Rules for survival in the mountains. How to survive in the mountains, desert and taiga. Incredible stories of salvation (3 photos). In the mountains, you should know and remember that
A film-biography, a film a guide for all those who are desperate and who have lost hope. A film about strength of mind and perseverance. Director Scott Waugh filmed a story that is somewhat reminiscent of Danny Boyle's 127 Hours about climber Aron Ralston trapped in Utah. The only difference is that 6 Feet Deep is not about the hot desert, but about the snow-capped mountains where Eric Lemarque survived in low temperatures.
A former hockey player, a participant in the 1994 Olympic Games as part of the French national team, and a player drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 80s, Eric Lemarque, at the end of his sports career, continued to need the adrenaline rush that he received, rolling around the hockey rink from their own to the gates of others. Stroking the opponent, the desire to attack and score goals all this is a thing of the past and Eric Lemark began to look for a replacement, which was found in drugs and snowboarding.
Having once again set off to board a board high, he fell into a snowstorm and got lost in the mountains, where for a week he fought a desperate struggle for life with a harsh winter, during the day it seemed to warm against the background of snow with its sun (for mountains, such a climate is common), at night, seeking to take the unfortunate person to itself, using a fierce cold and wild predators.
The first thing I would like to note is that Eric Lemark is not an Olympic champion. He played for the French team at the 1994 Games, but did not take gold, as well as awards of other denominations. The description of the film can mislead the viewer. Therefore, I will immediately explain: Lemarque is an American of French origin. Respectively. He could play for both teams at the international level. If the French never became Olympionists, then the Americans took gold in 1960, when Lemarque was not yet born, and in 1980, when the legendary “Miracle on Ice” happened and American students beat the USSR national team in the final. Lemark was only 11 years old at the time. This moment is a common inaccuracy, so it does not have a decisive significance for the film.
Second 6 Feet Deep, despite its modest rating of 5.7, is a good guide for people to never give up and fight for their lives even in the most unbearable conditions. There are a great many such stories all over the world, and of course “127 hours” immediately comes to mind, and “Everest” by Baltasar Kormakur, which tells about the tragedy in the mountains in the mid-90s and there, just tells about the struggle for life on the part of the famous Soviet Kazakh climber Anatoly Bukreev, who rescued several people in unbearably difficult conditions, and Back Weathers (Josh Brolin), who independently found a way to salvation. Such films are also made so that the viewer can once again assert himself in the idea that the human body is able to withstand many trials, and, of course, so that the viewer knows about such cases. For example, although I am fond of hockey, I heard the name of Eric Lemark for the first time and after watching it I began to read about the one on the basis of whose story the film was shot. It's great that through cinema the viewer gets the opportunity to expand their horizons, learn interesting facts, discover, perhaps, new people who increase their motivation by their example.
Thirdly, one cannot but ignore the splendor of the mountains and winter nature. A silent spruce forest with sprawling branches in the snow, white mountain peaks such landscapes attract and take your breath away, and when you see all this on the screen, you slightly envy those who have been there, and you yourself, in turn, make a virtual journey. Some scenes of the film were filmed with an action camera mounted on a snowboarder, which makes his tacking down the slope look even more impressive. So technically the film deserves praise. Thanks to such frames of the event, the pictures acquire additional dynamics, charge those who watch Eric Lemarque from the other side of the screen with adrenaline.
Fourth, the film attracts the viewer's attention with the fate of Lemarque, with the way the situation in which he finds himself can affect a person's worldview. Those days that he spent in the forest in the cold can be fully considered a confession to himself, as well as a course of rehabilitation and drug cleansing. In the course of the film, flashbacks from his childhood, youth and youth constantly flash in the thoughts of the hero, which somehow shaped his evil, aggressive, but at the same time pliable character. Being alone with himself, Lemark does not stop reflecting, gradually realizing that it is he and no one else who is the creator of himself. It is he who is responsible for what his life has become, it is he who can change it, but for this it is necessary to overcome his fear, himself, say “NO” to drugs and overcome the silence of the snow
Fifth Josh Hartnett, who has not spoiled his fans in recent years by appearing on the screens, returned and, in my opinion, played his role superbly. Despair, indifference, lust for life, euphoria, hopelessness - the palette of his emotions is varied and bright, and the acting itself is convincing and looks natural. We can probably say that Scott Waugh did not lose by inviting Hartnett to the main role.
Sixth "At a depth of 6 feet" once again confirms that there is no one dearer than mother in the world. The understanding of this comes to the main character, but it comes, perhaps too late for him, because until the very end it is not known whether he will be able to see her again and ask for forgiveness for the pain that he caused her. And, despite how strong this pain was, it is the mother’s heart that will forgive a lot and even more, and the most important thing here is to ask for forgiveness in time, but it’s better not to bring it to this, because at any moment it may be too late. Using the example of Eric Lemark, one can also judge that when everyone forgot about you, when your best friends did not need you (for example), your mother will always be there.
