How to dress for an autumn hike. Let's go camping

Food on a hike in autumn

If you are going on a one-day hike, do not neglect this point. Any human activity is accompanied by a loss of strength, calories and an increase in appetite. In addition, a well-timed snack helps keep you warm. Do not neglect small lunches, your body will be grateful to you and respond to this with new strength and good mood.

So, on a one-day trip, a tourist will need a thermos of hot tea and any favorite food products. Sandwiches, buns, fruits, vegetables, anything are suitable for a snack - nothing will have time to spoil in half a day, and even more so in cool weather.

On a two-day hike, it is important to have hot food for breakfast and dinner, and leave lunch for a snack with hot tea. However, it is better to avoid any quickly brewed foods (noodles, purees, soups instant cooking). It is worth taking with you normal food, with vegetables and fruits, so that the nutrition is complete. It is advisable to avoid glass containers; it is better to replace them with reusable ones plastic containers, and pour the liquids into PET bottles.

On multi-day hikes, meals should be regular, satisfying and complete (as far as possible in independent travel). Instantly brewed products are excluded; there is no benefit from them. To save weight, freeze-dried foods are sometimes used. But try to save weight not on food, but on other things in your backpack. If it’s porridge, then let it be with butter and powdered milk, with the addition of dried fruits or candied fruits. If it’s soup, then with potatoes, stewed meat and dried vegetables (you can buy them or dry them yourself in the oven). If there is tea, then with sugar, cookies and sweets (and it is better that tourists have a choice of what to drink - tea, coffee or cocoa). Dinner should be denser than other meals. Don’t forget, good nutrition on a hike is not only a replenishment of expended energy, but also a guarantee of a good psychological environment in the group.

What else do you need on a hike?

For one day, a backpack of up to 30 liters is enough, even a school bag will do. Before longer hikes, choose your backpack very carefully. This is your future companion who will sit on your shoulders and will not leave them until the end of the journey. The choice of backpack volume primarily depends on the size of the equipment that will be placed there. You shouldn't take a backpack with extra. The larger the backpack, the more it weighs. Do not try on the backpack unloaded; ask the sellers to put something weighty in the backpack. This will make it clear whether this model is convenient for you or not. For PVD (weekend hikes) backpacks from 45 to 65 liters are suitable, for longer hikes - from 60 to 100 liters. Buy a cover for your backpack right away; it will protect the contents from getting wet.

Tent.

For the autumn period, it is better to choose a two-layer tent, since condensation accumulates more in a single-layer tent, and it is better ventilated. Pay attention to the bottom of the tent and its awning. The bottom indicators must be at least 6000 mm of water column, and the awning - at least 4000 mm. The frame must be frost-resistant, so I advise you to opt for aluminum arches.

Travel mat (foam). The main concern of a tourist is not to freeze at night. The earth cools quickly in the fall, and the cold comes mainly from it. Thicker mats will help, I recommend choosing a mat that is at least 12mm thick.

Sleeping bag. It should be two or three layers, with a comfort temperature corresponding to the nighttime forecast temperature.

Personal utensils. The best dishes are plastic, but the kind that can withstand high temperature. The metal gets very hot and burns.

Flashlight. IN day trips You can do without it, unless you have to go to a cave.

Personal first aid kit with essentials. The risk of injury or injury is always and everywhere, but when traveling this risk is greater than when Everyday life. Be especially careful on ridges and rocks; wet stones are very slippery.

Matchbox. In sealed packaging to ensure it doesn't get wet.

Charged mobile phone. Even if you are going on a one-day hike, the communication device should be in good working order and ready to be used instantly to call for help.

Compass and map of the hiking area. It's better to be safe, especially if you're new to hiking.

Personal hygiene items.

Camera - optional. Autumn is a very beautiful time of year, which will give you a rich variety of picturesque landscapes.

How to avoid freezing in a tent

Many people are put off by spending the night in a tent on autumn hikes. But if you prepare well, you can make an overnight stay in the cold season quite comfortable.

Don’t go into your sleeping bag already cold - warm up thoroughly by the fire or run, jump, and squat around the tent. Physical activity will get your blood flowing and keep you warm. Before going to bed, be sure to go to the toilet. This will save you from having to get up in the middle of the night. And the body also spends a lot of energy on “patience,” let the body spend these forces to warm you. Don't forget to wear a hat at night, most of the heat loss occurs on your head. If you start to freeze at night, place an empty backpack under your sleeping bag, and cover yourself with your jacket on top.

