Winter tourism
Hiking trips in winter require specialized equipment; above all, ski tourism is unthinkable without skis and poles. Unlike graceful cross-country skis and poles - in tourism, both skis and poles are heavier, but they also have a very solid margin of safety: in a ski trip, especially a mountain one, there is a large load on the poles. Often, sticks are used to pull off the walls of a camping tent.
There are also snowshoes in our shops - for a wide range of users: tourists, hunters, fishermen, workers and just those who like to walk on the virgin lands. Due to the presence of crampons, they can be used on different terrain and snow cover of different hardness. The versatile mounts allow you to put your snowshoes on almost any shoe.
As footwear in ski tourism, either the same trekking boots as in summer, only with winter thermal socks, or insulated boots are used. Shoe covers are put on the boots - just to put it, this is a pipe made of durable fabric, sewn to the halo, or they put on gaiters. Firm Equipment manufactures and sells several types of shoe covers and gaiters - flashlights.
In addition to gaiters from the company Equipment, you can buy Baseg gaiters, similar in design, as well as insulated shoe covers from VEK, they can be worn over shoes.
In ski tourism and ski mountaineering, a kamus is also often needed - before it was made from the skin from the legs of a deer - it was glued or nailed to the skis with nap in the direction of travel, which made it possible to climb the slope without slipping the skis back. Today, kamus are made from synthetic materials and sold in the form of a tape that is released per meter and then glued to the skis, or as a finished product with fasteners for the toe and heel of the ski, which allows you to quickly remove and put on the kamus as needed.
On winter hikes, group tents are often used, in which a stove is placed. These tents are designed to comfortably accommodate a group of up to 10 or more people and are produced by the company Equipment with rectangular "houses" with a hipped roof or in the form of a 10-gon with a conical roof.
In our stores, you can pick up a stove for a tent - the VEK company produces camping stoves of various weight and compactness.
The Snarozheniye firm also produces a sled sled, which is indispensable in the tundra and on large ice-covered bodies of water and is designed for the transportation of goods on snow-covered and icy surfaces.
In our stores you can also pick up an avalanche shovel - there are several options: an ordinary folding, two-position, which, if desired, can be assembled in the form of a hoe, which is convenient when working in tight conditions, as well as a shovel with a snow saw built into the handle - with its help you can sawing snow bricks for the construction of a windscreen or igloo.
Various accessories and little things - ski covers, spare rings for ski poles, spare cables for universal mounts, resin for wooden skis, shock absorbers for fishing skis, fishing ice screws (they serve instead of pegs when setting up a tent on ice) - all this and much more is possible purchase equipment in stores.
class = "subtitle">This list of equipment is the result of many, many treks, and it is highly advisable to stick to it. If you plan not to take any of these things, it is best to inform about it in advance so that the instructor will not be unpleasantly surprised during the hike. A short version of this list of equipment is available.
Backpack.
A backpack is an invariable part of the trip, along with a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat (karimat). Once you have these three things, the basic step towards hiking has already been taken.
For men on a hike, a backpack with a volume of 80 liters is sufficient. For women - 60. You can walk with a backpack of a smaller volume, but, according to experience, some of the things will have to be tied outside the backpack. Such a backpack will not be so wind and branchy, and in case of rain these things will probably get wet. But larger sizes are welcome - as a last resort, you can tighten the straps of the backpack and reduce its volume.
Choosing a backpack on your own is a delicate matter, so we wrote a separate one: how to pack them, how to handle them, and how to take care of them.
If you do not have your own backpack, you can rent it from us.
Sleeping bag.
Tourist rug (carpet).
Carimata are designed to isolate the warmth of the body from the cold of the earth on which one sleeps. Thus, you can safely sleep on the ground without fear of freezing.
Karimats are made of fashionable polyurethane foam material. The most popular today are two-layer multi-colored karymata made in Izhevsk. You can use other models, but their quality does not always meet the requirements of hiking.
It is most convenient to carry the carpet in a special case, which is attached to the side of the backpack. Carimat rental
Seat.
It is also popularly known as "foam", "foam", "squat"... The seat is made of the same material as the mat. With its help, you can easily sit on bare stones or the ground, without fear of freezing and catching a cold. It is very convenient in the Carpathian houses when you get tired of sitting on cold benches. It is attached to the belt with a special elastic band and buckle.
Backpack insert.
