Florida Trail Activities in Your Area

Side By Side
Check out our chapter websites and Meetup groups for activities in your area.  Visit the Chapters page, scroll down to the bottom and look for your county.  Click on the chapter for a county to go to its web page.  Florida Trail Association activities include day hikes, backpacking trips, canoeing and kayaking, bicycling, picnics, and campouts.  Day hikes may focus on birding, plant identification, geocaching or historic sites.  Most activities are held locally, but some chapters travel to other parts of the state or out of state for extended trips.  However you like to enjoy the great outdoors, there's a Florida Trail activity for you!
For Email Marketing you can trust






Home arrow Trail arrow Hiker Safety arrow Hypothermia
Hypothermia PDF Print E-mail

Yes, even in Florida, hypothermia happens. It's possible to hike the Florida Trail in February and wake to frost on the tent and water bottles frozen, in Big Cypress Swamp as well as Eglin Air Force Base.

 

 

The risk increases substantially when you wade through swamps or stream crossings in chilly weather, but can also happen on a warm spring day when temperatures plummet at night and you don’t have a warm sleeping bag with you. Don’t assume just because it’s Florida that a 40°F sleeping bag (or none at all) will be adequate protection. During prime hiking season – the winter months – a 20°F bag should provide reasonable warmth. I’ve carried a 0°F bag and been glad I had it. Be aware of the weather around you; don’t let your gear or clothes get wet on a cold day if you can help it. Carry hand warmers and energy bars in your pack.

Signs of hypothermia include shivering, difficulty thinking, slurred speech, confusion, and sleepiness. If you’re in wet clothes, immediately change to something dry. If you’re with companions (or you notice a companion suffering from any of these symptoms), do whatever’s necessary to bring the victim’s core temperature up, from feeding them hot liquids to diving into a sleeping bag with them.

-used with the author's permission from The Florida Trail: The Official Hiking Guide (Sandra Friend)
 
< Prev   Next >

Activities & Events

May 2012
S M T W T F S
29 30 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 1 2




Member Login:

This login is for members entering activities or uploading documents. You do not need a username to view or download anything on the website. The login for the store only works in the store. For lost passwords email webmaster@floridatrail.org.