Some tourists pour water into a PET bottle and take it with them in their sleeping bag at night as a heating pad. However, this method is only suitable for a while to keep warm in the sleeping bag yourself. It is better to remove the bottle immediately before going to bed, since after one and a half to two hours it will cool down, and the effect of its presence will be the opposite.

Compact gas heaters and gas lamps help heat the tent. The former usually operate from a simple collet cylinder, the latter from threaded cylinders. The efficiency from the heater is not even discussed, but from the lamp it is acceptable (at zero degrees outside, the lamp can heat the temperature in a three-person tent to +10 degrees). These useful things are sold in tourist equipment stores. But! Never heat a tent with a torch! This is very dangerous, modern tents are made of synthetic materials that burn in a matter of seconds!

If you foresee in advance the possibility of combining two sleeping bags into one large one, then sleeping with a friend may be warmer. Use each other as living hot water bottles, don't be shy! Lay down in the tent correctly - the colder areas on the edges of the tent are usually occupied by young people, and the girls are placed in the middle. On particularly cold nights, go to bed alternately: boy-girl, boy-girl (men’s body temperature is slightly higher during exercise than girls, so sleeping next to them is much warmer).

I would like to debunk the myth about keeping warm with alcoholic drinks. Our body is designed in such a way that the vital organs are located in the logical center of the body - chest and abdominal area. This helps maintain optimal temperature body. When a person drinks alcohol, a sharp dilation of blood vessels occurs. Blood from the organs through the vessels quickly spreads throughout the body, it seems that we are warm, sometimes even hot. But at the same time, the body begins to remove alcohol from the blood, the blood vessels narrow, and serious heat loss occurs. The person begins to freeze. However, under the influence of alcohol, he may not feel this hypothermia, which has a detrimental effect on the entire body in the future. So warming yourself with alcohol is useless and even dangerous. Take care of yourself!

For anyone going hiking soon, don’t pay attention to the vagaries of autumn. Get a lot of impressions and positive emotions.

If during summer travel no one really thinks about the cold, then in the spring-autumn period hikes take place in a wider range of temperatures, especially if we are talking about mountainous terrain. These seasons are known for their changeable and completely unpredictable weather, and when the route also sees rain, sometimes lasting for several days, no one wants to be distracted from their vacation by thoughts of chilled limbs. Beginners naturally have a question: what to wear on a hike in the fall or spring so as not to freeze?

The range of things now allows you to feel comfortable even in the most uncomfortable weather conditions, and modern fabrics allow you to wear fewer things on a hike, but warmer and more comfortable ones.

The most common among tourists nowadays is three-layer concept when choosing clothes, which is worn on hikes in the fall and spring. Its implementation is possible at any financial level, from the most budgetary to the most expensive. The beauty of the three-layer concept is that in different weather conditions you can combine them to your liking.

The first underwear layer for an autumn hike

If you go hiking often and stay in nature not for a couple of days, but longer, it makes sense to purchase thermal underwear. Its composition, as a rule, includes synthetic (polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, elastane, etc.) and natural (wool, silk, cotton, etc.) fibers, which, thanks to the special weaving structure and composition, not only retain heat, but and effectively remove moisture.

Such underwear, which fits tightly to the body and does not cause discomfort, will warm you perfectly and prevent you from overheating and sweating during prolonged physical activity. You can wear a set made of synthetics on a hike in the fall or spring, and for sleeping, purchase models with the addition of natural fabrics. Such an investment will pay off in full, because thermal underwear is wear-resistant and durable. proper care, you can find models even for a small budget.

If it is not possible to wear such underwear on hikes, then for a multi-day trip, choose underwear that wicks moisture away from the body and dries quickly, preventing you from freezing. Immediately eliminate cotton or its additions, it quickly absorbs moisture and takes a very long time to dry, but adding wool is possible.

For hiking, you will need a long-sleeved top and bottom, although the bottom may be superfluous for not too cold weather, but it will definitely come in handy for sleeping. If you choose thermal underwear, then choose the right size; the sleeves and legs should not be too short. Don't forget to take 3-4 pairs of warm socks with you, choosing the warmest pair for sleeping.

A second insulating layer of clothing for an autumn hike

Knitted sweaters, wool sweaters, etc., if you really want, can be worn on hikes, but already on the first day you will be convinced of their unsuitability. Such clothes are heavy, bulky, get wet very quickly from sweat, stop warming you and will ultimately cause you to freeze even more. It is extremely difficult to dry such clothes in autumn or spring camping conditions; they simply become damp. That's why experienced tourists love it so much fleece– knitted synthetic fabric made of polyester.

