Its cool in the mountains. But, don't let that fool you. Here are some factoids you need to be aware of...
* UV exposure increases by 10% with each 3,300' elevation gain.
* snow reflects 4X the UV of silica sand (and the sun can burn you from underneath)
* water or snow can expose your eyes to 15X the UV index
* higher altitude increases evaporative rate from skin
At high altitudes the sun is less filtered. This means its cooler, but light intensity is greater. Also, with decreased air pressure, the atmosphere literally sucks water from your skin, leaving you dry and dehydrated faster.
Antidotes:
+ Sunscreen: AAD recommends 30 SPF. Sunscreen expires after 3 years.
+ UV rated clothing materials: Most performance fabrics have a rating. UPF 25 and above is recommended for high altitude trekkers.
+ Sunglasses: 100% UV block and light transmission down to 8%; side shields such as found on glacier glasses are beneficial.
+ Perfect hydration practices: Either too little or too much water increases risk of accute mountain sickness (AMS), but that's for another discussion. Suffice it to say, by the time you discover yourself dry, it will be hard to recover.
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