Winter backpacking - Our way

Our sight at the organization of winter hikes. As we go, as we put on, as we arrange camp as we have a rest. Attempt to give(allow) a complete picture of a winter hike, morally to prepare you for the future tests, to give a push to more realized choice of equipment and clothes.

Day.

Let's begin with the most simple and interesting component of a winter hike - day time transition. Yes, walking with a backpack seems to me to one of the most comfortable variants of pastime in a winter hike. On the move interestingly and beautifully. On the move always warmly. Actually for the sake of walking this action also is conceived.

As we go.

We go slowly. Establishing(installing) speed, we are guided by "slow" participants of a hike. We protect forces and we try to not sweat to not freeze on a halt. Therefore it is important to adjust(regulate) in time number of clothes, simply speaking - to remove superfluous. In general it is necessary to learn to put on and undress quickly - in current of day it is necessary to do(make) it many times and it is impossible to lose a lot of time on changings clothes.

We go one group - not being stretched(not being dragged out) that all time to keep in touch and have an opportunity operatively to react to changing circumstances. Closing supervises, that nobody has lagged behind. If you should stop to fasten shnurok - tell to the head and it(he) will stop all group. It not a halt, and a technical stop for 1 minute, therefore the others do not remove backpacks and do not sit down.

Tropezhka.

Let's assume that winter snow. To move on a snow it is much more complex(difficult) than on a pure(clean) track. Legs(foots) that fail in snowdrifts (always at the wrong time) firmly cost(stand) on the frozen together ice crust (always unexpectedly). It is necessary to go highly lifting knees and smoothly to transfer(carry) weight on a leg(foot), prominaja a snow ice crust and stamping a certain step. This process - "tropezhka" - takes away a heap of forces. Most hard to the one who goes the first. It(he) pours then literally. The others protect forces - try to go on traces of the first, gradually treading in a snow the present(true) trench. Each 5-10 minutes there is a change tropjashchego. We vary on a chain: tired tropilshchik becomes in a tail of group (on the deserved rest), tropit there begins the tourist stood the second. Owing to constant and systematic change leading weariness has not time to collect and the group moves is easier and more uniform, than at chaotic tropezhke. Average speed of movement makes 1,5 km/h. If it is more than snow, than knee-deep speed can fall up to 500 meters at an o'clock. Snowshoes here would be useful.

Halts.

About each 50 minutes the head of group declares(announces) a 10-minute halt. On a halt it is necessary to remove(take off) a backpack and there and then to dress a warm jacket. Then it is possible to knead shoulders and to relax laying on a backpack a little. Long to have a rest it is impossible - without movement at once it becomes cold. For maintenance of fighting spirit the person on duty gives out on pair candies-sugar candies. One minute prior to an output(exit) everyone remove warm jackets, hide them and dress backpacks.

Dinner.

The winter dinner is poorly similar to long years(summer) dinners-picnics. It(he) lasts from force of 30 minutes - longer vystojat on one place is unreal. Quite often it is necessary to eat in mittens. In such conditions on special culinary izyski to count it is not necessary - pair hlebtsov, a piece of cheese, a piece of sausage, something sweet. Usually products for a dinner cut even in the morning to not waste time in the afternoon. By the way, in a frost the meal inevitably hardens, therefore cheljustjam it is necessary to work much.

Drink.

In winter cold and dry air the organism loses especially a lot of moisture. And to restore its(her) stocks it is much more difficult, than in the summer. Cold water from bottles to drink it is impossible - reduces a teeth, and it(she) freezes. To put a torch and to boil water each time when it will want to drink? No, too long. Therefore within day we drink tea from thermoses. Very important that in group there were enough thermoses (approximately 0,7 litres on the person). Otherwise mean winter thirst will provoke you to try to eat a snow. And it is a direct way to cold, and that the most insulting, at all does not satisfy thirst.

Bad weather.

In the winter weather can bring essential corrective amendments in the initial plan of a hike. Sometimes it is necessary to sit out day in tents, and sometimes - till many hours to go to a blizzard. Be ready to all. Moral preparation has the major value, of ability soberly to think in heavy conditions. Supervise itself.

