Mountain hiking for beginners: routes, features and characteristics

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

"Only mountains can be better than mountains!" It is simply impossible not to agree with these words of Vysotsky. And that is why from year to year millions of tourists go on mountain hikes who want to enjoy the beauty and grandeur of these places. However, it is very important to remember that such tourism requires certain skills and knowledge, so before going to the mountains, you should be well prepared so that later there are no unforeseen complications, and you can just enjoy the trip.

The difference between hiking: mountains and plains

Some tourists believe that since they went to the forest a couple of times, they can easily go to the mountains. However, this is an extremely dangerous delusion, because hiking in the flat and mountainous areas is very different from each other. Traveling through forests, fields and valleys, you can walk at a calm, measured pace, slowly, at a walking pace, which is why the difference from a regular walk here will be only the presence of a backpack with provisions on your back.

It's different in the mountains! here because ofconstant rises, high atmospheric pressure and lack of oxygen, many begin to experience problems with the heart and respiratory system, and also suffer from pain in the legs and back, as the muscular system cannot cope with the sudden load.

Therefore, so that the hike does not become torture, you need to prepare for physical activity in advance - 1, 5-2 months in advance. To do this, you need to start running at least 40 minutes a day, climb stairs daily and do squats and leg lunges. In this way, you can increase your physical endurance, and the hike will not become a serious test for you.

Mass hike of conquerors of mountain peaks

The most important point in preparing for a trip is the choice of a company for such a trip. Alone, even the most experienced tourists should not go to the mountains, and even beginners are strictly forbidden to do this. The ideal number of tourists for such trips is 4-8 people, so that no one is overloaded with hiking equipment, but everything necessary is taken.

At the same time, a mass hike of 10 conquerors of mountain peaks or more is also not the best option, since the company of tourists should be selected as close-knit and friendly as possible so that there are no strife and conflicts during the trip.

But the most important thing is that among the tourists who decide to travel to the mountains, there must be one person who has already made such an ascent and will be able to organize beginner travelers. This person should become the leader of the group, and all of hisdirections will need to be followed as closely as possible.

Planning a hike

After a tourist group has been recruited and its leader has been chosen, you can start planning a mountain trip. First of all, you will need to determine the number of days for which the trip is planned, because depending on this, you will need to collect food and lay the route. The longer the journey, the more food supplies should be, and, accordingly, each tourist will need to carry more cargo. In addition, the longer a mountain hiking trip lasts, the more difficult it will be to draw up its route. So for beginners, short-term trips are better, for a maximum of five days.

Mountain travel route

One of the most important aspects of preparing for a trip to the mountains is planning a route. It doesn’t matter at all which mountain peaks you are going to conquer, the main thing, when compiling a route for beginners, is to take into account all the necessary aspects of the path.

1. It is better to choose an easy marked route with paths made by many tourists.
2. The distance that a novice hiker in the mountains can walk in a day is approximately 5 km, so based on this fact, you should choose such mountain hiking routes that would allow you to find a great place to rest every five kilometers.
3. On the route there must be sources of fresh water that will replenish its reserves.
4. There should be places for overnight stays along the route,where there must be a source of water.
5. Next to the path you will be walking, there should be some settlement where you can turn in case of an unforeseen situation: like a tourist injury or bad weather.

So, in the Carpathians, you can go from the village of Yasinya along the Chernogora ridge, to the Kakaraz valley and climb the Petros and Hoverla mountains, turning to Lake Furious.

In Crimea, you can look at the diverse landscape once and start your journey from the cave of Emine Bair Khasan, visiting the Valley of Ghosts, Mount Demerdzhi, the Dzhur-Dzhur waterfall and the Karabi plateau. And you can go over the sea there, starting your journey by visiting the Wuchang Su waterfall and looking at the Taraktash trail, visiting Mount Ai-Petri, the Besh Tekne pit, Laspi and Cape Aya.

In the Caucasus, the most popular route is the "Thirty", which stretches from Khadzhokh to Dagomys and allows you to fully enjoy the beauty of the Western Caucasus.

Tourist group equipment

When you are going on a mass hike of conquerors of mountain peaks, it is very important to take everything you need with you. And first of all, this concerns the general equipment for the whole group, which will then be divided equally among all participants, taking into account that the backpacks of the fair sex should be 20-30% lighter than the bags of men. So, be sure to take:

• products that are enough for daily snacks and a full breakfast, lunch and dinner for each travel participant;
• cauldron or pot for 5-7 liters, in which you canwill cook hot meals on the hike;
• a first aid kit, which must contain painkillers, but in no case antispasmodics, antibiotics, diarrhea remedies and diuretics, which will prevent you from suffering from altitude sickness and help remove excess fluid from the body;
• bandages and adhesive plasters to be applied in case of injury or injury;
• tent for two or more people with the expectation that each tourist has his own sleeping place;
• matches, lighters and fire briquettes;
• GPS navigator that will keep you on course.

