coming in remote areas. Here’s a brief summary of additional hazards.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
A cursory examination of topographic maps reveals that altitude sickness should not be much of a problem in the areas covered in this guide. Very few of the trips exceed an elevation of 7,500 feet, with many of the trailheads in the Trinity Alps and Russian Wildernesses below 3,000 feet. Consequently, your first day on the trail should not overtly tax your body, at least from an elevation standpoint. Elevations in Whiskeytown NRA and Castle Crags State Park are even lower. Increase in altitude does aggravate distress caused by heat and dehydration, so take it easy on the trail and drink plenty of fluids, especially on the first day of a trip.
HYPOTHERMIA
Although experiencing subfreezing temperatures in this area is highly unlikely during the summer, the possibility of developing hypothermia is quite real when you’re unprepared for wet conditions and/or chilly temperatures. The combination of wet clothing and wind chill is enough to cause hypothermia at temperatures well above freezing. You can become wet and chilled not only from precipitation but also from falling into a stream or lake, or even from excessive sweating.
Hypothermia is a condition in which core body temperature drops due to loss of heat through the skin at a rate faster than the body’s ability to produce heat. A drop of 1°F in core body temperature is enough to produce shivering, which is the body’s defense mechanism to try and raise core temperature through exertion, as well as slurred speech and loss of judgment. A 2°F drop in temperature leads to loss of coordination, loss of memory, and further loss of judgment and initiative. If your core body temperature decreases by 3°F, you will be unable to walk, will experience debilitating lassitude, and without help, will eventually die.
Hypothermia is an insidious ailment, as the victim fails to realize his or her deteriorating condition, due to the loss of judgment brought on by the initial stages. When wet and cold conditions are encountered, every member of a group should watch each other closely for any developing signs of hypothermia. At the first signs of hypothermia in anyone, the group as a whole should seek shelter, build a fire where possible, and take every step to get the victim warm and dry.
If a person reaches the second or third stages of hypothermia, he or she must be helped immediately—abandoning a victim in this situation is a death sentence. With utmost haste, the victim should be placed in a shelter, stripped of all wet clothing, and placed in a dry sleeping bag with another unaffected person who has been stripped of clothing as well (skin-to-skin transfer of heat is the best remedy). If warm nonalcoholic beverages are available, they will also help the victim.
As with many backcountry maladies, prevention is the best cure for hypothermia. You should always bring waterproof and breathable clothing made from modern synthetics, such as Gore-Tex or its equivalent, whether you’re on a day hike or a multiday expedition. At the first sign of wet and/or chilly conditions, put on a shell parka and pants and wear them until conditions improve. Base layers worn next to the skin should be made of polypropylene, or natural fibers like silk or wool—fabrics that will keep you warm and transfer perspiration to the outer layers of your clothing. Mid-layers of synthetics, such as fleece or wool, serve a similar function. Cotton clothing, while very comfortable, is the worst possible fabric for wet and chilly conditions. When wet, either from the elements or perspiration, cotton loses all ability to insulate and thereby keep you warm. A well-constructed tent with a rainfly (or a waterproof tent) is an excellent investment for backpackers camping in wet weather, not to mention that it provides a haven from mosquitoes.
SUN EXPOSURE
Dehydration is a common but easily preventable condition brought on in the backcountry by strenuous exertion. Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid and you don’t drink enough to sufficiently replace that lost fluid. Symptoms can include muscle cramps and lightheadedness. Not properly rehydrating can lead to severe dehydration, which will eventually become a life-threatening condition. While on the trail, make sure to drink plenty of fluids and you shouldn’t have to worry about becoming dehydrated.
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke (sunstroke) are not-uncommon afflictions in the backcountry of sunny Northern California. Heat exhaustion occurs when the rate of perspiration is insufficient to cool the body. This condition can develop when a person exercises strenuously in hot weather and does not drink enough fluids to replace those lost through perspiration. Symptoms include flushed skin, rapid breathing, and possible fainting. Drinking plenty of water or an electrolyte-replacement beverage (such as Gatorade) will prevent heat exhaustion. Moderate to severe heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke, in which the body is unable to regulate core temperature and that temperature continues to rise—simply put, the body produces more heat than it can lose. The symptoms include pale but hot skin, rapid heart rate, mental confusion, convulsions, and unconsciousness.
Heatstroke is a serious malady requiring emergency medical intervention. Victims of both heat exhaustion and heatstroke should be removed from the sun and cooled off by sponging the skin with cool water. The treatment for someone who faints is to place their head lower than the rest of their body. Never try to give an unconscious or semiconscious person anything to drink.
Obviously, people with sensitive eyes should wear sunglasses while in the backcountry, especially when they’re on granite- or snow-covered slopes.
LIGHTNING
Occasional thunderstorms roll through this area during the summer. For further evidence, all you need to do is look around when you cross one of the high crests and see numerous old snags split, shattered, and seared by bolts of lightning.
The safest place during a lightning storm (other than being safely tucked into your bed at home) is in the middle of a wide valley in an extensive stand of trees. In addition, you should be at least 100 feet away from metal objects, including your pack. Avoid tall, isolated trees and high, open areas. Report any fires you see as soon as possible to the nearest USFS facility. Do not attempt to put out any forest fire of substantial size without help.
Threatening weather along Upper Canyon Creek (see Trip 38)
DRINKING WATER
All drinking water should be treated in the backcountry. This does not mean that all water in the backcountry is contaminated, only that because microscopic organisms are impossible to see with the naked eye, treating all drinking water is the best plan for guarding your health. Giardiasis, a severe intestinal disorder caused by the organism Giardia lamblia, is common enough in the backcountry to cause concern. High counts of coliform bacteria (including E. coli) are fairly common as well.
DANGEROUS ANIMALS
In brief: Don’t attempt to feed or pet any wild animal, and don’t carelessly leave food lying around within easy access of any mildly resourceful critters, such as bears, deer, and rodents.
Bear encounters are few and infrequent. However, carrying your food and scented items in a bear canister, or adequately hanging your food from a tree at the very least, is essential for the well-being of both you and the bears. The following guidelines should help campers and backpackers reduce the possibility of a bear encounter.
At the campground:
• Store all food and scented items out of sight in a bear locker or the locked trunk of your vehicle.
• Dispose of all trash in bearproof garbage cans or dumpsters.
• Never leave food out and unattended.
In
