A Novice Camper’s Guide to Surviving Woodsy Weekends

Soon it will be time to pack the car with kids and camping gear and head for the glorious outdoors. Already the blood is stirred by visions of trout-filled streams and hikes through pine-scented forests.

One way to ensure a good time is to take a few simple precautions to prevent common irritations and health problems.

We’re talking here about the kind of problems encountered not in scaling Mt. Everest, but by garden-variety car and RV camper families who intend to spend most of their time fishing, hiking and sightseeing fairly close to the parking lot.

Probably few people are more familiar with the first-aid problems that befall vacation campers than the nurses and doctors who work in clinics near major camping areas. Where better to find such people than at one of the nation’s most popular campgrounds, Yosemite National Park?

“We see lots of minor burns,” said Diane Stevens, a registered nurse at the Yosemite Medical Clinic in Yosemite Valley, which handles 650 to 1,200 people with camping-associated health problems each month during the summer.

Burns are a common kind of injury. Among other problems for campers in the West are blisters, sprains, dehydration, poison oak exposure, snake and insect bites and ticks, according to Stevens.

For adult campers, most burns are caused by improperly lit gasoline lanterns and stoves that flare up and singe hands or face, Stevens said.

Small children seem fascinated by fire pits, even when the fire appears to be out. This can lead to a clinic visit when the charred wood turns out to be a lot hotter than it looks. Allowing children to walk barefoot around camp--and perhaps into the still smoldering fire pit--may well take the spark out of feeling footloose.

Another common problem for weekend campers and hikers is blisters and sprained ankles. Blisters can be avoided by wearing proper fitting shoes or hiking boots. If blisters develop, Stevens said, don’t break them and try not to walk on them for several days. But should a blister break on its own, Stevens recommends debridement (cutting away the broken tissue) and applying a disinfectant and a bandage.

Sprains also are less likely to occur if the camper is wearing footwear that provides adequate support for the kind of hiking common to leisurely outdoor experiences: walking along a rock-strewn trail versus on a trail that is smooth and level.

And yet another problem that is easy to avoid is connected with leaving camp early in the morning when the air is cool, the belly full of coffee and spirits high. Sometime around 10 or 11 a.m., with the sun climbing into the sky, it occurs to the hikers that no one brought water.

The stage is set for dehydration, a condition that probably will make the day-campers only feel tired, dizzy and thirsty, although it can be dangerous in some circumstances.

One possibility is that they will be lured into taking a gulp of water from the crystal-clear stream alongside the trail. The result of that indiscretion may, within a couple of hours, be far more discomforting than the thirst. Unfortunately, one must assume that diarrhea-causing organisms abound in every stream or pond that may be encountered.

The logical answer is to pack fresh water before venturing out on a walk. And remember that short walks and overcast skies can quickly turn into long treks under hot sun.

Similarly, the best way to handle the danger of poison oak exposure is to avoid it. Learn what the plants look like and teach your children. Although poison oak does not grow above 4,800 feet, it probably is a good idea to wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts on outings in the woods. And, if you suspect exposure, wash your clothes and yourself well using a soap especially made to get rid of poison oak oils. One such soap brand is Tecnu Poison Oak Cleanser, Stevens said.

Insect bites seldom require medical attention, except for people with special allergies, such as those connected with bee stings. If you are such a person, be sure to pack your epinephrine injection kit and Benadryl or whatever else your doctor recommends. Should you happen to be camping in Yosemite, the park has emergency paramedics and an ambulance in every section of the park which can be called upon by dialing 911 on any of the park telephones.

Snakebite is a much less common problem. Meeting a rattlesnake is always a possibility in many parts of the U.S. According to Stevens, medics at Yosemite see an average of only two bites a year. The most common victims are youngsters and the workers who maintain the trails.

While once the medical advice was to immediately cut the skin with a razor at the bite site and suck out the venom, Stevens said this no longer is done. Instead, she said, the victim should seek medical treatment immediately. Never apply ice or cold water to a snake bite because studies have shown venom is more poisonous when it is cooled. The good news is that no venom is injected in up to half of all snake bites. Victims of the other half are apt to become quite ill and require immediate anti-venom treatment.

Experts say that snakes don’t lie in ambush and don’t crawl into sleeping bags. Threaten them and they will respond, so don’t threaten them. If you hear a rattle, stop dead still until you see where it is coming from. Then move in the opposite direction.

Tick bites can not only be a nuisance but can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. Ticks can also transmit tetanus, so before venturing out into the wild, make sure your tetanus immunization is up to date.

Campers acquire ticks by walking through foliage or sitting in dry woodlands. Ticks suck blood and are devilishly difficult to get rid of because they bury themselves under the skin. They can be removed with forceps but be sure you remove the entire body. Removing only part may result in infection. Wash the wound well, disinfect with hydrogen peroxide and apply a Band-Aid. Applying the hot tip of an expired match to the area may encourage the tick to back out. Sometimes this works, but not always.

A good repellent is a must for protection from mosquitoes and other insects. Public health authorities recommend repellents that contain the chemical DEET. Some doctors advise against using DEET on children less than 2 years old.