Best Summit Hikes in Colorado. James Dziezynski
blister has already ruptured or is too large to comfortably continue hiking should you try to drain it. This should be a last resort. Clean the area thoroughly. Heat a needle with a match or stove flame to sterilize it. Once you have done so, poke a small hole in the bottom of the blister and gently squeeze the fluid out, top to bottom. Immediately clean the wound and apply a sterile pad. Wash the area out several times a day to ward off infection.
Dehydration/Overhydration
Dehydration is the most common ailment suffered in the mountains. Because hikers often don’t drink until they feel thirsty, dehydration may not be apparent until the individual feels excessively tired or cranky. It is important to drink before a hike—about 8–10 ounces—and continue to drink roughly 8 ounces every half hour.
Dehydration is a catalyst for other more serious problems, such as cramping, hypothermia, and AMS. Signs of dehydration include a loss of energy, dark urine, and moodiness. A well-hydrated hiker should urinate frequently in the mountains, and the liquid should be clear and copious.
Sports drinks such as Gatorade, Cytomax, and Endurox will help replace salts and electrolytes; adding in a mildly salty snack such as pretzels or nuts can help replace salts, which in turn help the body process water. (Electrolytes are electrically conductive ions that help balance fluid levels on the cellular level in the body. This not only means feeding the cells water but also preventing overhydration.)
I like to bring 70–100 ounces of water in a hydration pack along with 32 ounces of Gatorade when I hike. I sip from the hydration pack all day and enjoy the Gatorade as a treat on layer breaks, summits, or snack breaks.
Overhydration is rare but something to look out for. Humans cannot process much more than 1 liter (32 ounces) of water per hour; excess water will usually be filtered out through the body. This process can dilute the nutritional absorption of food in the intestines. In other words, if you are dehydrated, there is no need to chug two bottles of water in five minutes; 8–16 ounces will be adequate. In extreme cases (usually during marathons or other high-endurance sports) water intoxication can occur. For most hikers, this isn’t a threat.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a dangerous condition that results from a loss of body heat to the extent that core temperatures fall below 95°F. Prolonged exposure to wind, rain, snow, and chilly temps can bring about hypothermia. Many cases of hypothermia occur on rainy days, when the temperatures can be anywhere between 35°F and 55°F—so this is not just a winter weather malady.
Dehydration can speed up the onset of hypothermia. The initial signs of mild hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, loss of coordination, and change in mood. Hypothermic hikers may not be able to zipper a coat or put on gloves, and they may not realize where they are. In their confusion, hypothermic victims may insist on continuing to hike or will agree to wait for other members of the party. Never leave a hiker who you suspect is hypothermic alone. In severe cases, the victim may become completely disoriented and collapse, unconscious. If core temperatures continue to drop, the victim may lapse into a coma, which can cause permanent damage or death.
Storm-free days are a reason to celebrate in Colorado.
Hypothermia must be assessed and dealt with immediately. First priority is to get the victim out of wet clothes and, if possible, out of the wind and weather. Often, layers of dry clothing, adequate shelter, and warmer settings will be enough to reverse mild hypothermia. The victim should consume liquids, preferably those with a sugar base. The liquid does not need to be heated, though a warm mug may feel good in the person’s hands. The important thing is to get water into the body. If camping, get the victim into a sleeping bag and heat up water in watertight bottles to place in the bag. In an emergency, body-to-body contact will help, but care must be taken that it doesn’t chill the person helping to a state of hypothermia. Warming should be done gradually.
Remember, hypothermia affects judgment and coordination—do not climb higher until you and your partner are certain the effects are gone. On a personal note, I once got mild hypothermia on a 60°F, sunny and windy day, thanks to a very steep snow slope and a poorly wicking first layer (which was brand-new). My hiking partner noticed that I was shivering, and moreover, that I was complaining—which is not characteristic of me in the mountains. When I peeled off the offending layer, it was soaked with sweat. Before the condition got worse, I put on dry layers and drank Gatorade until I felt better. We finished the day without further incident, but it goes to show, hypothermia can occur in unlikely conditions.
Intestinal Ailments, Giardia, and the Importance of Water Filtration
As the body adjusts to altitude, it often produces more acids in the stomach. Most stomachaches and nausea in the mountains are a direct result of the body responding to changes in elevation. Nerves can also play a role in upset stomachs. For these instances, it is wise to bring along antacids and to avoid fatty foods and alcohol on hikes. More severe nausea that does not respond to antacids can be a sign of AMS; if these are accompanied by vomiting, head down.
Diarrhea may occur if a person is overhydrated, nervous, or experiencing mild AMS. It is important to drink enough to replace liquids in cases of diarrhea; sports drinks and salty snacks will help replenish the body’s balance. Because energy bars can be hard to digest (or enjoy) at altitude, I suggest bringing along palatable gels (I prefer chocolate Gu) to help replenish lost electrolytes and sodium.
All water in Colorado should be treated with a filter, purification tablets, or by boiling. That seemingly fresh mountain stream is prime habitat for the pesky protozoan Giardia lamblia, more commonly known as giardia. Giardia has a long incubation period, anywhere between one week and one month. Once infected, an individual will experience awful bouts of explosive diarrhea, flatulence, cramps, vomiting, and dehydration. These symptoms will settle down but still be apparent after an initial period of flulike symptoms. Giardia will continue to cause trouble until it is properly treated by a medical doctor.
Hygiene and Sanitation
Keeping clean in the outdoors can be a challenge, but staying hygienic is imperative. Good Leave No Trace practices (covered a bit more in the next section) mean you’ll have to pack out any nonbiodegradable hygiene products, but staying clean is worth it. Alcohol-based hand-cleaning gels should be used after going to the bathroom, as well as before eating any snacks or preparing meals. Keep those hands clean!
On camping trips, I always bring along baby wipes (such as Wet Ones) to keep myself clean and avoid that “crusty” feeling. These wipes have to be packed out, but they can keep your butt cleaner than wiping with leaves or snow. Women may also want to bring similar wipes for staying clean during their menstrual cycle.
Be cautious when accepting snacks or drinks from strangers; the food is probably safe, but the hands of your new friend may not be.
When brushing your teeth, bathing, or washing your hair, make sure to use eco-friendly toothpastes, soaps, and shampoos.
Sunburn/Snow Blindness
At high elevation, radiation from the sun is extra powerful and needs to be taken seriously. High in the mountains is not the place to work on your tan. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are more concentrated the closer you are to the atmosphere, causing untreated skin to burn quickly. Avoid sunburn by applying sunblock with a minimum UV rating of 15 every 90 minutes. In real life, hardly anyone keeps to this schedule while hiking. I like to use a less precise but equally effective system. I keep a small bottle of sunblock in my pocket and put it on every time I stop for snacks, to pee, or to adjust my layers of clothing. Sometimes I’ll end up putting it on three times in an hour, but it’s better than getting burnt. Keep in mind that even cloudy days shower your body with UV rays.
Although you may not have an obvious lobster-red sunburn, even a subtle burn will make sleeping difficult, keep you from hydrating (as the body is repairing the damage), and make you feel achy all over.