UKC

"Exposure: if skin is exposed to bitterly cold below freezing temperatures then frostbite can occur within minutes. In particular windchill factor has a large part to play"

So what temperature does skin freeze at? Windchill doesn't make the temperature colder than it actually is, it just cools you faster, so what is the critical temperature?

No mention of hydration which is just as important, when it can be difficult to stop when the weather closes in. I am guilty myself once going over 12 hours without stopping for a drink. Topping up sugar levels almost as important, so have drinks easy to get at and hi-energy food in pockets, and spare gloves in sack.

The pain from frost-nip is something else. I only ever had it once , a long time ago and once bitten...well you don't want to go through that again!

Link here explains it all especially the chart at the bottom of the page https://www.climbing.com/skills/prevent-and-treat-frostbite/

The link to the Christopher Imray site is broken and the BMC page (How to get expert frostbite advice) refers straight back to it. (The article was only posted this morning). Is there an updated link for the info?

Don't get trapped in a horrendous storm for five days on an alpine north face

Having survived a three degree frostbite on 3 of my fingers (and luckily recovered), some addition:

- The most important thing is to keep the frostbitten area disinfected! The medical treatment is about the enhancement of human regeneration (i.e. getting medicines that increase the blood flow, etc). If it does not get infected and your body is otherwise healthy, you have a good chance of keeping the frostbitten parts of the body because of natural regeneration. Once infected, it gets a red colour, and needs to be amputated. 

- If the frostbitten parts are deep purple or outright black after thawing they still can be saved! It is extremely scary, but just keep faith in yourself and the doctors.  

- The swelling can get really ridiculous, apparently. A finger can swell up to twice its diameter! No joke, you really need to get the jewelry off!

- The thawing process is indeed extremely painful. But unfortunately not just the immediate thawing process has these pain surges, but they happen for at least 10 hours after you started the thawing. 

I got third and fourth degree frostbite in all my toes and nine fingers - for some strange reason I only got second degree in the thumb on my right hand?

They all went black and swollen, and several raw red. The pain was excruciating.

After about three days of treatment, I eventually had to have two toes amputated, and still wasn't sure for a few days after, if more might have to follow.

Fortunately they didn't, but they were in a hell of a mess for weeks, and very painful despite medication.

The discomfort and recovery carried on for several months after, and even now, thirty years on, because of the tissue damage, I have to be really carefull in cold temperatures, and every now and then, still get 'phantom toe'.