I go hiking all year round, almost every weekend, winter is no exception. Previously, there were hiking trips, but now I am interested in the development of ski tourism in the region. The next winter hike I will have on December 1-2 in the Perm Territory to the mountain Pomyanenny Kamen. And on new year holidays I'm planning a multi-day trip to Bashkiria.

For me, winter hiking is always a fairy tale. In the mountains above 700 m, everything is covered with frost, the trees turn into fancy snowdrifts. And more warmth is felt from communication. A big break from the "ordinary" city life.

True, there is a possibility of encountering difficulties. It can be a trail covered with snow (skis will be the solution), incorrect equipment, improper nutrition, which does not provide the required amount of heat and energy. But if the preparation was successful, even at -30 the hike will leave a good impression.

The attitude is also important: either you are waiting for the cold and bad weather, or you are setting yourself up for an adventure and preparing for it. It is possible to prepare for any temperature. I myself am hardened and perceive the cold differently, but I am guided by the opinion of newcomers who walked with me and did not freeze at -30. With active walking at -20, it can even be hot.

How do you prepare? There is a certain compulsory set clothes:

• for active walking, so as not to sweat, not to undress on the way;
• for parking lots - warm;
• face protection - mask, buff or ski "muzzle".

In the group, a certain amount of spare warm clothes, life blankets and chemical heating pads are also calculated.

Food is selected fatty and high-calorie, after which the cold is more easily tolerated.

Participants of the hike must be given instructions on equipment and upcoming loads / obstacles. It counts on survival, not an easy walk. But as a result of all the preparations, it is an easy walk that is obtained. The route is being worked out in such a way as to reduce the downtime in the cold - to warm up on the move or in the camp by the fire.

In the event of unplanned long camps, a fire is made or outdoor games are held. It can be snowballs, light wrestling, sometimes we just run through the snowdrifts. In order for it to be fun and not cold, even special rules are not needed, just to frolic in the snow, as in childhood, is a pleasure.

For a multi-day hike with a heated tent, we go in groups of 7 people, otherwise it will be difficult to be on duty at the stove at night. Someone may not have enough sleep, and from a lack of it, the cold will be felt more acutely.

If there is only one instructor in the hike, it is difficult when there are more than 15 people. On narrow winter paths, the group stretches out, and those who walk in front freeze while those who lag behind are pulled up to the resting place.

Although there is experience and 40 people in a winter day hike. Then we went to Nurgush in the Zyuratkul National Park. Difficulties were only for those in front, the strongest pedestrians made a path to the top. In general, the hike passed without stress and was lucky with the weather - fresh snow sparkled in the bright sun and there was no wind. The "troopers" changed often, it is important for people to feel needed for the team.

In some places we fell into the snow up to the waist, but we tuned in to the ascent to the top and reached it without getting out of schedule. There was, however, a company of leisurely walking - we gave them a walkie-talkie and regularly contacted, inquired about the condition and whereabouts. They did not reach the top, only to the border of the forest zone. There we met them on the way back, we walked to the bus together.

Photographer Alexey Bryukhanov

You don't need to be a hero to go on a winter hike. Winter hikes are just as popular with hikers as summer vacations. So, what to take with you and how to behave on a winter hike.

CLOTHES

A detailed list of equipment for the hike can be viewed. Additionally, for a winter hike, it can be supplemented with a warm sweater for a bivouac, another set of warm thermal underwear and a woolen hat and gloves. The more negative the temperature you are going to, the more carefully you need to treat your equipment.

1. Elastic bands of socks and shoe covers, laces of shoes should be weak enough so as not to disturb blood circulation. In the case of poor permeability of blood through the vessels, the likelihood of frostbite increases. The same goes for the upper limbs.
2. We put on two pairs of mittens. The first fleece, the second warm, preferably downy or made of modern synthetic material - the top. The fleece keeps warm even when wet, the upper sleeve will create an additional air gap and protect the fleece from getting wet.
3. Items should be stored in plastic bags. It is advisable to take one or two in reserve and put it under the carpet in the tent - this will create additional insulation and prevent the formation of condensation from below.
4. Many people advise taking non-inflatable carimat. Yes, there is a chance to pierce it and sleep on the snow until the end of the hike, but if you are careful about things, there is nothing better in a modern four-season winter hike. If your carimat is still normal, make sure you have two of them.
5. Play it safe. Take as many pairs of socks as possible. It's great if you have clean dry steam for every day. Thick terry or woolen socks will do. They will warm you in severe frost. Be sure to take one pair of thick knitted sock for sleep (or downy chuni). But one should not forget about good thermal socks either. At moderate temperatures, they will provide ideal foot comfort.
6. Balaclava. An alternative to store-bought balaclavas (face masks) is to make a homemade one out of an old thin fleece by cutting holes for the eyes and mouth in a piece of the sleeve.
7. Store any battery-powered equipment in a sleeping bag or under clothing. In the cold, the batteries practically do not work and there is a possibility of ruining your mood when the camera turns on.
8. Shoe covers for feet are best taken with a front fastener and Velcro.
9. The pot must be flat-bottomed to avoid condensation dripping onto the burner.
10. If on a winter hike you plan to heat the stove or cook food over a fire, take tarpaulin mittens. Fleece gloves are afraid of hot, open fire and melt on contact with hot.
11. In winter, it is much more convenient to have a backpack with a self-dumping belt. The buckle can fail, clogged with snow or numb in the cold.
12. It is MANDATORY to have hygienic lipstick on a winter hike and periodically lubricate your lips with it. This will prevent your lips from chapping in the cold.
13. It is good to have a rigid visor on the hood of your jacket. This protects the face in headwind, rain and snow. If there is no such visor, take a summer cap.

