Emma Radebaugh Anytime you do anything outdoors, know where you’re going and the terrain. Keep as many supplies with you as possible, but don’t overload yourself because you will lose your stamina, and you can’t carry on that way. Learn how to make the most out of extreme winter conditions so that if you’re ever in a dire situation, you can survive and thrive without worry.
Have a Plan
Above all else, you should always plan for anything that you do in life, especially the unexpected. Anything dealing with the wilderness has factors involved that are outside of your knowledge, so you must know how to maneuver around those factors to survive.
Keep On the Lookout
When you’re in subfreezing temperatures, it will behoove you to keep a close eye on yourself so that you don’t end up injured or worse. One of the things you should always keep a close eye on is frostbite. This is hard to remedy once you come down with it, so it’s important to keep your hands and feet always covered with weatherproofed boots and gloves that are well insulated. If you notice frostbite starting, you can also be sure that hypothermia is nearby. Before you get to this point, check and make sure you have everything else on standby. Try to never make it that far into the cold and risk your life, as you very well could.
Protect Your Heat
Whatever you do, don’t take off your clothes. It might be tempting at times if you feel toasty, but you can adjust your zippers for that without sacrificing all your body heat. Whether you realize it or not, your body was holding onto that heat, as it took an enormous amount of energy to produce it. When you’re in the cold, your metabolism elevates to help you stay warm. But without food, water, and shelter, you will burn through all your energy, which will leave you desolate and cold.
Stay Dry
One of the greatest lessons you will learn while out in the winter weather is to stay dry. If you can maintain this, you can stay for as long as you can tolerate the cold. But the second that you get wet, you can reach hypothermia and frostbite in less than 20 minutes. So you will need to make sure that you have the proper footwear, gloves, and face masks handy to keep yourself from experiencing that.
Snow as an Insulator
In the event of an emergency and you must extend your stay in the winter wonderland you have enjoyed so much, you can use snow as an insulator. Just make sure you don’t eat it because that will drastically drop your body temperature, and the whole point is to stay warm in the first place. Much like the Eskimos, you can make yourself a hut or an igloo, and it will insulate your body heat and keep the freezing elements away during the winter cold.
Going out into the cold is something that many people look forward to all year long. However, you must plan so that you don’t find yourself stuck in a situation that wasn’t on your list, and if you do, you will need to know how to survive in those conditions until you can find help. That’s why everyone should know how to make the most out of extreme winter conditions, no matter who you are.
