The location
The camp was close to Lake Kyrtjonn (North of the university). The site was on a dead end track in a forest in a small dip, this gave shelter from the wind and meant the group was able to set up their tents on the snow covered track, this meant that the tents were not directly under any big over hanging branches that could brake under the snow that was covering them.
What does the recreation act tell me?
The Act of 28 June (1957) allows members of the public to have access to nature for outdoor recreation according to chapter 1. The Act (1957: chapter 1) states that “any person is entitled to access… at all times of the year, provided that consideration and due care is shown.” The laws do differ between cultivated and uncultivated land however as the camp was located on uncultivated land and due to the site chosen being off a major path it is fair to say that there would be no problems to having a camp at this location.
Organising the camp
When choosing a site to put your tent it is important to consider some of the following to ensure that you have a good nights sleep.
1: flat/level ground
2: clear of trees/bushes
3: a small distance from other tents
In order to make a base/platform for the tent to sit on (as the ground was under several feet of snow) Werner (2009) suggests the skier should trample the snow over the area where the tent and guidelines, it is better if you start with wearing your skis before using your feet.
The use of snow pegs was necessary as the pegs had to be in the snow rather than the ground; other groups used their ski poles (sticks) for this job however I felt as the conditions were good this only meant that the poles (sticks) became a hazard when walking past them. The group started to dig tracks from the tent to the rest of the group (to make it easy to move around the whole camp) making a space around a close tree provided an area to store shovels, axes and other group equipment when not in use, this was to insure that everyone knew and could find the tools when needed.
The storm kitchen
The group made a large area close to the tent for cooking. Two types of fuel were used to cook with one being gas and the other red spirit.
Below is a list of the pros and cons of each of the two different stove tyoes that were used during the trip.
|
Gas |
Redspirit |
||
|
Pros |
Cons |
Pros |
Cons |
| no mess | adjustable heat (not in cold weather) | Easy to light | Slow to cook on |
| gas freezes in cold weather (have to store gas in jacket or sleeping bag) | slow to cook on in cold weather | Can light in cold weather | Non adjustable heat |
| Low temp reduces gas pressure | Messy | ||
As MSR (2013) and Kirkpatrick (2014) state, cooking time in cold weather using both types of fuel can increased due to either the pressure loss in the canister or the ambient temperature of the pots that are away from the heat source. This was found to be the case on the trip. Techniques to try and insulate and shelter the stoves seemed to have little benefit.
Staying warm
Getting to camp: Research by Wu (2008) and later research by Laing et al. (2011) shows that having a wool layer next to the skin will allow the individual to sweat but stay warm unlike wearing a man made fabric like polyester next to the skin, the individual can then add layers when needed, these can be insulation or protection (depending on the weather) to help keep warm or dry.
Picture from Long (2014)
At camp: When everything is set and you are sitting around the camp fire it is important to have additional clothing (such as a down jacket) that you can add to your layers to keep out the cold. During the night: A down sleeping bag will keep you warm all night. If you require additional warming while in bed you can take a thermos flask of hot water next to you, if you slide this into a sock or thermal cover it will stay hot till the morning.
The campfire
There are many ways to build a fire as Youngquist (2013) shows with some like the Criss-cross lay that give lots of hot embers and the Tepee that will burn quickly. I have found that sometimes combinations of the two mentioned can have benefits. The Tepee lay first will get the fire going which you can then turn into a Criss-cross lay when adding more and larger pieces of fuel. Using silver birch bark as tinder will allow you to start the fire. Using your knife to make feather sticks will also help to establish the fire in the early stages.
Collect enough fuel to last for the amount of time you want the fire to be going, this like the making of the base for the tent takes time but when done will save time and effort.
Dinner
Armstrong (2006) states that exposure to cold can lead to dehydration which can cause problems as the cold weather means that participants do not feel like drinking (in the way they would if the weather was hot). They also state that living and working in cold temperatures increases the resting energy requirements of an individual which Tharion et al. (2005) also found, which means that this extra energy cost needs to be meet with the food that you consume. Hesterberg (2013) found that in cold climates the body requires more energy to maintain the body’s core temperature. According to Mariscal-Arcas et al. (2010) energy from carbohydrates is higher than that of other sources. Burke et al. (2007) states that nutrient rich carbohydrate foods should be used with more protein foods for the recovery stages of a trip (that being once the trip is over). During this trip the group chose to cook bread, rice and pancakes for the carbohydrate content with vegetable for their nutrient content.
Impact on the environment
To lower the impact of the trip on the environment one fire pit and one toilet area were made for the whole group to use. The group built a signal to indicate the toilet was occupied, this consisted of a large stick in the snow, if sticking up the toilet was free to use; if the stick was laid down on two smaller sticks it was occupied.
References
Armstrong, L. E (2006) Nutritional strategies for football: Counteracting heat, cold, high altitude, and jet lag. Journal of Sports Sciences, 24 (7), 723-740.
Burke, L.M., Kiens, B. and Ivy, J. L. (2007) Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery. Journal of Sports Sciences, 22 (1) 15-30.
Hesterberg, E. G. and Johnson, R. K. (2013) Nutrition in the wilderness: An exploration of the nutritional requirements of backcountry travellers. Nutrition Today, 48 (6), 262-266.
Kirkpatrick, A. (2014) Cold weather stove performance. [Online] Available from: http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view/cold_weather_performance [Accessed 23 February 2014].
Laing, R. M., MacRae, B. A., Wilson, C. A. and Niven, B. E. (2011) Layering of fabrics in laboratory tests combinations as outdoor apparel. Textile Research Journal, 81 (17), 1828-1842.
Long, M. (2014) How to layer clothing for each season. [Online] Available from: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/a/11070/How-to-Layer-Clothing-for-Each-Season [Accessed 31 May 2014].
Mariscal-Arcas, M., Carvajal, C., Monteagudo, C., Lahtinen, J., Fernadez de Alba, M. C., Feriche, B. and Olea-Serrano, F. (2010) Nutritional analysis of diet at base camp of a seven thousand meter mountain in the Himalayas. [Online] Available from: http://www.elsevier.pt/en/revistas/-/artigo/nutritional-analysis-of-diet-at-base-camp-of-13187685. [Accessed 22nd February 2014].
MSR (2013) Canister stoves vs. Liquid fuel Weblog. Summit register: The mountain safety research blog. [Online] 24 May 2013. Available from: http://thesummitregister.com/canister-stoves-vs-liquid-fuel/ [Accessed 23rd February 2014].
Outdoor Recreation (1957) The Act of 28 June 1957 No. 16. [Online] Available from: http://www.regjeringen.no/en/doc/Laws/Acts/outdoor-recreation-act.html?id=172932 [Accessed 22nd February 2014].
Tharion, W. J., Lieberman, H. R., Montain, S. J., Young, A. J., Baker-Fulco, C. J., DeLany, J. P. and Hoyt, R. W. (2005) Energy requirements of military personnel. Appetite, 44 (10, 47-65.
Youngquist, k. (2013) Campfire construction – How to build a fire. [Online] Available from: http://www.primitiveways.com/Camp_Fire.html [Accessed 23 February 2014].
Werner, P. (2009) Pitching a winter tent on snow. [Online] Available fom: http://sectionhiker.com/pitching-a-winter-tent-on-snow/. [Accessed 22nd February 2014].
Wu, H. (2008) Measurements of Moisture Transport within Multi-layer Clothing Assemblies Consisting of Different Types of Batting: A Factorial Design Analysis. Textile research Journal, 78 (11), 988-995.