Winter hiking

It is known that the success of any enterprise depends not so much on the season, but on the degree of training of its participants, as well as the availability of the necessary equipment.

In addition, winter hiking has a number of advantages.

Advantages of winter hiking

The first and most obvious advantage of winter hiking is the weather conditions. Another common misconception people still believe is that it is always very cold in the mountains. 

Winter hiking

In fact, it may be so warm during winter mountain hikes (especially if it snowed the day before) that a person who is wearing light clothes (thermal underwear, fleece and a T-shirt) feels comfortable.

Fewer people

There are a lot of tourist groups in summer, but everything changes in winter.  There are fewer people during the winter season and it is the main advantage of winter hiking.

Winter hiking

In addition, the chance to see wild animals in their natural habitat is higher. And footprints in the snow immediately attract your attention.

Landscapes

Landscapes are especially picturesque in the winter season.

View of Ararat

Whatever you choose, a regular hike or an ascent to the top of the mountain, you are guaranteed an unforgettable experience and great photos.

Calmness

Nature seems to freeze and many animals hibernate during the winter. So there is a peaceful silence all around.

Frozen Trchkan

You hardly meet some people from other groups but your friends only. Thus winter hiking is a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of a big city and put your thoughts in order.

Physical activity

Any hike gives you the opportunity to get new impressions and train your body muscles at the same time.

Winter hiking

Physical activity is even more intense in winter, especially if you walk in the snow.

Two main rules for winter hiking

In addition to the basic rules (follow the formation, keep up with the group and go along with other participants), there are two main rules for winter hiking. Please, remember that the rules exist to make your hike more comfortable and relaxing.

Choose the appropriate clothes

Before going on a hike, you need to take care of the clothes for the winter season. The perfect clothes for winter hiking protect you from wet and wind and keep your body warm.

Dress in layers

To avoid wet and hypothermia, it is important to adhere to the following rule: dress in “layers”. There are three main layers of clothes for winter hiking:

• The main (thermal layer)

Thermal underwear is the first layer that effectively dries sweat and maintains an optimal temperature of your body.

Thermal underwear

• Medium (fleece)

Fleece and a light jacket should be worn over thermal underwear. The middle layer retains heat for a long time.

Fleece

• Waterproof (windproof)

The third layer is designed to protect against wind, rain and snow. It is recommended to choose a jacket made of waterproof material.

Hiking jacket

To summarize, let’s notice that hiking in winter is as pleasant as in summer. However, it is important to take care of your safety. When choosing clothes for winter hiking, follow simple rules. Remember that each layer of clothes should maintain dryness and the body heat and provide reliable protection against frostbite and hypothermia.

Winter hiking gear

Do not forget about such items of equipment as hiking boots, a warm hat, etc.

Hiking boots

Hiking boots are a mandatory element of hiking equipment, which we recommend purchasing first.

Mountain hiking boots come in a variety of styles: from simple but functional to “fashionable” and rather expensive. Read more about how to choose boots for mountain hiking in our article.

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Hiking Boots

Travel gaiters

Gaiters are designed to protect against snow and moisture and prevent your feet from getting wet.

Gaiters should be selected for hiking boots.

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Hiking Gaiters

Thermal socks

Thermal socks perform the same task as thermal underwear: they effectively remove sweat and keep your foot dry.

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Hiking socks

Hiking trousers

When choosing hiking trousers, it is recommended to adhere to the same “principle of three layers”. However, if you are going for an ordinary hike  (not in the high mountains), wearing thermal underwear and ordinary waterproof trousers is enough.

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How to choose hiking pants?

Thermal underwear

Wearing thermal underwear during a winter hike is vital. No other clothes remove moisture and retain your body heat so effectively.

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Thermal underwear

Fleece

It is recommended to give preference to fleece made of synthetic material, as it retains the body heat more effectively. It still keeps you warm for some time even after getting wet.

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What is fleece

Hiking jacket

It is the third and the last layer. Wearing your hiking jacket is extremely important. It performs several functions at the same time – prevents your body from getting wet and provides warmth and wind protection.

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How to choose hiking jaket?

Besides the clothes mentioned above, you need some additional items of equipment for winter hiking.

Gloves

The cold is felt in the extremities, so it is important to protect not only your feet, but also your hands. So, in addition to thermal socks and hiking boots, you need hiking gloves. It is recommended to buy two–layer gloves, the inner layer of which is made of fleece, and the outer layer is made of any waterproof material. The fleece layer provides warmth, and the outer layer protects from moisture.

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Hiking gloves

Buff

The buff is a multifunctional scarf made of lightweight fabric to protect you from the sun and dust in summer, or of thick fleece to protect you against wind and snow in winter.

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what is a buff

Hat

The most suitable models for winter hiking are lined with fleece, which provides additional protection for your head and forehead.

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Hiking hat

Sunglasses

Contrary to a popular misconception, sunglasses are needed not only in summer but in any season. Ultraviolet radiation in mountainous areas is so intense in winter that it may even cause snow blindness.

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Hiking sunglasses

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Hiking and trekking tours in Armenia

Vahagn and Astghik waterfalls

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Hike to Mount Mets Parakhadem

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Three Hawks Trail

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Hike to Mount Dimats

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Climbing Mountain Aragats

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One-day hike to the Lakes of Aragats

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Ascent to the Northern summit of Mt Aragats

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Climbing Volcano Azhdahak

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Yeranos Mountains

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The main problem is choosing a place of overnight. Because we will need a large supply of water for preparing dinner, washing dishes and replenishing supplies for the next day. There are two main ways to find water, which are the most sensible and practical. That is, we will not consider exotic methods shown in survival films, where water is extracted from the trunk of an elephant or from the bark of a tree.

How to Find Water Sources in the Mountains 

You can:

• find a natural source of water: lake, river, mountain spring
• melt snow or ice (if any)

As a last resort, you can also collect rainwater or morning dew in waterproof fabric, but let’s admit that this method is not so practical, and is not really needed in Armenia.

The knowledge of the first two ways should be enough for us for the rest of our lives. However, there is another important point – water filtration. We will also talk about this.

Water sources in the mountains

The hydrographic network in Armenia is very dense due to the mountainous terrain. The water in the fast flowing mountain streams is also relatively clean. That is why rivers, large and small lakes and snowfields are always found on routes. Water in alpine rivers and streams flowing from snowfields is potable. However, its mineralization is very low, and in order to avoid dehydration, it is better to drink such water with the addition of isotonics, or at least a little salt, sugar and citric acid.

By the way, the same can be done when melting snow or ice. Be a little more careful with the lakes, especially if it is a small, endorheic shallow lake, for example, Lake Nazeli (Badi), Lake Gosh and so on. Remember this point, at the end of the article we will definitely talk about water filtration. Now we will present you the routes of Mount Aragats and the Geghama Mountains, with well-known sources of water, where you can replenish your supplies.

