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HYPOTHERMIA is the number one killer of winter hikers. One of the reasons it is so deadly is because it is very difficult for someone suffering from hypothermia to realize what is happening to their body. In hypothermia, the cold weather, moisture and wind, combined with physical exhaustion, causes the body's core temperature to drop. As the cold reaches your brain judgment and reasoning become difficult and uncontrollable shivering sets in (this is your body sacrificing your extremities to save your internal organs).
GET THIS: Most cases of hypothermia occur in weather conditions between 30 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This is due to the danger of being wet in these temperatures and the moisture's way of wicking heat away from your body. Stay dry, stay out of the wind, and keep your head covered. At the first sign of uncontrollable shivering or exhaustion get to some place warm. Fight the urge to simply fall asleep. To sleep is to die.
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Am I Experiencing Hypothermia?
Hypothermia kills because most people never realize they are experiencing it until it is too late. How can you tell if you're at the critical juncture when cold is becoming a killer? Try touching your thumb to your little finger on the same hand. One of the first signs of hypothermia is trouble with dexterity. If you have difficulty passing this simple test it's time to get inside and get warm.
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