[5-8 |] Skiing Trips in Jotunheimen [5-9] Summer in Jotunheimen can be fairy tale-like, but it is certainly not a bad place to visit in the winter, either. [5-10] Skiing trips in the high mountains requires greater preparations and skills than hiking trips, but with the correct equipment and sensible behavior, it is not difficult to go from lodge to lodge in the wintertime. [5-11] It is of course possible to stay in the lodges and take day trips during winter, as well. [5-12] In this part of Jotunheimen, the following routes are marked in the mountains during Easter vacation: [5-13] Gjendesheim/Bessheim - Glitterheim, Glitterheim - Spiterstulen, Spiterstulen - Leirvassbu, Leirvassbu - Gjendebu, Gjendebu - Memurubu, Memurubu - Gjendesheim, Memurubu - Glitterheim, Bessheim - Sikkilsdalsseter, Gjendesheim - Oskampen. [5-14] For further details, we invite you to consult information from DNT before each winter season, and the book «På ski i fjellet» published by the Tourist Association in 1991. [5-15]
[5-16 |] Equipment for Hiking [5-17] The weather in the mountains is capricious and changing, so it is a question of being prepared for most eventualities. [5-18] Rain and wind are something one can «count on», and even on a summer day, it may snow. [5-19] Therefore it is always necessary to take along a change of warm clothing and potable water - as well as a windbreaker when you are planning to make a lengthy trip in the high mountains. [5-20] And high quality footwear is a must. [5-21] Good footwear is half the trip. [5-22] During the summertime, appropriate footwear is probably the single most important item you must take with you into the mountains, and it is advisable to consider carefully when choosing hiking boots. [5-23] For most people, it is wise to choose sturdy leather boots, especially in the kind of challenging terrain one finds in Jotunheimen. [5-24] Good boots provide support for the legs and good friction against the ground. [5-25] They will keep you dry, both from moisture from the outside and perspiration inside, and they do not have to be especially heavy. [5-26] If you know that the trip generally will run through very wet terrain, rubber boots may be the natural choice of footwear, providing you have strong legs. [5-27] There are also those who use running shoes on mountain hikes, regardless of weather. [5-28] Even though the course they plan to take is not especially dry, or the terrain is not particularly easy to hike, they choose sneakers. [5-29] If you have strong legs and are not afraid of hiking around with wet feet all day long, this of course is a choice you can make. [5-30] As with other mountain equipment, footwear also entails finding something that suits you and meets your needs. [5-31] If you need to buy new boots before the trek, it is wise to have broken them in beforehand. [5-32] Except for boots, it is not necessary to buy expensive special equipment to go hiking in the mountains during the summer. [5-33] Most people take along wool undergarments, a thick shirt, hiking trousers and a warm sweater that they already own. [5-34] Rain clothes and a hiking jacket are also things found in most wardrobe closets. [5-35] If you bring along a warm cap and a pair of mittens in addition, then you are well prepared for most types of weather (see the list of equipment below). [5-36] DNT has tested a number of types of mountain gear and can offer additional advice if you need to inquire. [5-37]
[5-38 |] List of Equipment for Summer Hiking Including Overnight Stays in Lodges [5-39] This list has been compiled by the Tourist Association based on broad experience regarding what is sensible to take with you into the mountains on a summer day. [5-40] If the weather is warm, you'll carry more with you in your rucksack; if it is colder, you will wear more on your body. [5-41]
[5-42 |] Clothing: [5-43 |] Underpants [5-44 |] Undershirt, short-sleeved or long-sleeved (wool or other suitable fabric for the mountains) [5-45 |] Shirt or thin sweater [5-46 |] Trousers or knickers (wool or equivalent) [5-47 |] Wool socks [5-48 |] Wool stockings [5-49 |] Boots [5-50]
