19 of January Location: Jegersberg, Kristiansand
This trip took place in a local area in Kristiansand. It is an close to the University campus,perfect to do hiking, biking and enjoy the nature. You can go there by walk and find a lot of tracks, lakes to swim (not in winter, they are frozen), buildings to observe birds and another things related with the outdoor life. Also you can camp, sky and enjoy the nature in your own way.
We did this trip with the goal to learn new aspects about the life in the forest, in winter (hard winter!!). We only stayed one night (29 of January), enough to start.
I think that Jegersberg was the perfect place because is near to the city and bring us a lot of opportunities to start to learn. In our class are people with different levels of experiences in the winter outdoor life. Maybe this is because we come from countries with different climates (Australia, Spain, Germany, England…). For example I come from Spain and I had experience in camping, but never in winter and snow. So this was a new and exciting experience for me.
Learning outocmes:
When I saw on the schedule that we will go to camp in the snow I felt very happy. This would be the second time that I slept outside, in midwinter and in Norway! It was an unbelievable announcement.
The plan was start to walk at 15:00 from university to Jegersberg.
We were organized in group of 5 persons. Each of these groups was to provide themselves with the necessary things for a comfortable night (tent, trangia stove, gas, knifes, food to search with the others, base wax, map and compass etc). Therefore we had to carry the back pack and the skis.
The learning process on this trip started in Jhone´s classes when he tried to explain us how could we prepared our heavy back pack.
CLOTHES:
– In the first place you have to check the weather forecast to make sure the clothes you’ll need. Is recommended provide with enough clothes when you go to spend a night outside in winter. Of course, this process will depend of the kind of weather (windy, snowy, rainy …) That day was cold and snowy, maybe the temperature was 1-2 ºC but we had to walk 4 km to the base camp.
This mean that we needed:
- Clothing during movement:
Clearly the rate of heat loss is determined by the work-load as well as by environmental temperature. We can achieve the best body temperature by wearing multiple layers of clothing which can be taken off or put on as circumstances require. If you are walking or in motion is advisable to wear lightweight and breathable clothing.
- Clothing without movement:
When you stop walking or on the move, if your clothes are wet with sweat, you have to change and wear thermal clothing to maintain body heat.
Obviously, if is windy you have to wear windbreak jacket; if is snowing or raining you have to change your clothes and wear waterproof clothes.
The different conditions that may occur in the mountains forces us to have multiple clothing options. The most practical is to design a system of layers of clothes combining specific features. Normally we can talk about three layers:
Layer 1: This layer is in contact with the skin. Her function is both the warm as the removal of damp caused by perspiration. Therefore they must be woven that do not absorb water and very breathable.
Layer 2: The main function is the heat, not forgetting perspiration. They are more bulky garments which are based on the retention of the hot air generated by the body.
Layer 3: Are the clothes we wear in contact with the outside when conditions are severe. Its function is to isolate the wind and moisture (snow or water) to keep the heat generated by the body. It is very important that they are breathable and waterproof.
HATS, GLOVES AND “GUETRES”:
It is essential head protection because through it we lost much body heat. Therefore is recommended to wear a hat.
Gloves to protect our hands is also important. However, is recommended the use of mittens, because fingers stay together and keep the heat better.
“Guetres” are essential in winter to keep snow out of the boots.
PACKING A RUCKSACK:
One of the most difficult of camping skills to acquire is that of being able to separate essential from non-essential items to equipment. But we have know that the total load of the rucksack should never exceed one third of our body weight. Also, the order of the things is very important:
The backpack should be snug against the back and organized so we can easily catch what we will need immediately. The heaviest element should go in the bottom of the rucksack to avoid off balance while walking. Is suggested to use a polythene liner or specific waterproof dry bag to protect the contents.
It is important to get a good fit to your body size and shape. The critical measurement is from the nape of your neck to the small of your back.
ACCESORIES AND OTHER TOOLS:
– Water aluminium bottles: we can boil water and put it inside of the bottle, then you can put a sock around of the bottle and use it to keep your body warm inside of the sleeping bag.
