A Mountain Climber Was Rescued After Spending 36 Hours Exposed

A mountain climber was rescued after spending 36 hours exposed to the elements on a slope of Mount Everest. Miraculously, the only permanent damage was to his toes, all of which had to be removed. What was the most likely cause of the damage to his toes?

A) metabolic (nitrogenous) wastes pooling in his feet
B) increased levels of carbon dioxide in his feet
C) the inability of his white blood cells to destroy infectious bacteria
D) blood pooling in the veins in his feet
E) vasoconstriction of the arteries to his legs and feet