The insidious thing about hypothermia is that among the first of your functions to degrade is your ability to reason. That is probably one of the best reasons for being with a group, especially in challenging conditions.

Being hydrated, preferably with warm drinks (think nice cup of tea) is critical as well. It is surprisingly easy to become dehydrated in cold weather - you cannot depend upon thirst as an indicator.


I have bivouacked in very cold conditions when I was fairly exhausted, sleeping very fitfully through a long winter night. I was amazed at how much more energy I had the next morning, even after a lousy night's sleep.