4 PM and 80 deg F here in SOCAL.

That said, it was 39 deg F when I walked the dog this AM. No beard or balaclava, but I do have an OR Peruvian hat which keeps my head and ears warm enough and a nice wool scarf that I don't need at a balmy 39. If it were colder I could easily add the scarf to hat and I'd be good to go much colder. I'm totally acclimated to SOCAL so a light layer of wool baselayer under fleece and otherwise typical outerwear is routine for the early morning walk.

All that said, I don't think frostbite is a issue here

I really like a fur lined parka hoods when it’s cold and windy, I have retro fitted both my military parka and civilian one with fur on the hood. Its cost is not really very high, it’s just a piece of fur not an entire fur coat.



When it is really cold and windy it makes a real difference to be able to hide inside a good fur lined hood. What the fur does is slow down the wind as the air transfers. It effect it helps to create a small micros-climate in front of your face, so you are breathing slightly humidified, slightly warmed air into your lungs. Fur is also great for quickly warming frost nipped skin. As well a good fur lined hood limits overall exposed skin further reducing the chances of frost bit in extreme conditions.



A Good Fur Hat is also a great anti Frostbite Tool. This Picture is me an exercise a few weeks ago teaching Quinche Building and it was -36c plus winds gusting that morning to 30km (i.e. -53c with Wind Chill). You will notice that I had on my Fur Hat, Headover, and only pushed my Hood Back for the Picture. You may also notice the build-up of frost, which is inevitable when active in these conditions. One important point to remember is that often the clothing need to keep oneself warm and comfortable in extreme cold, just gets in the way in mild cold. Wearing it often leads to overheating or build-up of sweat. Dress for conditions, but I recommend the fur hood liner as part of your extreme cold weather clothing.

Alex & hikermor,

The current Alaska Cold Injuries Guidelines (2005) recommends rapid rewarming of frostbite as follows:
"If the decision is made to rewarm frostbitten tissue in the field, you should prepare a warm water bath in a container large enough to accommodate the frostbitten tissues without them touching the sides or bottom of the container. The temperature of the water bath should be 99° - 102 °F (37-39 °C)".

A revised version of the Cold Injury Guidelines is in preparation, and I have seen a draft copy. However the draft revised version still recommends rewarming in 99-102 F water (37-39C). Apparently, this has been found to be the optimum temperature that saves the maximum tissue. The late Dr William Mills of Anchorage is generally credited with pioneering the modern treatment of frostbite.

Yes, that is correct. You want to use water that is slightly warmer than body temperature (never dry heat, this will damage the tissues further)...and be prepared for a significant amount of pain as the tissues thaw. I managed to get second-degree frostbite on my fingertips a couple of years ago during an exceptionally cold winter hike (combination of factors, including pre-existing Raynaud's syndrome, different liner gloves than usual b/c my wool ones had shrunk, a really cold day, a large, slow-moving group that made a lot of stops, and me not paying enough attention) and will say that rewarming those fingers was probably the most painful thing I have experienced in my life thus far. I was using a sink full of warm water at the little restaurant where we had stopped to eat after the hike, so the only medication I had available for pain was Tylenol...and it didn't do much! Then there was the 6+ week recovery, during which time it was quite uncomfortable to do much of anything requiring hands. Moral of the story: you don't want frostbite!!

ETA: Rewarming should only be done if you are CERTAIN the area will not refreeze; if it does, there will be much more severe damage than by waiting until you are truly out of the cold.

Thanks for all the interesting and informative replies.

It looks like the fur-edged hood is almost universally recommended. I understand closing down the opening of the hood a bit to trap some warmer air, but I am still not sure I understand why it is fur instead of fleece or foam or just the physical shape and structure of the hood, if it's just a wind block. I understand fur as a superior insulating layer, though, but I usually think of that as a layer, rather than a barrier. I'll just trust the judgement of people who have more experience with this stuff.

I'm still trying to find a more portable solution in a hood or face mask for occasional use during severe cold snaps. I assume it is best to avoid openings around the eyes, nose, and mouth that expose patches of vulnerable skin. But the ones that cover the nose and mouth, encouraging moisture and ice accumulation- I picture them making the situation worse.

Instead of a scarf I use a big thick neck sock thing. It's long enough that I can pull it over my ears for an extra layer. Scarves always seem to require a lot of constant fiddling. Is there an advantage to a scarf?

Is there no way to protect from frostbite on the face without either using a hood or constantly dealing with soggy or frozen face masks? What do the Everest guys do, for instance?

Thanks for the interesting discussion?

David

Scarves will generally provide a barrier to the cold air and the neck but also prevent one from rubbing their neck skin raw from twisting ones neck against one 's jacket collar. The skin chaffing is the primary reason that WW I pilots wore silk scarves year round.

oxygen face mask with goggles and hood. See photos.
http://www.everestexpedition.co.uk/everest_south_col/down_suits_review.htm

What do the guys who climb Everest without oxygen wear?

"What do the guys who climb Everest without oxygen wear?"
Halos?

Referring to a statement in the wikipedia article on Ed_Viesturs :
and he's not wearing a halo