When high heat hits, staying cool is a science

When Mother Nature turns up the heat, one of the best ways to cool off is to head for the hills. Nature’s own air conditioner operates during normal atmospheric conditions, cooling the air almost 6 degrees for every 1,000 feet you climb.

So if it’s 90 degrees in Spokane or Coeur d’Alene, it’s 72 degrees along the mile-high ridgetops of the Salmo-Priest Wilderness. While we all sweat around here, mountain climbers at the summits of Washington’s snow giants are chilling out in temperatures hovering around freezing.

The higher you hike or ride, the more likely you’ll stay cool.

Although the heat in river valleys can sometimes be stifling, the closer you can get to cooling water, the less likely you’ll notice. Remember that hot air rises under normal conditions, and in the mountains, Mother Nature carries ice water in her river veins.

So find a trail beside a tumbling cascade or rapids, preferably shaded by forest canopy, and you’ll likely chill. Another possibility would be the 4.1-mile (one-way) Sullivan Lake Trail where you’ll find at least one opportunity to jump into the lake, the ultimate cool-down.

Though it’s unlikely this summer – no thanks to less-than-average snowpack – find trails along north-facing slopes where the snow piles up in the winter. Pathways here are also often shaded by heavier forest canopy.

Hikers, paddlers and pedalers can choose a variety of gear that might help them keep their cool. Check out the following suggestions for stuff that might help you chill out or protect you from those harmful rays.

For example, there’s no more versatile portable air conditioner than a kerchief or bandana. Soak one in a stream and wrap it around your head, neck or wrist.

I recently tested a neckband made by Blubandoo (blubandoo.com), on a hot Montana backpacking trip. I soaked the scarf in creek water for five minutes and it stayed cool for more than two hours.

The company makes caps, neckbands and headbands with polyester crystals laminated between the fabrics. The crystals expand to a gel, which cools as it slowly evaporates. The articles can be re-used repeatedly.

It may seem to counter good sense, but long-sleeved shirts will often keep you cooler than a short-sleeved version when negotiating a sun-baked trail or paddling in direct sun. There’s no doubt they provide better protection from sunburn and some of the newer fabrics aid in evaporation to speed cooling.

The same properties that make cotton a poor choice for active outdoorsfolk in wet and cold make it a perfect choice on a hot summer hike. Once the stuff gets wet with sweat, it takes a long time to dry, cooling you off as it does so.

I’ve taken to wearing lightweight, convertible pants on almost all of my outings. They’re constructed of lightweight nylon and dry faster than you can spell evaporation.

Just zip off the legs and you’ve got a pair of shorts, which might keep you cooler – but watch out for sunburn and greater exposure to wind, biting bugs or trailside brush.

Surely one of the most important precautions to take in hot weather, no matter your favorite outdoor recreation, is to stay hydrated. One of the easiest ways to do that is by toting a hydration pack.

Finally, if all that won’t keep you cool, you might resort to gadgetry like a “personal misting fan.” It’s a battery-operated fan that blows mist from a squeeze bottle into your face.

I’d need to carry a two-gallon squeeze bottle for the fan, even on a short hike. Toting that much water would heat me up faster than the mist could cool me.