[5-51 |] In your rucksack or pockets: [5-52 |] Anorak/windbreaker [5-53 |] Windproof pants [5-54 |] Cap [5-55 |] Scarf [5-56 |] Sweater/jacket, wool or fleece [5-57 |] Rainwear (if your windbreaker is not waterproof) [5-58 |] Reserve undershirt, wool or other suitable material suitable for use in the mountains) [5-59 |] Long underpants, wool or other material suitable for use in the mountains) [5-60 |] Light indoor shoes [5-61 |] Light indoor clothing [5-62 |] Mittens/mitts [5-63 |] Shorts [5-64 |] Packed lunch [5-65 |] Thermos [5-66 |] Map and compass [5-67 |] Map case, including pencil and paper [5-68 |] Mosquito repellent [5-69 |] Toilet articles [5-70 |] Towel [5-71 |] Sheet bag or sleeping bag [5-72 |] First aid kit [5-73 |] Waterproofing for boots [5-74 |] Sun glasses [5-75 |] Sunblock [5-76 |] Reserve provisions (for example, chocolate) [5-77 |] Matches [5-78 |] Keys (to the cabin, your home, your car) [5-79 |] Membership card for the Tourist Association [5-80]
[5-81] This kind of equipment in a normal rucksack weighs 7-10 kg. [5-82]
[5-83 |] On a camping trip in the mountains during summer, you must also bring along: [5-84 |] Sleeping bag [5-85 |] Ground pad [5-86 |] Cooking utensils and fuel [5-87 |] Plate and eating utensils [5-88 |] Food [5-89 |] Tent [5-90]
[5-91 |] Take the Children Along to the Mountains [5-92] It is nice to take the children along to the mountains. [5-93] It provides a new way of enjoying nature for us grown-ups, too. [5-94] It is wise in the beginning, nevertheless, to plan to stay in a tourist lodge and make day outings around the lodge. [5-95] If you want to trek from lodge to lodge with the children, you should proceed cautiously. [5-96] Some children are able to hike from lodge to lodge when they are five years old; others may not be very interested until they are eight or nine. [5-97] It varies from child to child, and the most thoughtless thing we parents can do is to force a child to take trips that they are unmotivated to do. [5-98] In the beginning, trips of two to four hours might be enough. [5-99] Count on using twice the number of hours that are indicated on the map in the back of the pamphlet. [5-100] You will need to allow for frequent and lengthy rest breaks and ample time for admiring nature and making discoveries. [5-101] Children can ask questions that ten wise men couldn't answer, so it may be a good idea to prepare oneself a little, for example by taking along a little mountain flora guide in your breast pocket. [5-102] If you have thought a little beforehand about the kinds of activities the family can enjoy along the trip, it will be easier to motivate small legs for renewed efforts. [5-103] At several of the tourist lodges, conditions are adapted for families with children. [5-104] Games and children's books are available to borrow. [5-105]
[5-106 |] Map and compass [5-107] The maps in the back of this book are on a scale of 1:100 000. [5-108] This means that every centimeter on the map is equal to one kilometer in the terrain. [5-109] It is wise to plan and complete trips along marked routes. [5-110] If you are going to hike off the trails, I recommend that you obtain a map on a scale of 1: 50 000. [5-111] There are such maps covering all of Norway's terrain. [5-112] Even though the routes in this book are marked and described, there is no doubt about the fact that a map and compass should always be taken along on a trip. [5-113] There are unfortunately too many people who forget this, and experience also shows that many who take a map and compass along haven't learned to use them. [5-114] If you are to be a trustworthy guide in the mountains and woods, you will need to practice a lot, and it is here that many hikers are lacking. [5-115] They follow the markings and think that it is marked so well that they don't need to follow along on the map. [5-116] As a rule, the trip is successful anyway. [5-117] But things can go seriously wrong if you do not know exactly where you are and what landmarks you have surrounding you. [5-118] As you follow marked trails on a fine sunny day, you should now and again benefit from the occasion to train yourself, so that you are sure you can properly use a map and compass. [5-119] When a storm breaks, it is too late. [5-120] If you lose track of the markings - and your sense of direction - it may be a matter of life and death to know where you are on the map, to be able to set a course with your compass and find your way back to the marked path. [5-121] TRANSLATION MISSING [5-122] Much of the pleasure of hiking in the mountains is to become familiar with a new area, and to learn the names of mountains and formations you pass. [5-123] You should, therefore, make it a habit to follow along on the map, so that you always know where you are. [5-124]
