[at-l] Alternative Cold Tent Remedy

[Clifford R. Haynes" <chaynes@megalink.net (Clifford R. Haynes)]

Over the years I have had several opportunities to deal with Hypothermia.
The old skin to skin in a sleeping bag always sort of a last ditch effort.
There were two reasons for doing it: First was if the victim were cold
enough that things were shutting down, the victim is no longer producing
heat enough to rewarm, without heat from an outside source they don't
survive. Second if the victim and second person are clothed in the sleeping
bag, the clothing on both insulate the victim to keep heat out, and allows
less heat from the heat source person to warm the sleeping bag. With today's
smaller sleeping bags, tow in a bag usually wont work unless you can zip
them together, or have adequate bottom insulation to use one as a quilt.
The hot (actually very warm) water bottles works well it you have them, and
can be used in conjunction with a second person ( if the person is
available, and is in good shape don't want tow victims).

Now the big BUT! We seem to be forgetting the obvious. Along with all of the
other things we can do there is FIRE. It doesn't take a big roaring bon
fire, a small fire with some wind breaks and reflectors rigged, can do
wonders along with the other efforts to warm the victim.
Unless one is above tree line, there is no reason let the situation degrade
to sever hypothermia, if your in trouble stop built a fire, dry your cloths
out, warm up, eat, get your bearings, and survive to hike another day.

Rocky