Fleece will serve as the ideal middle layer for your travel clothing. It could be a trowel, a sweater, a sweatshirt, a vest, a turtleneck and more. This material is lightweight, elastic, durable, quick-drying and breathable, hypoallergenic, and not subject to biological degradation. In order for fleece to become wet, you need to soak it in water specifically, and even in a wet state it warms well.

It is better to wear a set of top and bottom on an autumn hike, while the pants can be lined with fleece inside, and have a synthetic layer on the outside that protects from the wind and, ideally, is waterproof. Regular fleece-lined sweatpants will also work. It’s better to take a couple of tops, one denser and the other lighter.

The third protective layer of clothing for an autumn hike

Ideally worn on an autumn hike windproof jackets, it is better with hydrophobic impregnation (preventing raindrops from seeping into the fabric), and if you have good financial resources, with so-called membrane fabric, which allows body evaporation to pass through and at the same time provides better protection from wind and heavier rain. When hiking, people usually wear slightly larger jackets so that they can fit a couple of fleece jackets underneath in case of extreme cold.

For an autumn-spring hike, additional pants with hydrophobic impregnation or made of membrane fabric are unlikely to be needed, unless you are going on a serious mountain hike with a large temperature difference. Pants insulated with fleece, complete with thermal pants or long johns/tights, but not made of cotton, are quite sufficient. Don't forget about hat and gloves. It is better if they are fleece, but this is not critical, choose from what is available.

Tourist reminder

• Backpack: (volume 55-120l):

  If you don't have such a backpack, rent one. Other backpacks are absolutely not suitable!!! (Except if you have a really compact and light series of equipment). Remember that a bag of provisions must still fit there (a bag of about 3 kg, the average size they give in supermarkets). Walking through the mountains with things attached to a backpack, as if it were Christmas tree, not at all comfortable.

• Shoes:

  Worn-out trekking waterproof boots, or boots that are well impregnated with a special water-repellent impregnation (Budget version of Bertsa). And instead, light sports sneakers (the lighter and smaller the better, you should carry them). Most the best option, and the most expensive))) are hiking sneakers with a membrane, synthetic or made of nubuck.) Since the grass can be quite wet, it is necessary that the shoes either do not get wet or dry quickly.

• Water-repellent impregnation for shoes (optional!):

  It’s good to have a small bottle of impregnation from a good manufacturer like Nikwax, Toko. Others are possible, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that it works! :)

• Trousers:

  You can take trekking pants, self-skid pants or military tactical pants ( Main principle to dry quickly). + pants for change. so or a budget option sweatpants, and instead of thermal underwear: leggings.

• T-shirt

  The best option is a thermal T-shirt made of special fabric. But a regular synthetic T-shirt will do, 2 pcs.

• A warm sweater:

  The ideal option is fleece, a sweatshirt made of Polartec fabric, 1-2 pcs.

• Jacket:

  The best option is a special hiking trekking jacket, or a jacket from a ski suit; as a budget option, you can also use a sports jacket. The jacket must have a hood!!! for protection from rain, wind and sometimes snow.

• Headgear and gloves:

  A sports hat and a pair of gloves + (it is advisable to have some work gloves, which you don’t mind). It is also good to have a Balaclava with you in case of strong winds...snow and frost (and this happens on the tops of mountains).

• Linen:

  It is best to use thermal underwear for trekking, or synthetics, one bet is enough, if you have one Thermal Set, then minus one T-shirt. Underwear must also be thermal or synthetic! (The main goal is to remove moisture from the body and dry quickly.)

• Socks:

  The best thing is special hiking or thermal socks; they have high thermoregulating properties and reduce the likelihood of calluses forming. There are winter and summer versions of such socks, a budget option: wool socks - 1 pair, 2 pairs of cotton socks.

• Shoe covers for feet:

  Shoe covers (flashlights) are optional, but it’s better to have! (The main goal in spring and autumn is clean pants, but sometimes you need to wander around in the snow).

• Raincoat:

  You should have a reliable lightweight raincoat made of waterproof fabric with you in case of heavy rain or snowfall, but if you have a special waterproof hiking jacket, then a raincoat is not necessary.

• Sunglasses:

  Glasses with good sun protection factor.