Experienced hikers use plastic liners to keep things dry inside. This is usually done using large, sturdy garbage bags. As a result, everything in the backpack remains dry, even if the backpack itself is soaked through and through (this usually happens when a backpack covered with snow is brought into a warm room). Whether to use such an insert or not is your business, because you can simply pack all your valuables in separate bags, and also constantly clean your backpack from snow.
Boots.
Winter hiking boots Is a deeply individual matter. Practice shows that on a hike it is better not to take fluffy city boots with long hair for beauty and a bare sole that has worn down on the asphalt: they will quickly be killed, and you will be left without shoes.
Shoes for a winter hike are best bought in specialized tourist stores, because it is there that exactly what you need for a hike is sold.
The main differences between winter hiking shoes and urban shoes:
- 1.Ribbed sole. Keeps the foot on smooth surfaces.
- 2. Solid toe. Allows you to cut steps in the snow if it is not soft enough.
- 3.Height of the "gate" a hiking boot is much higher than an urban one. This fixes the foot and saves the legs from accidental unforeseen dislocations.
- 4. Modern insulation technologies. In city boots, there is usually fur or cheap insulation inside, which, when wet, lose their heating properties. In sports, hiking, footwear, special materials are used that keep warm, even if the feet are accidentally wet.
If you wear shoes with two pairs of socks(see the section "Socks" below), it is better to take it one and a half larger, or come to the store to measure it with socks, so that the boots do not under any circumstances pinch and rub your feet. By the way, about rubbing: it is best to carry new shoes before the hike. It is much easier to heal chafing in the city than far from civilization, with a limited supply of medicines.
It is also recommended to bring along some spare insoles for your shoes: in case of getting wet, the insoles in your boots can be replaced with dry ones, which will increase the pleasure of the hike. Ordinary felt insoles can be used.
Balaclava (buff, comforter).
This type of headgear is designed to protect the face and neck from the cold wind. Which is sometimes very unpleasant in the winter mountains. In addition, it is much warmer to walk with such a headdress than without it.
Warm gloves (2 pairs).
You can experiment here. You can take two pairs of regular ski gloves. You can take woolen gloves, and on top of them - ski gloves to keep it warm. You can stock up on fleece gloves that dry quickly and keep you warm. In any case, there should be more than one pair of gloves so that when they get wet they can always be changed.
Another good thing is to sew a loop of elastic to each glove, which is worn on the wrist. So if you take off your glove for a couple of seconds, it will not fly into the snow. If your gloves have special snap hooks, and there are eyelets on the sleeves of your jacket, then you can use them.
Shoe covers, gaiters, flashlights.
All this is the name for the same device designed to keep snow out of the boot. This device is put on at the junction of pants and boots, after which the problem of snow falling behind the collar of the boot disappears by itself. Equipment is sold in travel shops at a variety of prices, depending on the structure and convenience.
Some tourists go to rubber overshoes for chemical protection... The advantage of such walking is that the leg to the knee is inaccessible for cold snow, as a result of which the temperature inside the boot is warmer than outside (gaiters are not worn on the boot itself, therefore they do not retain heat). The main disadvantage of chemical protection shoe covers is that all the moisture released when walking with your feet remains in the shoe covers.
Spare (sleeping) set of clothes.
In casual clothes, you walk for several days in a row in different conditions: in the snow or in the mud. Therefore, changing into dry, clean clothes in the evening and sleeping peacefully in them is very pleasant after a long transition. In the morning, you change into your hiking clothes again to keep your sleeping set clean and dry.
Some people take special “sleeping socks” with them to the mountains - a spare pair of very thick woolen socks that perfectly warm their feet in a sleeping bag. If there are any, feel free to take them, they will not interfere.
You can also wear spare clothes in some extreme situations: put on them in case of severe cold, or change into dry clothes, accidentally getting wet. And even after leaving the mountains and into civilization, you want to look more civilized. The main thing is to keep spare clothes up to this point in a neat form.
Passport and money.
It is best to pack your passport and money in a separate bag to protect it from moisture, and always keep it close to you. In the case when you go to bed and put your backpack in the vestibule, it is best to take money with documents with you inside the tent.
Dishes: KLMN (mug, spoon, bowl, knife (!)).
Set of dishes Is a very important part of camping life. The dishes can be metal (and burn your hands / cool quickly) or plastic (can crack from the cold) - it's up to you. Stoneware that is heavy and breakable, try not to take it. Also, do not take too small plates and spoons: you run the risk of being hungry at a time when everyone is furiously devouring food.
Mugs are best taken with double walls: the liquid in them cools much more slowly than in mugs with single ones.
