Preventing Heat-Related Issues while Backpacking and Hiking

It’s summer and time for great hiking adventures. But it’s also time that heat-related illness can affect you while exerting yourself in hot and humid temperatures.

The two heat-related illnesses one needs to look out for are heat exhaustion and sunstroke. Heat exhaustion can be managed on the trail, but sunstroke is a life-threatening emergency where the hiker must get to a hospital.

Yes it can get hot with bad water even in places like the Colorado Trail. Prepare!

Heat Exhaustion can occur in hot, humid temperatures when the body becomes depleted of fluids necessary to cool itself - (severe dehydration). There may be heat cramps involved. The skin may be pale, cool, clammy, the hiker slightly anxious, pulse and breathing are basically normal. However, if the hiker is not cooled down, it can advance to the life-threatening sunstroke as the core body temperature begins to rise. Seek rest in a shady, cool spot. Sometimes resting on rocks that are in the shade or beside stream beds are cool. Or find an area next to water or in a wet environment. Breezes can also help you cool down by allowing convection to happen. Drink! – Especially replace lost salt and water. Having an electrolyte type mix in your hiker bag is crucial to helping replace sodium and potassium lost during sweating. When you get to town, eating a banana helps with heat and muscle cramping due to imbalances.

Sunstroke occurs when the mechanism to keep yourself cool begins to fail and your internal body temperature rises. Your skin becomes red, hot and dry. You can become disoriented, confused, and irritable. Your heart rate is rapid and there may be a seizure. Cool immediately by immersing into a cold stream or river or pouring water over the body. Give fluids if still awake and you can massage limbs to draw out the heat. Call for help. Sunstroke can kill!

How to prevent heat-related illnesses from happening on a hike:

• Take frequent rest breaks in cool, shady areas
• Drink plenty of water and eat salty foods. Carry electrolyte replacement (like Nuun or Liquid IV Hydration)  to add to water. Be sure to carry plenty of water in desert environments. if the sources are far apart or contaminated, prepare with filtering capability, a good guidebook, and containers to tote water.  You can also over-drink and deplete your sodium levels, leading to other potentially harmful conditions. When you drink, don't overdo it either! Do NOT drink Alcohol which can lead to quicker dehydration as it pulls water from your body.
• Wear lightweight clothing and light colors. Wear a lightweight hat. Use sunscreen to prevent sunburn. 
• Carry maps and guidebooks so you know where the water sources are. If you pass a source, no matter what, fill up. You can also collect water off your tent, etc. during storms. Check for areas too where you can take a dip and cool off. Use hiker intel to tell you what water conditions are like en route or ask in hiker forums before you go. 
• Never go off on a hike, no matter how short it is, without water.
• Use common sense. If you are prone to heat related illness, choose a different location or wait for a better time to hike (such as early AM or late PM)
• Carry a cell phone for emergencies and hike with a buddy.
• If you feel hot, dry, your urine output is low, that means you are severely dehydrated and your core body temp is rising. Especially if you STOP sweating when you should be. That means DANGER. Stop immediately, rest, and rehydrate. Sunstroke kills!  

Plan ahead and prepare for the conditions. Hot weather is not the time for heroics or Olympic feats. Take it easy and enjoy the hike. 

I Need Water! 7 Things You Can Do in Dry Conditions

Fall is here and yes, with the lack of rain, water can dry up.

Here are some reminders on what you can do when water is low on the trail -

1.     Try to schedule your hike when there has been rainfall. Easier said than done when you can only go at a certain time. But if you have flexibility, do it. Check in with hiking social media to get updates if possible. If need be, alter your hiking plans to a different area that has better water availability. Some areas also institute burn bans due to fire danger. Check ahead of time for these issues before you leave.

2.       Take an updated guidebook that will tell you when sources are reliable or unreliable. For instance AWOL’s AT Guide for the Appalachian Trail tells you when source are reliable. And those not marked this way for me were dry. Also, you need guidebooks of potable sources in towns etc. On the heels of this, take a map or use a map app on your phone. Maps can identify water sources – esp. springs, streams, etc that may not be in your guidebook. Or it will let you know if a water source is flowing from a beaver pond or a field or a road, of which you then need to treat with care. It will also tell you where you might want to camp that night.

