Tag: hypothermia

Conventional wisdom dictates that you have shelter within three hours of becoming lost or stranded in the wilderness. However, in extreme cold conditions if you are not properly clothed you will need shelter and fire almost immediately to prevent hypothermia. Hypothermia is a medical condition diagnosed when your body loses heat faster that it can produce heat. Once your core body temperature drops from an average of 98.6?F/37?C to 95?F/35?C, you are in the initial stages of hypothermia, which is fatal if not treated promptly. Even when properly clothed, you can develop hypothermia if you are exposed to the cold for long periods. Wet clothing or submersion in water …