. Cut the sleeves off of a shirt, one sleeve around your neck, one cut in half to use as hand coverings.
wear long sleeve shirt to keep the sun off, long pants as well.
cut seams in the under arm area of the shirt you are wearing to increase heat venting. Walk with elbows pointed out to get more evaporation from under arm areas.
stop more often and cool completely down, cooling down completely is key. The wait about 10 minutes more.
eat small amounts of food, anything with salt, and or sugar is best.
If you become ill, stop sweating or can not continue:
use your sleeping bag and hiking poles to make a shade. If no poles, use your head as the center pole. Face a breeze if any and you can remain in the shade.
drink half your water, pour a quarter over you, wait 20 minutes and drink the rest of the water if needed.
take off shoes and socks
put a wet cloth on your neck, inside your elbow area, behind knees.
keep small packets of sugar and salt with you. Eat just a touch of the salt and half the sugar.
eat a small bit of food
do not urinate, even if you think you need to. Your body will reabsorb the fluids.
Please be careful. Too many here die in the heat as they are not used to it or do not understand how dangerous it can be. If you stop sweating, become dizzy or are unable to think clearly - these are very bad signs.