3.       Take extra water containers. When in a dry section, you may need to tote water for a considerable distance. Take extra Platypus containers, empty water bottles, etc. Adjust your pack weight and how you carry items in your pack to adjust for the extra water (a liter of water weighs about 2 lbs). 

4.       When you see a water source, fill up. Hydrate too. Check your map, if it has been very dry, you may need to err on the side of caution and take an extra few liters with you. Plan your mileage accordingly if you need to carry extra weight.

5.       Plan non cook meals. This will use less water.

      6. Make sure you have adequate water treatment (chemical, Sawyer squeeze, Steripen, Pump)

      7. If things get tough, don’t be afraid to ask a neighbor, business, even a home for water. Sometimes you need to do what’s safe. If all else fails and there is none, get off the trail. Better to be off and hike another day than get dehydrated or worse.

It can be tough trying plan for water conditions, especially when there has been no rainfall. But with some planning and flexibility, you can make it through the driest of times.

Related Blogs 

Water Treatments

Fall Hiking Tips

Plan and Prepare for your trip

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Hiker Food Kinds of Stuff

Food! Probably one of the most important things a hiker thinks about. And hikers get HUNGRY. It's the nature of the high level of activity. Your body is using lots of calories, and in colder weather, calories to stay warm too. Muscles are getting torn to shreds by constant abuse and the need of good protein to heal. Food is a necessity, and good food is a requirement to keep the hike going.

But sad to say, a lot of hikers seem to think that they can hike huge miles subsisting on potato packs and ramen. Have you ever read the back of those packages and the nutrition they contain?
Zip, zero, zilch. Nothing. No protein. No vitamins and minerals. No bone and muscle preserving calcium.

And this is what your body is saying when all you eat is that stuff. "HEY!! How do you expect me to move for you if you don't feed me right?"

Good nutrition is a must on a long arduous hike in the wilds. A good balance of proteins, carbs and fats to make everything work in sync.

Okay, so how does one accomplish that on a hike? After all, you must carry what you eat. And thankfully its a lot easier then it was some 30 to 40 years ago. Reading Ed Garvey's book when he hiked in 1975, he had to carry little cans of tuna and chicken. Now we have foil packets that are light and easy to use. Canned chicken dried in a dehydrator makes a good addition to rice and couscous mixes. Ever been to any of those Mennonite or Amish farmer's markets? Especially if you plan to have some mail drops - they have fantastic dried foods for hiking - everything from well balanced trail mixes (salty, sweet and spicy) to dehydrated veggie flakes, couscous in various flavors, to soup bases, and even these highly concentrated tiny squares that when I eat one, boy it can keep me going for a good long while. Trader Joes and Whole Foods have a great selection of dried fruits (I have become partial to dried cherries of late). Target has Simply Balanced fruit strips with no added sugar, made of fruit puree (check the labels on the strips to make sure they are fruit based). Of course there are old standbys like PB and Nutella which give good protein and fats. Some hikers even carry olive oil when the weather is really cold to add fat to a diet. And of course bars are everywhere, from the Luna bars (which are actually pretty good and last a while; even my hubby liked it though they say nutrition for women which means nothing) to Cliff bars, Power Bars, and I like Nature Valley granola bars for crunch and also the Sunbelt bars pack a good carb punch for the weight. But all the bars tend to be heavy, so watch how many you carry.

These are typical foods stuffs I have had for my meals on the trail -

Breakfasts - Cliff bar, Pop Tarts (if I carry them I take Annies), oatmeal (when cold out, add dried fruit and nuts to fortify it), trail mix, granola bars, granola cereal, small bagel and PB, and usually I eat a piece of fruit like a the all natural fruit sticks from Target or simply dried fruit, granola

Snacks - trail mix (both salty variety and sweet, though I much prefer salty like sesame sticks, flax seed chips, cheese crackers), mixed nuts, mini candy bars, Snickers, sometimes a Power bar or Luna bar if I have a tough hike that day

Lunch - the small whole wheat bagels; I found the thin round sandwich bread then have now to be very packable, tortillas, pepperoni (put in a ziploc if hot out as it can get greasy), cheddar cheese, beef sausage, jerky (I make my own), PB, raisins