Mount Aragats

There are two well-known routes: the standard one, starting from Lake Kari, and the second – along the Gegharot gorge from the village of Aragats. If you start an overnight hike from the Gegharot gorge, you can collect a supply of water directly from the river, but you need to use it only after filtering. Continuing the way up the gorge, you need to look for snowfields where you can melt the snow and turn it into water. But you need to consider that in summer months, the snowfields disappear, or are very dirty. Therefore, this is not the best option. However, if you find yourself in a situation where there is a question of survival, then the snowfields and lakes located under the Northern peak can save your life.

Water sources in the mountains

From Lake Kari to the southwestern saddle and crater there are two accepted places for having an overnight. One of them is located right on the saddle, the other in the crater. The crater has streams flowing from snowfields and forming one large stream that flows down and forms the Gegharot River. Water from the crater stream is drinkable (40.50872 ° N, 44.19115 ° E). But this water also needs to be mineralized, and you need to be attentive to the yellow-whitish parts of the stream. It is better not to drink water from there, since these yellow traces contain sulfur, which is very toxic.

If you decide to spend the night on the saddle, then there is also a snowfield, which basically persists all summer. A little lower, close to Lake Kari, there are streams that flow under the stones and in some places come to the surface, flowing over the stones.

There is one very convenient place on Aragats, where the stream flowing over the stones resembles small waterfalls, which is very convenient for collecting water. (40.49885 ° N, 44.17096 ° E)

Water sources in the mountains / Lake Kari

This stream is especially suitable when you are returning from the North or West peaks of Aragats, when you are tired enough, the water supplies have run out, or the water in the bottle has warmed up and got an unpleasant taste from plastic. Hikers love to stop here to wash up, drink plenty of water, replenish supplies and continue their way. According to the calculation of the middle group, you need another two to three hours to go to Lake Kari, and there is no more convenient place on the route, so this source should in no case be missed.

A little lower from Lake Kari, in a clearing on the left side of the road, there is a small source of water by a small pond. (40.47247 ° N, 44.18675 ° E)

Geghama Mountains

Let’s look at the accepted route “Sevaberd – Lake Akna – Azhdahak – Lake Vanki – Goght”.

Starting from Sevaberd, before reaching Seghanasar, there is a water source in the very first Yezidi camp. Yezidis say that they don’t drink water from there and bring drinking water from the village. Our entire group, including children, drank water from this spring, because we had to spend the night there, and we had no other choice. Oddly enough, nothing happened to us. But the water, of course, is a little dirty and needs to be filtered. The following water sources are located directly on the western slope of Mount Seghanasar. These sources are two small endorheic but clean lakes. Again, you can drink water after filtering it. (40 ° 16’19 ″ N 44 ° 52’45 ″ E)

Then follows Lake Akna, where the water is also drinkable. On the northern shore of the lake, where there is a gazebo under the eastern slope of the volcano Shushan, streams with drinking water flow. (40 ° 16’19 ″ N 44 ° 52’45 ″ E)

Water sources in the mountains / Lake Akna

From here we continue our journey to Mount Azhdahak. After climbing we go down to the southern foot of Azhdahak. Here, from the southern slopes, streams flow from snowfields, which a little lower turn into narrow, but quite abundant water streams. This is a very convenient place to have an overnight, because firstly, there is a source of water nearby, and secondly, it offers a fascinating view of the mountain peaks of Spitakasar, Nazeli and Vishapasar. (40.21835 ° N, 44.96194 ° E)

The next water point is the area called 7 springs. It is located in the gorge leading to Lake Vanki, at the foot of Mount Vishapasar. This area is quite wet and marshy, but there are streams with clean water, as well as springs created by local shepherds in order to collect water. The place is convenient for having an overnight. There are many flat surfaces for camping. (40.17380 ° N, 44.93358 ° E)

The next source of water is near Lake Vanki. Not far from the lake there is a small metal bridge under which the river flows. After crossing the bridge, turn right and go along the river, then near the shore you will see a pipe from which comes clear drinking water. There are usually shepherds there. If you ask, they will show the exact location of this source. (40.16179 ° N, 44.90414 ° E)

Water sources in the mountains / Lake Vanki

There is a long way from Lake Vanki to the village of Goght, and the need for another overnight stay arises. The road from the lake leads down. After passing about two kilometers, we reach a ravine covered with greenery. A river flows here, and thyme and wild mint grow around. Right in the ravine, under the rocks, there is a convenient place for camping. You can have an overnight here or just replenish your water supplies. (40.14254 ° N, 44.88344 ° E)

From here you have a long road down to Goght. Almost at the end of the road, at the last turns, there is a large willow tree with a spring and a gazebo under it. This is the last source of our route.

Water Filtration 

We have learned where to find sources of water in the mountains, now let’s understand how to filter water.

Water pollution can be of three types:

• mechanical – muddy water, the presence of large particles, soil, dirt
• biological – microbes, viruses and infections
• chemical – various toxic substances, heavy metals

Water sources in the mountains

There is also radioactive pollution, but we will not consider this type, since it is a slightly different area, and in the mountains of Armenia this problem is unlikely to threaten us. If mechanical pollution can be seen with the naked eye, then biological pollution can not. The chemical pollution depends on the composition of the water and on whether the substances dissolved in it have changed the color or smell of water. Fortunately, in high mountain streams and lakes we are mainly concerned only about mechanical pollution of water and partly biological. These two are relatively easy to deal with.

*Boiling water

Boiling water effectively and almost completely kills microbes, viruses and other organic contaminants. That is the advantage of it. However, boiling water requires a large amount of energy and time, the possibility of which is limited in autonomous hikes. However, boiling water does not neutralize chemical and mechanical pollution. The likelihood of chemical pollution in mountain lakes is very small, since in such places there are no chemical plants and other man-made objects that can pollute water. Livestock can be the main cause of water pollution in the mountains. Be careful, they like to lie and cool down in small ponds and pollute the water with their secretions.

*Chlorine

Chlorine effectively kills germs and bacteria. And, unlike the boiling method, it takes several minutes and saves “precious” gas. You can take chlorine tablets and chlorine bleach with you. Be careful that that it is fragrance-free and contains only chlorine. Chlorine should be gradually added to water. As soon as you feel a slight smell of chlorine from the water, then this is already enough. Wait about 15 minutes and you can drink water. Water undergoes such treatment at water supply stations before it reaches our taps. Today there are special tablets based on chlorine and iodine that are designed to disinfect water.

*Lifestraw filter

Here, we would like to highlight the portable LifeStraw water filter. Filters of this type operate through membrane layers. The porosity of the membrane is very small – 2 microns in diameter, which stops any mechanical and biological pollution.

Water sources in the mountains / Lifestraw filter

These filters are so small and light that you can even carry them in your pocket. The length of such filter is 22 cm, and the weight is 5 grams. Initially, these filters were created for African villages, which have a serious problem with drinking water. LifeStraw filters purify turbid water and make it completely clean and transparent. Now they are widely popular among hikers, tourists, lifeguards. Considering the relatively low price, it is definitely worth having such thing in your backpack.