A knife on a hike is a must. His appearance is a personal matter. It can be an ordinary penknife for picking sausages, or a real Leatherman or Workbench - the main thing is, do not break the law, and do not take something that may look like a cold weapon.
Toilet paper.
The optimal amount of such paper for a weekly trip is 1 roll. Pack it in a waterproof bag and use it as directed. Or not ... Experienced hikers say there are 37 ways to use toilet paper on a camping trip. And maybe more. Experiment;)
Toothbrush, paste, soap, towel.
Toothpaste and soap are best taken for reasons of economy: for 7 days. You don't need to carry around a giant tube of paste and a package of soap: even with intensive use, you will hardly be able to spend them. You can take one tube of paste for the whole group - you can agree on which one at the start or even before leaving on the forum.
Flashlight-forehead.
As practice shows, in the mountains it is very inconvenient to occupy your hands with something. Either you need to climb, grabbing the rocky ledges, or just take the biting branches off the road. Even in the event of a need to go out, an ordinary hand-held flashlight will get in the way. Therefore, modern society has invented a forehead flashlight, similar to a miner's lamp.
The cost of such units is very different: from cheap Chinese ones to very expensive ones, for example, from Petzl. Which one to buy is up to you. Let's just say that in Chinese lanterns, the contacts tend to go off and the bulbs turn on themselves.
Matches.
Matches on a hike are an extremely necessary thing. And wet matches are extremely unnecessary. That is why tourists do the following: as many matches as possible are placed in a film box or pill box, together with the “sticks,” torn from the boxes. Such a thing will not get wet, even if it falls into a puddle, and will help you easily make a fire while on duty.
Individual medical package.
The instructor always has a first aid kit with all the necessary medicines. This, however, does not mean that his backpack is filled with packs of plasters and medicines that only you know exist. That is why it is necessary to take with you an individual medical package, from which you yourself can get the essentials for you.
If you have any disease that is “familiar” to you, and you are perfectly able to cope with it yourself, then take your proven working drugs with you. For example, a medicine for allergies, or, say, an ointment for periodically painful lower back.
Individual repair kit.
In the event of a small emergency, for example, the loss of a buckle from a backpack, the manager will help to cope with this problem on his own. But it's better if you have a needle and thread with you, a few buckles that you know fit your backpack, a small tube of glue. So you can eliminate the breakdown much faster and continue on your way.
Photo camera, camcorder.
If you take your photo or video equipment with you, do not forget to bring spare batteries or batteries. And along with the memory cards. Also, remember: in the cold, the batteries are discharged quickly enough, therefore, it is best to carry your camera and camcorder in your bosom in a special case.
Razor and mirror.
It is absolutely not necessary to take them on a campaign, there is no one to frighten. But after coming to the city, it is very desirable to look decent. This is where the razor and mirror will come in handy.
Trekking poles.
Walking in the snow is much more comfortable with such sticks. In the event of a fall, you can lean on them so as not to fall, and in the case of climbing a mountain - lean on to make it easier to walk. In general, they are created to rely on, and greatly facilitate the task of tourists on winter hikes.
Thermos.
In summer, tourists take water bottles with them, but in winter the water turns into ice. Therefore, a thermos is indispensable for a winter hike. About 0.5 liters of tea per person is enough per day. You can take a bigger thermos and share it with a friend, or you can just take a bigger thermos so that everyone gets more tea.
This article is about how to compile a hiking gear list.
“Hiking” here means a journey where they autonomously move mainly on foot, without the use of special mountaineering (mountain) equipment. (Hiking on foot in winter, not on skis, is also on foot).
To use this article like this: read the list, paying attention to underlined comments... Then you scroll down to “If you need to take more”, turn on your head and decide whether you need things from the additional points.
