Mountain Survival

Survival in the mountains entirely depends on where the accident occurred or people got lost, the location of the mountain range (half of the region, the continent, remoteness from the populated area) and the vertical of the zone. In the highlands, people in extreme situations will face the same problems as in the polar tundra. However, in the forest belt, the possibilities of survival increase significantly.

And yet, the greatest danger for a person caught in an extreme situation in a mountainous area is represented by:
sparsely populated or not populated mountain areas, where not only special equipment and equipment are needed, but also certain skills of movement in the mountains. Moreover, the & shy; most extreme conditions of existence in the mountains occur at altitudes above 3000 m, since the number of plants and representatives of the animal world is significantly reduced there, and with a further increase in altitude it disappears altogether;

climatic features of high mountains associated with low temperatures and their sharp drop, hurricane winds, presence of snow cover and glaciers, icefalls, serious thunderstorm hazard; a specific mountainous relief with a vertical structure of "py", associated with a high avalanche hazard, rock falls, landslides, rockfalls and widespread talus, forming cones and plumes of small and large stones on the slopes. They are often so steep that the movement of the stones can & shy; come for no apparent reason;

sudden and heavy rains lead to a sharp rise in the water level in mountain streams and rivers, making crossing them dangerous, and sometimes impossible. This is aggravated by the low temperature of water in the rivers and the strength of the water flow. And frequent fogs zat & shy; ruin the orientation; lack of fuel, shortage, and at great heights and the complete absence of food (edible plants, insects, small and large animals); oxygen deficiency caused by rarefaction of the air at altitudes above 2000 m has a significant impact on psychological stability, attention and performance. At altitudes over 4500 m above sea level, a lack of oxygen can lead to even greater complications & mdash; pulmonary edema and paralysis & shy; breath.

Therefore, the general strategy of survival in the highlands is reduced to the fastest possible descent to safe heights (below 2000 m above sea level).

Peculiarities of movement in highlands

Walk in the mountains at random in order to shorten the path & mdash; it is extremely unacceptable & shy; mo, as this can lead to severe irreparable consequences of & shy; holes, for example, entering a steep talus with vertical ledges, not passable rocky areas, large glacial cracks, deep canyons with steep walls, etc.

Of great importance for movement in the mountains is the surface of the mountain slopes: rocky, with or without vegetation, the steepness of the slope, the presence of snow and ice, talus and rocky areas.
It may turn out that a person or a group of people who find themselves in a trip as a result of an accident of a car or an aircraft (airplane, helicopter, glider, balloon) is completely unfamiliar with the technique of moving in the mountains. It is pointless to give exhaustive recommendations on the pages of this book, since the technical skills of reading the rules cannot be mastered - mdash; you need some practice, but you can give some advice on how to act in a given situation and how best to choose the direction of movement, its rhythm and at the same time observe basic safety rules.

In the mountains, you should know and remember that:

the steep the section, the slower you need to move along it; the weight of the carried load should not exceed one third of the body weight, otherwise the load increases sharply, the general fatigue of the whole organism increases faster, which leads to overstrain and loss of attention;

depending on the steepness of the slope, the weight of the carried load and physical fitness, it is necessary to make short-term operations every 25–45 minutes of movement; use the rest as efficiently as possible, relaxing all the muscles of the body, and if you have to rest while standing, then transfer the center of gravity of the body to the elbows and buttocks so that the muscles of the legs and back are relaxed; in case of deterioration of health, severe shortness of breath or increased heart rate over 120 beats / min, you need to stop for a few minutes and catch your breath. Resume movement only after normalization of & shy; pulse rate;

a steep slope overgrown with grass, on which feet slip, overwhelmed by a zigzag (serpentine) or a herringbone; when overcoming a snowy steep slope, they knock out the steps, ho & shy; tamp them well;

in order not to lose balance on a steep slope, the body weight is transferred, leaning on the entire foot;

when moving along the ridge, you must keep below the windward side, especially if the slope is covered with snow, since in this case the snow is denser here;

snow bridges through cracks, preferably if possible, wallpaper. If this is not possible, then pass such a snow bridge only one by one with compulsory insurance. If you are alone, it is better not to risk it and look for a workaround;

To overcome an avalanche slope quickly (if it is not possible to choose a different path), silently, trying to follow the trail so that a trench does not form, but with a large interval, not necessary to overcome the avalanche-prone area. Signs of an avalanche danger are the state of the weather, the steepness of the slope and the time of day. But the most favorable conditions for the formation of wet avalanches arise from strong and abundant snowfalls (especially in spring), followed by warm and clear weather. Under the sun's rays, the snow melts and on a steep slope (most often grassy) it can slide off like a huge snow board for no apparent reason. But with heavy snowfall —de after 3–4 days, dry avalanches also appear, formed by pain — by the accumulation of dry freshly fallen snow; if it is possible to choose a route in an avalanche-prone area, it is better to move respectfully along a slope overgrown with bushes or trees, with outcrops of bedrock, and avoid steep narrow valleys and gorges. It is best to overcome avalanche slopes & shy; us early in the morning;