USEFUL GOODIES

1. You need to dress before you get cold. On halts, it is imperative to put on a warm jacket.
2. If you are still cold, then you should warm up the body with elementary exercises: circular rotations of the arms and legs. This will disperse the blood into the muscles and prevent frostbite. In case of slight hypothermia - hold your breath for a few seconds, tighten all the muscles, then relax. Repetition 5-6 times will give a slight warming effect.
3. It is generally contraindicated to take alcohol in sports, it gives a temporary warming effect, which disappears within a short time. Therefore, taking alcohol is an extreme measure that can only be resorted to when you are sure that in the near future you will be able to set up a camp and organize warming measures (hot tea, soup).
4. A sleeping bag should be medium in size: a large one will be more difficult for you to heat up, a small one will not allow you to put on additional warm clothes at night.
5. On a frosty night, you should remove your shoes in plastic bag and put it at your feet directly in the sleeping bag.
6. Winter hikes are good during the full moon. Firstly, on cloudless nights, the moon is light, and secondly, the weather at full moon is usually stable and good.
7. In winter, it is recommended to put insulation under the entire tent. This can be a laminate backing. The thicker the substrate, the warmer, but also heavier. It is good when such a substrate has one foil side, the mirror side of the insulation is placed against the tent. A thin thermo blanket can be put behind the lack of a substrate. The heat effect will be much weaker.
8. You can put a disassembled backpack under the cushion for extra warmth.
9. In extreme situations, you can put an empty backpack on top of the sleeping bag on your feet.
10. During sleep, you can hide from above with a puff.
11. Modern industry offers us to use catalytic heating pads for warming, while you cannot immerse yourself in a sleeping bag with your head. The products released as a result of a chemical reaction are poisonous.
12. To avoid frostbite on a winter hike, both while driving and on a bivouac, you need to wiggle your fingers and toes - such movements increase the blood flow.
13. Make an impromptu heating pad out of plastic bottle: Pour hot water into it and put it at your feet in the sleeping bag. This heating pad works all night long.
14. It is good to use a gas lamp for heating. It dries the air, but it is not recommended to leave it unattended in a tent. If you touch it, you can get burned. It is more justified to use a lamp when spending the night in a wooden house.

Winter hike is pretty interesting activity, but at the same time it is dangerous and even lethal. Also, you never know what kind of surprise nature can arrange. And in such a campaign, nothing can be worse than an inexperienced companion, because if there are only two travelers, then their lives depend only on themselves. This article provides tips for preparing for your winter hike.

Key words: tourism, hike, winter hike.

A group of students who had my internship one of the days was noisily discussing something. I listened, it turned out that the dispute arose over the idea of ​​going into the forest. Opponents of the ideological mastermind insisted that there was nothing to do there in winter, as it was cold. Noticing my attention, the students pulled me into conversation. I suggested drawing up a trek plan with a list of what you need to take with you, and then analyze how real their idea would be. After this conversation, he himself went to the familiar tourists for advice. Over a cup of tea, I leafed through a shabby book about tourism and listened to a bunch of advice. I think that the results of the consultation will be useful to many.

From idea to route and backpack. Where to begin? First of all, you need to decide where and how you will go. The volume of your equipment will depend on the choice of the route, its length and complexity. If you take a day's walk to the winter quarters, followed by living in it, and even close to highways, this is one thing. But a winter hike with overnight stays in the forest will require more thorough preparation.

So, you have decided on the direction, got a map of the area. Now plot your route on the map, find out how many kilometers you will walk on foot, are there rivers, bridges, settlements, public transport. You will need reference points for organizing rest, overnight stay, in order to contact someone who can call for help if you need it or you will not get in touch at the agreed time. Someone should know about your route, except for the Ministry of Emergencies, whom you simply must notify about an organized trip. It will be great if you can find people who have already visited these places. Create a page, group, conference in in social networks, find like-minded people or people living in the places of the proposed route. Any information will be useful to you. You need to know what lies under the snow, on which to walk. Maybe there is a brook down there, which does not freeze in winter, and it will cause a tourist's failure with subsequent frostbite. It is necessary to check the weather forecast in advance. You also need to provide possible ways return or alternative passages.

List of necessary things- clothes and footwear for movement and for parking, winter tent, winter sleeping bag, thickened tourist mat, ax and chain saw, first aid kit, spare set of warm linen, spare socks, matches and materials for lighting a fire, burner, flashlight, dishes, thermos.

Order in your backpack... Place the things that you are going to take on the hike on the floor in order to evaluate and analyze the upcoming process. Do not be surprised if the capacity of the backpack is less than the total volume of things that need to be put into it, since this does not mean that they will not fit there. As experienced tourists say, a backpack is a loose concept. In addition, the thing, left to itself, takes up the entire volume of the backpack. The closer to the body heavy objects are, the easier it is to put on the backpack and balance it while moving. Heavy items should also be placed over light items at shoulder height. This improves the centering of the backpack and thus makes it easier to carry. Place your sleeping bag at the bottom of your backpack. Then pack light items that you only need while sleeping. If you bring liquid fuel with you, make sure the fuel bottle cap is tightly closed. Place it in the backpack below the food, so that in the event of a fuel leak, the food remains intact. Use white space sensibly. For example, put small items inside a cooking pot. Place frequently used items so that you can easily access them. These include a map, compass, GPS, cream, sunglasses, headlamp, snacks, backpack cover. When packing saws and axes, it is strongly recommended to put the cutting edge of the tools in a special case. Using packing bags will facilitate orderly loading and allow you to quickly get the item you need when needed.

