Winter's Tale for Adults

Ochet a winter campaign on the route of "Winter Gorgan" 03/08 January 2012.
  Warm snowless winter, New Year rains, before you know what flowers will ... And we are so anxious winter, and snow-covered trees. In order to fully satisfy his whim, we do not just come to the Carpathians, we consciously poperlis into the @ # $% because it was there was a chance to meet this winter. The venture was successful, all found - and gale-force winds and snow drifts up to his waist and action-night. Is that the panoramic view was not enough .. Repeat, or what?

necessary observations.
Of the nine participants in this campaign, eight more than once been in the winter and hiking were great to go. The ninth is also not a beginner, but in winter the Carpathians was riding for the first time. After the traverse Lopushna-Syvuli in a blizzard, he gave two character phrases. First - "If I knew that there would be, would have stayed home," but after a couple of hours - "There remains only the good. A week later, I will tell your friends - Dudes, it's so beautiful! ". This is me to the fact that extreme - a contagious thing, once a hook, then life will have to wander through the mountains. Think before you start:)

In Ivano-Frankivsk snow and did not smell. But while we were waiting for the ordered vehicle then came to the conclusion that the outdoor temperature is below zero and it was good. In Osmoloda as the position came drowsy and slightly wrinkled. That ready to wear a backpack, we decided to straighten shoulders and tummies - go to the local cafes. There are very strict rules - do not make large orders, we can not close the door, you can not help staff to clean potatoes, not to complain about their fate and the severity of the rules. Well at least you can eat:) In the beginning of the rise to the ridge Matagi met two descending groups. From them we learned that the top is full of snow, sometimes even to the waist (hooray, we do not knowingly drag snowshoes!) that the wind on the ridge poistenne hurricane force, and that they failed to pass Igrovets (that they are not directly mentioned, but sour faces, intricate explanation of the plans were interpreted by us to-one).

The first night, Shed-Buhatke came when to remain dark for 20 minutes. This time is sufficient to to find water and a little wood (double gas savings). While dinner was being cooked, we were distributed to bed. Eight people have decided to sleep on the ground floor on a wooden platform. Got a little cramped, but warm. I prefer spaciousness and coolness - rastelil your sleeping bag in the attic. Overboard at night was -7.

The rise in 5 out of 7. According to intelligence during the night back (and us along with him) delayed the clouds. No species of and landscapes in sight. After leaving the forest area, we almost immediately pinned snowshoes. A couple of people have tried to follow without them, but soon gave up and also "put on his boots." Snow on vklonah seemingly shallow (20-30 cm), but without snowshoes foot constantly slips, and you can easily run into the meter pit.

After completing the climb a high mountain, we finally lost the windscreen. Air currents of medium strength (no swaying) were warm and wet. Just a half hour right, the western half of the body (and backpack) was thoroughly wet. But while you walk, the backpack does not freeze, and standing there was no reason - visibility is zero. On B (Polonyna Pogar) came about half-past two. There is still a whole bunch of "svetologo 'time - just to train and put the tent to dry clothes.

Around one o'clock the wind rose with such force that he could awaken even me - tempered baby cries with dad experience:) After waiting 20 minutes (maybe settle down) I reached out to check the procrastination. And in time - for an hour or posleduschie half of the land of wind tore the two major delays, threw half trekpalok played the role of additional supports, in several places undocked vnutryanku the tent. Thank God all these misfortunes occurred not at the same time and I had able to safely remove broken without raising his comrades. Weak points opyry (pegs), I replaced superstable "snowshoes under a fur coat" (buried in the snow), possibly prikopat trekpalki, and is found his mission done. The wind died down and thought, tent continued to shake the fever, but one should take a nap before the storm.

By morning, nothing has changed. Wind clearly hinted to us that it would be nice to give in and around the next ridge forest. But the enthusiasm of the townspeople zasidevshihsya knows no limits - we have decided to storm Syvulyu. In the hour's walk from the parking lot we found our tents more cautious fellow tourists who have decided to wait the storm. They had no snowshoes and no GPS, so that their decision was more than reasonable.

