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Safe Tramping

Safe Tramping articles list

Convoy Rules

NATO has specific standardized convoy rules and procedures that allied militaries are expected to follow during combined operations and exercises. If we think of our tramping trips as convoys then we find many of these procedures have already been adapted and applied by our club.

Reconnaissance and trip planning, prior convoy briefings, delegation of leader and tail end Charlie, refuelling stops (lunch etc), maintaining contact with following vehicle (person) either visually or audibly. It is the latter that maintains cohesion of the tramping group and avoids trampers missing a turn off or getting left behind.
Take home point: always keep an eye on the person behind you, especially at track junctions.

Individual Responsibility

As with all outdoor activity, there is an associated risk. Each member has the responsibility for their own preparedness and safety. On the club website under Administration and Forms is the Club Handbook. Under Health and Safety there is a paragraph entitled Individual Responsibility part of which reads “Each member has responsibility for their own preparedness and safety. It is up to you to ensure you have the correct equipment and are fit and able to undertake the planned trip.”

You may be planning on going on a tramp you haven’t done before. It is your responsibility to find out if that trip is suitable for you. There is a lot of information on the website ‘Tramp Map Database’ and you can also contact the listed leader, tramp planner, committee member or someone you know who has been on that trip.

Take home point: if you don’t ask, you won’t know.

Farm Etiquette

Many of our tramps are on private land. We are privileged to be able to do this with the good will of the owner and it is important that we respect their property and livestock.
Gates should be opened where possible but always left as initially found. This is best achieved by having the person who opened it stay and close it. If the gate can’t be opened then climbing over next to the hinges is acceptable. In the case of the famous Taranaki gates the person who opens it should be the same person who closes it. These gates are all different and sometimes complicated but, like all gates, they need to be secure.
When crossing a fence – do not underestimate electrified fences and barbed wire, they can inflict significant injury. Protection from barbed wire can be obtained with a mat, clothing or rubber tubing. Cross close to a post if possible, if not then between wires mid section between posts. The aim is to prevent damage to the fence and ensure it is still stock proof. As far as the animals are concerned disturb them as little as possible, if they start to become agitated, herd together and get noisy, then keep away and let them settle down. Take home point: respect farm property and animals.

Cramps

Cramps are sudden involuntary muscle contractions that can happen after working a muscle too hard or straining it, losing body fluids through sweat or simply holding aposition for a long time. Often, however, the cause isn’t known. Most muscle cramps are harmless but some might be related to a medical condition:

  • Not enough blood flow as in narrowing of the arteries.
  • Nerve compression in the spine.
  • Not enough dietary minerals – calcium, potassium or magnesium.

Factors that might increase the risk of muscle cramps include: Older people losing muscle mass, poor conditioning for activity, extreme sweating, pregnancy, medical issues and being overweight.

Steps that might prevent cramps:
Drink liquids regularly during activity, water or other liquids (without caffeine or alcohol) and continue after activity.

Skin Cancer

The high incidence of skin cancer in New Zealand can be attributed to several factors:

  • A large proportion of the population have fair skin due to European ancestry.
  • New Zealand lies closer to the equator than Western European countries.
  • The ozone layer over New Zealand is relatively depleted although the ozone hole rarely reaches further north than 60 degrees South.
  • A warmer climate encourages more outdoor activities and lighter clothing.

All these factors result in increased exposure to UV light which has many damaging effects on the DNA and cell structure of skin cells. The cumulative effect of these mechanisms over time increases the risk of skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanomas. This is why consistent adequate sun protection is essential for preventing skin cancer.

Take home point: remember Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap (slip on clothing, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on sunglasses).

Electrolyte Depletion

Sweating is associated with high temperatures, high humidity and physical exertion and this makes it common on tramping trips in the summer. Water and electrolytes are lost together in sweat and dehydration will compound electrolyte disturbance.

Sodium is the primary electrolyte lost in sweat. Chloride is the second most abundant electrolyte and Potassium occurs in smaller amounts while Magnesium and Calcium are lost in minimal amounts. All of these electrolytes are required for nerve conduction and muscle contraction.

The symptoms associated with electrolyte disturbance can be varied and
progressive. Early symptoms would include fatigue, thirst, headache, light- headedness, cramps and irritability. Later symptoms can be neurological, muscular, or cardio-vascular but are unlikely to occur if proper attention has been paid to prevention and early treatment.
Electrolyte tablets, powder sachets and oral rehydration solutions are readily available. Small frequent amounts, taken during and after sweating, are better than large volumes.

