Don't Get Sunburned

And now for a moment (or two) of blatant self-promotion: my new book is out and available for purchase. The title is Don't Get Sunburned: 50 Ways to Save Your Skin. It's all about how ultraviolet light damages your skin, how ozone depletion increases the chance of damage, and about how to keep from getting damaged. In case you didn't know, there's a new UVA rating system for sunscreens (the old system only rated protection from UVB) and I cover the new system and things like the effects of UV light when altitude, wind, latitude, season, and skin wetness are added to the equation. There's info on skin types, baby skin, already-sunburned skin, and skin cancer. The price: $7.95--and the cover is as pink as burned epithelial tissue. You can see more at www.mountaineersbooks.org.

A Death in the Family

On 28 April John Evans, a complete mountaineer and rescue ranger on Denali, a wonderful gentleman, and a great friend died in a climbing accident in Wales. I had the immense privilege of working several patrols on Denali with John, the last in the spring of 2008. In past years, we had taught together, climbed together, and sipped quite a few fine drams of single malt together. He was the kind of man you could not help loving, and I will miss him tremendously. I chose to post the news here, knowing many of you never had the pleasure of meeting John Evans, but feeling the need to send out a few words in quiet celebration of his life. Thank you for listening.

The Sunglasses Myth

Tod Schimelpfenig over at NOLS has been investigating the notion that cheap sunglasses can keep your pupils dilated and cause sunburn of the retina. Experts questioned by Tod agree this is a myth. Simply stated, not enough radiation is going to reach the retina to cause a burn, even with intensely reflected light from snow, and even with really inexpensive sunglasses. But there's more at risk than your retina! If your cheap sunglasses have low UV protection you most likely will increase your risk of injury to the cornea--the risk of snowblindness. And, over time, the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and even eye cancer. Cheap sunglasses, however, can have high UV protection, which is, of course, what you want--and need. Bottom line: Your sunglasses need to provide protection as complete as possible from all ultraviolet light, and they need to wrap around to keep UV light from creeping in from the side. You don't have to pay a lot of money for protection, but you do have to pay a lot of attention to what you're purchasing.

Fight or Flight: Lion Attacks

Mountain lions, according to a recent article in Scientific American (www.ScientificAmerican.com), may be less likely to attack if you run away. This, of course, is contrary to popular expert opinion. The article reports a study done by Richard Coss, an expert on predator-prey relations, that involved 185 lion attacks between 1890 and 2000. Coss said 43% of people who stood still facing a lion were injured compared to 17% who were injured while fleeing. The study does admit, however, that those who fled had a slightly higher chance of being killed, although he reports that only 18 people actually ran. Half of those who ran escaped without injury. Coss did not study encounters with mountain lions or near-attacks from lions.

I'm confused. First, he does not define "attack" and "near-attack." Were the 185 people pounced on? Or did they just "feel" attacked? Second, he says the people stood still. That's not what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to shout and scream, show your teeth, stand tall, and, finally, counter-attack with sticks and stones (to less than claw range) if the lion charges.

Bottom line: Almost all experts remain convinced that cats chase things, and usually catch them. So, I won't run. And I won't just stand there. Besides, I'm really slow.

Big Bite Protection

Although snow threatens to fall on Lander today, there are places where the sun shines warmly and bears are starting to wake up. They wake up hungry. And even though humans remain way down on the list of choice items to break a bear's fast, numerous questions related to staying safe in bear country have flowed onto my screen in the past week. Here are several:

If food has spilled on a sleeping bag, could the smell attract a bear? Answer: Yep. Don't eat in or near your bag, wash it when food has spilled on it, and don't even sleep near the clothes you cooked and dined in.

Can you outrun a bear by running downhill? Answer: Nope. They are more clumsy and slower going downhill than up, but they are still a lot faster than a human, even a really scared human.

Does the odor of DEET attract bears? Answer: Nobody knows for sure. No bear has ever been seen showing interest in DEET products. DEET does not smell like food, so the chances of it drawing a bear to you are slim.

Will bear spray repel snakes? No snake repellent has ever been licensed as a product, but people report bear spray drives snakes, even venomous snakes, away. If you feel threatened, shoot for the snake's face. For more info: www.peacemakerpepperspray.com.

A Pain in the Tooth

My wife Kat had been complaining of pain in her mouth for about two weeks while I, the questionably considerate husband, kept repeating absurdities that all resembled "Hey, suck it up." Then, several mornings ago, she woke me to display a red right cheek obviously swollen from about an inch below her eye to the line of her jaw. She stated emphatically--and convincingly--that the pain was now intense. The dentist could see her the next day. She swallowed the strongest painkillers we had on hand, which helped a little, and applied cold packs to the cheek, which helped a bit more. She rinsed her mouth with warm, salty water. She kept complaining. Inspection revealed no discoloration of the gum near the pain site, even though I now suspected I would see it. The dentist diagnosed an abscessed tooth, prescribed an antibiotic, did a root canal to remove the diseased nerves and pulp, and filled the empty space. If this had occurred way back in the wilderness, there isn't really anything else you can do. However, the infection in an abscessed tooth can migrate and become, in the worst-case scenario, a threat to life. You need to recognize one, and evacuate the patient ASAP. (Early assessment could also, possibly, improve marital relations.)

No Gas Shortage

Reading recently that the average human passes gas about 14 times every day caused me some thought. Mostly I asked myself: how did they figure that out?--and I decided I like my current job just fine. The report stated that this gas normally does not smell bad. Ah, at least the researchers have that going for them. Wilderness flatulence is rarely a problem, other than socially, but it has greatly disturbed a few high altitude climbers. At higher elevations, gas expands more quickly, causing, sometimes, a great deal of pain, a problem dubbed High Altitude Flatus Expulsions (HAFE). If gas proves a problem, here are a few tips: eat smaller meals, take it easy on fats, and leave the bubbly drinks behind. (I have seen more than one party on Denali lugging a sled full of Coke and beer.) And when you're packing your food bag, cut down on foods containing beans, eggs, meat, and cauliflower, sources not only of gas but of smelly gas. You might also like to know that exercise helps keep your bowels moving smoothly and with less gas. Consider, finally, packing an anti-gas product such as Beano (www.beanogas.com). Save on gas!