Surviving in the wilderness is tough regardless of your location. However, there are some locations and external factors that make things even harder. One of the elements that can make survival almost impossible is extreme cold. Unless you are entirely prepared for that sort of weather, the results can be catastrophic. After a tragic incident in which four people died from exposure to the elements, an expert weighed in on surviving in extreme cold.
Surviving in Extreme Cold Is Almost Impossible, Expert Says
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Global News recounts the story in " which four people — including a baby — died from apparent exposure to the elements in a failed attempt to cross into the U.S. near Emerson, Man." According to some of the survivors, the group had been walking for "more than 11 hours." That amount of time in extreme weather conditions is certainly enough to be dangerous.
Dave MacDonald, president and lead instructor of the International Canadian School of Survival, shared his thoughts on the situation. As well as his thoughts on the chances of surviving in extreme cold. He argues that one thing that makes surviving in the extreme cold so difficult is the lack of visibility. When it is extremely cold, there is typically snow, and that can limit visibility.
He argues, "It's like walking around in the pitch dark, except it's broad daylight and it's white... it's just all white around you. Or pitch dark because of the snow and the darkness." Additionally, he mentions how the cold is a slow killer. The coldness seeps into your body and it makes you feel sluggish and fatigued. It does this to the point where all you want to do is lay down and curl into a ball.
However, this expert warns against caving into those desires. He stated, "When you go to sleep, that's likely the end."
Things To Remember When Surviving Extreme Cold
Instead of laying down, MacDonald urged people to continue to keep moving. Additionally, he reminded people that "cold injuries come in stages." The first stage is frostbite, which affects the outer parts of your body. It starts off superficial, then works its way to deep frostbite. Afterward comes hypothermia, which affects the inside of your body.
The expert warns that hypothermia works like frostbite. In the sense that it has beginning and worsening stages. He shared, " Remember that if you have mild hypothermia and you start shaking and shivering that's the body's natural reaction to rewarm itself. If you haven't done anything to warm yourself and you stop shaking, you're moving on into the later stages to severe hypothermia and you need to stay moving."
Next he shared the terrifying fact that "it can take only a minute before signs of superficial frostbite begin to show on exposed skin." Therefore you want to wear the proper gear and limit any amount of exposed skin. Additionally, improper footwear can be an issue. If snow or water gets into your shoes your feet will go numb and begin to freeze. Finally, deep snow is your enemy. It takes lots of energy to trek through, which makes you exhausted and sweaty. Sweating in extreme cold conditions is not good, it causes you to get chilly and enter hypothermia.
So what was this expert's main advice on surviving extreme cold conditions? He urged people not to go out in them at all. Basically, no matter how prepared you are surviving in extreme cold conditions is nearly impossible.