Take home point: prevention is better than cure.

Venom – Wasps, Bees, Spiders and Ongaonga.

Wasps bite and it can be repetitive. Move well away from the area quickly and calmly, warn those behind you. Treat with antihistamine locally and orally as required.

Bees leave their sting behind and the venom pumps in over the following 20 seconds. Removing the sting with fingers or tweezers may accelerate the venom release. Flicking the sting out is preferable.

Spider bites (Katipo and White tailed commonest) can cause localised swelling and pain. Antivenom is available for Katipo spider bites if required. Wounds from stings and bites should be washed to remove residual venom and prevent infection. Cold compresses and antihistamines help. Generalised allergic reactions can occur.

Ongaonga (tree nettle) have hollow silica tipped hairs that inject a mixture of toxins when touched. They act like tiny hypodermic needles, which break off after penetrating the skin and delivering the toxins which cause immediate burning, pain, inflammation and welts. Warn those behind you. Treatment involves removing the remaining plant material from the skin by using adhesive tape, apply antihistamine locally or orally and wash the affected area. Move away and warn others of the hazard.

River Crossing

River crossings are a common aspect of tramping in New Zealand and are potentially dangerous. It is worth understanding river dynamics and attending river crossing courses. Rivers, in this country, are usually cold which makes hypothermia an added aspect that needs to be considered, particularly if there are several rivers crossings to be made.

River levels can change rapidly and a river that is safe to cross on the outward journey could be dangerous on the return trip. When crossing make sure you have a good entrance point, exit point and an emergency exit point in case the crossing doesn’t work out as expected.
There are some serious questions that need to be asked at each river crossing. Do I need to cross? Is it safe to cross? Where should I cross? How are we going to cross? What other options are available? Always prioritize safety and be prepared to turn back if river conditions are uncertain.

A safe decision is a good decision.

Medical Conditions

An increasing number of people with medical conditions are accessing the back country and it is likely that more medical problems will occur in remote regions. Our club has taken steps to minimise the risk.

Each member is required to carry a Member’s Information Card which records name address, phone number, vehicle registration and if a Medical Emergency Form is being carried. For those with a significant health condition the relevant information is required to be carried in a sealed envelope, only to be accessed in the event of medical problems.

It is preferable for the tramp leader to know who is carrying a Medical Emergency Form but it is essential that this information is carried in association with the Member’s Information Card. In this way the privacy of the individual is maintained but the information is available should it be needed in a remote area. These forms can be found on the Administration and Forms page.

Ultimately, the responsibility for safety lies with the individual.

Activating a Personal Locator Beacon

Every club tramp should have a club beacon with them unless there is guaranteed cell phone coverage. It is preferable that the PLB is kept on your person rather than in the backpack. If a beacon needs to be activated then it is the club beacon that is used even though other members of the tramping party may well have their own personal beacon. The reason for this is so club beacon responders get called by the Rescue Coordination Centre rather than family and friends.

Club members should be carrying an Information Card which would also indicate if they had a Medical Emergency form with them. In the event of an obviously serious accident – activate the beacon and then call the police. Otherwise, if cell phone coverage is available, call the police first for advice. You will need to supply the police with as much information as possible.

Make sure you know how to activate (and deactivate) your beacon. The aerial extends up away from the face of the beacon and the emergency button needs holding down until the beacon responds. Deactivation is the reverse. Once activated, beacons should not be moved and should be left transmitting until the rescuers ask you to turn it off. Only use a beacon if you are out of cell coverage and can’t call 111 or if advised by the police.

Leaders need to familiarise themselves with the operation of the club beacons. A video is available on the club website under Resources > Equipment > Beacons and Bothy bags. Alternatively use this link.

Winter Warmth

The key to success is careful planning and layering. Choose the fabrics carefully. They need to be breathable, lightweight and ideally, quick drying. Wearing multiple layers of clothing will keep you warm when the weather turns and allows you to take layers off as you warm up, so you maintain an optimal temperature.

Base layer – is ideally a bi-component polyester fabric. The fabric is a combination of two different yarn constructions – filament and spun. The filament yarn is hydrophilic and in contact with the wearer’s skin. It has good moisture wicking properties. The spun yarn is hydrophobic and designed to pick up the moisture and spread it. During active wear the inside surface dries quickly, which means the wearer reduces heat loss from conduction. On the outside surface the spun yarn spreads the moisture over a wide surface area to dry the fabric faster.

