People generally think of deep unexpected snow as the big killer.

The big killer is hypothermia not the snow. Hypothermia as described in the wikipedia article on hypothermia is defined as follows, “Normal human body temperature in adults is 34.4–37.8 °C (94–100 °F). Sometimes a narrower range is stated, such as 36.5–37.5 °C (98–100 °F). Hypothermia is defined as any body temperature below 35.0 °C (95.0 °F). It is subdivided into four different degrees, mild 32–35 °C (90–95 °F); moderate, 28–32 °C (82–90 °F); severe, 20–28 °C (68–82 °F); and profound at less than 20 °C (68 °F).”.

The lower core temperature for a human is above 95 °F. If you are trapped outdoors in temperatures below 60 °F your body is trying to maintain a temperature difference of about 25 °F between your core and the outside temperature. If it is raining or sleeting and you get wet is becomes a whole lot harder to maintain that temperature difference. Profound hypothermia is defined when your core temperature reaches 68 °F. NOTE 68 °F is only 8 °F higher than the surrounding temperature. If you don’t have food, fuel, and strength to keep up your energy you will cool down to the surrounding temperature and you will die.

Here in New England there is a little puny mountain range, compared to the Rocky Mountains in the west, with the highest peak only rising to 6,289 feet. It is hard to tell people in the fall, when the foliage is at its peak there is much risk. Even though the temperature may never reach freezing. But people have died and will continue to die, because the weather changes very quickly. They get caught above the tree line, which starts at about 4,400 feet, in fog too thick to travel in, with just a light sweater because it was 70 when they left the car, a temperature drop overnight into the 40s and by morning when they find your body it will be all over and funeral arrangements will be the responsibility of your heirs and assigns. Your body just couldn’t maintain a core temperature of 95 °F in 40 °F (thats a 55 °F temperature difference) when you were soaking wet and tired.

Thought for today, “Remember there are limits to genius there are no limits to stupid.”