If you are not going on a weekend hike or skiing, but in a more serious event and a backpack is a difficult necessity, we recall a few basic tips. In no case should you jerk the backpack from the floor onto your shoulders, standing with your legs straight at the knees. First, you should, taking the backpack by the handle, put it on some kind of elevation and after that, one by one, put your hands in the shoulder straps. If there is no elevation, then you should first put the backpack on the thigh of the leg bent at the knee, and then put it on.

How to dress properly for your winter hike? To keep you comfortable on a winter hike, your clothing should be layered. This will make it possible to combine it depending on the air temperature and other weather conditions.

For body:

1. Inner layer - underwear (cotton or thermal underwear). The main task of the inner layer of clothing during a winter hike is to absorb moisture from the body so that the skin stays dry and does not lose heat, and also to protect the rest of the layers of clothing from moisture generated by the skin. Cotton underwear is comfortable, but only as long as its fibers are not completely saturated with moisture. Thermal underwear heats, removes moisture for a long time, dries quickly.

It is also important to consider what kind of winter vacation you will have. If you are going to make an active hike, go skiing or snowboarding, it is especially important that the laundry wicks moisture away quickly. Good choice will become soft synthetics with the addition of cotton or wool. In such underwear, it will be comfortable until the natural fibers are completely wet (approximately 3 to 8 hours). If you do not have to actively move, but have to stay in the cold for a long time, then thermal insulation will be a more important factor for you than moisture removal.

2. Insulating layer - not too tight sweater and pants made of wool, fleece, polar (better 2-3 layers of clothing thinner than one thick sweater - multilayer clothing warms more efficiently due to air layers between layers of clothing).

3. Outer layer - windproof clothing with a hood and snow repellent properties.

4. An additional layer - very warm clothes made of down (jacket-puff) or other warm fillers (synthetic winterizer, holofiber, fur), warm pants or ski overalls with straps, which are worn during parking.

For the head:

1. Light cap - worn while walking, should cover the forehead and ears. A thin hat made of wool, Polartec, Windblock will do.

2. Warm hat of dense knit or made of fur - put on in parking lots.

3. In addition, in severe frost and wind, a balaclava may come in handy - a woolen or fleece helmet-mask with one (face) or three (eyes, mouth) holes. A balaclava with a slit for the eyes is sometimes complemented with double-glazed ski goggles.

1. Cotton or special thermal socks.

2. Woolen socks.

3. Warm insoles.

4. Leather boots with laces.

5. Shoe covers - special devices made of durable fabric that are worn over boots to protect them from snow.

6. In the parking lot, you can change your shoes for more warm shoes, for example, felt boots.

Choosing the right footwear for your winter hiking is very important. The vast majority of all frostings occur on the lower extremities.

The main causes of frostbite:
1) poor circulation of blood, carrying heat (if the boots squeeze the legs);
2) getting wet feet from condensation (with poorly chosen socks) or from snow (melting during the day on boots that are not treated with a hydrophobic composition, as well as if snow gets inside the shoes).

To avoid this, you should choose shoes that are comfortable, strong and loose for your winter hikes. The material from which the shoes are made must "breathe".

Be sure to have spare socks with you. You can put wet socks on your stomach to dry. If you still don't have spare socks, then the wet ones still need to be removed, and at the same time you should wrap your legs with something, for example, scarves.

To protect the boot from moisture from melted snow, leather shoes it is better to make the waterproofing with a special impregnation or at least with fat.

1. Walking gloves or gloves - knitted from wool or fleece - they are not hot and comfortable during movement. Gloves with cuffs are good, thanks to which snow does not get inside the sleeve.

2. Tarpaulin gloves or any other windproof fabric - put on over the running gloves in cases of sudden cold snap or wind.

3. Warm mittens, preferably sheepskin or any other fur. Put on during parking.

How to choose equipment for your winter hike

We choose sleeping bag
Each branded sleeping bag, unless, of course, it is a Chinese sleeping bag, has three temperature indicators. These are the so-called indicators of maximum, comfortable and extreme temperatures. Men generate more heat than women, so women need warmer sleeping bags. The temperature minimum for a woman is 5 ° C higher than that for a man. The maximum temperature indicates the temperature at which, even with an unbuttoned sleeping bag, you can have a great rest and a great night's sleep. Comfort temperature - in these conditions the sleeping bag will be warm and comfortable.

You will be able to rest and sleep well. Extreme temperature - At this temperature, depending on your sensitivity to cold and environmental conditions, you will need to use extra clothing and rugs. Example: maximum - +22 ° С; comfort - +4 ° С; limiting 1 ° C; extreme 18 ° C. In this example, the comfort mode is +22 ... + 4 ° C, the transient mode is from +4 to -1 ° C, the risk of hypothermia is at -1 ...- 18 ° C. The average woman can sleep comfortably in this sleeping bag when the air temperature is from +22 to +4 ° C, and the average man can sleep comfortably in this sleeping bag at temperatures from +22 to -1 ° C. The sleeping bag must be kept warm enough to prevent hypothermia down to -18 ° C. At temperatures of -1 ... -18 ° C, there is already a risk to health.

Advice. Do not try to heat the sleeping bag by “breathing heat” inside it. When exhaling, a person emits a lot of moisture, and with a sharp change between "sleeping bag - street", all this vapor condenses on the inner walls of the sleeping bag. And after the next day's crossing, all the condensate will turn into a large ice block. And sleeping in an ice sleeping bag is impossible.

According to the seasonality of use, sleeping bags can be divided into three groups:

Three-season sleeping bags (early spring, summer, autumn) are usually designed for -2 ...- 5 ° С. This means that a comfortable temperature for using the sleeping bag will be up to -5 ° C, but in adverse weather conditions you will not freeze even at -12-15 ° C. Summer sleeping bags are designed for the range: 0 ... + 5 ° С. Sleeping bags used at temperatures from -10 ° C are considered winter.

