29-03—–04-01-2016

Winter Mountaineering at Berldasbu-Berdalen

This trip was the biggest and the last one in which we were skiing. We (outdoors) were going to Berdalen- Berldasbu area, near Howden, to North of Kristiansand. In Kristiansand at that time was +8-10 (day time) compared with Berldasbu sub-zero degrees. The location was full of snow-perfect for skiing, a lot of rivers, lakes (most of them were covered with snow), there were trees, bushes, lot of hills and higher peaks. Also definitely there were some animals, you could notice traces of foxes, rabbits, birds, even Tim (one of our leaders) said there was possibility he noticed wolf traces. Weather conditions around Berldasbu were different with each day: snowy- cloudy, sunny-windy, day time quite warm when the Sun was shining straight at us, at night cold, last night was -15 degrees.

Talking about the food for this trip, now I had to prepare or bring with me proper meal, because I needed to keep good energy level for four days of working with snow holes and skiing with big rucksacks. So as usually I made food plan: 3 meals per day- breakfasts, lunch and strong dinner. For the first two breakfasts I ate 5 cooked in the boiling water eggs, a lot of energy and protein. Next 2 breakfasts I ate meatballs and canned food (turkey) which got high energy, fat rate and proteins too. For lunch I didn’t wanted to eat a lot of food, because after we were always physically active, and at this case it wasn’t very good idea to make your stomach full because then it’s much harder to move your body. So for the lunch I always ate some peanuts and sweats from Lithuania-Chalva (150g-600-700 kj) and dark chocolate for energy too. For the dinners, after all activities, I always prepared strongest meal of the day, to get back energy. First two dinners with proper equipment ( kitchen in DNT cabin, storm kitchen) I warmed up some cooked chicken with buckwheat and vegetables like broccoli, carrots, paprika- nutritious meal with lot of carbs, proteins, kj. For the last dinner I ate dry food, which I again prepared in my storm kitchen and it had about 1000 and more kj.

So early in the morning me and one friend from outdoors took the buss to Berdalen and left Kristiansand for not full four days. The goals of this trip was to practice orienteering and leading with map and compass while skiing, practice to dig snow holes and emergency shelters (recognize and find good spots to dig them), learn how to act in areas like Berdalsbu in different weather conditions, learn how to deal in winter mountaineering trips, team building and more… When we get to Berdalen, first thing that I noticed was snow, because there were a lot of it. All outdoors and group leaders (Len and Tim) met at the parking spot, gathered all needed stuff, separated snow saws, shovels, avalanche probes, divided in to 2 groups Len’s and Tim’s (I was in Len’s), prepared and waxed our skis and went towards to Berldasbu DNT cabin. Before leaving of course our group leaders told us about first day’s plan-and it was to ski about 5-6 km. find perfect spot and dig there snow holes. From the beginning of the skiing, each member of our team time to time had to go in front and lead few kilometers all group. By going more further and higher it was harder to orientate, because snow covered lakes, rivers, skiing road, features that are visible in the map. The pace of the group had to be not too fast and, leaders who were showing the way, had to control they speed, all the time look after for other team members and if some are slower wait for them. When I was at one moment leading member I was doing many mistakes. Firstly I’m really bad at orientating and the skiing road was covered with snow, so not once I were confused about the road, I tried to follow red dots, road signs on the trees, but still I was really unsure about my decisions. Secondly, I was doing bad ski tracks, but later I corrected this mistake. Third, I set too fast pace for slower group members, they always were far behind me, I could see them but, in bad weather conditions, for example snow storm I would had lost them. Also when I was waiting for them (slower ones), as they caught rest of our group, I didn’t  make any rest minutes for them and was just keep going further, what’s really steal a lot of energy. Later the sky was really cloudy, no sun, and we were really very slow because some of our group members were hungry, exhausted of caring heavy backpacks, and they barely could ski further. Because of this Len and Tim decided that this day we are not going to dig any snow holes, just after skiing rest and sleep in the DNT cabins. Who don’t know DNT cabins are hut’s where everybody can stay and sleep there for money (members of course have to pay much less), with cookers, gas, beds, with no water- you have to melt snow or bring it from the river, lake or other water source around area. DNT cabin’s working on people trust, because in them there is no owners or other stuff, so honest people write their names on guest list, write their bank accounts and later pay for facilities they used.

