Saving Lives at the Grand Canyon, One Salty Snack at a Time

Some key points from the article:

1. Rangers at the Grand Canyon now use a "P-SAR" approach, "preventive search-and-rescue, to try to intervene with hikers before they get in trouble on hot days.

2. The "drink, drink, drink" message of focussing on water consumption alone, popular in the 1990s, has been revised to add attention to salt consumption as well, to avoid hikers becoming "hyponatremic."

3. 95 deg F (35 deg C) is a significant danger point, beyond which the body can only cool itself by sweat evaporation. After several hours, most people simply can't sweat enough to cool down anymore.

Non paywalled version
https://archive.is/K6X6o

Yeah, pretty sure why things like bullion cubes were in the original survival kits. Now have electrolyte tablets/sachets.

Thanks for the non-paywall link

95F is an interesting number.

Internal temp below 95F is the definition of hypothermia.

Ambient temps of 95F with around 48% humidity puts the heat index at dangerous levels (around 104F heat index).

Wet bulb temperature of 95F and the human body cannot evaporate sweat to cool itself.

Interesting analysis. Thanks.