Sleeping bags with synthetic insulation - padding polyester - appeared in Soviet sports stores in the early 1980s. They were fashionable sleeping bags made in the GDR and were successful due to their light weight and modern materials... They clearly outperformed cotton wool, which was used everywhere. Currently, many companies use their exclusive designs for insulation. But even the "coolest" synthetics in their properties have not yet caught up with fluff - it is light, shrinks well and then completely restores its volume, it is also the best heat insulator. The down must necessarily be from a waterfowl, since it has a natural lubricant that prevents moisture absorption - otherwise it will start to rot. Eiderdown is an ideal sleeping bag filler, but quite expensive. The more common type of sleeping bag down is goose down. Its only drawback is that a downy sleeping bag is afraid of moisture, when it gets wet, it completely loses its volume, and therefore all its thermal insulation. Therefore, it is not suitable for long expeditions to places with a humid climate.

Sleeping bag shape
Bedrooms fall into two categories: cocoon and blanket. The cocoon is a sleeping bag that tapers at the bottom. Sleeping in a cocoon is warmer - this shape of the sleeping bag, in addition to saving space in the backpack, provides a tighter fit to the body and can be used for cooler hiking conditions.

The blanket is a rectangular sleeping bag and is designed for easy hikes. Such a sleeping bag, if desired or necessary, can be unfastened and used as a regular blanket.

When choosing a sleeping bag, it is worth considering it on your figure, and it is better to try it on. Climb inside your chosen sleeping bag, fully zip and secure the zipper, tighten the hood, leaving the smallest opening possible. This is the only way to check if the sleeping bag is suitable for the length. The fabric should not be stretched neither on the hood nor in the legs, so that “cold spots” do not appear. At the same time, there should be enough space in the area of ​​\ u200b \ u200bthe hands. The best option: if, with slightly bent legs, the side walls do not stretch too much. To further define width and length, consider whether you will sleep in your underwear or wear extra clothing.

Useful little things:

The zipper should be large, open and close without jamming, but with some difficulty.

The filler must be evenly distributed without lumps. It is advisable that the sleeping bag be additionally quilted in several places so that the filler does not get lost. This is especially important for sleeping bags with down filling.

Anatomical hood with a drawstring will securely cover your head. A zip around the edge of the hood will keep cold air out.

A special protective tape sewn to the inside of the zipper will prevent fabric biting, damage to the zipper and the protective coating on the fabric.

A protective inner flap that runs along the entire length of the zipper prevents cold air from entering through the zipper.

A special fastener near the hood (hook or button), preventing spontaneous opening of the zipper in a dream.

Warm collar. A special section in the neck area will help the head and neck to warm up quickly, and an additional tie along its edge will not let the cold night air inside.

Right and left zippers. One is good, but two are warmer. Right and left zippers allow two sleeping bags to be zipped together.

The ends of the zippers on quality sleeping bags are protected by an additional internal small cross-flap to prevent cold air from entering the leg of the sleeping bag.

Safe pocket for documents and valuables. The pocket should have a zipper that will prevent the contents from scattering.

Special loops in the leg part will help you hang the sleeping bag to dry, fix it or just conveniently place it.

Warming of the legs. Specially enlarged sections with reinforced padding in the leg section of the sleeping bag will allow your feet to warm up quickly.

Choosing a tent
The winter tent must be wind resistant and not blown out. But at the same time, the material must be of such density that it does not obstruct the access of air. Otherwise, condensation will form on the walls of the tent, which will make the rest uncomfortable. Also an important requirement is simplicity and ease of setting up the tent. Modern models assembled in just 30 seconds, and dismantling takes a couple of minutes. The frame is usually made of aluminum or composite materials, which makes the structure resistant to temperature changes and prevents it from bending or breaking in strong winds. The size of a winter tent, like a summer tent, depends on the conditions where it is used and the number of people.

There are small ones - for one or two people, as well as three-, four-bed rooms. There are several types of tents: automatic, frame and umbrella. The most popular models are frame and umbrella. Their design is the most reliable and stable, also, which is important, it is very convenient to ventilate them. It is better to choose a two-layer tent with an additional awning, then it will be comfortable inside and severe frosts... And when choosing a winter tent, you need to consider the most important condition- the ability to put the device for heating. To do this, the tent must be well ventilated, since such devices reduce the amount of oxygen.

Choose a tent in combination with sleeping bags. Taking good winter sleeping bags can save you money on buying a tent. And if you buy a good warm tent or a tent with a stove, then you can get colder sleeping bags. If it is impossible to take a tent with a stove, then you need to take a two-layer tent with a windproof skirt. Old tarpaulin tents are suitable for a winter hike. This material is breathable, but at the same time it retains heat well. In addition, it is not afraid of strong heat, and inside you can even warm yourself with an open fire, unlike synthetic tents. In fact, it is fire hazardous, but if you warm yourself with fire, then it is better in a tarpaulin tent than in a synthetic one.

The touring mat is the second layer of protection from the cold. The first layer is the bottom of the tent. The rug must be chosen from highly porous synthetics, preferably as dense as possible, two-layer. The heat-insulating properties of the mat will protect from the cold from the ground. One sleeping bag can't handle it. Lazy tourists take with them a small rug with a belt as a seat.

How to heat the tent.
If you are planning a family Sunday picnic, you will need a large, camping-type tent. To heat it, an apparatus of rather large power is needed, but since people get to the picnic by cars, this will not be difficult. If a two-week hiking route is supposed, then both the tent and the device for its heating are selected based on considerations of compactness and lightness. For example, fishermen on a one-day winter fishing trip use household candles or dry alcohol tablets placed in a suitable jar to heat their tents. This heats the tent outside at -10 ° C. Although dry alcohol emits a lot of heat, it smokes heavily and emits carbon monoxide, in addition, the tablets burn quickly and new ones must be constantly set on fire. But you can boil a mug of tea on it very quickly. Special mini-stoves are also on sale, which can be put in a jacket pocket.