When we finally reached DNT hut’s we gathered in to them, set the fire on the ovens and get warm. Also we were told by the leaders what is our plans for the next day, what we have to do before leaving cabins and after this all rest of the day we were just a little bit playing outside, preparing dinner, relaxing and playing some games inside. After this day I was feeling really well. I wasn’t tired at all, big rucksack didn’t made any troubles for me, maybe just for balance while skiing. I was in shape because last self organized trip I just survivde first day’s “hell” and I was prepared for this trip.

Next morning at 9 o’clock after breakfasts and cleaning the cabin, we all gathered outside, waxed our skis and both groups by skis went to different directions. Today’s plan was to find good spot for digging snow holes, dig and sleep in it. Weather was very good, sun was shining, weak wind and warm. No needed any extra clothing and big rucksacks so I was feeling on skis like a fish in the water. So our group were skiing around and searching for deep snow on slopes and higher places. All the time when our team noticed good looking areas for digging, we checked it with snow probes. Len explained us how to do that- probes are about 2 and maybe 2 and more meters, so you have to stick the probes in to the snow straight, 45 degrees, down, few meters away from the first stick to check if there is no rocks or other obstacles, and make sure if it is good place. If probes can get in to the snow with all its length and in all directions I mentioned then it means you can try dig in that place. While we were searching for the digging place, Len and Tim let us play on the bigger slopes, because there was all day in front and we didn’t had to rush. It was really nice, without any big backpacks going down the slope, I felt very light and I was doing it really well compared with the past. After we find and decide where we want to dig our snow holes we get back to DNT cabins, took our stuff and went to GPS’ed areas to start working for shelter. Before we started to dig we separated in to snow hole groups, Len explained that our starting entrance had to be wide as our shoulders, like more less 2 meters deep and height like tallest person of the group, maybe less. Also, Len offered to dig inside wider to fit more comfortable snow hole members, and showed techniques how to work with shovel and snow saw. We had to dig snow in shape of small blocks, because it is faster. With saw we had to start working when we get inside and start to shape sleeping benches. Then we were cutting with saw big blocks, and saving them to close our entrance in the end. To dig and fully prepare (cover entrance with blocks) snow hole for our 4 members team it took more less 3, 3 and half hours. I think we done it quite good, but in the end we had to improve a little bit, because our entrance roof was really thin and it could collapse any time, so Len told us to put more blocks on that thin place, because next day when sun will be shinning, it will protect weak spot from melting and collapsing.

While one of us, later 2 and 3 where digging snow hole (by changing works with each other) , other team members prepared table to prepare food later, tea, some snow benches to sit, so we were all working. Later in the evening we had a lot of time so we went on skis to a river for fresh water, we prepared some dinner in our storm kitchens, talked about next day’s plans with Tim and Len and enjoyed with amazing view and panorama of the mountains, peaks and nature.

To describe this day- it was full of new life experience in winter mountaineering which we get by doing things by ourselves.