Descent into the valley is best done along a gentle ridge, without going onto steep slopes;

if there is a need to go down the talus, then in no case directly down, but obliquely with a serpentine, placing your foot on the entire foot, having previously tested the stone for stability; move along the scree at intervals and so as not to be above each other due to the possibility of throwing a stone on the head below the walking one;

it should be borne in mind that a steep talus can come in motion & shy; nie from a loud shout, or careless movement along it, or from thrown stones;

in case of a landslide collapse, it is necessary to outline a possible shelter in advance; if the talus is not visible to the end or it is very steep, then moving down it is dangerous & mdash; it can end in a cliff; some mountain supposedly 'trails' they are not, since they are formed due to the sliding of the soil and do not lead anywhere, but they can also be trodden by mountain goats and taken out onto sheer cliffs;

driving through a narrow canyon is dangerous & mdash; it is possible to get into steep sections that cannot be bypassed due to the steepness of the slopes; when entering a wide mountain valley, a gorge with a stream or river, you need to move downstream with a preliminary exploration of the path for the possibility of movement along the coast (are there any overhanging rocks and waterfalls);

if it is necessary to wade through mountain rivers, this should be done in the early morning hours, since the water level at these hours is minimal and rises sharply only towards noon due to the melting of snow and ice under the sun's rays;

when crossing a mountain stream, the place of crossing should be chosen in the places of the greatest flood, where the current is most calm. But it must be borne in mind that the bottom with fine sand is dangerous & mdash; the sand is abundantly saturated with water and can suck in a person just like a bog in a swamp. The absence of breakers and whirlpools suggests that the bottom is flat, but in this place it can be deep enough; having found a suitable place for the crossing, the river is crossed across the river's sap, upstream and facing it. The leg is rearranged without being pulled out of the water, smoothly and without jerking, so as not to lose balance; after each day's transition, there should be a full-fledged breath, which is possible only with the organization of a normal la & shy; hero, protected from wind, avalanches and rockfall.
Mountain life support

The organization of food in the event of an extreme situation and the need for a long autonomous existence in mountainous places has its own characteristics. They are primarily related to the continent on which mountains and at what altitude you are.

In addition, it should be remembered that many people already at an altitude of about 2000 m experience deterioration or even complete loss of appetite. Many products generally cause rejection and even disgust, and when consumed are not absorbed by the body. With height, these sym & shy; toms can only get stronger.
As a rule, there are no problems with water, except for the high mountain deserts. But water can still be found there. Water in the mountains can be found at the foot of the plateau & mdash; where bright green vegetation stands out sharply. Often water, condensing from the air after a cool night, accumulates in small depressions on stones and depressions at the base of rocks. There is water in karst caves, in the beds of dry streams.

Sometimes, on a hot day, water from a melted snowfield or glacier appears in a dry bed in the evening. You can also use ice and snow to melt water over a fire. However, it should be assumed that snow and glacier water do not contain salts and are bad for quenching thirst. And if there is snow, then due to the high content of carbon dioxide in it, it not only does not quench, but further increases thirst and dries out the oral cavity.
The extraction of food, as in other natural areas, occurs due to hunting for small rodents, birds, various animals.

Edible plants in each natural zone are different, but there are also those that are found everywhere. They are shown on the color tab.
Fuel for cooking and heating can be difficult in a treeless highland area. Moreover, in the zone of eternal snows this problem is practically insoluble, and the only way to escape it from & mdash; it is as soon as possible to descend to an altitude of no higher than 2500 m. But where there is at least some kind of vegetation, mixed with dry animal droppings, you can use it for cooking.

Mountain weather forecast

Signs of inclement weather
a crown formed near the sun or moon and cirrostratus clouds appeared;
cirrus clouds appear and move rapidly; clouds gradually rise up;
with good visibility and clear clean air in the evening, torn clouds appear that cling to high peaks;
the wind blows from the mountains to the valleys during the day, and vice versa at night; stuffy night and lack of dew & mdash; there will be a thunderstorm in a few hours; electrical discharges at the sharp ends of metal objects in the form of faintly glowing lights (St. Elmo's lights) at nighttime & mdash; a thunderstorm is approaching; the appearance of clouds during the day in the mountains & mdash; to the frost.
Signs of improving weather
cloudy haze appears; cumulus clouds disappear in the evening; in the evening fog appears in the valleys and dew falls; in the evening with a clear sky and a drop in temperature in the valleys of sti & shy; the wind blows;
clouds gradually descend into the valley in the evening, and disappear in the morning.