The following items can be used to heat a small tent. Gas stove. It is convenient in that you can cook on it in a tent, and after kicking it in a dream, it is difficult to turn it over. But the tile has a very high gas consumption from cartridges, if used for heating. From the same series gas-burners... They are produced in two versions: a burner on the cylinder and a connection to the cylinder through a hose. The first option is suitable for autumn and spring hikes when the temperature environment does not fall below 5 ° C. At low temperatures, a burner connected to the cylinder through a hose is more preferable. Heaters and burners should not be confused. The first ones are more versatile and powerful, for example, 1 kW is enough for a tent with a volume of 5-6 m3. All models are usually equipped with a reflector, and a special regulator allows you to change the position of the device and set it to the position for cooking. You need to know that the ceramic gas heater is intended for heating only. The problem with all gas appliances is that even burners with gas preheating technology do not always help in freezing temperatures. If you are faced with a similar situation, do not panic, but tuck a gas cylinder under your clothes and warm it up for about 30-40 minutes. Therefore, it is better to take liquid fuel burners on winter hikes. Liquid fuels burn at lower temperatures than gas.

Gas mixtures for gas cylinders are almost all the same. These are mixtures of propane, butane and iso - butane. If you have a choice, then in winter it is better to use propane cylinders. Propane has a big plus and a big minus. The plus is that it has better volatility (boils at very low temperatures) and therefore burns even in severe frosts. And the minus follows from the plus: since it boils at low temperatures, the gas cylinders have a very high pressure, and therefore, thick walls and huge weight.

Liquid fuel heaters are fueled with kerosene, diesel fuel, gasoline. Some models are adapted for heating food. They are quite heavy, and the fuel must be carried. Kerosene or other wick ( vegetable oil or another non-volatile liquid) the lamp gives light and a little heating, but needs to be controlled over tipping, except when it is suspended, and the room requires ventilation. The potbelly stove heats the room well, and you can always find fuel in the forest. However, potbelly stoves are heavy. You can just wrap yourself up. With good thermal underwear and a quality sleeping bag, you can sleep well. But in the morning it will be extremely unpleasant to get up: everything inside the tent is cold, damp, frozen.

Other equipment

Axe. There are usually many dead trees in the forest. They are dry, easy to chop and burn great in a fire or stove. Therefore, it is advisable to take a chain saw and an ax on a hike. If there is a choice, then only an ax. It is better to take a regular forest ax with a blade weighing 0.6-1 kg.

Flashlight. The group needs at least one flashlight, powerful enough to navigate in the dark. LED models have proven themselves best. The most convenient, as practice shows, are head-ons. Better if everyone has a flashlight. A lighter is a good thing, but it may refuse to go on a winter hike, even if you wear it near your heart. Good old matches in a waterproof shell are a better option. You can grab tablets of dry fuel to help firewood: it is often not only cold outside in winter, but also damp. Household candles, tourist matches will come in handy.

Minimum repair kit. It should include an awl, threads with needles, scotch tape, twine.

A camera and a mobile phone (with mandatory spare batteries) are taken on such trips at will and need. Do not forget that your equipment may strike when the thermometer reads below zero.

First aid kit. At a minimum, you must have dressing materials and antiseptic solutions for treating wounds with you. Wounds and cuts on ice and punctures on frozen branches are not uncommon on hikes. In winter, you can take cold medications. Treatment for colds, sore throats and bronchitis can be started right on the way home. It will be useful fat cream, it perfectly protects hands and face from the piercing wind and cold. Also bring some chapstick. Most importantly, find out if the group members need individual drugs and make sure they get them.

Towel, soap, toothpaste, brush, comb, mug, bowl, knife, pot, kettle. Toilet paper is needed for everything: it can wipe both the dishes after dinner and the condensation that has fallen in the tent.

LED chandeliers for tent lighting. Operates on a pair of batteries for a very long period. They are not afraid of cold and moisture. You can also use a large PVC bottle, preferably matte, and a headlamp.

To clear the area, you can take a sapper shovel, preferably a folding one. Sometimes people take cutting boards with them, which they use to dig snow under the site and a fire, and then they are used for their intended purpose.

You must take a thermos with boiling water or tea with you. This will be practically the only drink all the way to camp. On site, you can melt snow in a saucepan and get clean water. Here you need to know some subtleties. First, snow is easier to melt than ice. Secondly, if you press the cover tightly while the snow is heating, the snow will melt faster. Thirdly, there is always dust and debris on top of the snow, so it is better to clean off upper part snow and look more accurately at the cut, it shows where the layer of mud lies, and where the pure snow lies. Fourthly, if you melt the snow in the tent, then the generated steam will freeze on the outer tent in the form of a huge ice lens. Fifth, do not pour the melted water out into the street, but pour it into a thermos for morning tea. Boiling water is faster and easier than melting snow and boiling again. By the way, almost all the food carried to the destination will arrive cold. It does not necessarily freeze into ice, but it can become covered with ice crusts with ice crystals. Therefore, you should take food that can be thawed in a saucepan.