Third day our plan was to ski around the area where we were staying all day long, get on some peaks and practice some group leading and orientation. The night sleep in snow hole for me was not too hot, other ones was complaining that they in the morning was wet because of heat, and not too cold, so perfect. But I made some mistakes, I put tarp on my sleeping bag, so in the morning the outside of my sleeping bag was wet because of body heat condensation, which couldn’t get out throw the tarp. Second mistake was that I left my ski shoes on the sleeping bench overnight, so my boots in the morning were frozen, and I started this day “journey” with freezing toes. So as we were arranged in the morning after some breakfasts we all met near DNT cabins, separated again into Len’s and Tim’s groups, and moved towards higher peaks. Today we again were going with lighter backpacks, so for me it was really easy to ski up the hills. Day was more cloudy than yesterday, more chilly and more windy, especially there was big wind when our team were going up the peak, because the road was like a valley between hills, and the wind gets faster there. While our group were skiing, we had to change the way leaders time to time and carry the group where Len pointed on the map. I wasn’t leading this time, but I always kept looking in to the map and try to follow, notice the features around me (lakes, highest peaks, streams…) which are illustrated in the map. Time to time we were stop, because we didn’t needed to rush. At one stop Len for us gave one game, exercise to check our orientation. We had to ski blinded straight in front. Everyone were going more to left or more to right, but not straight, and this game’s purpose was to show us that we can’t trust on our feelings when we are going somewhere and trying to orientate, we must use map and compass. After some time wind get really wild ( we had to cover even our faces), and some of us were a little bit cold, so we decided to get back to our snow holes, get some lunch, take warmer clothes, then after while meet again at DNT cabins and go practice to dig in the snow emergency shelters. Skiing back down the peak was really nice, it was fast and I could practice some turning skills. After lunch, as we planned we found good place to dig emergency shelters. We had to dig in to the ground (wide-like your shoulders or less, length like skis or your body, deep- till your hip height line). Again digging technique was- to dig snow in shape of blocks, which had to be saved for covering the roof in the end. When our “coffins” were wide and deep enough, we also had to dig rabbit hole, from which we could get in to our snow shelters. After we done with the “rabbit hole” we had to make roof for our shelter, put one pole on between shelter wide sides, and then on the pole put your skis and on them snow blocks. I again make few mistakes, my shelter was too wide and too long, so it was longer work, and my skis didn’t fit well across on the top of the shelter, which make covering much harder. These kind of shelters are good for extra case’s, when you get in to the snow storm, get lost or just something happened that you can’t go any further, because inside of them you can cover from the wind, it’s warmer (but not warmer than snow holes), you can quite fast prepare it, and near the rabbit hole you can put one of your skis, so then it will be easier to find you. Of course, you also can improve it by digging cold weather gap and sleeping bench on the side of the shelter. After some practice with digging emergency shelters Leaders (Len, Tim) told us what we are going to do next day and leave us to do whatever we want. So rest of the day I was playing with skis, preparing some dinner by melting snow in the storm kitchens. After dinner we all went to the snow holes, because outside were almost dark and really cold.

Second night in the snow hole was good too. This time I didn’t put tarp on my sleeping bag, that’s why it was dry in the morning, and before I went sleep, in the snow shelter I melt and boiled some water in the storm kitchen. So because of storm kitchen it was a little bit warmer inside and I pour water from storm kitchen in to the plastic bottle and put it in to my sleeping bag so I get little bit warmer. Also I packed my ski shoes in to the plastic bag and put it in to sleeping bag too, so my shoes in the morning were wet but warm.

In the morning again after some breakfasts, we all met at the DNT cabins, divided in to 2 new groups, because Len and Tim decided that put better skiers in to one group, and have more skiing with them and less experienced (like me) in to another group (there was also few good skiers), to practice more way leading and orientating with map and compass, but go slower. Also our plan was to get back to Berdalen, parking spot where we left our cars and get back home. So after second group separation, Len select first way leader, told us coordinates where we are and where have to go and we moved. This time we also, before leaving checkpoints, had to say how much time it will takes to reach next stop point, we had to say direction (north, south, west, east), compass arrow degree. At first because of heavy rucksack it was hard for me to keep good balance on skis, so I felt down more than other days, but when I warmed up I was fine. While we were searching for the first checkpoint and features which can help us on the map, most of us were confused and even didn’t knew where we are, so after very long time we finally get near the first checkpoint, and then with new way leader instantly moved to second one. But we were really slow, so I think Len changed the plan and after while, he just started to give us simple coordinates, and almost all the time we were leading in the straight way, near the ski tracks. Also Len explained that we can orientate by choosing one big, or well visible object in front of our direction, and follow it. After while we all get o the parking place, gave back all borrowed stuff, put skis and backpacks in to the cars. Then we all two groups and leaders stand in to one big circle, we again fast shared with this trip goals, we talked about what we done in this trip, experience we get, food, clothing, shelters about mistakes we made, about what we need to improve for the next trips, things in where we are weak, strong, about accomplishments…After this we all say good bye to each other and went back home.

This trip for me was the biggest and one of the most challenging. I get so much new life experience in outdoor life, living in the mountains and snowy areas by doing things, which I could use in the future and teach fellow Lithuanians too. I’m feeling more outdoor now like never before. About group dynamics, cohesion I don’t have what to say, because before this trip we were already like a fist and now It’s more… So all in all this trip was the last skiing trip this semester and the most precious trip talking about experience I get.