Frostbite

[roysta]

Just in case some people have trouble believing this, frostbite can get you in Tassie in summer.
Myself and three friends did the Western Arthurs traverse from Feb 23 to Mar 2 and a few days after finishing I wondered why the skin on the tips of my fingers was peeling.
You got it, low level frost bite.
Sure, the second last day was snowing and hailing and the temps were sub zero and my hands were *&%$#! cold, but frost bite?
And this was just a week after I'd been at -15C in Mexico?

[stepbystep]

Nasty - I met some walkers who spent 4 nights at Oberon on those dates, met them at Cygnus as I entered the range on the 4th - I'm sure one guy had mild hypothermia....from then on the weather was perfect

[alliecat]

You're right in that most people wouldn't expect frostbite in Tassie. We seem to have this idea that frostbite only happens at really low temps, well below freezing. Unfortunately that's not the case. It's the combination of air temp, wind chill and duration of exposure that matters. I don't know how long your hands were exposed for, but if it was several hours, and it was a bit below zero with a bit of wind chill to make the effective temp even lower, then it doesn't surprise me.

Here's a couple of docs worth a read:
Military chart and guide to windchill and frostbite.
Uni of Virginia Health and Safety sheet on frostbite

I hope your fingers heal up soon!

Cheers,
Alliecat

[Buck]

Four of us suffered the same fate at the same time whilst on a trip in the Spires. Been walking for many years in all sorts of conditions and it was a first for me.The conditions were quite outrageous for an extended period of time.We are all still recovering.

[MJD]

alliecat - nice links, thanks.

My father lost a toe to frosbite on one of his many trips into Federation Pk - admittedly one of his winter trips. Still its an interesting condition as it apparently doesn't actually hurt at the time and therefore the risk factors can be overlooked when you are tired and pushing hard.

[ILUVSWTAS]

wind chill

THAT'S the killer in Tassie!

[MJD]

being COLD AND WET is the start of most problems

[hikingoz]

Yep. Once the waterproofs get wet days in SW Tas can get pretty miserable. I lost movement in my hands for a few hours crossing over the southern ranges in feb because of the cold. The wind, rain and wet scrub teamed up on me...

[Liamy77]

just to reiterate wind + wet in tassies climate is the main problem....

[JamesMc]

I find it hard to believe. Frostbite is effectively frozen meat. Tasmania is notorious for wet cold windy weather. If it's wet then by definition it's not cold enough to freeze. There are other reasons why skin might peel off the tips of your fingers. I've had it happen plenty of times, basically because I'm a rock climber and if I stop regular climbing for a few weeks the slightly callused skin on my finger tips peels off.

The military chart in alliecat's link shows little danger of frostbite at 10 degrees F (about -12 C) even at 80km/h wind. It also points out that the intensity of work one is doing affects the risk. It's more dangerous to be sendentary (military examples sentry duty, resting, sleeping) and less dangerous if working hard (digging, running, traversing the Western Arthurs?).

Don't people wear mittens when it's cold?

Tasmania's wet, cold, windy weather is a recipe for hypothermia, not frostbite.

JamesMc

[Liamy77]

hypothermia is the main risk.... but frostbite while uncommon is not impossible either. the chart might say little chance but the fine print says 2 or more hours as this definition.... retarded peripheral circulation ... more than 2 hours in the weather on the walk, it can happen. also wind chaffing long soaked wet skin can also break down faster... could also be part of it

[ILUVSWTAS]

I find it hard to believe. Frostbite is effectively frozen meat. Tasmania is notorious for wet cold windy weather. If it's wet then by definition it's not cold enough to freeze. There are other reasons why skin might peel off the tips of your fingers. I've had it happen plenty of times, basically because I'm a rock climber and if I stop regular climbing for a few weeks the slightly callused skin on my finger tips peels off.

The military chart in alliecat's link shows little danger of frostbite at 10 degrees F (about -12 C) even at 80km/h wind. It also points out that the intensity of work one is doing affects the risk. It's more dangerous to be sendentary (military examples sentry duty, resting, sleeping) and less dangerous if working hard (digging, running, traversing the Western Arthurs?).

Don't people wear mittens when it's cold?

Tasmania's wet, cold, windy weather is a recipe for hypothermia, not frostbite.

JamesMc

Have you spent much time walking down here??

Yes I wear gloves when it's cold, but if someone was underprepared it wouldnt be hard to believe at all IMO.

[frenchy_84]

im with JamesMc, frostbite is "Damage to tissues from freezing due to the formation of ice crystals within cells, rupturing the cells and leading to cell death". http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art ... lekey=3522
So for actual ice crystals to form in your blood it has to be *&%$#! colder than 0 degrees to overcome the heat generated by your body.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Wanna tell that to Martins Dad?? I know he got frostbite in winter, but still. I think it's more than plausible that it could happen over summer.