At the ridge the wind burst to us in full - once off the ground for any finite (or snowshoe trekpalku) as walking, the system loses stability and predictability. Then pull, push it - where fall is unknown, when - even more so. Therefore, we have long thought, smartly fingered paws, crept forward. Or up? Visibility us and did not include, crept solely to instruments, constantly referring back to the track on GPS.

And just imagine - eyes water from the piercing wind, 5-millimeter ice glaze covered the whole the right half of the body, top freezes, and the feet squish in soaked shoes, camera all doroguschy covered with ice. But all this is happening somewhere far away, at perifirii consciousness. In the center is only two thoughts, two dream - to remove the backpack and do not miss out on the headset. The backpack should be removed because 3 hours without a halt and shoulders zanemeli now scream out in pain. A headset, which is broadcast at full volume infinite audiobook Akunin, this the very Analgesic, which helps to forget about the pain and crawl forward.

The plan we have made, completed a traverse from the ridge down. But the adventure did not end there. In the evening threw sleet, further wetting the already wet clothes. And the wind, radishes, Preity and ceased to blow the snow off the tent. Within half an hour Canopy vnutryanka and stuck - on the walls flowed moisture. This is something we like to attack won, but in the morning (again!) we were awakened by a strange sound. Tsentrolny rod - the main pillar of the tent, doubled over the letter "sic" and apparently planned to break under the weight of snow. Emergency repairs, shaking off the snow, check guys. All is well, even a little fun (remember the story of a group Dyatlova), but the entire contents of the tent is totally soaked.

Waking up in a wet sleeping bag, I put on wet clothes and began to lace up shoes wet. Devil's thaw. In winter must be cold! It's much more comfortable. Frankly, I seriously considered retreat to a a kolyba (or more generally in naselenku) for dry mass of junk. But friends told convincingly that foolish to give in a moment of weakness, when the looming such a tempting prospect, as the night on the ridge. There's something surely will be cold water will freeze quickly in rags and no longer wet:)

The road to the ridge is a continuous Tavpishirka "roller coaster" - downhill followed by a steep and long the rise and so many times. There have been very useful podpyatochnye rests on snowshoes. They go up much comfortable as the leg is horizontal, as on the step, which reduces the load on the tendon. Fallen snow yesterday, today, the wind took off again. Besides the only restriction is extremely likely, special problems that are not delivered (accustomed probably). But on video, these clouds of snow look like now end of the world, Arctic hell, deadly blizzard of stories about polar explorers.

At Tavpishirke layer of snow was almost meter thick. For the kitchen had to dig a trench glubochenny, site under the tent puddle twice as long as usual, went to the bathroom only in snowshoes. But just before sunset on few minutes the sky opened and we rushed to photograph and be photographed.

Snowed all night and by morning had hidden under a 20-centimeter layer of puhlyaka all traces of our stay - many paths, scattered tea leaves, forgotten in the kitchen dishes. I suddenly thought that after such a snow avalanche may not only be on the high bare ridges. Even yesterday's roller coaster ride today could hide the danger. Now I can not remember if I had seen while horizontal cracks in the bend, or is it stray memories of other trips. Thank God that he was a quiet wooded front of the site.

Ironically most extreme in this campaign, I "caught" already in naselenke. The road on the outskirts Bystrica like a rink, which was not very handy, because I did not take the skates and fall with loaded backpack - doubtful a pleasure.

Christmas night we spent in the same Bystrica, in a small otelchike "Vodograi." Ran through the streets of masks, sing something popular-festive, boasting costumes. We are gradually poured into "civilization" - dried shoes, soared in the soul, reported on the mainland has successfully completed a hike ...

little self-promotion
  In this campaign I have traditionally led the online broadcast in the social network Google +. So this article - only free paraphrase is written there. Add to Friends (Round I) - next time will be able to read mileyshie camp news (a-ah, we were blowing away by wind, where's my trusty ice pick?) directly piping hot:)