Personal equipment:
- 90 liters for guys and 70 for girls (check the volume depending on your needs)
- Passport in sealed packaging
- medical policy in sealed packaging
- phone in germ
- money
- toilet paper (in a bag or herme)
- wash accessories
- towel (small, light, microfiber for example)
- forehead
- to the lantern
- handkerchiefs / paper napkins (NOT wet wipes)
- (tourist rug) ( if you go in winter, it is better to take two foams or a self-inflating)
- in a sealed bag (decide on the temperature of comfort)
- (seat)
- for water about 1 liter (a regular bottle is suitable, but it is better with a wide neck and made of such plastic into which boiling water can be poured) ( in winter we replace it with a thermos)
- rain cover for a backpack (not needed if all wet things are in herms)
- personal first-aid kit (minimum: 2 bandages, iodine, pain reliever (for example ketanov, nurofen), bactericidal plaster, roll-on plaster, suprastin, loperamide, personally constantly consumed drugs)
Optional:
- camera,
- lighter, kindling in a waterproof package (mandatory if many bonfires or group splitting are expected)
- hygienic lipstick
If necessary, we also take:
- small lightweight backpack for radial exits or things in transport
- mosquito and tick repellent
- sun cream 50 units, at least 30 (in the mountains)
- sticks
- whistle (from bears)
- knife (The knife is on the list of group equipment. You should write it in your personal if you plan to share a group. Or you are alone)
- helmet
Clothing:
- (replace with "trekking sneakers" or simply "sneakers" if the route is summer and along trails)
- spare (sneakers, sandals, crocs) ( we write that the shoes should cover the toes if fords are expected)
- (from 1 pair of warm, 2 regular - trekking)
- running (light, quick-drying)
- IMPORTANT !!! shirt or with a long sleeve (for mountains - thin and light, for other places you can black) - for transitions under a backpack under the sun, so that your hands do not burn out (IMPORTANT !!!).
- T-shirts (1-2pcs)
- changeable underwear
- (insulating layer), it is good if she has a hood
- with a hood. From rain and wind. Better membrane.
- (something warm thrown over itself during parking, halts, bad weather). ( Here you have to think about what exactly is needed depending on the area and season.)
- (from the sun)
- a set of thermal underwear (top and bottom) for sleeping or in case of complete soaking of clothes on yourself (in a seal with a sleeping bag)
Optional:
- shorts
- PVC pants or membrane from the shower and as a backup (so as not to go back in transport like a bum) (remove, leave or make mandatory)
If necessary, we also take:
- leggings (if snow and / or mud is expected)
- beekeeper's hat (mosquito net) (if a lot of mosquitoes and midges are planned)
- swimsuit / swimming trunks
- neoprene socks (if there are fords)
- any gloves, you can use construction (not needed if you walk exactly in the warmth and along the trails, take warm fleece, if the event is in winter or in the mountains)
- sunglasses (needed in the mountains, open areas where there is snow, no need to go to the forest at all)
- mittens
- a cap
- balaclava (if it is colder -20 or wind)
- thermal underwear bottom (if you go with T< 0,а девушкам и в межсезонье)
- warm pants with insulation (if from -15 degrees and below)
- shoe covers are warm (in case of frost and cold boots)
Public (group) equipment
Accommodation:
- with places according to the number of participants
- trekking poles for setting up an awning ( check the presence of the participants in the PM. Necessary d for places where there are no trees)
Kitchen:
- petrol / gas for burners
- windscreen
- ladle
- flask 5 liters "bivouac" (folding bucket)
- dish cleaner
- chapelnik (if you took a pan without a handle)
Optional:
- stirring spoon
- plate
- spout-grater
- condiments
- tablecloth
- campfire rope (applicable in a dense forest)
Campfire equipment:
- hand-held saw (up to 1-2 per group)
- two-handed chain saw (Up to two per group on a hike where you need a fire. On a hike, where you sometimes go down from the mountains to the forest zone, you shouldn't take them at all.)
- kindling
Navigation:
- Navigator with downloaded tracks, currents and maps. Garmin or smartphone + Powerbank
- Paper maps + compass ( on short hikes if you are not sure about the navigator)
Connection:
Again, the list is of little help here if you don’t know what is for what, and what and how to use it. there is a separate article.
- satellite phone in germ
- push-button dialer in germ
- satellite tracker
- (2 pcs always, 3 pcs when the group is more than 10 people)
- batteries for radio stations
- herma for radio station (if a crossing is planned)
Miscellaneous:
- group first aid kit
- group repair kit
- rope or cord 30 m
- mosquito and tick repellent (or wrote in a personal message to everyone?)
The contents of the group first aid kit and repair kit will be in the following articles.
I added a rope or a repshnur here, because it comes in handy almost always if you take it into more or less rough terrain. It also instills confidence in the anticipation of certain moments, such as crossings. If you are a beginner and do not know how to use a rope in different situations, then its presence will allow you to either show wonders of ingenuity, and then still reach the sports tourists club or my training 🙂
An article describing versatile hiking gear and clothing:
About mountain equipment:
About winter equipment:
Everything seems to be. Join the group
We are publishing a short report by Valeria Glukhova about her perfect journey through Chukotka. The full story with details is still being written ...