Useful Tips

Be sure to pack money and documents in a sealed waterproof package. Place the fire so that the wind drives the smoke away from the tents. In winter, the campsite is usually chosen in the depths of the forest. This arrangement protects from the wind. Pay attention to the presence of nearby dry trees. It is necessary to exclude the threat of falling dead wood on the camp. With an abundant amount of snow, the presence of a reservoir is not necessary. Melted snow is a great source of water. We thoroughly clean the place where the tent will be set up from snow. The snow in the place where the tent is set is leveled and compacted. You can't put up a tent right away: you need to wait until the snow hardens. It is better to remove shallow loose snow under the tent, it will not be compacted anyway. Clearing the site will not take long, but there will be no bumps under the sides. For fastening the stretch marks, trees and bushes are used as much as possible, and where they are not, poles and skis. An excellent solution would be the flooring under the bottom of the tent with spruce paws. Such a flooring protects well the heat loss through the ground. And sleep is softer. The walls of the tent can be covered with snow. We cover the bottom of the tent with rugs, preferably in two layers and with an overlap.

Prepare a cloth to serve as a carpet inside the tent. Snow falling on your feet in the tent freezes and sticks to the bottom from the inside, and it is not so easy to get rid of it. If you want to warm your boots, then pack them in plastic bag and put it in your sleeping bag. To keep the gas warm in gas cylinders in the morning, you should also put it in your sleeping bag with you. Give each participant a spare box of matches and a lighting bag. Never put fuel in your tent bag. Gas cylinders can be stored with the tent, and liquid fuel, if spilled, will dissolve the waterproof film on the tent. In the worst case, the fuel can dissolve the fabric of the tent, and holes in it in winter conditions are completely unnecessary! When hiking in winter, especially in a direction unknown to you, dress in bright clothes and buy a bright tent. This will help rescuers find you in winter forest... Be sure to take your sunglasses with you. A huge light flux is reflected from the snow and in an open area it can greatly dazzle a tourist. Try to move more often. If you stop moving, you freeze more. Get some chemical heating pads just in case. They are of two types: liquid - with recoverable gel content - and dry. Dry - disposable, but weigh much less. And the gel ones are restored after boiling.

We eat right

Constant exposure to the cold changes everyone's taste preferences in favor of eating fatty, sweet and high-calorie foods. Therefore, do not forget the light, but high-calorie little things in your pocket - nuts, dried fruits, sweets. A small individual thermos will not be superfluous, so that you can sip hot at any time. For the rest, the set of products depends on the duration of the hike and the preferences of its participants, do not forget only that a full hot meal around the fire a couple of times a day is a must.

About water

Young tourists try to eat straight snow, but in no case do this. You will burn your lips and mouth with a cold, but you will not be able to get drunk. The human body can only get drunk with warm water. The peculiarity of snow water is that it is almost distilled. Of course, there is some debris from the air, but the salts and minerals that the body needs are not in it. The use of such water leads to the leaching of salts from the body. It is advisable to add a little salt to any melt water or add citric acid.

The most convenient way to store water is to pour warm water into flasks and tuck them under your clothes. The second common option is to use thermoses. You can pour water into PET bottles, then wrap them with a sleeping bag and other warm things. In the process of moving in the cold, the tourist is thirsty, and in order to avoid discomfort, he needs to periodically drink warm water in small sips.

Advice. When cooking in a pot, cover it with a large mug containing snow.

Thus, in the process of preparing food, snow is melted for tea, which saves gas cylinders, dry fuel and time.

Daily diet

There should be a person in charge of food on the hike. Even before the hike, it is planned that the group will eat during the entire hike, what products are purchased before the hike, which ones are purchased during the hike, if there is such an opportunity.
Let me give you an example of a food ration tested in practice during a winter hike.

Breakfast. Since it is difficult to cook a full-fledged porridge in winter in the cold and early in the morning, you can use ready-made breakfasts in the form of breakfast cereals. It is enough to steam them in boiling water. But to increase the energy value and improve the taste, it is necessary to add milk, fats, dried fruits there. So, what is included in the morning diet. Breakfast cereals - 60 g; dry cream or milk - 5 g; oil - 10 g; nuts, raisins, honey - 20 g; salt - 3 g. Total - 98 grams. Add the weight of the package and get 100 g.

Dinner... In summer, you can spend more time for lunch, but we proceed from the fact that during the light period it is necessary to cover as much distance as possible. Therefore, we change lunch and dinner in time. So for lunch: dry packaged soup - 25 g; lard - 40 g; biscuits or crackers - 10 g. Lunch weight - 75 g. It is better to take soups of Russian production, which must be cooked for several minutes. There are about three servings in them and they are boiled in a liter of water. Lard is needed to increase the calorie content of the diet. If you don't want to take lard, then take 70 g of dark chocolate. Carbohydrates are less efficient per calorie than fat.

Dinner at the winter crossing- the highest quality and densest meal. In winter, it gets dark early, so making a fire and preparing a hearty dinner is to transfer the afternoon lunch to the evening. The layout for dinner is as follows: can of stewed meat - 320 g; pasta - 100 g; dry mashed potatoes - 60 g; cream or milk - 5 g; salt - 7 g. Mashed potatoes with cream make it possible to gain fat overnight for the day transition.

Tea and coffee... This is a separate item, since it is very difficult to ration such snacks, they vary greatly from person to person. Therefore, tea sets are made by each person individually. But in practice, the following layout comes out: tea bags - 5 pcs. 10 g each; sugar - 75 g; coffee 10 g; sweets - 100 g.

You should also take into account the losses at the bottom of the spoon, if sugar is poured with a wet spoon, plus the sugar crumbles during use. If you do not want to be left without sweet tea, then take sugar with a small supply. Glucose in the blood in the frosty transition has not bothered anyone yet. Not everyone loves coffee, but it helps to tone up before a long run. Of the sweets, tourists prefer dark chocolate. The cookie is in third place as it crumbles. Lollipops are also handy, since they are just a "lump of sugar." But while you are nibbling on a lollipop, there is a desire to drink, which is not very good in the cold. Spices are highly recommended. They brighten up monotonous food.

