Wear Sunscreen

When preparing for a day in the mountains with frosty, snowy, cold, winter, freezing conditions; it is so easy to forget about this one important item.  After all, we pack dozens of items to protect ourselves from the cold or manage our way around the ice and snow.  But what about the sun?

I was reminder of the need to cover from the sun this weekend as we had some warm weather move through BC.  Skinning up the mountain quickly turned in to a shirtless ordeal and I was very happy to have sunscreen in my pack. 

Some people may enjoy sporting a good goggle tan, but there are added risks to excessive sun exposure.

Sunburn can be much more damaging than having tender skin for a couple days.  In serious cases, you could end up with a third-degree burn, although it is very rare.  Other problems that come with over-exposure to the sun can include (but are not limited to):

• Heatstroke (yes, even in the cold)
• Increased chance of skin cancer
• Increase in number of cold sores
• Cataracts (bonus tip: wear protective glacier sunglasses)

You must keep in mind that sunburns do not only occur when laying on a sunny beach.  There are two main factors that lead to a sunburn in the mountains:

1. At higher altitudes, UV exposure increases by about 4% for every 300m (1000ft) of altitude gained
2. The sun reflects back at you off the snow, creating additional exposure. 

These two factors can very quickly lead to sunburn.  Even on overcast days, the suns rays are cutting through the clouds.

Sure, it may just be your face, or even just your nose and cheeks, that are exposed to the sun most the time.  However, that doesn’t lower the adverse effects of a sunburn.

So, next time you are in the mountains, bring a little container of sunscreen.  I like to fill a small tin container with SPF 45 so I’m covered for days – it’s worth it’s weight in gold!  In addition, some SPF coverage on your lips is a good way to help prevent the discomfort of chapping.

Stay safe, stay Savvy, and get out there!

Avi Kleiman
Founder, Savvy Touring Company Ltd.
For Life in the Backcountry