*Self-made filters

The simplest filter for cleaning mechanical pollution can be made by yourself. To do this, you will need a bandage, crushed stone, activated carbon and cotton wool. Take a 1-liter plastic bottle, cut off the bottom and arrange these materials in order. First cotton wool – at the very bottom, then coal, crushed stone and several layers of bandage on top. Your filter is ready. It is the simplest filter that purifies water from mechanical impurities, and activated carbon partially removes dangerous chemical elements. In such filters, the components must changed frequently, because after passing a large amount of dirt through them, the filter becomes clogged and loses its cleaning properties.

Be careful, do not forget to drink plenty of water and always always keep an eye on your water supply.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Useful Information

How to prepare for winter hiking

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Water Sources in the Mountains

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Winter Camping Tips

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How to Pack a Backpack

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Avalanche: How to Avoid?

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Winter camping tips

During the day, a long walk takes a huge amount of energy from us and overloads our muscles and other organs. All this must be restored with proper nutrition and sleep. We have already talked about nutrition, and now we want to show you some winter camping tips.

Not getting cold is the main guarantee of a good healthy sleep. When the body freezes, it begins to expend more energy to protect against hypothermia and frostbite. As a result, you can’t sleep well and in the morning you feel sleepy and exhausted, instead of being healthy and full of energy.

Get Prepared for an Overnight

• First, you need to carefully study the area where you plan to hike. You have probably noticed that this advice is the first one in any situation. You should always study the area first. Even if you take a tour and a professional guide accompanies you, you still have some responsibility for the successful and safe hike. Therefore, do not sign up for a hike without knowing anything about the area and relying only on a guide.
• Choose equipment suitable for the terrain and conditions, especially the tents, sleeping bags and mattresses. If you have the right sleeping bag and mattress, then you will not freeze, so you can stop reading this article. Okay, this is just a joke. Be sure to read it as you always need to be competent in the matter of safety, regardless of your camping equipment.
• Warm up your body before entering the sleeping bag. The sleeping bag does not have active particles for heating; it simply isolates you from the outside world, with your own temperature. And if you enter the sleeping bag frozen, you will get warm much later. Roughly speaking, instead of heat, the sleeping bag isolates your “cold”. Therefore, before entering the sleeping bag, you should do a light workout or drink hot tea. However, after drinking tea, you will be forced to wake up in the middle of the night due to “natural needs”.

Camping tips

• Take care of your natural need before you go to bed, so that you do not have to leave your newly warmed sleeping bag.
• Have a special bottle with a wide neck for emergency cases when it is impossible to get out of the tent due to the extreme cold. You can leave it in the vestibule of the tent. Just be careful and sign this bottle, not to confuse it with a bottle of water.
• Sleep in warm clothes. Although this is an arguable point. The thing is that if the clothes are too thick or too tight, they can interfere with free blood circulation. In addition, thick clothes leave very little space for air, and we warm ourselves thanks to the warm “air pockets”.
• Protect your head and legs from the cold. You can wrap your legs in a fleece towel or a fleece, not too thick jacket. Make sure to put on a hat, because with frostbite of the head, the consequences can be very unpleasant and dangerous for your health. However, you should not wear a tight balaclava or hat that will press on the blood vessels. It is better to wrap your head in a scarf than to put on a tight hat. There are light fleece hats that work well for an overnight in tent.
• Protect your sleeping bag from cold ground. If your mattress is thin, spread an extra rescue blanket, and put an empty backpack, jacket, and any soft thing around your legs and waist to keep you away from the cold ground.
• Eat frequently. Food gives our body a burst of energy, and then heat. Eat foods rich in carbohydrates and proteins, drink sweet liquids.

Camping tips

• It is advisable to have special clothes for sleeping. It should be soft and comfortable. In this case, fleece material is ideal. It is always more pleasant to sleep in fresh, warm clothes. And the thermal underwear that you wore all day will have time to dry before the morning.
• Ventilate the tent. If your tent does not have small windows for ventilation, then slightly open the entrance zipper of the tent from the top. If you do not ventilate the tent, with each exhalation, condensation will accumulate on the walls of your tent, and the resulting moisture will contribute to freezing more.
• Use heating pads. You can use special salt heating pads, or pour warm water into a plastic bottle and place it in your sleeping bag.

* Be careful to remove the bottle from the sleeping bag as soon as it cools down.

* Do not pour boiling water into a plastic bottle: it can melt. Water should be hot, but not boiling.

• If there are several people in the tent, lay close to each other. This way you will warm each other. If there are three of you in a tent, then the person who freezes the most should lie in the middle. This way he will be better protected from the cold. If necessary, you can connect sleeping bags and lie down together. This provides a lot warmer conditions than if you sleep separately.

In general, here is a piece of advice: overnight in a tent is a sacrifice of your usual comfort zone. Anything can happen during a trip, and you may be forced to face challenges that require other people to invade your personal space, regardless of gender or your relationship. Especially if you need to provide emergency assistance to a person, or if you need help. Let’s not go deep, the idea is clear.

Never heat the tent with a gas burner. Gas burners for camps emit a large amount of carbon dioxide, which is a threat to life in enclosed spaces.

You can turn on the burner for a very short time only after you have properly ventilated the tent.

One more tip for your gadgets. To prevent the batteries of your gadgets from being discharged too early, place them in your sleeping bag during the night in a tent, or store them in a backpack, wrapping them in warm clothes.

We hope that these winter camping tips will help you stay warm and have an unforgettable outdoor experience.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Hiking Equipment

Gear List for Climbing Mount Ararat

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One Day Hiking Gear List

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How to prepare for a backpacking trip

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List of equipment for technical ascents

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How to choose a hiking hat?

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How to charge your gadgets while hiking?

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Hiking Flashlight

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How to choose hiking socks?

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Hiking Gloves or Mitten

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It will take time and frequent trips to gain experience and learn how to pack your backpack properly. Therefore, do not get disappointed if after reading this article you do not immediately learn how to pack a backpack.

The diagram below applies to backpacks for multi-day trekking, since under heavy loads the proper weight distribution becomes extremely important. You can also be guided by this principle during one-day hikes.

How to pack a backpack

• First, let’s imagine the principle of sorting a backpack by items:

1. In the lower part of the backpack, we pack relatively light, but large-sized things – a sleeping bag, some items of spare clothing, an air pillow, etc.
2. The heaviest gear should be close to the back, from the waist to the shoulders, so that the strong muscles of the back and waist take the bulk of the weight. Thanks to the proximity to the back, the center of gravity will not be disturbed. If you make the bottom of the backpack heavier, you will feel a lot of pressure down. And if you concentrate the gravity at the top, the backpack will swing, and the center of gravity will shift. In addition, if the backpack does not lie on your back, you will feel the weight of the backpack more strongly. As a rule, metal things, a tent, spare shoes, food for the camp are stacked close to the back. In the front part of the backpack, you need to stack things that are a bit lighter than the heaviest things – clothes, food, various tools, and appliances.
3. At the top of the main section of the backpack, you need to put fragile items, and essentials: a flashlight, a power bank, a raincoat, a hat, glasses and so on. Those are the things that we use most often during hiking.
4. We advise you to put the first-aid kit in the top pocket of your backpack, so that in case of an accident, nothing prevents you from quickly getting it from the backpack.

