Keeping warm and cozy

For at least six months of each year, Southcentral Alaska is covered in ice and snow. Getting outside often means enduring freezing temperatures and glacier winds, but by following tips from experts and moms everywhere, ice anglers and snowmachiners alike can keep warm.

Most Alaskan children have heard the pleas before -- always wear a hat, don't forget your mittens and drink a cup of hot cocoa. According to experts, however, his homespun advice can be backed by sound science.

"About a third of your blood goes to your brain, and since heat rises, you certainly lose heat quickly through your head," said Howard Carbone, an education specialist with the Talkeetna Ranger Station for Denali National Park.

According to statistics from Thinsulate, 70 percent of heat loss is through a person's head. Headbands and earmuffs, therefore, are no substitute for an old-fashioned winter cap.

While a warm hat may be important in retaining body heat, most people find that their hands or feet are the first victims of cold weather.

Warm feet begin with a properly fitting boot, according to Thinsulate. The boots should be large enough that two pairs of socks can be worn while leaving the toes plenty of wiggle room. Tight boots can restrict circulation, causing them to become cold more quickly.

Keeping toes warm also requires keeping them dry, from the inside and out. In addition to having waterproof footwear, people are advised to stop and change into dry socks if their feet become too sweaty.

Warm hands are another key to comfort. Colby Coombs, one of the owners of the Alaska Mountaineering School in Talkeetna, said he has found hand warmers to be an extra safeguard in extreme cold, but he reminds people to allow the devices time to activate before putting them inside a glove.

"And sometimes you've just got to slow right down and deal with mittens," he said.

Even with high-tech fibers and designer colors, gloves can never do as good a job as mittens, according to experts. In its cold-weather brochure, the Centers for Disease Control points out that mittens trap more air and allow the fingers to warm one

another.

But warm mittens, boots and a hat are just the beginning when it comes to dressing appropriately for an Alaska winter. The other keys to enjoying even the most brutal of weather -- wear layers, stay dry and keep all body parts covered.

Layering of clothing is important for several reasons: layering traps more air and allows for better insulation, but also allows a person to remove or add clothes as needed.

"I generate a lot of heat. The problem isn't staying warm but staying cool," said Mark Gronewald, owner of Wildfire Designs bike shop in downtown Palmer and an avid winter bicyclist. With high-exertion activities such as skiing or bicycling, overheating can lead to sweating, which eventually can leave a person shivering and in danger of hypothermia.

Gronewald said he begins with a layer of polypropylene underwear, which wicks moisture away from the body. Other synthetic fabrics and natural fibers such as silk are also popular for a first layer.

Cotton, however, should be avoided.

"When it gets wet, it loses its insulation properties," Carbone said, "whereas wool and synthetics retain those properties."

Long underwear should be followed by an insulating layer, such as fleece or wool. Top this with a wind-resistant, waterproof layer and you're set for any conditions.

Gronewald said that when he is bicycling he generally wears just a thin windbreaker to avoid becoming overheated, but in his backpack he totes along a down parka for when he stops in the trail to take a break.

"When you start to get too warm or too cold, it is important to take the time to either add or shed a layer before you are outside of the zone of comfort," Carbone said. Overheating can cause sweating, and being both wet and dehydrated can lead to symptoms of hypothermia.

CDC advises people to eat high-caloric foods and drink plenty of liquids when enduring cold temperatures. Warm, sweet beverages, such as hot chocolate or sweetened tea, can help maintain body temperature.

And while it may seem like a hot toddy does the job just as well, CDC states that alcohol actually causes the body to lose heat more rapidly.

While these tips in general apply to anyone enjoying the outdoors, experts point out that varying degrees of activity can require different techniques. For example, an active skier will produce heat at a rate of 290 calories per hour, according to Thinsulate, and can be comfortable at minus-25 degrees Fahrenheit wearing basic gear.

At the same time, a soldier only produces 105 calories per hour when standing at attention and would only be comfortable at minus-4 degrees, even though his Arctic uniform offers twice the insulating power of the ski outfit.

In addition to generating more heat, however, active outdoor recreationists also require more mobility.

"It depends on what you're doing," Carbone said. "If you're going to be ice fishing, you can just pile on more layers. But if you're doing something high performance, like ice climbing, you will need to spend more money to have the best insulation and wicking properties of fabrics without a lot of bulk."

Snowmachiners, on the other hand, face a different challenge.

"Up on Denali, we have conditions where frostbite can occur on exposed skin in a matter of seconds," Carbone said. "You also can have those same conditions when riding on a snowmachine in winter anywhere in Alaska."

Preventing frostbite begins by keeping skin covered, including nose and ears. Then people should regularly monitor their condition.

"One of the main keys to frostbite is if you're losing feeling, you need to stop and warm those body parts," Carbone said. "If it hurts, it's still OK but you're on our way to frostbite then."

The same sorts of warning signs arise with hypothermia. Diligently watching for shivering, exhaustion, drowsiness or confusion in yourself or others can be the difference between life and death. Once the danger of frostbite or hypothermia arises, it's time to begin looking for ways to get warm.

While it may seem an inconvenience to take off the skis or turn off the snowmachine, it might be a matter of preventing injury or even death.

"It can be crippling. It's a big deal," Coombs said of the cold. "If you can't get our feet warm, you've got to do something. That should become your focus . . . You've got to find someplace warm."

Signs of hypothermia

Adults:

shivering

exhaustion

confusion

fumbling hands

memory loss

slurred speech

drowsiness

Infants:

bright red, cold skin

very low energy

Signs of frostbite:

a white or grayish-yellow skin area

skin that feels unusually firm or waxy

numbness

Information courtesy of the

Centers for Disease Control