

Avoiding Hypothermia (and worse!)

John Clifton
My photography began at my father's side - he processed and printed his own pictures to save on costs, so I did the same. I still hope to ‘dust off’ my darkroom gear at some point, but have spent the last few years learning to make great digital prints. I love the convenience that digital offers, and the immediate visual feedback it provides, but it is still that final analogue print that really ex-cites me. When not working at Trailblazer Outdoors, in Pickering, I am usually out walking the fabulous land-scapes of the North York Moors National Park. This is a place I find endlessly inspiring, offering a huge variety of scenery and subjects in a compact and accessible package. I am also co-organiser of #MOORSVIEW - a bi-annual photography seminar addressing landscape and wildlife photography on the North York Moors and Coast.

Neil Armstrong
Trailblazer Outdoors and Scarborough & Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team.
Even the relatively benign landscape of the North York Moors can prove a challenge to your stamina in snowfall
With snow still on the tops of the mountains in Scotland and a covering in the Peak District, winter conditions are still with us as we head into March. John and Neil take a look at taking photos in the wintry conditions and how to plan your kit.....
At this time of year you start to hear reminders that you should think about fitting winter tyres to your car, increase the concentration of your screen wash, make sure you put a snack or two in the glovebox and possibly pack a snow shovel in the boot and an old duvet to keep warm in case you get stranded on the roads. But how many of us take heed of this well-intentioned advice?
In the same way, how many photographers do a proper review of their kit before heading out to capture the beauty of the Winter landscape? And how much awareness do we have of some of the risks we may be running when we are lured by the crystalline magic of the season..?
With this in mind, you will find below a few thoughts on some of the things we ought to be aware of over the Winter in terms of comfort and safety, and some of the outdoor kit we find useful.
Consequences of getting cold
Have you ever shivered when out taking landscape photos? Well, believe it or not, you were suffering from the first signs of hypothermia. People often associate hypothermia with extremely cold countries, but in fact, many people in the UK suffer mild and even more extreme cases in winter. Many cases of hypothermia in the UK occur at temperatures closer to zero, and even slightly above it. This is partly because we do not dress appropriately for the conditions, and partly because our damp climate adds to the chilling effect.
Hypothermia is a lowering of the body’s core temperature to below 35º C - which is the normal internal temperature of the body where all your important organs are held. In mild cases, as mentioned above, shivering occurs. This is the body’s response to getting cold, and it’s automatic - there is nothing you can do about it. The shivering is uncontrolled as it is your muscles’ attempt to generate heat through rapid movement.
As they do this, our muscles burn glycogen very quickly. Glycogen is the body’s main store of glucose and, therefore, energy. In this situation, if something is not done to prevent further chilling, the body core temperature can drop even lower. If this happens, and the body’s store of glycogen is used up, you will become disorientated and confused - leading to bad decision making.
This could only result in you taking a bad photo, but in a worst-case scenario, it could result in an accident or trip. Alternatively, you could make a simple navigational error - taking the wrong route off a peak, for example, or getting completely lost in fading Winter light. In extreme cases, particularly at altitude, sufferers hallucinate and often remove clothing believing that they are too hot..!
Mist and fog are often sought after to add mystery and atmosphere to a shot, or simplify and soften busy compositions. But they can pose a serious navigational challenge in winter..!
Avoiding Hypothermia
So how can you avoid getting cold or hypothermic? The most obvious solution is to take plenty of clothing options with you. However, we tend to be guilty of getting overdressed when we first leave our nice warm car to walk off into the hills - only to find that within minutes we are overheated. This can lead to sweating - which can be uncomfortable in summer but can lead to rapid chilling in winter once exercise has stopped.
Try and avoid this by setting off from your car slightly colder than you would like to be - within 10 minutes the exertion of walking will increase your body temperature to a more comfortable level. Measure your pace as well - it’s all too easy, with the excitement of the surroundings, to go off too quickly, and build up too much heat in the process. If you do feel yourself warming up stop and take a layer off - you can always put it back on when you find that great photo opportunity..!
Layering and insulation options
In winter I always take at least one extra layer with me, this will generally be a synthetically insulated jacket or gilet. Whilst not as warm as real down, it will be less affected by moisture - keeping much of its insulating power even in damp conditions. Real down is wonderful to wear, being supremely light and warm. But it is best to keep it for really cold conditions when the moisture is taken out of the atmosphere - that’s when it really comes into its own.
Three places it is particularly useful to keep well insulated are the head, the neck and the wrists. There are many large blood vessels close to the surface in these areas, and keeping them snug goes a long way to making the whole body feel warm and comfortable. I prefer buffs for my neck, and some kind of man made fibre hat - both of which will retain heat whilst still allowing the skin to breathe, and minimising the build up of moisture.
There are any number of glove options to choose from - thick, thin, fleece lined, waterproof, or plain old knitted. Personally, in Winter, I tend to wear a thin liner, made from merino wool, silk or a man-made equivalent. On top of this, I will wear a thicker insulating glove or mit that can be removed easily when I need to do something dextrous with my camera.
I am indebted to Janet Burdon for the next suggestion: return to your childhood by attaching a cord to the gloves - threaded through the arms of your jacket. That way they are always at hand, and you won’t put then down and walk off without them. The finishing touch, especially in windy conditions, are my Extremities wrist gators - great little items that fill that annoying gap where your gloves finish and your cuffs start.
Real down is a great insulator but suffers in the wet. Modern, high-quality garments often feature a Durable Water Repellant coating on the outside, and may be filled with ‘hydro-phobic down’ - which has been treated with Nikwax to repel moisture. Down Wash Direct can be used to clean and re-proof, and re-vitalise both real and artificial down garments.
What if I do get cold?
If you or someone you are with does get cold, and certainly if they start shivering, you must take immediate action. Move them to somewhere warmer as soon as possible - a ‘bothy’ or group shelter is great for this, quickly cutting any wind chill. Make sure you get inside with them - that shared bodily warmth is very important.
If you are wet try and get some spare dry clothes on - something you should always carry with you. Then a hot drink is a good way to rapidly raise the body temperature, along with something with sugar in it as a chocolate bar. The sugar will help to boost the body’s glycogen very quickly and can help enormously if the sufferer is confused.
Once the sufferer is warm and dry, it’ll be best to forget photography for that day and get back inside, where you can get properly warm and dry. Just chalk it up to experience and make sure that next time they go better prepared - with more clothes, a hot drink and something to eat.
When there is significant snowfall, you should plan for even the most familiar walks to take a lot longer, and to use up a lot more energy. This is especially true when you are carrying significant weight on your back - so choose your kit carefully.’