Will You Survive?

You’re hiking in the Grand Canyon in 95°F temps, and you’ve been drinking so much water your belly’s sloshing. Still, you feel weak and tired. What will help?

• Eat a salty snack, take electrolyte tablets, and sip an energy drink.

• Nibble on some candy to keep your energy up.

• Keep drinking—it’s tough to stay hydrated in heat this severe.

• Rest in the shade with your feet above your heart.

Answer explanation

You’re probably getting hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance caused by heavy sweating, excessive water consumption, and a lack of food and salt intake. You’ll go into seizures and die if it progresses.

A cottonmouth just sank its fangs into your friend’s ankle. After calming her, you should immediately:

• Tie a tourniquet just below her knee to keep the poison from reaching her heart.

• Make a deep X cut at the site of the bite and start sucking.

• Keep her lying down and calm, and send for help.

• Attach a suction-cup venom extractor and pump away.

• Have her do jumping jacks to work the venom out of her system.

Answer explanation

Keeping the victim immobile slows the diffusion of venom into the system and minimizes the risk of shock until you can arrange evacuation for antivenom treatment. Snakebites are rarely fatal, but some people suffer serious limb dysfunction afterward.

You just hiked to 11,000 feet. After pitching camp, you developed a pounding headache. What’s the cure for this classic case of altitude sickness?

• Guzzle a liter of water.

• Do some light exercise around camp to get your respiration and heart rate up.

• Break camp and descend to a lower elevation before sleeping.

• All of these

Answer explanation

Dehydration is often a factor in early altitude symptoms, so guzzle away. A sudden drop-off in physical activity can also lead to headaches; a bit of exercise will draw more oxygen into your system. If the ache doesn’t abate within an hour or two, the best treatment is a descent of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. You might be able to reascend painlessly the following day, but don’t push it. Acute mountain sickness is miserable, and potentially fatal conditions such as cerebral and pulmonary edema have been known to occur at this altitude.

It’s broiling out, and your friend just collapsed trailside. He’s not sweating, but it’s clear from feeling his forehead that his body temperature is well above normal. What’s the problem?

• Heat exhaustion

• Dehydration

• Heatstroke

• Hyponatremia

• Exertional rhabdomyolosis

Answer explanation

Heatstroke is an advanced and often fatal combination of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Get him into shade, douse him with water, and fan him if there’s no wind. Make him drink liquids—the cooler the better. Arrange for evacuation as soon as possible.

The most common reason for a backcountry rescue is:

• Bear mauling

• Avalanche

• Sprained or broken knee or ankle

• Knife or axe wound

• Altitude Sickness