Objective hazard
From BWCAWiki
As with any visit to a wilderness area, there exist certain objective hazards which are not found or are trivial in non-wilderness settings. These hazards, while impossible to eliminate, can be managed so as to minimize risk. One should be aware of objective hazards and plan for a "worst case" scenario without letting the risk decrease the enjoyment of a wilderness trip.
During a canoe trip to the BWCAW, the following objective hazards exist:
Contents |
Hazards
Injury
Sprained ankles, cuts, and burns are probably the most common, although broken bones, trauma, or other serious injury is possible. Falling, tripping, or other accidents may quickly create a serious situation. While the injury itself may not be life-threatening, getting out of the wilderness in order to recieve appropriate medical attention may be much more difficult if the victim cannot move or is unconscious.
Special care should be taken when:
- Using knives, hatchets, axes, or saws. Even a small pocket knife can create a serious injury, compounded by being miles from help.
- Operating camping stoves or enjoying campfires. Depending on the extent, burns can be a very serious injury. Pots of boiling water on small camp stoves may tip over.
- Portaging or backpacking. Sprained ankles are not uncommon on rough, rocky trails, particularly when distracted by carrying a canoe, being swarmed by mosquitoes, fatigued, etc. Packs and other heavy objects should be lifted so as to not cause back injury.
Illness, while no more likely to occur in the wilderness than elsewhere, may be serious again due to the remote location and distance from medical attention.
Hypothermia
Due to the large amount of time spent on the water while in the BWCAW, hypothermia is a real concern. Even when air temperatures are warm, cold water can inhibit a victim's ability to swim or tread water in a matter of minutes. Crossing large, open lakes in windy conditions is dangerous for this reason, especially during the spring and early summer when water temperatures are the lowest and again in the late fall when air temperatures drop. If possible, cross in groups of canoes so that immediate assistance is available if someone tips over, or better yet wait for the wind to decrease.
Lightning
Thunderstorms are a common summer weather phenomenon in the BWCAW. The greatest risk associated with electrical activity is in a boat on open water. Lightning tends to strike the tallest object in an immediate area, and canoes on a lake are taller than anything else. Seek shorelines immediately if lightning is observed or thunder is nearby. Lightning may strike out in front of an advancing storm.
When on land, try to avoid areas beneath objects such as tall trees or cliffs. In the BWCAW, this is not always possible. If lightning strikes are very close, the effects of a direct strike can be minimized. Crouch on an electrically-insulating object such as a foam sleeping pad or PFD, clasping your arms around your knees. By holding the knees together, a potential foot-body-foot electrical circuit is shortened, avoiding the heart.
Wind
Wind can be an objective hazard by increasing the possibility of tipping a canoe while out on the water, which can lead to hypothermia (see above) Very high winds, typically associated with violent thunderstorms, can blow down trees, an injury hazard while on land.
Animal attack
While extremely rare, both bears and moose are capable of attacking humans. These attacks are almost never unprovoked, and as long as these animals are given adequate space the risk is effectively minimized.
Wildfire
Also a rare event, care should nevertheless be taken when fire conditions are high or smoke is seen or smelled. Extreme caution should be taken when near the boundary of an active fire. Uncontrolled fires can move rapidly, and driving winds can shift abruptly, sending the fire in an entirely different direction. Burning embers carried by the wind can ignite spot fires well ahead of the main fire. The best advice is to avoid areas immediately surrounding active fires entirely.
Mitigation
Although the frequency of these objective hazards generally does not depend on group size, the severity of the situations when they do occur is multiplied when in a small group or alone. While all of these hazards have the potential to result in very serious situations, the risk of situations developing may be minimized by:
- being aware of the hazards
- modifying your behavior to decrease risk
- being prepared in the event that a problem occurs -- know what to do and how to do it
