Activity:
Orienteering from HokusPokus around Nedere and Overe Jegersbergvann, up to the sightseeing point on Kollen and back to Spicheren.
Testing of equipment:
Soft shell Jacket and trousers which are wind resistant are perfectly fit for a cold and dry day – put on a down jacket “warm layer“when resting to make sure you don’t get cold.
Warm lined winter boots should be waterproof as snow might melt around it and drying out wet boots is nearly impossible in a winter environment.
Adjust your layers of clothing according to changes in weather, activity and terrain in advance. Make sure to stay dry and at a comfortable temperature throughout the entire trip. Don’t make the mistake and step on brown ice. Ice layers will be thinner near to the shores because of waves and outflows (streams, rivers). Maybe even more importantly, don’t be fooled by snow covering the ice! There has been word someone fell victim to a vicious boot-hungry troll just next to the lake we started our small campfire.
Benches should be cleared of snow if possible. Cover the cold surface with needle rich branches and / or a sitting mat for better insulation.
Wood saw chains are very effective and lightweight and therefore a handy tool to bring to any trip in the woods. However the possible downside of bringing a saw is that it encourages to cut down living trees which should not be done unless it is needed in a serious emergency.
Lessons:
Map & Compass
Make sure to choose a map scale suitable to the experience, route and weather when planning the tour. Keep your map and compass handy and make sure you know where you are on the map at all times. While orienteering, look for distinctive structures marked on the map. Remember that a lot of the features on the map (e.g. small streams) might not be visible as they are covered by snow. Furthermore keep in mind dense forests will block the view of more distant features, so make sure to stick to your compass bearing. Always keep the scale of the map in mind while keeping a close eye on the watch to keep track of the distance.
Do not rotate the map as doing so will constantly mess with your orientation. Get into the habit of moving yourself around the map rather than moving the map around.
Fire starting
When encountering the problem of wet wood, birch bark is an easy solution. It contains turpentine oil and burns even when wet, excellent for sustaining the first flames. If there is no birch bark to be found, a small piece of treated tinder in a dry-pack can get the job done just as well.
Lighters for short trips very effective. In general, fire steel is more reliable and therefore a good choice for longer trips.
Structure of a campfire: dry tinder / bark in the centre, small branches around, slowly feed the fire, do not choke the flame! Also do not blow on the fire too vigorously, or you will burn through the dry branches before the wet wood has yet had a chance to dry out.
Packing
If an item doesn’t serve at least two different purposes, don’t pack it!
Shelters
Using features such as rock walls, caves or trees, basic shelters can be put up very quickly. For more comfort, these can then be improved upon by adding cold air traps, a rabbit hole entrance, a fire pit or (snow) walls for wind protection. Remember that the primary purpose of these shelters is to get you out of the wind.
This trip, we talked about the tree shelter in more detail. A rudimentary shelter of this type can be built around any sizable tree with dense branches reaching to the ground. The sleeping area is created by digging the snow out from around the tree and loading the outside with branches and snow. It is also advisable to improve insulation from the ground by covering the floor with a layer of green branches.
Group Dynamics
Loud and highly energetic conversations throughout the whole trip mark the forming phase of Tuckman’s 5 stage theory of group development. During this first phase people first get to know each other and might be trying to impress.
Few groups of friends not breaking up, mostly formed by language and region of origin.