Heatstroke in the mountains is poorly understood because climbers associate danger with cold.
But on glaciers and high volcanoes, solar radiation, thin air, dehydration, reflected heat, and physical effort can overwhelm thermoregulation surprisingly fast.
Once neurological symptoms appear — confusion, irritability, poor judgment, aggression, disorientation — this is no longer fatigue. It is a medical emergency.
Hypothermia often develops slowly.
Heatstroke can escalate in minutes.
The summit is optional. Cooling the brain is not.
#Mountaineering#Heatstroke#HighAltitude#Andes#Cotopaxi#Chimborazo#Alpinism#MountainSafety#HumanFactors#Expedition#GlacierTravel#DecisionMaking#RiskManagement#ThePointOfNoReturn#KordilleraKnowledgeBase
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