• The size of the backpack should depend on the length of the route and the number of days. Both an inappropriate small backpack and an oversized backpack will cause inconveniences.
• Do not pack your backpack at the last moment. It sounds quite logical, but usually people are lazy or simply do not have time to do this in advance. Make a list, put everything in front of you, and start collecting your backpack in the correct way. After putting each item in your backpack, make a note on the list.

Then, start to doubt that you forgot to put something, disassemble the entire backpack, make sure you have not actually forgotten anything, and start the whole process again. Repeat it at least three times.

• In addition to weight, follow the principle of necessity. Pack a tent, a sleeping bag, food, a gas stove and all other things for the camp, on the bottom of your backpack, put spare clothes there too. A light snack, sweets, a flashlight, gloves, a hat, a jacket and other similar things need to be put in the upper part, so that you can have a quick access to necessary things while walking.
• Distribute food by day; arrange it separately in small bags. It is more convenient and economical than taking a whole box of tea, coffee or oatmeal with you. Food can be wrapped in cling film. This way it will be protected from water and take up as little space as possible.

• Be sure to bring a protective cover for your backpack. Otherwise, you risk wetting the entire contents of the backpack in case of heavy rain. Modern backpacks are made of waterproof materials, but water can get inside anyway. Once wet, the backpack will become heavier and will quickly wear out.
• Try not to hang anything on your backpack. For some reason, some people like to hang most of their belongings on a backpack. Boots, appliances, tent, mattress. If the last two can still be understood, due to their large size, then hanging shoes or dishes on a backpack does not make sense. Firstly, the shoes may get wet and damaged, and the dishes will make noise and get on your nerves. All this will shift the center of gravity of the backpack and make you look very unprofessional.
• Use compression bags to keep things separate. Sort clothes according to their purpose – nightwear, for easy walking, spare, dirty. This will make it easier to navigate.

• The tent can also be placed inside the backpack, regardless of size. You can place the tent in a compression bag, or disassemble the entire tent, separate the outer tent and separately put them in small compression bags. And the arcs and pegs can be tied to the side ropes.
• Always tighten the ropes all the way, so that everything fits snugly and the contents of the backpack remain immovable. It is both convenient and safe.

Perhaps that’s all. After reading these tips on how to pack a backpack, try to pack your backpack correctly few times. Try different combinations until you figure out which one works best for your backpack. Then, try to quickly find the thing you need, not destroying everything inside. Repeat in your mind and try to memorize everything. This will help you in emergencies and save you a lot of time.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Useful to know

How to prepare for winter hiking

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How to protect yourself from venomous snakes?

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Water Sources in the Mountains

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Altitude sickness and how to prevent it

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Acclimatization at high altitude

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Winter Camping Tips

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How to Pack a Backpack

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What is Dehydration

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Avalanche: How to Avoid?

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Water in human body

Dry air in high altitude conditions contributes to dehydration. When we inhale a dry air it “absorbs” moisture from our body, and when we exhale the moisture leaves our body with the breath. But most of the body liquids are lost during sweating or vomiting and even because of diarrhea. These are problems that may occur during difficult mountain trekkings. Therefore, you should remember that in such situations the injured person is especially vulnerable.

During intensive physical work, especially during cyclic sports (running, hiking, cycling, swimming), our body loses various trace elements more intensively: salts, electrolytes, which are very important for metabolism. After all, it is the minerals that are responsible for regulating the rate of fluid absorption by the cell membrane, and for the process of dissolution of water in the blood. If these substances are not enough, the body begins to weaken, the metabolism is disturbed. Also, it contributes to the development of other diseases, such as hypothermia, sunstroke or mountain sickness.

How does Dehydration Occur

So, when can we assume that the body is dehydrated? How does dehydration occur and how to deal with it?

Dehydration can be conditionally divided into three degrees:

• Mild – 3-5%
• Moderate – 6-9%
• Severe – more than 10%

To be clearer, simply use this thought: you should not be thirsty. If you are thirsty, then dehydration has already started. The easiest way to avoid this is to drink water in small sips during any activity.

During moderate dehydration following symptoms will appear:

• Thirst
• Dizziness and headache
• Hangover
• Dry mouth
• Weakness, fatigue
• Frequent and shallow breathing
• Fast heart work, 100 cuts per minute in a calm state
• Decreased body temperature, especially in the limbs

If you notice all these symptoms, then the situation is getting worse and can lead to serious pathological consequences. You need to immediately stop climbing, rest under the shade and try to restore the body’s water balance.

How to Avoid Dehydration

As we already know, it is much easier to prevent something than to get rid of the consequences later. Prevention from dehydration is easier than from any other phenomenon. Drink water, just drink water constantly!

To make it more clear just follow these steps:

• First of all, drink plenty of water before the start of the trip, in order to have a supply of water in the body in advance and not to lose it at the very beginning of the trip.

• While walking, drink water in small sips every 10-15 minutes to maintain water balance. If you do not drink water for a long time, and then drink too much water at once, this can lead to the opposite effect, since the body does not have time to absorb such amount of liquid. Drink water according to the principle of drip irrigation.
• Remember to drink water during break stops. Pause is a great time to refill the body’s water supply.
• Use a hydration bag with a long tube as long as you are lazy and don’t want to take a water bottle out of your backpack every time.
• Use isotonics and other sports supplements. A little later we will talk about them in detail.
• Watch the color of urine. In normal condition, it should be almost colorless. If the color darkens, then you are dehydrated. Exceptions are those cases when you take a vitamin course or other medications, or if you have a specific disease with similar symptoms.

Isotonics

We have already talked about isotonics in other articles and mentioned their importance. Nevertheless, in this article we decided to study this topic in more detail, as many people believe that any supplements, medicines or vitamins are “chemistry” and are harmful to human health. But why are they harmful? How do they harm? What makes them harmful? No one can give a solid answer.

Performing active physical work, the body loses a large amount of minerals and electrolytes, along with sweat. Their presence in the blood plays a very important role. Thanks to them, water is more quickly and efficiently absorbed into the cell membrane. They also regulate the work of ganglion, muscle contraction, metabolism.

The deficiency of isotonics causes fatigue, uncontrolled cramping, loss of coordination, and, in the end, even loss of consciousness. The fact is that dehydration occurs even if you drink water. In some cases, plain water is not enough to restore the lack of fluid. Often, during trips, you may experience dizziness, headache, a sense of hangover. This is dehydration.