In short, I can say this about Chukotka.
I am already far from youthful romance and my worldview is more likely either to sports (in tourism), or to kind healthy cynicism :))
But Chukotka is something incredible ...
Well. A month ago I returned from Chukotka.
They have been hindering me for a long time - why don't you write. And I’ll honestly tell you why I don’t write.
I lost my SD-card with video recordings. And lost, it seems, in Anadyr at the airport. Dropped out of the small business when I got the ticket.
When I realized this, already at home, the world almost collapsed.
But the photo, fortunately, remained. Although much of the photo was not filmed, tk. dynamics, for example, reindeer herds or elk with bears were filmed only on video. And in the end he is gone.
The mood in this sense is terrible.
At the same time - a request.
If suddenly, somewhere on the forums, information comes up that was found, they say, then keep in mind that this loser and confused is me.
Photos are slowly being processed, the story is being written, but not so quickly. You also need to work. Well, at least sometimes. :))
In short, I can say this about Chukotka.
I am already far from youthful romance and my worldview is more likely either to sports (in tourism), or to kind healthy cynicism :))
But Chukotka is something incredible.
Analyzing this month spent at the end of the earth, I understand that this route, which I endured and gave birth to last winter, is, on the whole, awesome, and we did it, though with a fair amount of work, but not in torment, but in pleasure.
The idea of the trip was, of course, to cross Chukotka, no less. But not from south to north, but vice versa. It is logical to use an airplane and a moving vehicle during the transfer, and to overcome calm and not flowing water with the help of transport - water or air. But not only cross. Another climb into the mountains. The steepest (by drop) in Chukotka. It turned out that the Pekulnei ridge, for example, is as interesting and rocky as it is not traversed. It was opened for tourism by Rudolf Sedov in the 80s; since then, there seem to be no tourists there.
We flew to Pevek, planned to stop the watch in the direction of Egvekinot at the summer station and throw ourselves into the sources of the still untouched river Pikarvaam, and raft along it. If time does not permit, then along Bolshaya Osinovaya, it is shorter, but walkable. But by chance we got on a different road (not to Egvekinot, but to Bilibino, and all because of the late spring and high water). The route we needed was not yet covered by the road workers this spring, we could not wait 10 days, so we spread our headquarters maps and outplayed the upper reaches. Thanks to chance and luck, they joined the road workers and, with a watch, threw themselves into the upper reaches of the rivers that still flowed into the Arctic, but not far from the watershed. 30 km of throwing pawn with full output weight - and we cross the Arctic-Tikhy watershed. There are deer, there are yarangas, mauts, Chukchi reindeer herders, children, tea, flat cakes, meat, as well as unexpectedly ATVs, Yamaha snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, all this equipment is at the disposal of modern Chukchi reindeer herders.
We ended up in a camp where in 2011 a film-winner of non-fiction films “The Book of the Tundra. The Tale of Wukwukai - a small stone. "
This film is searched for on the net, I saw its heroes live. Take a look.
Further, rafting along the sources of the Yurumkuveem River (we eventually met Pykarvaam, it is also a tributary of the Yurumkuveem, i.e. in the end we got to the desired place, the beginning of the transition to the Pekulnaya ridge, sailing along other sources), about 300 km along the track. Yurumkuveem merges with Bolshaya Osinova and forms Belaya.
The rafting began in the conditions of the mountain tundra, there was no forest at all, for the construction of the frame we took cross-members from salutov's oars and hollows from thick parts of ordinary telescopic FISHING RODS (!). We tested the structure at home, in total for the 50-70 km remaining to the forest, it turned out to be quite tough, but it required careful handling.
Having reached the first willow, we strengthened the continuation.
Fishing at first was only grayling. But the sugudai was beautiful.
Twice for half a day we waited out on the shore strong headwinds, which prevented us from going forward. We slept during the day. We walked late in the evening, when it calmed down, fortunately that the nights were bright.
We saw bears twice, but they turned out to be frightened by a man: sensing our smell, they fled in horror. We do not flatter ourselves and our smell (by that time we were on the route for the 1st and 10th days), but it seems that the Chukchi reindeer herders taught local bears that after the smell there is a terrible "bang". And this is good. A scared bear is much better for us than a curious one. By the way, we had a flare. One.