– Thermos: whenever we go to sleep we should boil water and fill the thermos. It is very important to conserve hot water to the next morning
– Compass and map of the area that we are going to camp.
– Accessories to make a fire: matches, lighters and some dry wood to start the fire.
– Other important tools: knife, shovel, extra clothes (wool clothes are really warm), long rope etc.
FOCUS: CAMP LIFE FOREST WINTER
– Organizing of the camp:
The first thing that we did was make a safe space to put our tent. We used the skis and the shovels to compact the snow and prepare the ground. When we finished this task we cut pine branches to put on the ground, under the tent (It’s a good way to insulate from cold and moisture).
The priority is to set up camp and put the rucksack inside the tent to avoid getting wet.
We must not forget that, if is snowing, all the things that are outside of the tent can be buried by snow. So we have to put all stuff together in a safe place.
The second thing that we did was make a fire (collect old and dry wood) and build a “toilet area”. This area should be far of the camp and signposted. Everybody have to know where this area is and use it.
– Storm Kitchen:
- Red spirit kitchen: we have to put the red spirit liquid inside the stove, then start it with a lighter or a match. We have to be careful at this time, and we have to consider the next item: recipient have to be partial open, if is not open can explode.
- Gas kitchen: we have to install the gas bottle, open it and light it. Then is already to work. This kind of stove is more comfortable than the last kind of stove.
– Stay warm:
- Clothes: one of the most important thing to stay warm when you stop to walk is wear warm clothes, protect your feet and your hand to keep your body warm.
- Fire: the fire can be used to cook and make heat.
- Hot drink and food: it suggested eat and drink hot, because this can bring warm to the body. In addition, when we are outside we spent a lot of corporal water to keep warm our body, so we have to drink a lot to replace it.
- Movement: if you can’t keep warm your body, you have to move it. Go walk or run. Make big circles with your arms to distribute the blood in the extremities.
- KEEP CALM!! : We are a group and we work together. We have to take care with the others. Ask them if they are ok or if they need something.
TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More
– Campfire (which type at this time of the year?):
- A lot of kinds of campfire are existing but depend of the time of the year you have to choice the best kind. For example, in this trip we use “pagoda fire”.
Pagoda Fire flares up quickly, lit well and gives nice glow for cooking. Excellent as camp fire. It fades quickly if you do not fit it carefully. We have to put the biggest logs in the background, creating a base on which the rest of wood. We can prepare, with our knife, small pieces of wood to light the fire. Once the fire is on we can collect more firewood and put it around wet to dry it.
– Dinner
- What is important?
Food is of paramount importance in the success of any expedition. Not only is it physiological necessity but it has important psychological benefits too. Food of sufficient quality and quantity will help to maintain the motivation to complete an expedition and to enjoy it, whilst reducing the risk of injury and fatigue.
Also water is one of the most important nutrients in our diet when we stay outside with low temperature. Of course, when is cold is suggested to drink hot drinks (chocolate, tea, water…)
- How to make a “luxery” 3 dishes dinner at a storm kitchen?
Interesting links: HOW TO USE TRANGIA STOVE?
http://www.trangiastove.co.uk/index.php
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Trangia-Camping-Stove
Your Trangia stoves which comes in 8 pieces:
- a frying pan
- a handle
- a kettle
- a burner
- a couple of pans
- the windshield that comes in two parts – the base and the top half
Therefore you have a lot of possibilities to cook.
My group (Erwan, Katrin, Olivier and me) decided to cook the next meal:
Dinner first night:
– Main plate: rice + vegetables with tomato soup + salmon + salad (apple and kalrots)
– Dessert: banana chocolate.
Learning experience: we should choose another kind of food, because we had to wait a long time to cook the rice. Was a big amount of rice and the kitchen didnt work well.
Breakfast:
– hot chocolate
– polenta
– apples and kalrots.
Lunch:
– sausages
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