How not to die in winter campaign

On the Middle Urals there was a terrible PE. January 19, during a hike to the dry-country stone, two girls were lost. As a result, one died, the second discovered with frostbite. We asked the experts why the tragedy could happen and how to prevent such incidents.

On the morning of January 19, the company of tourists from five people came to the Turkaz of the Serebryansky Stone, and decided to climb the high point of the mountain of the Sukhogorskone. The company had three girls and two guys. The distance from the base to the vertex is 12 kilometers.

During the trip, snowfall began, as a result, a group of tourists was divided. Two girls lost their companions and got lost. They had to spend three days in the open area, and on the street there was a strong frost. From food they had only one chocolate tile, and nothing else. As it turned out, the girls even had nothing to register a fire, because the lighter was not working. All things of girls, including knives, axes, navigator and food, were in guys in backpacks. When the Ministry of Emergency Situations managed to find missing girls, then one of them (Elena Podkaytova) no longer filed signs of life.

Elena Osipova The second girl who got lost, was very weak, but was alive. When the rescuers arrived she could not even move his hand. On Elena Osipova, the jacket was unbuttoned, as it turned out, she wanted to sign a helicopter sign, but there was no strength for such actions. The girl was taken to the hospital, and the doctors managed to bring her to feelings, but her feet were very frostpled, and they had to amputate.

Rescuers for three days had to explore about 115 kilometers before they found missing girls. Mobile phones of women failed to descend, because in the direction there was one tower in a small village of Kytl, and for determining coordinates, at least two- three. Ito, in such a situation it was possible to define an approximate area for the search, plus minus kilometer. So this version of the MES brigade immediately dropped.

When the girls found them, they were on the slope of the mountain Kazan Stone. Not far from them was a trail leading to the valley, but a layer of snow two meters height did not allow girls to reach her. If they had skis or snowshoes, they would be able to find the path. From the location of women to the gorge near the seeding mountains, there were only 800 meters. Return to the pathway going towards the tourism, it was impossible to find it, because the traces were frozen snow, and the visibility was bad.

The lost girls tried to find a walkway on their own, they wandered there and gradually retired towards the valley. When the strength was no longer going down the way, the girls sat down under the Christmas tree and stayed there to wait.

During the operation to save the missing tourists, the rescuers were looking for the outskirts of the forest, and periodically called women, making minute pauses. In one of these pauses, rescuers heard a quiet response, the Ministry of Emergency Situations were only thirty meters from the missing tourist. Unfortunately, one girl was already dead, but the rescuers were aware of the death of one Irina, because the second managed to make a call and warn that about four in the morning her girlfriend stopped breathing, and the very kneading had the opportunity to move.

When the saved woman was finished and came to feelings, she was able to tell why it happened that all things were left in guys in backpacks. Irina Osokina told: “We counted for the rescue of the group, and thought they would search us, but turned out to be the opposite, therefore it happened this terrible PE”.

Rescuers helped the fact that the surviving girl was able to make a call. Operators taped approximate search radius and reported this information to rescuers. It helped to reduce the search radius and accelerated the finding of girls.

The MES brigade told reporters: “If it were not for this important call, we could not find them, maybe then girls would find tourists or a random hunter”. Still rescuers added: “That the main mistake of girls, was their separation with the rest of the group”.

Director of the local turbase, Alexander Podolsky, together with the team of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, helped seeking missing girls. According to him, tourists calmly could rise to the top was still light, but for some incomprehensible reasons they could not do.“Maybe they often did priges, could stop to take pictures on the background of nature or stopped for cooking, so they did not have enough time”. In addition, the group did not plan their time, they allowed some more rough mistakes.

For the safe conquest of mountain peaks, you must have a couple of people who have experience in such campaigns. The group must have a conductor, a guidance of an expedition, and closing. Tourists, judging by the sad outcome of such people, was not found, and it was their main mistake.

Main girls mistakes:

Lack of an experienced instructor who could properly organize a planned campaign.

The girls did not have a standard set, to make hikes in winter, as well as warm clothes. Also, they did not take care of bringing a navigator with them and could not remember the climbing route.

Distracted and lagging behind the group, which led to the loss of the route.

When they realized that they were lost, continued to look for the way to the hotel. It was necessary to wait for help, without leaving this place, and not to look for the way.

Immediately did not warn rescuers on the phone that they got lost. According to correspondents, the girls had such an opportunity.

Useful Tips for Winter Hikes

During the commissioning, it is better to use a GPS navigator that is equipped with all the map of the terrain, and has a replaceable battery. Also, stock additional batteries for navigator.

If it is not possible to purchase this device, then you can use a mobile phone with a special application. So, how mobile Internet catches not in all places, the phone must have a built-in GPS, which is determined by the satellite, or have an application for sending coordinates using SMS.

Estimated in winter time, you need to purchase the following accessories in advance:

packing of matches, or another source of fire, such as a lighter;

a knife or other sharp object so that you can cut the campfire bark;

A set of warm clothes and shoes;

For a person to have a closed mask, you can Balaklava;

Several pairs of mittens, preferably not missing moisture;

maps, GPS-navigators and other means to help navigate the terrain;

Primus or gas burner for boiling water.

This simple set should be in everyone who wanted to walk in Dali from settlements in winter.

How to behave in the campaign

Before going to the campaign, you need to learn to navigate the terrain, and explore the planned route. During the movement to notice outstanding signs: pillars, high trees, buildings, rivers and hills. In general, everything that will help determine the location.

Learn to use the sun as a landmark. Know his position in the sky at different times and understand in which part it is.

Understand that during bad weather conditions, it is better to use special devices to determine the terrain. Keep out of sight.

Purchase the ignition skills in the open space and in any climatic conditions, in spite of the rain, snow and low temperature.

Stock item to ignite. They can be dry fuel, a piece of plastic or plexiglass, a piece of flammable wood or matter.

What to do if the tourist is lost

In case, during a campaign, one or several participants fell behind, it is necessary to comply with calm, panic does not allow to properly decide in the current situation. If, a person who has lost in the way knows how to navigate the terrain, then you can try to find the road yourself.

If it is not possible to fall into the settlement, you should take care of the night. To do this, it is necessary to dug deepening in the snow, find branches for the arrangement of the roof (better if coniferous branches are), take care of the presence of a fire.

If suddenly you got lost and do not have the idea, in which direction to move, it is better to stay in place and try to inform your friends familiar or in 112 of your location. In the absence of accurate coordinates, it is necessary to describe the terrain in detail.

Create attractive signs. Relieved a fire (smoke is seen from far away), mark the place of bright matter or jacket, to pull out signs on the snow or lay out out of the girlfriend. In order for a person to notice from the helicopter, you need to clearly designate yourself: for example, spread the jacket, and preferably bright, not white. Because on top lost looks like a point, in whatever bright jacket. And it is desirable that he moved.

If there is no possibility to hide from snow, wind and cold, then you need to constantly move so that the body’s hypothermiasis does not happen, otherwise a person will die.

These are such simple tips will help to survive those who woranled in the forest or elsewhere distant from residential areas. The main thing is remember, traveling to camouflage things, you risks not found, better to wear bright and catchy things. This will facilitate the search.