The weight of dinner, lunch and breakfast is 665 g, excluding tea. The total weight of the layout per day is 860 g. This is not a very heavy layout, but not the easiest one either. You can vary the products as you like. The main thing is to preserve energy value and not to increase weight. After all, 860 g per day poured into 8.5 kg for ten days. And this exceeds the weight of the equipment taken on the hike.

It turns out that the main weight of the backpack falls on food. Some travelers take a minimum of food and refuse a full diet. But this can lead to problems. A person on difficult routes loses a lot of strength and gets tired faster without adequate nutrition.

Help with hypothermia

Until recently, it was believed that local hypothermia, and even more so glaciation, leads to damage to cells and causes their death. On this basis, in wide medical practice, as well as in the provision of self-help and mutual assistance, rapid intensive warming of hypothermic parts of the body, most often the arms and legs, in a warm bath was used. With hypothermia of the nose, cheeks, ears, they were usually rubbed intensively. But, as practice has shown, these methods are not always effective, and with deep degrees of hypothermia, it was often necessary to amputate fingers, feet and even limbs. Further study of the mechanisms of tissue damage made it possible to last years to establish that the action of low temperatures does not lead to the death of tissues, but only causes inhibition of life processes in them.

Research and observation have shown that the death of hypothermic tissues largely depends on the method of restoring its vital activity. Its uneven heating is the cause of the damage. If you quickly warm your hands or feet numb from the cold, you will warm up, first of all, the surface integuments, in which metabolic processes are restored. In this case, the heating of the deeper layers occurs more slowly, which prevents the restoration of blood flow, therefore, the surface tissues, without receiving nutrition, die.

How should help be provided to victims of hypothermia?

The main thing is to prevent rapid warming of hypothermic parts of the body, since warm air, warm water, the touch of warm objects and even hands are destructive to them.

When the victim is introduced into a heated room, the hypothermic parts of the body must be protected from the effects of heat by putting gauze and woolen bandages on them.

The dressing should cover only the area with pronounced blanching of the skin, without capturing unchanged skin... Otherwise, the heat from the parts of the body with undisturbed blood circulation will spread under the bandage to the supercooled areas and cause them to warm from the surface, which should not be allowed!

The bandage is left on until the feeling of heat appears and sensitivity is restored in the fingers or toes. In this case, tissue warming will occur due to the heat brought by the blood flow, and the vital activity of the tissues will be restored simultaneously with the restoration of blood flow.

If the victim is wearing icy shoes, clothes, do not try to take them off, but wrap them up with a blanket, quilted jacket, coat or other available material.

It is also important to ensure the immobility of the hypothermic extremities, since their vessels are very fragile and hemorrhages are possible.

To replenish heat in the body and improve blood circulation, the victim should be given hot sweet tea.
Without removing the heat-insulating bandages, the victim must be quickly delivered to the nearest medical institution.

Discipline

Any hike in the forest is extreme situation, there is nowhere to wait for help. The most important thing in a campaign is not to overestimate your strength, since such an oversight is punishable by frostbite, hunger, illness and death. During the hikes, all team members are required to follow the rules established by the group leader. By the way, before the trip, you need to choose a group leader who will monitor people, food and lead in case of an emergency. In winter, each member of the hiking group should also be instructed in the actions to be taken in case of frostbite. Also, everyone should know where the first aid kit is located. Before the hike, each participant should be instructed on how to use the equipment that is taken on the hike. If people in a group differ greatly in physical endurance, then the leader must explain that everyone will walk at the minimum speed. Any attempts to break away and split the group in two must be thwarted. There are many examples when groups were torn into two parts, and it turned out that in one group of provisions, and in the other burners. Often the broken groups began mutual searches, both groups strayed and could not meet. Do not under any circumstances stretch the group. Even if you want to relieve yourself, the whole group must stop and wait for the delayed tourist. You also cannot try to go faster than a comfortable speed. If you start to exert too much, then you can earn fatigue ahead of time or overheating of the body. High activity leads to frequent breathing, and cold air leads to hypothermia of the throat (if breathing through the mouth cannot be avoided, skiers recommend breathing through the tongue, the tip of which is raised to the upper teeth). Also in winter, during active work, a huge amount of sweat is released, which will lead to severe freezing at night. If it becomes difficult for one of the participants in the hike to carry the load, then his backpack must be scattered over the rest of the group.

Registration of tourist groups

In order to ensure the safety of tourists and provide, if necessary, timely qualified assistance on the territory Russian Federation The RF Ministry of Emergencies recommends that tourist groups and individual tourists inform the EMERCOM services of the regions about their route. Relevant information on how and where to do this is on the regional websites of the Ministry of Emergencies.

Bibliography

1. Lukoyanov, P. I. Winter sports hikes / Received: November 26, 2015 P.I. I. Lukoyanov // Physical culture and sport: practical. hands. - M.: Physical culture and sport, 1988.
2. Dubyaga, A. N. Help with hypothermia / A. N. Dubyaga [Electronic resource] // Health. - 1984. - No. 1. - URL: http://lechebnik.info/476/32.htm
3. Antonyuk, V. V. Registration of tourist groups [Electronic resource] / V. V. Antonyuk. - URL: http://27.mchs.gov.ru/helpinfo/Registracija_ turisticheskih_grupp

For citations: Zaplutaev, A.M. Winter campaign. Proper preparation / A.M. Zaplutaev // Physical education... Sport. Tourism. Motor recreation. - 2016. - T. 1, No. 2. - S. 121-130.

