The winter mountaineering trip took place in the Berdalsbu area. It is a rugged, mountainous area with an altitude of between 800 – 1150m. The lower mountains were covered mainly in pine trees which became pine bushes as you moved higher up the mountains. The weather was perfect with the sun shining everyday but with the temperatures dipping quite low at night. This made for snow with a hard, icy crust in the morning and then turning to a melted slush in the afternoons. No fauna was seen but elk tracks were found meaning that there are some in that area.
1. Did you achieve the goals for the trip, if not, explain ?
The goals for the trip were to work on our ski skills, leadership, navigation and trekking in the mountains and living in a snowhole. I feel that our goals for this trip were achieved. We were broken up into two groups for a skiing trips and within these groups, we were each required to lead a particular section of the route. This meant that we had to navigate correctly to the spot intended and to ensure the safety, fun and comfort of all group members. We followed a trail for some parts of the skiing but also took bearings and followed them off-trail for some parts. It was great to gain some experience leading and navigating in the mountains. Unfortunately, due to the snow conditions we were required to use skins on our skis which meant that we couldn’t work on our ski skills as much but it was still quite good to experience the skins and learn about mountain cross country touring.
2. What were your main challenges working in a winter environment?
For most people, the snow hole was a main challenge. The chosen location was great but the snow proved to be quite solid – almost like cement – and this meant that it took longer to build. It also meant that we did not make it to be as comfortable as we would have liked due to tiredness and loss of motivation. Living in it was another challenge. Trying to change without getting wet proved very difficult and sleeping was very tight and squishy which definitely tested any claustrophobic tendencies. Another challenge that arose was navigation. Navigation in the snow is harder as the snow makes it difficult to see particular points on the map – for example lakes. We also got the summer and winter hiking trails mixed up from time to time. These challenges though were only minor and were able to be overcome.
3. What kind of shelter did you use, how did it function?The shelter used on this trip was a snow hole. It gives the impression of being a very cold sleeping arrangement but it actually proved to be quite warm.
To build a snow hole you need to:
- Look for a suitable location to build the snowhole. The best places for these are at the top of short, steep slopes that are covered in a deep enough layer of snow (Langmuir 2013).
- To begin digging the snowhole, you need to dig three to four metres into the hill. The size of this hole should be about the size of a person standing.
- Sleeping benches are then dug out to the left and right of this corridor. These need to be deep enough for someone to lay down in, wide enough for the amount of people in the group to sleep comfortable and with a ceiling height that allows people to sit upright in the snowhole (Approximately half a metre). The reason for the sleeping benches to be higher than the corridor floor is so the cold air moves down and out, leaving the warm air to rise and fill the sleeping bench area.
- The next task is to smooth out the walls so as to avoid dripping.
- Lastly, using branches, frame the entrance of the snow hole. Using blocks of snow, cover the branches and surround the entrance with blocks of snow. This reduces the amount of cold wind and air that can enter the snow hole.
- A spot for a candle can also be added to the inside of the snow hole. This is neccessary as it alerts the group to how much oxygen is in the snowhole. If the candle extinguishes not due to wind, then there is a lack of oxygen in the snow hole and thus the door should be opened up a little more.
For us the snow hole functioned well but definitely could have been bigger. On our bench was three people and there was very little room to move and I struggled with this. I’m hapy to sleep in small spaces but when I am squished in with other people I do not enjoy it, so a few nights of rough sleep were had by me. However, it was reasonably warm, we had no issues with oxygen running out and we were sheltered well from the cold.
4. What are the most important learning outcomes regarding the equipment you used on this trip ? The important learning outcomes for me regarding the equipment used on the trip include:
– Always bring a shovel when touring in the snow as it may be needed in emergency situations, including having to build an emergency shelter or in the event of an avalanche.
– A map and compass are your best friends on any outdoor trip. They allow you to follow where you are, describe what the terrain is like and can help you if you’re lost. These were vital on our trip.
– Avalanche probes are also important to have when touring in the mountains as not only can they reduce searching time for someone trapped under an avalanche, they can also assist in testing the deepness of the snow where a possible snow hole construction may take place.
– Skins are a great way for people that really struggle with skiing to tour in the mountainside. It allows them to climb up mountains with ease and slide down without the risk of falling.
– Water is important. Water should be consumed regularly to avoid dehydration which occurs regularly on snow trips due to it being quite cold and people feeling they need not drink as much.