Dinner - I dehydrate beef mixtures and canned chicken to add to mixes. I dehydrate peas and green beans also to add to rice mixes. I use tuna packets. I used to use Knorr mixes that have FINALLY cutout the msg. I also make my own using good noodles, non MSG broth bases (look for them in health food stores), a little cornstarch as thickener, some spices to taste, and add in dehydrated veggies, chicken or beef. There is also couscous, a turkey dinner recipe, Annie's mac and cheese (much better than Kraft and you get more in the package. Bring some dried milk to add to it and noddle mixes.). I've gotten a pesto mix (watch for MSG though or dehydrate some bottled pesto) and added it to a bag of dried tortellini for dinner. If I eat Ramen, I discard the flavor packet and bring my own seasoning in a snack size Ziploc bag, and fortify it with dried peas and green beans and dried meat. I sometimes use the Mountain House / Backpacker Pantry meals, but they are pricey for long distance hikes. Dessert - Rice Krispy bar, Little Debbies oatmeal pie, packets of Oreos, snack size candy bars, etc

For more ideas and recipes on eating healthy while backpacking, check out my article at Mother Earth Living magazine.

Extra - take a good multi vitamin with iron if you're out for a long time. Some hikers use the kiddie gumdrop ones. I use ones I know are good from a Vitamin shop and are in my maildrops.

Trail Magic rocks! Especially fresh fruit.

Good wholesome food will keep you going and will help you enjoy the hike a whole lot more.

Guest Blog - Dehydration

A follow up on the previous blog about heat related illnesses is a guest blog on dehydration from a medical standpoint and what it means in your body.

Don’t Get Dehydrated This Summer! 

With summer temperatures rising high, it is critical to keep in mind what may be causing you to feel dehydrated and also how you can spot dehydration before it becomes a serious hazard.

The first tip is to know the signs and symptoms of dehydration. Usually, the first signs are neurological; headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, increased thirst, and dry mouth. After that, if dehydration has not been treated, the signs may progress on to GI symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and cramps. Medical signs physicians look for include tachycardia, fever, tachypnea (increased breathing), decreased urine output, and hypotension. On rare occasions with severe dehydration coma, seizures, and death can occur.

In order to avoid dehydration, prevention is key. Especially in preparing for any long outdoor physical activity, you should decrease alcohol, coffee, and tea, intake. The common factor in many sports drinks and sodas is caffeine, which is also a big contributor to dehydration. They are diuretics and diuretics will cause inhibition of ADH (antidiuretic hormones) made in the pituitary gland, which is needed for the sodium active transport system in your kidneys. When the transport system is blocked, water does not get reabsorbed by the kidneys and is lost through urine. This is the reason for the frequent urination when drinking these products.

Even more important than knowing what can make you feel dehydrated, is knowing ways to help you stay

properly and fully hydrated. When choosing a beverage that will keep you hydrated, the two main ingredients to look for are Salt (NACl) and Water(H2O). Plain water will be absorbed via the GI Tract but is very inefficient. Have you ever drank plain water and still felt dehydrated? It is the active transport system, specifically, the sodium (Na) active transport system in the kidneys that is the most efficient system in the human body in reabsorbing water. When we drink a high sodium drink in the form of NaCl (salt) and H2O (water) during dehydration, the kidneys will actively transport the sodium (Na). When this occurs, the H2O will follow passively into our body. This is why when a patient comes to the ER (emergecny room) for dehydration issues, they are given a Normal Saline IV. 1 Liter normal saline has 9000mg of Salt (NaCl) and Water (H20). The only ingredients found in a normal saline is Salt and Water.

Don’t short yourself of fluids you need to stay hydrated. While this is difficult to measure, generally for non-active consumers, 2-4 BANa’s per day will keep the doctor away. 4 bottles of adult BANa is similar in salt content as a normal saline IV bag. When hydrated, your body will naturally filter out out the excess salt and water. Doctors also tell non-active patients in clinic the 8x8 rule. Eight - 8 oz glasses of plain water per day. Have fun this summer, but stay safe by staying hydrated!