According to the search queries, people want to prepare for a winter camping trip. Well, I only welcome such events. But I want to draw the attention of newcomers to the preparation for such a campaign. I will not even give instructions, they are in bulk on the net and in various magazines. I will simply describe what you might encounter on such a journey.

Before you get intimidated by the stories, it's best to take note of the following points. Do not think that in your particular case everything will be fine and that all this is reinsurance. Almost all safety rules are written in someone's blood and life! The main problems that stand in the way of tourists in winter fit into a small list. It is not complete, but it is basic.

• Cold on the road, poor preparation of clothes and shoes.
• Poor organization and violation of marching discipline.
• Poor preparation of overnight equipment.
• Frozen food and lack of liquid water.
• Unfamiliar terrain and lack of communication.
• Lack of basic medicines.
• In winter, even winter gas mixtures do not burn.

Now let's go over the points in more detail.

Cold on the road, poor preparation of clothes and shoes

Winter is a damn cold time of the year for travel. If you live in warm regions, then everything is fine, but if in the region of Siberia or the middle belts of Russia, where in winter the thermometers drop to minus 30 ° Celsius, then there are problems with warm clothes. Before going out, first of all, try to stand and walk in the street for a day in the clothes that you will use on the hike. It should be warm, but not hot. If you are not frozen in the test clothes, then pay attention to the fact that there should not be a large number sweat.

Why winter clothes shouldn't be very hot? Yes, the business is that when the body overheats, it begins to hibernate and the amount of oxygen consumed begins to increase greatly. To increase the supplied oxygen, the body begins to breathe actively and sweepingly, which leads to frostbite of the respiratory tract and sore throat. Also, with severe overheating, the body begins to secrete a huge amount of sweat, which during the night will turn into an ice crust and lead to severe discomfort while continuing the hike. Better to have an extra sweater and a set of light shirts in case you sweat heavily. I recommend wearing thermal underwear under your clothes. It has a very interesting feature, correct and high-quality thermal underwear allows moisture to escape, so that the body will always be dry. A dry body without sweat is a guarantee of warmth and comfort under clothes.

You also need to pay special attention to the warmth and comfort of the shoe. If the shoes are very tight because of the thick socks, then the blood will stagnate in the leg and this will increase the effect of cold, because it requires constant renewal of blood to keep the limbs warm. Plus, the shoes should be comfortable. If the shoe rubs somewhere, then for two hiking days you will get not just a corn, but a huge bleeding hole. So, shoes must be approached with the utmost responsibility.

You also need to be careful with hats. Sometimes it is better to use a thin woolen knitted hat or something like Sivera Hunt when hiking. The fact is that the head freezes quite strongly only when the hat gets wet and you constantly start taking it off to wipe off the sweat. I also recommend getting a balaclava for a hike.

I go hiking all year round, almost every weekend, winter is no exception. Previously, there were hiking trips, but now I am interested in the development of ski tourism in the region. The next winter hike I will have on December 1-2 in the Perm Territory to the mountain Pomyanenny Kamen. And for the New Year holidays I am planning a multi-day trip to Bashkiria.

For me, winter hiking is always a fairy tale. In the mountains above 700 m, everything is covered with frost, the trees turn into fancy snowdrifts. And more warmth is felt from communication. A big break from the "ordinary" city life.

True, there is a possibility of encountering difficulties. It can be a trail covered with snow (skis will be the solution), improperly selected equipment, improper nutrition, which does not provide the required amount of heat and energy. But if the preparation was successful, even at -30 the hike will leave a good impression.

The attitude is also important: either you are waiting for the cold and bad weather, or you are setting yourself up for an adventure and preparing for it. It is possible to prepare for any temperature. I myself am hardened and perceive the cold differently, but I am guided by the opinion of newcomers who walked with me and did not freeze at -30. With active walking at -20, it can even be hot.

How do you prepare? There is a certain obligatory set of clothes:

for active walking, so as not to sweat, not to undress on the way;

for parking lots - warm;

face protection - mask, buff or ski "muzzle".

In the group, a certain amount of spare warm clothes, life blankets and chemical heating pads are also calculated.

Food is selected fatty and high-calorie, after which the cold is more easily tolerated.

Participants of the hike must be given instructions on equipment and upcoming loads / obstacles. It counts on survival, not an easy walk. But as a result of all the preparations, it is an easy walk that is obtained. The route is being worked out in such a way as to reduce the downtime in the cold - to warm up on the move or in the camp by the fire.

In the event of unplanned long camps, a fire is made or outdoor games are held. It can be snowballs, light wrestling, sometimes we just run through the snowdrifts. In order for it to be fun and not cold, even special rules are not needed, just to frolic in the snow, as in childhood, is a pleasure.

For a multi-day hike with a heated tent, we go in groups of 7 people, otherwise it will be difficult to be on duty at the stove at night. Someone may not have enough sleep, and from a lack of it, the cold will be felt more acutely.

If there is only one instructor in the hike, it is difficult when there are more than 15 people. On narrow winter paths, the group stretches out, and those who walk in front freeze while those who lag behind are pulled up to the resting place.

Although there is experience and 40 people in a winter day hike. Then we went to Nurgush in the Zyuratkul National Park. Difficulties were only for those in front, the strongest pedestrians made a path to the top. In general, the hike passed without stress and was lucky with the weather - fresh snow sparkled in the bright sun and there was no wind. The "troopers" changed often, it is important for people to feel needed for the team.

In some places we fell into the snow up to the waist, but we tuned in to the ascent to the top and reached it without getting out of schedule. There was, however, a company of leisurely walking - we gave them a walkie-talkie and regularly contacted, inquired about the condition and whereabouts. They did not reach the top, only to the border of the forest zone. There we met them on the way back, we walked to the bus together.