Mid layer – The best outdoor thermal insulation for physically active wearers is a layer that’s bulky, lightweight, quick-drying, and allows body moisture from the base layer to pass through it. Bulk is essential as it slows the movement of air and holds on to your body warmth, and lightness is an essential attribute for efficient outdoor activities. Not holding moisture is necessary to maximise the breathability of your waterproof/breathable outer layer. The best fabric for all these conditions is brushed polyester, polar fleece.

Outer layer – a raincoat or quality rain jacket that is waterproof and wind proof. This will keep you dry and protect you against the wind.

A warm hat and gloves are vital. They stop body heat from escaping. You should never leave home without them – even in summer! Take home point: the layers you leave at home wont do you any good on the tramp.

Tail End Charlie

“Tail end Charlie” is a military aviation term that refers to the last aircraft in a formation or the rear gunner in a bomber aircraft. The term originated in WW2 and has also been applied to ground based military convoys and infantry.

While less focused on security than in military applications, the civilian tramping tail end Charlie plays a crucial role in group safety as their position at the rear allows them to monitor the entire group.

They should be a fit and experienced member whose role is to bring up the rear, support slower trampers and to be alert to trampers who leave for toilet stops or take alternative routes.

The same person should not be left as tail end Charlie for the whole day unless it is their wish. The slowest person in the group should not be tail end Charlie, as they could unintentionally be left behind and possibly get lost. If, for any reason, a fit and experienced tramper is not available for the position, then it could be filled by two trampers who can support each other in the role.

Tail end Charlie is an important part of the tramping group.

Decision Making

Serious accidents in the backcountry sometimes don’t come from a lack of competence for that activity. Instead they stem from a cognitively misguided decision on how to proceed. Backcountry situations are infinitely variable and tramping demands a steady stream of decisions from route planning to risk assessments. While we often believe we are making rational choices based on fact and experience, our decisions are frequently shaped by unseen forces operating beneath our awareness.

Heuristics are mental short cuts that help us to process information quickly. It is a simple process that helps us find an adequate, though often imperfect, answer to difficult questions (I’ve felt this cold before and it turned out okay last time). Human characteristics also are capable of influencing our decisions and behaviour in ways that compromise our safety; ego, competition, conformity or stress seldom play a useful part but can sway the end decision. Of the two biases it is the human factors that appear to play a bigger role than heuristics.

It is important to recognise and manage these biases through conscious decision making. The best way to start learning about decision making is to review the decisions made on the tramp after it is over. The next step is being able to self reflect in the heat of the moment – identifying biases in real time, and encouraging open discussion within the group to ensure decisions are based on facts rather than emotions. Perhaps, most importantly, creating space between impulse and action (the simple practise of pausing before committing) can be your most powerful tool in making decisions that bring you safely home.

Take home point: Knowledge of, and alertness to, cognitive bias is just as important as knowing how to cross a river.

Snow Blindness

In snow covered country reflected sun can be very intense. Snow blindness is essentially sunburn of the cornea caused by intense ultraviolet radiation reflecting off snow and ice. Snow is exceptionally reflective, bouncing back up to 90% of UV light compared to water which is 10 – 20%. This concentration of radiation can damage the cornea and conjunctiva even on cloudy days, as UV rays penetrate cloud cover. High altitude increases the risk further, as UV intensity increases by about 10% for every 300 meters of elevation.

Like sun burn the patient is unaware of the damage being caused as the painful result occurs 6-12 hours after exposure. It can include severe eye pain, (feeling like sand or grit in the eyes), excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, headache and temporary vision loss. The eyes may appear red and swollen. Snow blindness usually resolves within 48 hours. Treatment involves oral analgesics, topical lubricant and eye pads. Chronic exposure to UV light leads to cataract formation.

The most effective prevention is wearing proper eye protection. Sunglasses should block 99-100% of UV rays and have wraparound frames or side shields to prevent UV rays from entering around the edges. Glacier glasses, specifically designed for snow conditions, offer the best protection with very dark lenses and full coverage

If sunglasses or goggles are lost or broken, and a spare pair is not available, snow blindness can be prevented by reducing the amount of light reaching the eyes. This can be achieved by cutting small cross shaped holes to look through in any material that can be tied round the head and over the eyes.

As usual – prevention is better than cure.