It is necessary to think over in advance that you will dress, if the strong wind will rise or the blizzard will begin. From warm mittens sprjatannyh in depths of a backpack is not present any to sense - at you it will not be simple opportunities to get them. Therefore though we also go the most part of a way easily dressed, but mittens, caps, wind-shelter masks and warm jackets at us always near at hand.

Subordination.

In the winter in mountains as on war. It is necessary to obey the head of group and implicitly to follow its(his) instruction(indication). Here not a place to discussions and struggle for the rights. Numerous rules and the rigid schedule are thought up to make travel as much as possible safe. Carry out them or do not go to a hike in general.

Installation of camp and supper.

As soon as the suitable place for a lodging for the night has been found, it is necessary not losing to time to start installation of camp. To not sit and have a rest, and quickly to put on while a body has not cooled down after walking. Then the head of group distributes(allocates) duties - extraction of fire wood and waters, clearing from a snow of a platform under camp, installation of tents. If there is such opportunity the big fire for drying and raisings of mood gets divorced. If the fire is not present, for a supper we prepare on a torch. Then everything, not borrowed(occupied) in cooking, are hidden in tents and " heat sleeping bags ". Before it(this) it is necessary to hand over persons on duty the plates.

After meal it is necessary to clean immediately utensils a snow and to hide. It is impossible to postpone it on then - for a night all will freeze.
Preparation for a dream.

If there is no fire right after tea drinking it is necessary to be hidden in tent and zalazit in a sleeping bag while to a body still warmly. The sleeping bag works as a thermos: will lay down in it(him) warm - it will be warm, will lay down frozen - will knock teeth two more hours.

Do not forget to hide before a dream all the things and equipment in tambour of tent. Nothing should remain open-air - if the snow at night will go, will be rather problematic to find the forgotten cup in the morning. The footwear for the night should be hidden in tent, or even in a sleeping bag. If the boot will freeze, dress this piece of ice next day you cannot, will have to warm above a fire.

In tent.

The main source of heat in tent - your neighbours. The more people, the more warmly. Therefore it is expedient to forget for a while about individualism and to lodge not to the single in separate small tents, and all together in greater(big) tents or tents. Sleeping bags are better for using too not individual, but group. In sshivku from 2 sleeping bags vlazit 3 persons. The third sleeping bag reveals and lays down from above on sshivku - it(he) will work as "condenser". The matter is that because of a difference of temperatures by the morning the surface of a sleeping bag will inevitably dampen, and "condenser" takes this impact on itself.

 As a whole at night in tent warmly enough. Even if in the street the deep minus, inside temperature seldom falls below zero. Nevertheless choosing a winter sleeping bag, not raschityvajte on it - search for the warmest. And the most important - at everyone should be 2 tourist sleeping pads. TWO!! Otherwise the cold from the ground "will get" you.

The socks which have got wet for a day, and other fine belongings, it is possible to dry gloves simply having thrust in a sleeping bag at night. And it is even better to put them to itself on a stomach(belly). The main thing to not forget anything in a sleeping bag in the morning.

Morning.

The most difficult in a winter hike - to get out of a sleeping bag. All around crude and cold. And vylazit will have. It is necessary to take itself in hands and to start to put on intensively. The clothes on you will quickly be warmed also a life will be adjusted :)

There are we usually zatemno - 2 hours prior to a dawn. Light day in the winter very short and we should use every minute "sun" for walking, and put(fold) camp and to make a breakfast it is possible and in darkness.

In the morning is useless to try(taste) something to dry (a sleeping bag, an awning of tent, etc.). Unless, it is possible to allow for a moisture to freeze slightly and obtrusit an ice.

Except for pritovlenija a breakfast, since morning it is necessary nakipjatit a lot of water to make look fat hot tea of a thermos. Therefore sitting in the evening at a fire do not burn all fire wood - leave more for morning kitchen(cuisine).

Directly ahead of departure it is necessary to make above itself the next effort and to remove(take off) a warm jacket. Otherwise you will sweat already on the second minute of walking.