• A flashlight is required:

  The best one is a headlamp with LEDs, it is very convenient and economical, and don’t forget spare batteries.

• Backpack cover:

  It is better to have a separate waterproof cape for your backpack, it is convenient.

• Documents, money and things:

  Documents, money and belongings should be stored in a sealed waterproof bag. Strong bags will also work.

• Mug, deep bowl, spoon, knife:

  The dishes should be light. There is no need for a fork or disposable tableware when camping! It’s better when the cookware is made of titanium, light steel or aluminum; it’s light, won’t crack, and you can heat food in it over the fire.

• Towel, personal hygiene items, cream, toilet paper, large garbage bags, matches (lighter):

  Personal hygiene items only without fanaticism, a small towel, there are special quick-drying microfiber towels, a toothbrush, toothpaste (small tube), soap (small). You can put things in garbage bags so they don’t get wet; if necessary, a cream (small, without fanaticism))) will help with chapped skin.

In order to choose a tour taking place in the fall, you should decide what you expect from the hike - mountain peaks, ridges or a calm river flow and contemplation of nature. Each period of autumn is unique in its own way. Everyone has certain requirements for safety on the route, forcing them to pay attention to the preparation of tourists and previous hiking experience. Let's look at what options for hiking in the fall are possible with our company's guides.

Hiking in early autumn

You can consider options for hiking in the high mountain zone - in September, hiking in the Arkhyz area is possible - going to high mountain passes, climbing peaks (Achishkho) and various trekking options. At this time, the nature of the Krasnodar Territory and mountainous Adygea is practically no different from summer, although the higher you climb into the mountains, the colder it will be at night. As autumn comes into its own, the first frosts appear in the high mountain zone, and in the morning the ice creaks on the tent awning. Golden leaves appear at the foot of the mountains...

October. You should forget about the highlands. Hiking to altitudes above 2000 (two thousand) meters above sea level becomes dangerous. The first snow falls in the mountains and avalanches occur. You should consider options for the middle mountains - mountainous Adygea and. Amazing nature This area captivates with its beauty, quiet tranquility and peace of mind. These tours are very interesting for artists and poets - the golden outfit, panoramic views and, of course, the picturesque splendor of the landscapes.

The equipment you choose for a hike in the fall is exactly the same as in the summer. You should take care of warm thermal underwear, a sleeping bag designed for low temperatures and protection from rain - the weather in autumn is not entirely stable.

Hiking late autumn

As the weather gets colder, you shouldn’t shelve your dreams of hiking in the mountains in the fall. You need to approach your equipment a little more responsibly. It is worth buying warm thermal underwear, a sleeping bag designed for low temperatures and warm socks. Perhaps take thermal dishes and a few hand and foot warmers.

What is late autumn in the Caucasus?

Somewhere from the end of October to the beginning of November, the weather in the Caucasus Mountains begins to deteriorate. The first frost has already passed. The grass has withered. There is a stable snow cover on the peaks - therefore, going to the high mountain zone is associated with an avalanche danger. The NUNATAK Adventure Agency does not conduct hikes in the highlands in November, but you can walk with our guides in the mid-mountains: the territory of mountainous Adygea, the foothill areas of the Krasnodar Territory with access are excellent for hiking in the fall. The further south the hiking area is, the warmer your walks will be. Remember! That the area from Anapa to the border with the Republic of Georgia (Abkhazia) is considered by geographers to be a transition zone of the subtropics, that is, November is the first autumn month in the geographical calendar of this area. That is, trips to the forest in the fall will be painted in the crimson, brown and leaf colors of autumn. Well, if you are not afraid of frosts, the possibility of snowfall, and have a great desire to climb higher, then you should pay attention to the area and territory natural park Bolshoy Thach, where the altitudes are already off the charts at 2000 (two thousand) meters above sea level, but the hiking conditions are more severe, close to winter.

Hiking in the mountains in autumn (late autumn) will be of interest to both beginners in tourism and experienced tourists, since the routes of autumn hikes are not difficult and do not pass far from populated areas.

Need a hike in the fall! - then come to us. We operate year-round, conducting hikes throughout the year.

What to take for a hike in autumn (late autumn)

When going camping in the fall (late fall), you must take a responsible approach to your personal equipment. You should take a set of both light and warm clothes, since the weather at this time of year is very changeable.

Please check out the list of equipment for a winter hike, for late autumn it should be supplemented with a light walking kit and replacement shoes - preferably sneakers.

