I can try to answer that one. 40°C/104°F in exposed dry desert areas can take you out fast. Lack of water would definitely play into it for sure, but lack of shade/cover in open bush can put you in a bad way quick. Most of the folks I’ve ran into here in Arizona who suffered from heat related injury, where recreating in 90°F-low 100°F. Poor clothing choices, lack of water, exposed environment (constant direct sun), and a myriad of other less that informed choices led to them suffering from heat exhaustion/stroke and/or dehydration. Often there isn’t a quick way to cool down. At that point without other resources, you’re stuck. Not sure if I clarified that or not, but as a desert dweller, that’s about my experience with it.
It's a lot to do with knowledge and geography I imagine. As a east coast mountain dweller, I rarely see 100F temps. Maybe mid 90s for a couple weeks in the summer. But humidity is high with abundant trees and streams. But you hear more about animal attacks. Uneducated folks getting chewed up by black bears in the local state parks or snake bites. Growing up, you're taught what to do to be safe in whatever environment you happen to live in. Don't give the teddy bears hugs, snakes don't make good skip ropes, and it's best to get your honey from a jar. I'm sure that lady has some good advice for whatever area she grew up in too. But folks forget our just don't know/understand that everyone's world is very different from theirs. It's hard to understand how very different life can be from one area to another, or even one socioeconomic class to another. My girls are pretty well traveled and they still have a hard time with their peers when they see what they can do in relation to what other people, especially "adults" won't even attempt. But this has gotten off track. Study up on the area you will be in. Make contact with folks from that area that do the things you want to do there and heed their advice. Forums like this are very helpful for that. And it doesn't matter what situation you're going into, take lots of water.
Personally speaking .. It doesn't matter where, when, what, why.. it's about you knowing your personal limits, boundaries, what you NEED what's EXCESS to your needs and having the common sense to pack accordingly if there's lack of availability.
..... pretty much all of this, could not have said it better. Bearing in mind this also happened in our spring of what has been a very mild temperature period as well, so had it been more the norm I believe she would have perished (given the state she was already in). This was a combination of being ill prepared (not sure how much water she had to start with but it was clearly gone, she was 62 and did not appear to be in the greatest physical shape either) and a lack of knowledge/understanding how dire her situation could become. Those hot dry environments suck the life out of you before you realise !!! I hunt in the west here over summer occasionally. It will hit 46C before 9am and you just have to keep tipping the water into yourself or you will fail. ..... well she started in runners and in her delirium had kicked them off in the middle of the track
I require a lot of electrolytes in summers here, because I drink a lot of water, which flushes out essential electrolytes from the body. So I always pack Salt-Tabs , Pedialyte powder, and Gatorade powder in my webbing rig. Plus potassium & magnesium tablets
Same thing I do here, pedialyte powder or liquid IV powder have both worked wonders since I started using them.
In our desert areas (Lytton, Lillooet, Kamloops, and other arid areas, I often swap out my 2 x 1 quart GI canteens for two SADF 2 liter canteens. Still isn't enough sometimes for a day hike , so I'll swap out my webbing harness for another one with a 3 liter water bladder, for 7 liters capacity total. I've had hikes where I've burned thru all seven liters and still needed more back at camp - sometimes upwards of 5 Liters at the end of the day. finding water is hard here in the desert regions..... (next summer I'll do a thread on the region) in the truck I'll often carry a 20 liter nato can of water in the truck bed, plus large amounts of 2 liter Soda bottles with frozen water in them , in the cooler. Plus whatever water I buy in large bottles on drive up. I try to pre-load big time with water the week before - drinking more than normal .
Well when my previous TLC was bogged to both diffs and I had to dig/hand winch (hi-lift kit) it out, over five hrs I consumed nearly 12litres of water and still felt like crap. It was actually not that hot out there when this happened either. My saving grace was that I was driving out to a hunting spot and had two liters in my pack (I never leave home with less) and had not yet removed the 10litre container I had for camp from my truck.
Then there is @Twoody88 , who drinks no water on a Lytton hike . I know one day I'm going to have to make a Travois drag sled to drag his dehydrated bu out of the mountains....
Fortunately I've made most of my living in my adult off being attuned to my body and fitness. Only because I played along and wanted to make ya feel special