The body needs help to fight this. Here isotonics come to aid. They are presented in the form of a powder or tablets that dissolve in water. The main components are: salts, various minerals, electrolytes, soda. Some isotonics also contain additional vitamins, simple carbohydrates, amino acids. All this will keep you on your toes before you you’ll have dinner in the evening camp.

You should drink isotonics about 20 minutes before the start of physical activity. Then continue to drink in small sips throughout the entire trip. After the activity is completed, you need to continue to drink isotonic, so that your body doesn’t have a loss of trace elements and fluids.

If you follow these simple rules, your body will not face dehydration. And remember that following these rules is very easy, repeat this until it turns into a habit.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Useful Information

How to prepare for winter hiking

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How to protect yourself from venomous snakes?

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Water Sources in the Mountains

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Altitude sickness and how to prevent it

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Acclimatization at high altitude

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Winter Camping Tips

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How to Pack a Backpack

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What is Dehydration

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Avalanche: How to Avoid?

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Any movement of snow mass down the hill or a mountainside, at a speed of more than 1 m/s, is considered an avalanche. According to statistics, most avalanches, which involve humans, occur precisely by their fault. That is why it is very important to have at least minimal knowledge about an avalanche, its types and causes, to master the basic safety rules and know how to conduct rescue operations.

How does an avalanche occur?

The snow layer remains on the slope due to the friction. When the weight of the snow mass begins to prevail over the friction force, an avalanche occurs. Avalanche is usually accompanied by a strong wave of air that destroys everything in front of it.

The snow cover is never uniform. It has different layers, each of which has been formed over a certain period of time. Each layer has its own quality characteristics. A new layer is formed due to snow or wind that pushes the snow layer from one part to another.

Together with all this mass, the pressure in the snow layers increases and because of certain influences, if one of the layers weakens, the force of gravity prevails over the friction force of the snow layers, the layer separates and glides down, taking with it all the snow mass above it.

There are a number of effects that can “provoke” an avalanche.

• Fresh snow increases the pressure on the snow cover and contributes to an increase of the tension in it. It is believed that if more than 30 cm of snow falls during the day, then the risk of an avalanche significantly increases. Not only the amount of snow that has fallen is important, but also its speed. The situation is considered critical if 1.5-2 cm of snow falls in an hour.
• The wind is capable of moving large amounts of snow. The faster the wind speed, the more snow it can move. Sometimes the wind accompanies the snow and drives all the snow mass that has fallen and collects it at one point, significantly increasing the tension in this area, which, in the end, leads to an avalanche.
• Air temperature can affect snow in different ways. In such cases, there are five main scenarios that can develop:

1. A sudden increase in temperature (crossing the zero mark) – dramatically increases the risk of an avalanche.
2. Slow temperature increase without crossing the zero mark – stabilizes the snow cover.
3. Gradual warming during the day and cooling in the evening – a stable weather that maintains snow cover at peace.
4. Cooling – suspends the situation that was before, and gradually makes it worse; the risk of an avalanche increases.
5. Prolonged cold weather increases the tension in the snow cover.

Avalanche / photo from British Mountaineering Council page

• Solar radiation, in general, has a stabilizing effect on the snow cover. Especially in winter, when the air temperature is always below zero, solar radiation has a softening effect on the frozen layers of snow. But closer to spring, when the air temperature rises above zero, the effect of the sun can change sharply to negative and in a matter of minutes disturb the balance of the snow cover.
• Rain in high mountain areas is extremely dangerous in terms of avalanches. Firstly, the rain itself increases the weight of the entire snow mass. In addition, raindrops penetrate deep into the snow cover, destroying the crystal structure of snowflakes and creating an unstable state for the entire snow cover. In such cases, there is a high probability that all snow mass, down to the ground, will fall and rush down.
• The terrain also affects avalanches. The knowledge of the terrain and the competent planning of the route are a guarantee of a safe ascent. Slopes and inclines are considered influencing factors.

*On different sides of the horizon, the risk of an avalanche under equal conditions can be different. It depends on the effects of the sun and winds. As a rule, in the northern hemisphere, the southern slopes are most dangerous in winter and the northern ones in summer. However, this rule may have a number of exceptions, depending on the particular mountain, snow level and weather conditions.

*Board-shaped ice avalanches mainly occur on slopes with 35-60 degrees of declivity. However, most avalanches occur at an incline of 35 to 40 degrees, reaching their peak at 38 degrees. This slope provides all the conditions for a layer of snow to accumulate, but at the same time remain unstable. With a smaller declivity, the tension is small. On steeper spoles, the snow does not have time to accumulate, and from time to time, there are small avalanches that do not cause much damage.

• The surface of the earth also plays an important role. Usually snow remains worse on flat rocky or grassy slopes. Because of this, the entire mass can break and rush down. While on rocky slopes, cliffs or on lava flows, snow cover remains well on the surface. On such slopes, avalanches mainly occur in the upper layers.

How to get around an avalanche?

Since it is not always possible to avoid or bypass dangerous snowy areas, you need to know the rules for safe walking in such places.

Dangerous areas must be walked one by one, at a great distance from each other and as quickly as possible. While one of the participants passes through the dangerous area, his friends stand outside the avalanche zone and watch him, so that in case of an avalanche they can help. It is advisable to walk along the ridges of the mountains. Typically, an avalanche starts from the areas below the ridges.

Avalanche

When passing through a weakly expressed relief, it is advisable to choose areas with a convex relief. In these areas, due to pressure, snow cover is more stable.

Avoid the couloirs. The snow cover on them is unstable.

No matter what safety measures you take, there is always the possibility that an avalanche could occur and you could be in danger. Therefore, you must know what to do if an avalanche has begun.

There is a misconception that there are no avalanches in Armenia, or, if they start, they will not have any disastrous consequences. However, that is not true. Of course, avalanches in Armenia cannot be compared with the ones happening in Himalayas, but in any case, the risk is quite high and should not be underestimated. For example, Mount Hatis, Teghenis, Geghama Mountains can present unpleasant surprises. It is advisable to have avalanche equipment with you: avalanche shovel, avalanche transceiver and probe. It is also important to know how to use this equipment.

This is an extremely complex and long topic, and it would be impossible to fit all the information into one small article. Therefore, approach this material as an introduction. At the end of the article, we will leave links to other sources for more detailed information.

What to do when hit by an avalanche?

If the avalanche started far from you, then you will have a few seconds to leave the danger zone. Try to do it as quickly as possible.

If the avalanche began at a closer distance to you, or right under your feet, then you need to face the avalanche, stick the trekking poles or an ice axe into the snow and try to resist on it. If an avalanche begins to cover you, then you need to try to “swim” in it and try to stay on the surface. Left under the snow, people mostly die due to lack of air. Therefore, once in the snow, you need to try to dig to create airspace for breathing. Naturally, this is easier said than done. In most cases, people, especially inexperienced ones, will not be able to effectively use these techniques in a stressful situation. Still, it is better to try to do something than to stand still and panic.

Those who will look for a victim should be aware that for people left under the snow, time is extremely limited.