For more than a decade, Benjamin Yoo, MD has treated patients in the emergency room for dehydration. Dr. Yoo is the founder of BANa Bottling Co., an industry-leading rehydration beverage company. Born in South Korea, Yoo moved to the U.S. at the age of six and was raised on his parent’s farm in western Kentucky. Dr. Yoo earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville in 2001, then began working in emergency rooms across Georgia and South Carolina. He moved to Charleston, S.C. in 2004 to work at HealthFirst Rapid Care in North Charleston. It was there that Yoo had the idea for BANa a rehydration drink inspired by saline IVs given to patients in the ER or urgent care for dehydration

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Alternate Summer Adventure

Tick Related Issues

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Hiker Nutrition: Dehydrating Foods to Add to Meals

I must admit I get alarmed sometimes by what hikers choose to eat while on long distance hiking trips. From plain noodles to Ramen to mashed potatoes, it's the same old, carb loading meals with little nutritional value. Backpacking meals don't have to be nutritionless, boring or expensive. With just a little time and a food dehydrator, you can dry meats and veggies to add to your ho hum rice and noodle dishes and make them not only yummy but good for you when you are out hiking those long miles.

It begins with a good dehydrator. I use the Nesco Snackmaster that has various temperature settings for the foods you wish to dehydrate. It comes with several trays and the noise level is minimal. Plus dehydrating is quick and easy.

Dehydrating meats is simple. Want to add chicken to your dishes? You can! Canned chicken, that is.  It dehydrates and best of all, rehydrates well. Open the can, pour off the broth, and break up the chunks. They will resemble thread-like pieces. Spread them out on the trays. When crisp, package into Ziploc snack bags to add to your favorite Knorr Rice dishes, couscous, etc.

To dehydrate beef for meals, buy a good lean cut. To make a beef puree to fortify your dishes or to make trailside beef stroganoff, add 1/2 cup soy sauce to 1/2 lb trimmed beef, cut up. Marinate for 15 minutes, add 2 1/2 cups of water and boil until tender. Puree in a blender with 1/2 cup of liquid. Spread on a jelly roll pan and dry in a 150 degree oven for 4 hours, stirring at times. It is done when crisp. Package in snack size Ziplocs and store in the fridge or in freezer until you need them. (Recipe obtained from "The Appalachian Trail Food Planner" by Lou Adsmond).

To add veggies to your dishes - 

   Start with frozen bags of vegetables from the grocery store. Peas and green beans dehydrate and rehydrate well.

 You can thaw them ahead of time or just place frozen on the trays (they will dry anyway). Spread the veggies on trays, make sure they are separated. When veggies are crinkly and not soft, they are dry.

 Package up your meats and veggies into Ziploc bags to add to dinners on the trail. I put these in my mail drops.

When you arrive at camp for the night, a good trick is to let your dehydrated food sit in water for about half an hour in the pot while you set up your camp. Then when it comes time to cook, the meat and veggies are already partially rehydrated and the cook time for the rice and noodles makes it ready to go without wasting fuel.

Now you have a good way to add needed protein and vitamins to otherwise starchy rice and noodle mixes. And it sure beats the cost of those pricey dehydrated backpacker meals.


Previous blogs on the topic:  Maildrops  Hiker Foods  Dehydrator Food Recipes

Some Dehydrated Food Recipes

Note: I have not tried these but they look tasty.  

Courtesy of Excalibur  - manufacturer of a unique food dehydrator.

Camper’s Favorite Chili

 

·         1 ¼ C. canned pinto beans

·         2 C. tomato sauce—homemade or commercial

·         12 Oz. dried pasta (such as elbow macaroni)

·         3 Whole jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

·         5 Oz. ground beef (optional)

·         ½ onion minced

·         Seasoning as desired

 

Brown ground beef and cook pasta until done. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and heat to boiling. Season to taste. Spread on Paraflexx® covered dehydrator try and dehydrate at 155°F/68°C until dry approximately 5 hours. To rehydrate, cover with water, boil stirring occasionally and serve.   Serves 4

 

 

 

One Pot Spaghetti

 

Combine in 1 gallon freezer-weight zip lock bag:

 

·         1 C. dried mushroom pieces and/or slices

·         ¼ dried diced green bell pepper

·         3 T. dried onions

·         1 envelope dried spaghetti sauce (8 oz.)