Having reached the mouth of the Afonikin stream, flowing from the slopes of the Pekulnaya ridge, and leaving the supply - extra things and products for the exit part of the rafting, they began to climb along it. First they tried the rope, pulling the kat on the rope, and sometimes on the oars upstream. But on the rapids it soon became clear that this was ineffective, it was easier to figure it out and stomp on foot. We carry the catamaran, since Afonkina and other rivers, tributaries of our river, Belaya, are quite floatable, and then we will turn 4 days of pawns upwards into one day of rafting down.
Immediately we stumbled into the swampy hummock tundra, and two days were quite painful. But all the same, even these torments did not dissuade me that TUNDRA is BEAUTIFUL! She is spacious, she is always promising. True, when there is no wind, mosquitoes and midges interfere very much with life, but the same thing happened on the river and in the mountains, and the tundra is also no exception, but having adapted, it was still possible to live. Campfire cooking had to be almost completely eliminated due to mosquitoes, everything was cooked in a tent, since there was plenty of gas.
The tundra turned from swampy to mountainous, rocky, daytime crossings increased by one and a half times, up to 20 km in a straight line, and the Pekulnei ridge approached. There was a lot of snow on it.
We founded the Base Camp, crossed over (strong wind and rain) one day and went to the mountain ring with an ascent to Mount Zubets (1323m), to the highest point of the ridge, Mount One-headed (1393m) and Mount Trident (1242m) - an amazingly beautiful rock tower ( the peaks are low, but the differences from the foot are from 800m to 1 km), with the passage of the Poperechnaya river canyon, with the Pekulneigytgyn and Rhomb lakes, with crust glaciers and narrow through valleys, picturesquely cutting Pekulnya. The products were taken for 4 days. But, of course, we went more, almost 6, and, of course, there was almost enough food. There were no tours at the top. Except for Odnoglavaya, where, according to reports, Sedov went. We have folded the tours, enclosed notes. There was a flare gun on Odnoglava on tour, but there was no note in the flare gun, it may have decayed.
Returning to our base (a herma littered with stones with food for the rest of the mountain ring and a catamaran, on it we will raft back to the Belaya River and further to the people), deliberately complicate the path and climb over the Vzlet pass. Sedov walked him. What if there is even a tour there and there is a note? And for sure! 7 people. July 1983. Let's go nuts for a long time! I still went to school when Sedov was here. For 31 years no one was here! Well this is incomprehensible to the mind.
By the way, I tried to call Sedov from home, but nobody answered the phone in Magadan.
We moved the Base to the north. On this day, some natural phenomenon happened, some kind of plague force wind flowing from the mountains, something like Novorossiysk pine forest, or a hair dryer, it seems that is the name.
In a word, cold air flowed from the mountains, the mountains were shrouded in such strange combed clouds, and at the foot of this cold air turned into a wild wind. We still left, tk. we no longer had time to wait. We got it hard. The backpack was torn into flight, you were thrown and pushed by its straps, your legs did not fall on the stones of the curum, in addition, in the drizzle and poor visibility, we almost got lost, but still we found ourselves, we got where we wanted. True, at the cost of some injury.
As a result, the next day I went to the ring to explore the canyon of the Ozernaya River, discovered by Sedov, alone.
There was no visibility, fog, but there was almost no wind.
Having bypassed the Southern Chekogytgyn lakes, I reached Ozernaya, and then the noise began (amazement + astonishment).
The river has collapsed, went into a canyon, I am walking along the right bank, seemingly downstream, but I am going uphill.
As a result, the walls of the canyon grew before our eyes, and the river fell into a waterfall, then into another, then into a third, and again and again !!! Three waterfalls 10, 20 and 40 meters high one after the other !!! Then there are three more, smaller ones.
And this is not Putorany! This is Chukotka!
It looked very simple!
Unfortunately, the bottomless chasms were filled with fog, and the video camera ran out of battery, so I promised myself the next morning to come running here with photos and videos again and again to shoot, which I did. But, as you know, she later lost it. All I have left are photos in foggy weather and photos taken the next day in normal weather, and even a video of poor quality, shot with a camera in the fog. But the canyon and waterfalls are at least visible there. Eh !! And I so dreamed of making a film and showing this natural Chukchi phenomenon to people!
On the recommendation of Sedov, I went to scout the tributary, which he did not have time to scout, in order to find more waterfalls. I discovered one waterfall in the canyon of the tributary. 7m. I don't think there have been tourists there yet. There were geologists, of course.
Winter is an unusual, and in its own way, wonderful state of nature. Hiking in the Crimea in winter is good and interesting, as well as in other seasonal periods of the year. Lovers of winter hikes, and there are some)), who have experience of hikes in extreme conditions, know well what and how to take with them on these, sometimes difficult, but memorable trips.