• After 15 minutes under the snow, 1 in 10 people are already dying.
• In 20 minutes, there will be six dead.
• In an hour, 2-3 people will survive at best.

We have provided you with basic information so that you have an idea of what an avalanche is, what to expect from it and how it occurs. This article can help you avoid dangers to some extent. However, we decided not to write about rescue operations and avalanche forecasting, since this is a large separate science, and the information about it would not fit in an article of this format. Instead, we suggest that you watch the video below in which the expert explains in detail all the nuances associated with the avalanche.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Useful Information

How to prepare for winter hiking

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How to protect yourself from venomous snakes?

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Water Sources in the Mountains

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Altitude sickness and how to prevent it

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Acclimatization at high altitude

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Winter Camping Tips

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The surface of the earth heats unevenly, as more sunlight falls on the equatorial line than on the poles. Subsequent high and low atmospheric pressure belts are formed. The warm air mass has a low-pressure belt and rises upward, which usually causes bad weather. The cold air mass has a high-pressure belt, which goes down and causes bright and stable weather.

Cyclone and Anticyclone 

The cyclone is an air mass with a low-pressure belt, where a warm high-pressure air mass penetrates. As a result, we get a rotating air mass, in the center of which there is a low-pressure belt, and around it is a high-pressure belt. During cyclones, the weather is gloomy, with frequent precipitation and strong winds.

Cyclone

An anticyclone is the opposite of a cyclone. It’s an area, in the center of which there is a high-pressure belt, which rotates and pushes the air masses out from the center. During the anticyclone, the weather is clear and sunny, cloudless, there are no strong winds and precipitation. In summer, the weather is hot and sunny, and the winter is very cold. Anticyclones move slowly, so they bring stable weather with them.

Anticyclone

Anticyclone is a favorable time for mountain climbing.

How to Predict Weather in Mountains

Let’s not go too deep into science. We will present to you the signs that you should be aware of.

In the morning air masses rise from the foot of the mountain to the top, and in the evening they usually go down. This happens due to the temperature difference between the surface of the foot and the top of the mountain. Because of this phenomenon, the morning in the mountains is sunny, during the day it can rain on the slopes of the mountain and snow at the top.

You can learn a lot about the upcoming weather by looking at the clouds. Mostly clouds can be:

Cirrus – the weather is getting worse

Cirrus Clouds

Cumulonimbus – bad weather, rain

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Stratus/Layered – the weather may get worse

Layered Clouds

Altostratus/High layered – possible rainfall

High Layered Clouds

Stratocumulus – the weather may get worse

Stratocumulus Clouds

Altocumulus – the weather may get worse

Altocumulus Clouds

Nimbostratus – bad weather, rain, snow

Nimbostratus Clouds

Cumulus clouds – good weather

Cumulus Clouds

In addition to the main types of clouds, you must also pay attention to the following two phenomena.

Lenses (lenticular) are a type of altocumulus clouds. They are formed under the condition of strong winds and the presence of some kind of barrier. Mountain peaks usually play the role of the barrier. Typically, such clouds form during the influx of warm air masses. The formation of such clouds indicates a worsening of the weather.

Halo is another sign of worsening weather. A halo is an optical phenomenon that forms around a strong light source. Sources of such light may be the sun or the moon. However, a halo can also form around other strong light sources. The halo is caused by the refraction of light by small ice crystals located inside cirrus clouds.

Signs of Thunderstorm

Thunderstorms are one of the greatest dangers in the mountains. The occurrence of thunderstorms is directly related to the sun. That is why thunderstorms most often occur in the summer, during the daytime. A prerequisite for a thunderstorm is warm air streams directed upwards. Their rapid movement generates electrostatic voltage and, as a result, lightning.

Local thunderstorms can develop very quickly. You need to watch closely to see how quickly cumulus clouds form. The faster the clouds form, especially in the vertical plane, the higher the likelihood of cumulus clouds and rainfall. A cloud in a form of a tower pointing upwards is a bad sign. Especially if the bottom of the cloud is dark. It is even more dangerous if there are several clouds like that. In this case, long and severe thunderstorm can begin.

The thunderstorm can also be predicted by the following signs:

• Morning dew does not dry out for a long time
• Clouds that are formed early in the morning
• The lower parts of cumulus clouds are dark
• No wind, stuffy
• The lower part of the clouds is convex, which indicates the presence of upward streams
• Wind gust, with the condition that dark clouds are visible from distance
• Clouds resembling an anvil or tower. The upper part is wider and has a flat top.

How to Protect from Thunder and Lightning

• Leave the open space. If you are on top of a mountain, you must immediately go down as low as possible and leave the ridge of the mountain.
• Turn off telephones, walkie-talkies, and other electrical equipment.
• Try to find shelter. A thunderstorm rarely lasts more than an hour, but it is enough to get wet and then have frostbite. Find recesses in the rocks, camp in a dry place, or under some cover. You need to hide in a tent or under a rock, at a distance of at least 1 meter from the walls.

You need to forecast not only bad weather. In order not to miss the opportunity to make an ascent, you also need to know about the upcoming favorable weather for hiking.

Signs of good weather are:

• Cold night
• Fog dissipates one or two hours after sunrise
• At sunset, the sun looks like a ball of fire, with clearly visible round edges

Sources for accurate weather forecasts

First of all, it is impossible to accurately predict the weather in the mountains. However, modern technology allows us to accurately predict what the weather will be like in the mountains in the next two to three days. To do this, there are several relevant sites that show detailed information about air temperature, precipitation and winds. Some sites provide satellite images that show the movement of air masses.

Here are some weather forecasting sites:

Mountain forecast – This site is specialized in mountain weather forecasts. Here you can find the weather forecast for almost any mountain, with all the detailed information and diagrams.

Meteoblue – Here you will find detailed information about all the data, including satellite images. There is a search option, both by the names of settlements and by the names of mountain peaks, showing the weather forecast in the mountains. The site quite accurately predicts the weather in Europe, America, but there is not much information about Armenia. But in any case, here you can get accurate weather information. The site has a mobile application, which is very convenient.

Wind guru – This site specializes in the wind. It is most often used by sailors to get an idea of the sea winds. The site shows details about the movement of air masses and winds. It works especially well for coastal areas.

Remember that you should not underestimate the weather. It should be the number one parameter when planning a trip, since the weather is beyond our control, and it cannot be adapted to our needs.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Hiking Equipment

Gear List for Climbing Mount Ararat

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One Day Hiking Gear List

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How to prepare for a backpacking trip

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List of equipment for technical ascents

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How to choose a hiking hat?

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How to charge your gadgets while hiking?

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Hiking Flashlight

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How to choose hiking socks?

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Hiking Gloves or Mitten

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“I will drink water whenever I feel thirsty. PE teacher told me that I don’t need to drink water during sport activities, because I will start to sweat. Also, a real man has to put up with being thirsty.”