·         ½ tsp. garlic powder

·         ½ tsp salt

·         3 C. thin spaghetti noodles

 

Boil 4 cups water in medium pot. Add mix. Cook stirring frequently, about 5 mins. If noodles stick add a little water. Remove from heat, cover, let stand 5 min. or until noodles are tender.   Serves 2-3

 

 

 

Camp Scrambled Eggs

 

·         3 eggs

·         1 T. water

·         ¼ tsp. black pepper

·         1/8 tsp. salt

 

Place all ingredients in bowl and beat very lightly until just blended. Add any of the following variations or implement any of your favorite ingredients:

 

Cheese mushroom:

·         6 fresh mushrooms sliced

·         ¾ C. any variety grated cheese

 

Herb:

·         3 sprigs parsley minced

·         ¼ C. onions chopped

·         1 tsp. any dried herbs

 

Spanish:

·         1 C. tomato sauce

·         1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, fresh or canned, seeded and minced

 

Blend together egg mixture and any of the variations. Place in skillet with 1 T. olive oil. Scramble until done. Place on Paraflexx® sheet and dehydrate at 155°F/68°C until dry. Approximately 5 hours. To rehydrate, cover with boiling water, stir occasionally and serve. If there is an excess of liquid pour it out.

 

 

 

Basic Jerky

 

·         3 to 4 lbs lean beef (cut into strips)

·         ½ cup tomato sauce base or catsup

·         ¼ cup soy sauce

·         ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

·         1 tsp onion powder or 2 tsp onion flakes

·         1 tsp garlic powder

·         ½ tsp cracked powder

·         ½ tsp hickory smoke flavoring or salt

 

Blend all ingredients and soak meat strips in mixture. Keep refrigerated 6 to 12 hours, stirring and turning meat occasionally in marinade. Once meat is marinated to desired strength, drain off marinade and dry.

 

 

 

Hawaiian Jerky

 

·         1 lb. lean meat cut 3/16” thick

·         1 tsp. salt

·         1 tsp. ground ginger

·         1 T. brown sugar

·         ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

·         1 crushed garlic clove

·         ¼ C. pineapple juice

·         ¼ C. soy sauce

 

In small glass bowl combine all ingredients except meat. Stir to mix well. Place meat 3-4 layers deep, spooning sauce over all layers. Cover tightly in refrigerator for 6-12 hours stirring occasionally. Take meat out of marinade and place on dehydrator trays. Dry at 155°F/68°C for 5-6 hours or until completely dry. Makes about ½ pound jerky.

 

 

Cranapple Leather

 

·         1 cup apples, chopped

·         ½ cup cranberries

·         Honey or sugar to taste

 

Puree apples in blender with a small amount of water. Add cranberries and sweetener if desired. Pour on Paraflexx®, kitchen parchment paper, or plastic wrap covered dehydrator trays and dry at 135°F/57°C until leathery.

 

 

 

Power Bars

 

·         3 C. rolled oats, barley or wheat

·         2 ½ C. powdered milk

·         ½ package citrus flavored gelatin (approx. 8 oz)

·         1 C. sugar

·         2 T. honey

·         3 T. water

 

Place rolled oats, powdered milk, and sugar in bowl. Add water to honey and bring to a boil; dissolve gelatin in honey and water mixture. Add dry ingredients. After mixing well add water a teaspoon at a time until barely most enough to be molded. Shape into bars. Dehydrate at 155°F/68°C until hard.

 

 

 

Nonnie’s Great Granola

 

·         4 cups rolled oats

·         ½ cup wheat germ

·         1 cup brown sugar or ½ cup honey

·         2 cups coconut

·         1 cup sesame seeds

·         1 cup almonds and walnuts, chopped

·         ½ cup wheat or soy flour

·         1 tsp vanilla

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         1 cup oil

·         1 tsp salt

 

After dehydrating the above ingredients add:

 

·         1 cup raisins

·         ½ cup dates

·         ½ cup dried pineapple

·         ½ cup dried apples

(or any combination of dried fruits)

 

Mix the first group of ingredients together in a large bowl and spread onto Paraflexx®, kitchen parchment paper, or plastic wrap. Dehydrate at 155°F/68°C (approximately 3 hours) until crunchy. Add the second group of ingredients. Serve with milk or plain yogurt.