[5-125 |] Setting a Course [5-126 |] When you want to plot a course, you proceed in the following manner: [5-127]
[5-128] 1 Place the compass on top of the map. [5-129] Lay the edge of the compass along your desired course, with the fixed directional arrow from the place where you are to the point you want to reach. [5-130]
[5-131] 2 Rotate the compass bowl until the lines at the bottom of the compass bowl are parallel with the North-South lines on the map. [5-132]
[5-133] 3 Remove the compass from the map. [5-134] Keep the compass horizontal and turn your body until the moveable arrow in the compass bowl is parallel with the directional arrow at the bottom of the bowl. [5-135]
[5-136] 4 Your target direction is toward the point at which the fixed course arrow on the compass is pointing. [5-137]
[5-138 |] In the Event of an Accident [5-139] Even though most trips in the mountain conclude without drama, you should be prepared for what to do in case the opposite occurs. [5-140] Regardless of how well organized the Norwegian Rescue Service is, it is you alone who have the responsibility for avoiding situations that lead to accidents. [5-141] It is easier to act correctly, when the forces of nature are unleashed, if you have thought through the situation beforehand. [5-142] The best way to handle dangerous situations is to learn how to avoid them. [5-143]
[5-144 |] Basic Rules of First Aid [5-145 |] Naturally the same principles for life-saving first aid apply in the mountains as anywhere else: [5-146]
[5-147] 1. Free the air passages. [5-148] An unconscious person must be placed on his side in a stable position. [5-149] If the patient is not breathing, you must begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. [5-150] If the patient does not have a pulse, you must also begin cardiac resuscitation. [5-151] 2. Stop profuse bleeding. [5-152] Profuse, life-threatening bleeding must be stopped as soon as possible. [5-153] Use a pressure bandage or a tourniquet. [5-154] 3. Prevent loss of circulation. [5-155] Try to keep the patient calm. [5-156] Place him with his feet elevated if need be. [5-157] Wrap the patient in warm clothing, a sleeping bag or blanket. [5-158] 4. Prevent infection. [5-159] Cover open wounds, preferably with sterile bandages. [5-160] Splint or stabilize fractures so that transportation of the patient can be done as gently as possible. [5-161] 5. Transportation. [5-162] Call for help at Tel. 112 (police, emergency rescue services) or 113 (doctor, ambulance), using, for example, the staffed lodges, and get ready to evacuate the patient once his condition is stable. [5-163] Remember that you can't depend on cell phone coverage in all areas of the mountains. [5-164]
[5-165 |] Blisters [5-166] The mountain hikers' most common affliction is easier to prevent than cure. [5-167] Blisters usually occur where the boot chafes against the foot, on the heel, arch and underside of the toes. [5-168] Places that begin to become red because of chafing should be covered with a wide adhesive bandage, sports tape or specially made blister bandages. [5-169] Places exposed to pressure should be padded so that the pressure is evenly distributed. [5-170] If you know that you blister easily, or have boots that irritate certain parts of your feet, it is just as well to bandage exposed areas before you set out on the hike. [5-171] If you have new boots that have not been broken in well, you should be particularly watchful for signs of blisters. [5-172] If you already have a pus-filled blister, you can pierce it or cut a hole in the blister with a sterilized knife, needle or scissors. [5-173] Next you need to cut a bandage or piece of foam rubber and place it so that it covers the wound and you will not have any direct pressure that might further irritate it when you continue hiking.