For those who wanted to try and decided to go on a winter hike with us, we will tell you how easier and better to prepare for a trip to the winter world of the mountainous Crimea, to its crystal clear transparency of landscapes, to its blizzard weather, to its sunny sparkling snow. days.
So, what do we take with us on winter hikes in Crimea?
Backpack
Perhaps the basic and carefully thought-out selection. The volume of a backpack for winter hikes should be at least 80-100 liters. Female 60-80 liters. Why? Because in winter conditions, when you need to quickly pack your backpack - a blizzard. frost, bad weather, hands are freezing - it is best to make it more spacious. Then in a backpack you can easily and technically pack all your camping equipment.
Note. Your personal belongings must be packed in:
- or, in the so-called herma bags (waterproof),
- or in plastic bags - you need to try to keep your things dry. And this is a good guarantee of success in winter travel.
Cover or cover for a backpack
I must say that everything and everyone, except rubber, gets wet. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to have this given in a set of camping equipment. A cover or a cape will protect your backpack not only from all sorts of bad weather, but also from all, not very, alas, clean luggage racks of public vehicles. The cover is easier to wash than the backpack itself.
Camping rug (better Izhevsk), aka karemat
We take TWO rugs for winter hikes! Good thermal insulation. One karemat is a bad night (cold weather). It is not bad to purchase covers for them - protection not only from the thorniness of the bush, but also from dampness. There are also self-inflating rugs. Slightly heavier than Izhevsk, but also good and comfortable. The only thing they are afraid of is all sorts of thorns and thorns.
Sleeping bag
X is a warden of warmth and comfort. In order for your sleep to be sound and calm, the sleeping bag must be matched to the temperature conditions (usually labeled as comfort t). In this case, warm (minus one) - it is a little heavier, but warm and good. And if possible with a compression bag. You can quickly and easily stuff a sleeping bag into the compression case, just shove it, at random, without rolling into a roll, your "keeper of warmth and comfort." There are two main types of sleeping bags - "blanket" and "cocoon". Best of all "cocoon" - comes with a hood - with the help of puffs, covers the head and face from the cold. For married couples, a mirror-like fastening pair is a good choice.
Tent
This is the house for the duration of our travels in Crimea and beyond. The best fit tents of a new type, lightweight, weighing no more than 1.5 - 2.5 kg., two-layer- awning and the tent itself. There are winter options for camping tents with a skirt that allows you to well protect your camping house from the cold and wind. The tent can be purchased at equipment centers (use the advice of sellers - usually specialists). Ordinary human communication, in my opinion, is much better than dry texts on the Internet. And if this is not possible, you can always use our rental equipment. Or chat with us, where we will tell you what and how best to do.
Hiking clothes
In addition to the basic gear for winter travel, there is a need and need to pay attention to your hiking clothing. Reliable quality and comfort are the main, successful guarantee, in principle, not only for winter, but also for any trip. Advanced users of forests and mountains are familiar and experienced enough with winter hiking clothing. Now they practice, and not without reason, the so-called three puffs - hiking clothes that help to feel good enough in any weather conditions.
Let's take a closer look at this ... read:
- First layer- well permeable to moisture (sweat) and warming. Thermo underwear is a new and well-practiced invention of mankind in hiking. There are for different, off-season periods of the year. For winter, we emphasize warmer thermo underwear - this will be told and advised by specialist consultants in equipment centers or tourist shops. Some users of forests and mountains have preferences for cotton underwear or casual sports shirts and T-shirts. All the same, cotton was, is and will be cotton rather than synthetic innovations.
- Second layer- also warming and wicking away moisture. Top- a fleece jacket, preferably Polartec, with a well and tightly covering the neck, a high collar, or a woolen sweater. Bottom of clothing- trousers made of synthetics (waterproof, membrane type) - dry faster, lighter and more practical than quickly wet trousers made of cotton fabrics. Additionally They take with them on winter hikes the so-called self-dumping, we are looking for the easiest options. These are waterproof pants with full side zippers for quick and easy dressing in strong weather conditions - strong wind, blizzard, rain, cold - we recommend.
- Third layer - the top and perhaps the most basic - on winter hikes, wherever, outerwear is a necessary and important component for your and our successful trip. We recommend hiking jackets in lightweight and insulated type(skiing is possible, but always with a hood). Hat and gloves or warm gloves- the primary necessity. Storming- in winter conditions, it is applied over the main, warm jacket, for additional protection from all kinds of winds and keeping you comfortable on the move. Flashlights or gaiters(worn on the legs below the knee) helps to avoid snow getting into the shoes and also gives extra warmth to the feet. Mountain shoes for winter hikes, they should also be comfortable and high enough, waterproof.