Sometimes for some reason people refuse to follow the simplest instructions, which are one of the most important conditions for a safe and pleasant hike. We understand that sometimes it is difficult to follow all the instructions, but there are basic safety rules, that everyone should follow.

What is sunstroke or heatstroke?

Sunstroke specifically refers to a type of heatstroke that results from direct exposure to the sun. It occurs when the body’s core temperature rises to dangerously high levels due to prolonged sun exposure, which prevents the body from cooling itself effectively.

In case of not following safety rules, sun stroke can often happen to people in the sea, high in the mountains or people who are under the sun while being intoxicated.

In highlands solar radiation is much stronger than at sea level. That’s why people, who were having a rest at Lake Sevan, return home with sunstroke instead of a tan.

Protection from the sun

At risk are:

• Children
• Overweight people
• People with heart disease
• People under the influence of alcohol
• People doing intense physical work
• Dehydrated people
• People with diabetes
• People allergic to the sun

Sunstroke in the mountains can be unexpectedly dangerous. The air feels cooler, the wind refreshing, and it’s easy to think the sun isn’t strong — but at altitude, UV radiation is much more intense. Your body can overheat without you even realizing it. The dry air pulls moisture from your body faster than usual, and combined with physical effort, dehydration happens quickly. A person may not be aware that he is getting a sunstroke. That’s why it is important that people in the group are always attentive to each other. You have to watch out for a person walking next to you, to recognize the signs of sun stroke or any other problem on time.

Let’s find out what will happen if you get a sunstroke, and then learn how to avoid it. Sunstroke has 3 stages depending on complexity and the aggravation of the situation.

*First stage

1. Weakness
2. Dry and red skin
3. Dizziness and headache
4. Sometimes muscle pain
5. Nausea
6. Dilated pupils
7. Frequent and shallow breathing
8. Increased heart rate

These symptoms usually pass quickly and without consequences.

*Second stage

1. Exhaustion
2. Strong dizziness and headache
3. Nausea and vomiting
4. Uncertain, staggering gait
5. Noise in ears
6. Nose bleed
7. High temperature – 38-40 degrees

*Third stage

1. Red and then blue face
2. Delusions, hallucinations
3. Uncontrollable muscle cramps
4. High temperature – 41-42 degrees
5. Heart rate reaches 140 contractions per minute
6. Perspiration stops
7. Loss of consciousness (even coma)
8. Sudden death (mortality rate – 20-30%)

Sunstroke prevention

Everything is very simple, all you have to do is:

• Wear light-colored clothing, preferably thermal clothing that covers the entire body.

You need to choose thermal underwear designed specifically for hot weather, which efficiently removes sweat. Even if you feel a little hot in the thermal underwear, it is better than a naked body, since this underwear removes sweat. And on naked body sweat collects and does not disappear, preventing the skin from breathing.

• Be sure to protect your head

Sun cap, bandana, buff, panama, anything that protects head and neck.

• Sunglasses. If you damage your eyes, there is a risk to get snow blindness.
• Apply sunscreen or spray with minimum SPF 50 to your face, neck, all of the exposed parts of your body and even underneath clothing.
• Don’t forget to drink water or other fluids.

Always stay hydrated

We have already talked about the importance of isotonics. You can buy special sports isotonics or make them yourself at home. To one liter of water add half a teaspoon of salt, lemon juice, a few spoons of sugar. You can make green tea and add it all to it. Or you can buy Rehydron from pharmacy. It is a powder with the same minerals, but it doesn’t have any sweet additives, so pay attention to its unpleasant taste and add a small amount of it to your tea or juice. Often we forget to drink water during a difficult hike, or we are simply lazy to take off our backpack and take a bottle of water from it. In these cases it is very convenient to have a water bag, since its tube is always at hand, and drinking from it is very easy.

If possible, avoid direct sunlight, it is especially dangerous during daytime.

If the sunstroke happened

• The victim should be taken to a shady, cool place.
• Check the breathing

The victim may start vomiting, after which in mouth and nose can stay some residues. This is extremely dangerous, because the airways are blocked. Clean mouth and nose from residues, lay the head back and check the breathing again. If necessary, you need to do an artificial respiration and indirect heart massage (CPR) until the victim becomes conscious again.

• Call an ambulance, rescuers, find any way to quickly deliver the victim to the doctor.
• Raise the legs a little.
• Remove all the jewelry, belts, shoes; loosen the collar, the tie, unbutton the shirt.
• If the victim is conscious, help them to drink fluid. It should be slightly colder than room temperature, but not frozen.
• Put cold compress to victim’s head, neck; put ice bags under the hips, bottles of cold water or anything that will cool down the body.
• You need to tell the doctor in detail what happened and what steps you took.
• The victim must remain in a lying, calm position. They must not get nervous or make sudden movements. A person who helps the victim is also required to keep them mentally calm.

And remember, all of this would not have happened, if you just drank enough water and put on a hat.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Safety tips for hiking in Armenia

How to prepare for winter hiking

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How to protect yourself from venomous snakes?

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Water Sources in the Mountains

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Altitude sickness and how to prevent it

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Acclimatization at high altitude

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Winter Camping Tips

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How to Pack a Backpack

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What is Dehydration

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Avalanche: How to Avoid?

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Snow blindness is a common problem among mountaineers, fishermen, skiers and workers at polar stations. This is mainly caused by light reflected from snow, ice or light colored sand. Snow and ice reflect more than 80% of the light. Even in cloudy weather, when there is no direct sunlight, the snow reflects ultraviolet rays. The problem gets worse, if there is a strong wind and the air is dry. During snow blindness, the cornea of the eye and the conjunctiva suffer. The cornea has no blood vessels, so it receives moisture and nutrition along with tears when we blink. With dry air and wind, lacrimal glands do not have time to provide moisture to cornea, so it gets irritated faster.

History

The first people who faced this problem were the participants of expeditions in Arctic and Antarctic. Alexander Macklin, who was one of the surgeons of the expedition of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, indicates snow blindness as one of four problems of polar sailing, along with scurvy, seasickness and frostbite.

Snow blindness

In 1893, the Royal Geographical Society publishes a book – Tips for Travelers, which describes how people, who live high in the mountains, rub black soot around the eye sockets and on the tip of the nose, to protect themselves from snow blindness.

Participants of the expedition on the “Terra Nova” ship used this method in 1910-13, since they did not have sunglasses.

Symptoms of snow blindness

We have small dense nerves in our cornea, which is why it is so sensitive to external irritants. Usually we start to feel discomfort after 30 minutes of exposure to strong sunlight.

Symptoms of snow blindness are:

• Tingling inside the eye
• Burning in the eyes
• The feeling that something is in your eye, but you cannot remove it
• Headache
• Fever
• Red eyes
• In especially severe cases, temporary blindness is possible, which is where the name of this condition came from.

However, very often, snow blindness can occur quite late – up to 12 hours. Often, after winter hikes, when you get home and in the evening go to bed, you may experience severe eye pain, making it difficult to fall asleep.