5. Skiing with a heavy pack is challenging, how did you cope?
I am a very weight – weary traveler when doing outdoor activities. I always ensure I have enough equipment to survive but try to keep my pack as light as possible. On this snowhole trip I tried to keep my pack as light as possible but when touring in winter, it really seems near impossible. Skiing with the heavy pack was fine though. I had no issues with it. It was certainly tiring and did test the balance to some degree but because we were using skins, we weren’t falling over a lot and thus kept a nice, steady pace. If we were not on skins, I would have struggled more as I would be picking myself up from the ground so often. But overall skiing with a heavy pack was fine.
6.Nutrition, what did you eat, how did prepare your food, could you improve on your menu?Our meal plan was as follows:
Breakfast:
– Day 1: Muesli with chocolate powder and banana
– Day 2: Muesli with chocolate powder and banana
– Day 3: Muesli with chocolate powder and banana
Lunch:
– Day 1: Ham and cheese sandwich
– Day 2: Tin of tuna and raw vegetables
– Day 3: Tin of tuna and raw vegetables
Dinner:
– Day 1: Pesto pasta with mixed vegetables and sausages
– Day 2: Rice with curry sauce and mixed vegetables and sausages
Snacks:
– Fruits such as bananas and apples
– Vegetables such as mushrooms and carrots
– lollies and chocolate for quick energy
– herbal teas
All the breakfasts and dinner were cooked in a Trangia using gas while the lunches and snacks were prepared beforehand. Overall I was quite satisfied with this menu. It was easy to prepare, practical, healthy (apart from some of the snacks) and tasty. However perhaps more calories were needed particularly due to the large amount of calories expended whilst skiing.
7. How many calories did you expect to use per day and did your menu cover this requirement? I expected to use quite a large number of calories per day but I certainly feel as though we used a lot more than expected. After looking into it, most sites say cross country skiing burns between (at least) 500 and 900 calories per hour depending on body weight, the terrain and the speed. I think the food menu we created covered this requirement. There was enough protein to generate muscle repair and carbohydrates to increase the amount of glycogen stored in the muscles. More snacks perhaps needed to be taken to keep energy levels up throughout the day but overall the menu was sufficient.
8. Avalanches
Avalanches occur when a large mass of snow and ice rapidly descend down a sloping mountain surface. Some of the triggers of avalanches include:
Overloading: The weight of the snow on the mountain top increases so much that there is no longer cohesion to the packed snow underneath. (Natural Disasters Association, N.D)
Temperature: Higher temperatures create softer snow that weakens the snows cohesion and lower temperatures increase the tension and brittleness of a slab of snow (Natural Disasters Association, N.D). Winds can also create convex slopes which are the most common places for avalanches to begin.
Slope Angle: From approximately 25 degrees of slope angle, an avalanche can occur. Your ski poles can be used to test slope angles. (See picture below)
Convex slopes: This is when wind blows much snow over the top of a mountain and creates a slope that is more convex. With a mixture of temperature rise and gravity, the snow on the slope can detach and begin an avalanche. (Canadian Avalanche Centre 2014).
Avalanches safety tips:
– Evaluate constantly, the avalanche hazards and risks
– Avoid areas with fresh accumulations of win-driven snow
– Very steep slopes near ridges in shady areas should also be avoided
– Always travel with someone else and alert others to your route plan
– Always carry a shovel and avalanche probe
– Learn to use the rescue equipment
– If caught in an avalanche, try to cup your face so as to allow some space for breathing when the avalanche has ceased. This will lengthen your liveability time.
– When an avalanche occurs, time is of the essence. Call a rescue team and begin probing the area immediately to find any lost and trapped people.
– Do evaluate the avalanche risk before attempting a rescue
At the end of the trip I was exhausted. It was certainly a challenging trip but also a very educational one. I learnt a great deal about navigation in the snowy mountainside, avalanches, weather, how to build snow holes and cross country skiing. Overall it was a great trip!
Reference:
Canadian Avalanche Centre 2014, ‘Online Avalanche Course’, <http://www.avalanche.ca/cac/training/online-course/terrain/slope-angle> Viewed 30/5/2014
Fsavalanche.org N.D, ‘Convex Slopes’, <http://www.fsavalanche.org/encyclopedia/convex_slope.htm> viewed 30/5/2014
Langmuir, E. (2013). Mountaincraft and Leadership. British Library.
Natural Disasters Association N.D, ‘Avalanches’, <http://www.n-d-a.org/avalanche.php> viewed 30/5/2014
National Geographic 2014, ‘Avalanche Safety Tips’, <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/avalanche-safety-tips/> viewed 30/5/2014
Roberts, Barry 2010, ‘Guide to Avalanche Survival’, Planet Fear, <http://www.planetfear.com/articles/The_PlanetFear_Guide_To_Avalanche_Survival_351.html> viewed 30/5/2014