Below is a more detailed list of the necessary equipment for winter hikes:
- Jacket- waterproof, warm (storm jacket), always with a hood. For the evening - a puff (for autonomous, extreme hikes, a lightweight type - primaloft has appeared) - we store it in a waterproof bag or herm bag.
- Windproof suit- waterproof. A necessary thing in case of worsening weather conditions - it will protect you from rain and wind (this is the case with winter in Crimea - today are wonderful frosty days, and tomorrow it will rain, fog, sleet, etc.)
- Down or fleece vest... Convenient for warming on halts and in the evening when it gets cooler.
- Pants are warm, waterproof... Ski jumpsuits, with straps or oversized, are also quite suitable for these routes. Self-dumping pants are also used - with side zippers along the entire length of the pants - they are unfastened at the top and bottom.
- Polar membrane fleece jacket - polar wicks away moisture well, warms up very well and weighs very little - or a regular woolen sweater .
- A cap- the most necessary thing in winter hikes. I take two with me on my winter hikes - a thick one and a thin one, and I use it depending on the weather. It can be a woolen hat or a windblock hat or a Polartec hat. I take with me the so-called Buffka - it is made in the form of a sleeve and, depending on the weather conditions, it can be worn as a hat or around the neck. Also used in winter hiking so-called "Balaklava" - a deep hat with a slit for the eyes - from strong winds and frosts.
- Winter hiking shoes, perhaps the most important element in this kind of travel:
Even the Russian genius of military battles, the commander Suvorov, said - “Head, my friend, in the cold, and always keep your feet warm.”
Shoes should not only be comfortable and sturdy, one size larger, but also waterproof. Now the so-called membrane shoes have appeared. Recommended. In winter hikes in Crimea, it is good to use thermal socks (the choice in equipment centers is quite sufficient). If not, then as an option (we have been practicing for many years), we first put on cotton socks, and then woolen socks. When the feet start to sweat, cotton absorbs, and wool absorbs moisture and everything. This is the old, field-proven method. It is better to waterproof leather shoes (nobuk, etc.) with special impregnations (they are sold in mountain equipment stores, but expensive) or with ordinary shoe cream or some kind of fat.
- Leggings, flashlights, shoe covers - these names define protection for feet from moisture, mud, snow. During the off-season and winter, leggings warm well and keep your feet dry.
- Take with you a spare set of socks-
necessarily. One pair of dry socks for every day. Warm, woolen - for the night (we store in a waterproof bag) or new technologies - trekking or thermal socks for winter.
- Indoor shoes- we certainly take. The legs should rest after the transition. These can be trekking sandals or lightweight sneakers, or just flip flops. Now (look at the outfitting centers in Rossi - I saw them there) there are special, lightweight insulated slippers for winter holidays on the bivouac. You can walk in them in the snow and without removing, after wiping the sole, sleep peacefully in a tent. In my opinion, they are very comfortable.
- Hiking gloves or mittens- we take two pairs - you can ski or woolen. Good fleece gloves, double, with cuffs, it is warmer and the snow does not get inside. I practice one pair of thin, fleece gloves for doing things in the cold and a pair of thick gloves for warm comfort. You can take spare - in case of emergency, in a waterproof bag.
- Trekking poles- pedestrian, telescopic folding poles, convenient for various transportation. They help well on climbs, steep slopes and descents. Winter option - always with rings - do not fall into the snow. Sold in almost all camping equipment stores.
- Lingerie- one shift is enough. You can buy thermal underwear - we use thin underwear for the transition, warm for the evening and overnight. Convenient, it removes moisture well, warms, dries quickly. If this is not possible, then cotton. Cotton has always been cotton, or we take what is more familiar to you.
- First aid kit- we usually take what we use at home, our own, familiar, be sure! The instructor has a first aid kit for almost all occasions.
- Sunglasses- if there is a lot of sun and snow, they will come in handy.
- Mug, spoon, bowl, knife.
- Thermos- 1 liter. We take hot tea at lunchtime and at halts - a great thing.
P.S. In the process of getting ready, before the trip, we will be able to advise and help you (if you have any questions) in choosing your personal, winter equipment. Call us, we will certainly tell you. In live communication, it is always better and easier to understand what is needed.