Individual tourist equipment

In addition to general equipment, each tourist should have:

• Sporty mountain hiking boots with sturdy soles that fit snugly around the foot without pressure or chafing;
• a winter sleeping bag that can withstand even severe frost, and which will allow you to sleep in any conditions;
• trekking poles that will not allow the traveler to stumble and fall;
• KLMN complex, that is, an iron mug, spoon, bowl and knife;
• a raincoat made of durable cellophane, which will not let you get wet in a sudden downpour and catch pneumonia;
• sunglasses;
• an inflatable rug or karemat that everyone puts under a sleeping bag to make it warmer to sleep;
• sealed case in which you can hide documents and a mobile phone from water and dust;
• head or handheld flashlight, which will be indispensable at night.

Foodon a hike

It is also extremely important to think over your menu for the whole trip before the trip, deciding what you will eat at each meal. After that, you will need to write down what products are needed to prepare each dish, write them out on a separate sheet, calculate the number of products so that there is enough for all tourists, and only then go shopping.

At the same time, you should not think that you can only take canned food to the mountains in order to less bother with cooking. The fact is that at high altitude people can start mountain sickness, so it’s better to make it easier for the stomach to digest food and take plenty of cereals, dried meat and fresh vegetables with you. In addition, be sure to take lemons with you, which will help to cope with altitude sickness and nausea: you just have to drink tea with them or taste a slice of this citrus.

Children and dogs camping

If children or animals are taken on a mass hike of conquerors of mountain heights, then the organization of such a trip should be approached with even more attention.

First of all, it should be understood that you can take on a hike either a child from 6-7 years old, who can already walk on his own, or a baby who cannot walk properly and which parents can carry with them in special backpacks- carrying.

The route of the trip itself should be calculated taking into account the obligatory two-hour break for children's daytime sleep, during which the child will gain strength. The mountain path that leads from one village to another is best suited.

Virtually the same advice applies to dogs, which you can also take with you on a hike. It can be a small dog that, in extreme cases, can be put in a backpack or picked up, or a large dog that can easily cover a long distance. The main thing is to keep her close to you or lead her on a leash so that she does not accidentally stumble upon a snake, poisonous plant or insect. Well, food, of course, for the dog will have to be taken separately, and, moreover, she needs to be given the same food that she is used to eating at home.

Summer mountain hikes

Separately, it should be mentioned what you need to take with you to the mountains, going there in the summer - in a sultry, hot time, when the air temperature is too high and can negatively affect the mood of tourists. Therefore, in order to cope with the heat at mountain heights, you definitely need to take with you:

• large awning, under which you can hide on a h alt from the scorching sun;
• sunscreen, which will definitely need to cover all areas of the skin accessible to the sun's rays every couple of hours;
• 1.5 liters of fresh water per hiker, carried by each hiker;
• lightweight sweatpants made of synthetics that dry quickly if you suddenly get caught in the rain and mosquitoes can not bite through;
• a hat that will protect your head from the sun - it can be a panama, hat or cap.

Winter hiking

It is also important to consider the preparation of a hiking trip in the mountains,which is very different from traveling in the mountains in the summer. Therefore, when going to conquer mountain heights in winter, you need to take with you:

• boot covers that will protect the boots from getting snow on them (can be replaced with galoshes);
• a windbreaker with a polar for day trips and a puff for h alts, which will help escape the frost;
• two pairs of warm gloves, without which it will simply be impossible to hold trekking poles;
• thermos with hot tea, which will warm you on a hike and give you strength and energy;
• fleece scarf, buff or balaclava that will save your face from frostbite.

And most importantly, during winter hikes, which are much harder than summer ones, plan your route so that you make breaks as often as possible.

Note for tourists

In addition, if you want your mountain trip to be a complete success, it is very important to remember a few important points while traveling.

1. Before the start of the hike, you should check in so that they will start looking for your group if you don’t return by a certain time, and if you don’t check in, you should warn relatives or friends about this, telling them about the route of your ascent.
2. Crossing along the selected route should be done only during the day in clear weather, as it is too dangerous at night, in rain and during fog in the mountains.
3. At the beginning of each day of the hike, you should dress warmly, and during the transition, you can already take off warm clothes and put them in a backpack.
4. During the hikebreathing for all tourists should be even, if someone breathes too often, the pace of walking should be reduced.
5. When climbing mountains, it is better to loosen the laces on your boots, and tie them tighter on the descents.
6. Walking in the mountains, it is very important to drink plenty of water and warm tea and not touch soda or too sweet drinks.