What to do in case of snow blindness?

Usually snow blindness goes away on its own. However, since you do not immediately feel that your eyes are “burning”, you need to follow one simple rule – protect your eyes from strong sunlight. Just wear good quality sunglasses that completely absorb ultraviolet rays.

You can also apply black eyeliner around your eyes, just like some heroes in action movies. Eyeliner is very useful, but not required. Modern high quality sunglasses fully cope with this task.

Sunglasses made of leather and wood

Indigenous people of the Arctic used to wear a protection made of wood, leather or an antler that looked like sunglasses. Two narrow cuts were made on it, through which people could see. This way they were limiting the penetration of light into their eyes.

In case of snow blindness

If you got snow blindness, here are some tips to avoid further complications.

• Firstly, you need to create comfortable conditions for your eyes
• You need to stay indoors, under low room lighting
• Do not read books or sit in front of the computer or TV, or at least dim the brightness of the screen
• Put compress on your forehead and eyes
• Use moisturizing or anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic eye drops (Oftagel, Defislez, Dexamethazone eye drops, etc., ask in pharmacies)
• If within the next 2-3 days the pain and irritation do not go away then you should definitely consult a doctor, as there may be other consequences.

You need to take this issue seriously. Always take high-quality sunglasses with you and wear them at least during the strong sun and winter hikes. Do not make excuses that you do not wear sunglasses, that they make your head hurt, or that glasses do not suit you. Remember that eye is the most fragile part of our body, and the healing process of a damaged eye is very long and difficult.

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Blog about Armenia

Top 5 spring hikes in Armenia

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Armenia on ancient maps

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"The Mountainous Island" / 10 years in a book

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Damavand: Ascent of the Year

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Museum of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran

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Sabalan / A Story of the Climb

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Top 5 Autumn Destinations in Armenia

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Top 5 most visited hiking destinations in Armenia

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Must-do adventure activities in Armenia

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Frostbite is a damage of skin and body tissues caused by a cold weather. But don’t confuse frostbite with an ice burn. During an ice burn soft tissues get damaged after touching very cold objects and gases. For example, if you pour liquid nitrogen on your hands, or if you hold a cold piece of metal in the winter, and so on. Frostbite begins in limbs, from fingers and toes, nose, cheeks, lips, arms and legs. It happens because body stops to supply these parts of the body with enough blood so that it can protect vital organs from the cold.

Types of frostbite

First of all, parts of the body that are not protected from the cold get a frostbite, however even in warm gloves your hands can freeze. The risk of frostbite increases, when the air temperature drops, reaching -5 degrees Celsius. Circumstances that will make the situation more complicated can be strong wind, dry or humid air, high altitude conditions. In windy weather the effect on temperature is stronger, so it starts so feel like a lower temperature.

Wind chill chart

High in the mountains the body weakens, immunity decreases. As a result, it is more difficult for the body to overcome external effects. And moisture absorbs heat even faster. Frostbite is often accompanied by hypothermia, or leads to it, in more severe cases.

Frostbite is divided into four degrees:

1. First degree. Hands and feet are cold, pale. If your warm them, they turn red. Possible slight pain and tingling, as well as scratches on the skin. It lasts maximum one week and doesn’t leave any serious consequences.
2. Second degree. On damaged parts of the skin form blisters, filled with clear fluid. Skin turns pale, sensitivity to external impulses disappears. Pain gets worse, you start to feel itching and burn.
3. Third degree. Skin tissues are damaged, necrosis occurs. On damaged parts form blisters filled with blood, with red or blue bottom. Scarring of wounds can last up to one month.
4. Fourth degree. Inner layers of tissues die; in extremely severe cases it reaches muscles and bones. Skin turns blue, and then black. If you warm damaged areas, large swellings will form. A prolonged stay in this state leads to gangrene, in which damaged parts of the body are amputated.

Frostbite prevention

In general, the principle here is the same as with hypothermia, but the following points should be noted separately:

• Wear several layers of clothes, but make sure they are not tight. Don’t tie shoe laces too tight, so that blood freely flows to feet.
• Check the weather before leaving home.
• If possible, warm your gloves, boots and the rest of the clothes before putting them on.
• Shake off snow, frost and water drops from your gloves and boots.
• Take off your jewelry, watch and any metallic objects that touch your body.
• Don’t forget to drink water. Don’t let your body get dehydrated. If you feel thirsty, it means that dehydration has already started. So it is necessary to constantly drink small sips of water.

First aid for frostbite

First of all the victim must be delivered to a warm building or a tent. If it’s impossible, preventive measures must be taken on the spot.

Frostbite

Limbs with a light frostbite degree, when the blood still circulates in tissues and there is no necrosis, can be warmed up with various tools. Touch the frostbitten fingers. If they are still soft, and you can connect thumb and little finger, then the degree of frostbite is still low. In this case you need to:

• Get rid of wet gloves, socks and wear dry ones. You always have extra clothes in your backpack, right? If your boots are soaking wet, wrap your feet in plastic bags and then wear your boots.
• You need to return the blood to your hands, to warm them. Stretch your arms upwards and wave them quickly, with a large amplitude, automatically pumping blood to the limbs.
• Drink warm, sweet liquid.
• Efficient way to warm your hands is to hide them under your armpits or close to inner thighs. These are the warmest parts of our bodies.

In more severe cases skin necrosis occurs, skin tissues don’t receive blood anymore; it becomes impossible to move fingers. In this case you should immediately take the victim to an enclosed space and provide medical treatment.

• Do not warm the damaged area quickly.
• Damaged area must be insulated with several layers of bandage, with a warm soft scarf.
• It is important that the damaged area is insulated. But the bandage should not be too tight, not to stop blood circulation.
• Fix the damaged area and don’t move it.

Stages of frostbite

If you get frostbite, it is forbidden to:

• Drink liquids that contain alcohol and caffeine
• Rub the damaged area with snow or a hard cloth. This way you will increase the likelihood of damage, as well as the likelihood of getting an infection.
• In severe cases, it is forbidden to use external sources of heat: hot baths, heating bags, warming hands near a fire or heater.
• Rub the wounds with oils, alcohol or something else. Avoid traditional medicine methods, especially in such cases, you cannot self-medicate.
• Pick or open swollen blisters.

When should you see a doctor?

At home you can only cure the first degree frostbite. Blisters are punctured and cleaned in a sterile surgical room. In case of third and fourth degree frostbite surgical treatment is necessary, during which dead tissues are carefully removed and sterile dressing is applied. If you don’t follow these rules you might experience some complications, such as penetration of various infections, gangrene and other inflammations.

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Safety tips for hiking in Armenia

How to prepare for winter hiking

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How to protect yourself from venomous snakes?

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Water Sources in the Mountains

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Altitude sickness and how to prevent it

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Acclimatization at high altitude

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Winter Camping Tips

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How to Pack a Backpack

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What is Dehydration

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Avalanche: How to Avoid?

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