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Timofeev Nikolay
friend of the City Escape club

Summer, as always, flew by very quickly, and now autumn is on the doorstep - September has arrived. The days are still warm, but the nights have become noticeably longer and cooler. It is raining more and more often, the trees are already covered with gold, and preparations for winter are in full swing in the forests: a vole mouse is filling its pantry with grain, a squirrel is hanging mushrooms on the trees, beavers are harvesting aspen and willow, a hedgehog is arranging a nest for hibernation, and geese and ducks are gathering into flocks and make test flights - preparing for the final flight.

I've always loved autumn. I like to wander through autumn fields and forests, immerse myself in this riot of colors of fading nature. At such moments, a kind of inspiration also comes to me, I want to take a pen or a brush... but usually I limit myself to a camera.

On long autumn walks you often encounter a sudden change in the weather - the sun has just been shining, and five minutes later you are already walking to the accompaniment of wind and rain. Forest roads in the fall are sometimes so dirty and wet that it’s time to get on an all-terrain vehicle. Unfortunately, such factors can scare off many people and make them abandon the idea of ​​going out of town, but I sincerely believe that there is no such thing as bad weather. There are only bad clothes and incorrectly selected equipment.

So how to dress for a hike in the cold season?

When going on a simple hike in the summer, all you need to do is take with you a few spare T-shirts, a hat, a jacket for the evening, comfortable sneakers and a raincoat. We look at the basic set of equipment for a hike in more detail in our other article - be sure to read it. You should be very careful when choosing clothes for an autumn, and even more so, a winter hike. So, in order:

1. There should always be two pairs of shoes. I got one wet on the way, put on dry ones in the evening at camp, and dried the first pair by the fire. It's dry to walk in rubber boots, but it's uncomfortable for long distances. It is ideal to go in trekking boots, and take light sneakers as a second pair. Any shoes should be broken in before the hike. The first aid kit must have a band-aid in case of abrasions and calluses. You can dry your shoes by a fire, or by stuffing dry grass (newspapers) inside, but it is worth remembering that such a system only works at above-zero temperatures (for example, inside a tent), and modern shoes often fall apart near a fire. Therefore, it is best to dry shoes without harsh heat (in the sun or using dry grass/newspaper).

2. You can wear regular cotton socks or buy special trekking ones - with reinforced heels and toes, made of modern synthetic materials. It is always a good idea to have one pair of wool socks with you, but in late autumn and winter it is better to take two or three pairs. Material: only natural wool. Nothing warmer and more reliable has yet been invented. Wool will keep you warm even when wet. You can dry your socks by the fire or on yourself - go to bed in wet socks (just put them in your sleeping bag), and overnight they will dry like a radiator.

3. Bottom layer. This is thermal underwear - pants and a jacket. Their main purpose is to remove moisture from the body into the outer layers of clothing. One of the options for classifying thermal underwear is by the degree of expected activity: you will be wearing it skiing, mountaineering, or going ice fishing - the thermal underwear will be different. Synthetics wick away moisture better.

4. The middle layer is a fleece jacket and pants. The main purpose of the middle layer is thermoregulation. Instead of a fleece jacket, you can wear a wool sweater or sweatshirt.

5 . Upper layer. This is a storm jacket and pants, the main purpose of which is wind and moisture protection. Modern storm jackets are often made from Gore-Tex membrane fabric, distinctive feature which is absolute moisture protection without loss of breathability. Such jackets are quite expensive and you feel somehow uncomfortable in them, sitting by a sparkling fire. Therefore, for a classic forest hike, you can get a simpler jacket.

6. In winter, it is sometimes worth wearing a down jacket over the windbreak. On a ski trip, this may be necessary at a rest stop to stay warm, or in the evening at camp. It will almost certainly be too hot to move around in a down jacket, but with such a set you won’t be afraid of even very severe frost.

7. A fleece hat is almost always comfortable on your head. It's useful to have a spare. In severe frost or during a snowstorm, in addition to a hat, a special mask is used - a balaclava, which completely covers the face from the wind and other bad weather.

8. Fleece gloves are very comfortable on your hands - both in autumn and winter. If it gets cold in winter, you can change into thicker gloves with insulation, but it’s better to wear mittens. The warmest ones are down ones.

Now you can avoid many mistakes when choosing hiking clothes. Of course, this is not exhaustive information - you could write a separate article for each of the points, but I’m not sure that this makes much sense. Everything else will come with experience. I wish you interesting travels and hikes!

Timofeev Nikolay
friend of the City Escape club