Wright, Lori

English

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
12-18-2006
UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter
Camping And Hiking
Lori Wright
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Wright, Lori, "UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And Hiking" (2006). UNH Today. 1287.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/1287
9/20/17, 1)57 PMUNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And Hiking
Page 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/dec/lw18hiking.cfm.html
 
UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping
And Hiking
Contact:  Lori Wright 
603-862-0574
UNH Media Relations
December 18, 2006
EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Laurie Gullion can be reached at 603-862-1617 (W) and
603-463-5440 (H).
DURHAM, N.H. -- Winter pursuits are challenging, rewarding endeavors when participants are
properly prepared, but winter experiences can go horribly wrong in the face of changing
weather, inadequate planning and other uncertainties.
Laurie Gullion, coordinator of the Outdoor Education option at the University of New
Hampshire, says people who hike and camp in winter need to have previous experience in
other seasons as well as in higher, exposed elevations to test their personal preparedness and
decision-making. In addition, winter backpackers should:
Get training from a reputable organization on cold-weather first aid, camping, map
and compass, and avalanche awareness.
Go with a support group of qualified friends. 
Plan on being out overnight, even if it’s a day trip. 
Leave a trip plan with a contact person, including a time when they should contact
search and rescue authorities.
Know how to manage their clothing and gear systems to stay dry and functional. 
Consume enough calories and water to avoid dehydration, a loss of energy, and cold
injuries like frostbite. 
Understand the weather to make appropriate and conservative decisions, especially
about turning back or dropping quickly below tree line in the face of worsening weather.
Gullion, who has paddled, hiked and climbed in the Canadian and Scandinavian Arctic, says,
“Those guidelines are appropriate for any season and every activity, but they are essential for
winter experiences.”
People are used to instant communication, but in the backcountry, communication is thwarted
by deep valleys, high mountains and a lack of transmission towers. “A cell phone should not
only be treated as a last resort but as no option at all, and travelers should be prepared to
deal with a variety of emergencies within their own party. People must enter a winter
9/20/17, 1)57 PMUNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And Hiking
Page 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/dec/lw18hiking.cfm.html
environment with the mindset and equipment that they will be able to come to their own
rescue,” she says.
The UNH Outdoor Education program trains students in progressively more demanding
situations to handle cold-weather camping, hiking and ice climbing. Its winter backpacking
course, which Gullion teaches, includes an ascent of Mt. Washington. Students must take a
10-day summer backpacking course, and camp and hike in cooler weather before they can
enroll in the winter backpacking course.
The ascent to the top of Mt. Washington is contingent upon weather conditions, with high
winds, intense cold and poor visibility the factors that contribute to decisions about whether to
climb or to turn back. According to Gullion, decision-making is an integral part of the UNH
training program -- students learn how to care for themselves, their group, and ultimately
their future clients.
“Mt. Washington has some of the most severe weather in the world with a history of deaths
from exposure, yet its famous Presidential Traverse is an increasingly popular challenge in
winter. People on the eastern side of Mt. Washington often cannot see the prevailing weather
approaching from the west,” Gullion says.
“People need to have a fitness level for hiking in snow and wind that allows them to reach the
summit and come down without being so overtaxed that they lose the ability to make good
decisions. Dying from hypothermia is a very real threat that has killed some winter hikers in
the Presidential Range,” she says.


UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And Hiking

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices12-18-2006UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During WinterCamping And HikingLori WrightFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationWright, Lori, "UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And Hiking" (2006). UNH Today. 1287.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/12879/20/17, 1)57 PMUNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And HikingPage 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/dec/lw18hiking.cfm.html UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter CampingAnd HikingContact:  Lori Wright 603-862-0574UNH Media RelationsDecember 18, 2006EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Laurie Gullion can be reached at 603-862-1617 (W) and603-463-5440 (H).DURHAM, N.H. -- Winter pursuits are challenging, rewarding endeavors when participants areproperly prepared, but winter experiences can go horribly wrong in the face of changingweather, inadequate planning and other uncertainties.Laurie Gullion, coordinator of the Outdoor Education option at the University of NewHampshire, says people who hike and camp in winter need to have previous experience inother seasons as well as in higher, exposed elevations to test their personal preparedness anddecision-making. In addition, winter backpackers should:Get training from a reputable organization on cold-weather first aid, camping, mapand compass, and avalanche awareness.Go with a support group of qualified friends. Plan on being out overnight, even if it’s a day trip. Leave a trip plan with a contact person, including a time when they should contactsearch and rescue authorities.Know how to manage their clothing and gear systems to stay dry and functional. Consume enough calories and water to avoid dehydration, a loss of energy, and coldinjuries like frostbite. Understand the weather to make appropriate and conservative decisions, especiallyabout turning back or dropping quickly below tree line in the face of worsening weather.Gullion, who has paddled, hiked and climbed in the Canadian and Scandinavian Arctic, says,“Those guidelines are appropriate for any season and every activity, but they are essential forwinter experiences.”People are used to instant communication, but in the backcountry, communication is thwartedby deep valleys, high mountains and a lack of transmission towers. “A cell phone should notonly be treated as a last resort but as no option at all, and travelers should be prepared todeal with a variety of emergencies within their own party. People must enter a winter9/20/17, 1)57 PMUNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And HikingPage 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/dec/lw18hiking.cfm.htmlenvironment with the mindset and equipment that they will be able to come to their ownrescue,” she says.The UNH Outdoor Education program trains students in progressively more demandingsituations to handle cold-weather camping, hiking and ice climbing. Its winter backpackingcourse, which Gullion teaches, includes an ascent of Mt. Washington. Students must take a10-day summer backpacking course, and camp and hike in cooler weather before they canenroll in the winter backpacking course.The ascent to the top of Mt. Washington is contingent upon weather conditions, with highwinds, intense cold and poor visibility the factors that contribute to decisions about whether toclimb or to turn back. According to Gullion, decision-making is an integral part of the UNHtraining program -- students learn how to care for themselves, their group, and ultimatelytheir future clients.“Mt. Washington has some of the most severe weather in the world with a history of deathsfrom exposure, yet its famous Presidential Traverse is an increasingly popular challenge inwinter. People on the eastern side of Mt. Washington often cannot see the prevailing weatherapproaching from the west,” Gullion says.“People need to have a fitness level for hiking in snow and wind that allows them to reach thesummit and come down without being so overtaxed that they lose the ability to make gooddecisions. Dying from hypothermia is a very real threat that has killed some winter hikers inthe Presidential Range,” she says.

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UNH Expert: How To Stay Safe During Winter Camping And Hiking

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