| "It is entirely unnecessary |
MORE SAFETY ON THE HILLS |
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| to leave anything on the | ||
| hills ...." | ||
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Clothing:
To
wear and to carry! It really depends on the conditions, but
there should always be sufficient clothing carried to cope with the worst
possible conditions. This may mean carrying items in the
rucksack that do not "see the light of day" but better that than not have
that item when you desperately need it! Starting from the
inside out, a good thermal tee-shirt - one that feels comfortable and does
not itch. Thermal longjohns for really cold conditions (if you
don't like the thought of wearing longjohns you can always call them
skipants!). Two pairs of socks - thin pair on the inside and
thick pair on the outside. Good leather boots.
Gaiters (tied or strapped underneath). A sweater or sweatshirt - nice and long at the
back . A fleece or a bodywarmer. A waterproof jacket, preferably a breathable
fabric and with a hood that fits snugly around the head. A
woolly or fleece hat which covers the ears as well as the
head. Gore-Tex or Pertex, fleece lined, mittens (much better
than gloves), and carry a spare dry pair if you can afford it.
Waterproof, breathable, trousers. Skiing goggles or, at
the very least, sunglasses. In full snow cover, on a sunny
day, it is possible to cause physical damage to unprotected eyes.
You will also bless your goggles or sunglasses if you get caught in
a hailstorm, or if the wind is gusting to 80 - 100 mph and blowing
particles of ice into your face at the same speed! I burst a
small blood vessel in one eye last winter because I was too slow in putting on my
goggles. Before leaving home I always refer to a checklist of what I
should carry - just to ensure that I do not leave without some vital piece
of equipment. Avalanches: (Yes they do happen in Scotland!) If snow conditions are such that avalanches are possible it is often safer (and easier) walking along the ridges, rather than across the face of a hill, However, if walking on any ridges with a drop on either side, remember that, in winter, large snow cornices can build up and care must be taken not to walk on the overhanging snow.
Emergencies: I always hesitate to give blanket advice regarding accidents or incidents on the hills in winter. No two incidents are the same and, as each will involve different circumstances, so each may have a different solution. What every winter hillwalker should do is to practise digging a snowhole or a shelter before being involved in an emergency situation, in order to see, from practical experience, how even a small scrape in the snow can provide a noticeable degree of protection.
Litter:
It comes in many shapes and forms, from empty cans and bottles to crisp
bags, the remnants of half-eaten sandwiches and the remains of various
fruits. It is entirely unnecessary to leave anything on the
hills. Most people bring their lunch in a sandwich box or
container of some sort and this can be used for taking back all the
leftovers, including banana skins, orange peel and half-eaten sandwiches. Opinion: I
have often been asked which is best - summer or winter walking - and the
answer is easy. If you get a calm sunny day in winter,
with full, firm, snow cover, where the snow sparkles like diamonds and the
air is so clear that you can see half way across Scotland, then it is
absolutely magical! But you don't get many days like that in a
Scottish winter! It is far more likely that the mist will be
down, the wind howling and the underfoot conditions either sheet ice or
deep, soft, porridgey snow.
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