This paragraph brings out the main moral of the film: take care of yourself and your loved ones. Do not hesitate to apologize, do not live only for yourself, because for sure there are those who live by you and personal loss, as the heroine of Mira Sorvino (Lemark's mother) put it, will turn the heart into a big hole / emptiness Be attentive to your relatives, because often only they can get you out of your depression.
Scott Waugh, who directed the solid action film The Law of Valor, which brings fans of the genre back to the cool adrenaline films of the 80s and 90s, once again demonstrated his ability to make films without big budgets, but attracting the viewer's attention with the staging, shooting style, acting.
However, watch for you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
Enjoy watching.
With this post, I open a series of articles on survival in extreme situations. I hope that the use of this knowledge in practice will never be useful to you.
Chapter 1. Survival in the mountains in winter.
This text is intended rather for just interesting reading, since it is unlikely that an ordinary person will have to face the conditions that will be described below. And people who may encounter them (climbers) undergo special training. Although if you are a crazy (read brainless:) freerider who drives far from the track and does not know where he will hit in advance, or you just lingered on the mountain until it was completely dark, these few tips can help you.
Just such a case occurred during the last trip to Elbrus. It is not known what happened to the plank, but as a result, rescuers dug it out in the morning at an altitude of 3300 meters (between Mir and Krugozor) 100 meters from the highway. Probably the guy spent the sunset somewhere above, but he couldn’t go down in the dark ... The temperature in the mountains drops very quickly at night. At an altitude of 3200 meters (Garabashi), the standard temperature at night is -25 -30. It gets colder. Roughly speaking, for every 300 meters of altitude, the temperature drops by an average of 4 degrees.
Let's start with an emergency!
You, with two friends (so as not to be bored), went to uncharted slopes and went to hell knows where. If you managed to contact the rescuers by radio, it is better to set up camp and wait for rescue. If there is no connection, then you need to move. Whether you have any idea where the people are or not, you need to move down and out of the highlands as quickly as possible anyway.
There are many dangers in the mountains. The main ones are lack of water (here I may be asked: “what about the snow?”, But I will answer this question a little later), lack of food, hypothermia, cracks under the snow, slipping down the slope, avalanches.
The most dangerous thing that can meet on your way is a glacier. Huge fields of even, even snow or ice. The danger is that all these glaciers hide many faults under a thin layer of snow. And you won't see them until you fail.
It is better to move on glaciers on skis. But if you are a snowboarder, you will have to walk. Try to find a stick to feel the snow in front of you. If you are using a ski pole, turn it upside down so it goes into the snow better. Whether you have a stick or not, you still want to make sure. There is one very effective way to protect against cracks. If you are walking in a group, then you need to tie to each other at a distance of 4-7 meters. This way you will all protect each other. If you go alone, then there is still a way to protect yourself. Again, you will need a rope. Tie it around, and tie a backpack on the other end. If it is empty, then it is better to weight it with snow. Knots a little smaller than a fist should be tied along the entire length of the rope. Thus, when you go, the backpack will be dragged behind you. Of course it will be harder to walk, but it can save your life. When falling into a crevasse, the rope will cut through the soft snow at the edge as you pull it down, the knots in turn acting as brakes and the backpack acting as a float. Thus, you hang on a rope over the abyss. Of course, you will still need to get out, which is quite difficult, but here you will again be helped by tied knots for which you can catch on.
Breakdowns. When moving on mountain slopes, you must be prepared for the fact that at any moment you can slip or stumble and fall. And any fall can lead to sliding down the slope, where there may be a cliff or stones. If you do not stop it at the very beginning, while the sliding speed is still low, you will no longer be able to stop. You need to abruptly roll over on your stomach, slightly spread your legs and, thereby increasing the friction area, try to stop. No need to wave your arms and raise your legs. Try to spread out as much as possible, trying to catch your fingers on anything.
When walking on an icy slope, plastic ski boots will slip very, very much. To make the shoes slip less, you need to wrap fabric around them. If there is no extra fabric, then you can wear thick socks over the boots. It can get chilly after a while, but during this time you will overcome the dangerous area and be able to put your socks back on.
Water. Critical question. When you move in the mountains, you lose a huge amount of water through sweat. In no case do not eat snow (and not only yellow. You don’t need to eat white either). There will be more harm than good here. Yes, you will restore the required amount of water in the body, but you will lose the temperature. Which is much scarier. If you have a canteen or plastic bottle, fill it with snow and put it under your jacket close to your body. Thus, the snow will slowly melt and gain temperature. It is advisable to drink about 2 liters of water per day.
Hypothermia. This is an inevitable danger. On a sunny day, when you move on the slopes, you hardly feel it. But in strong wind conditions or as soon as the sun starts to set, you need to find shelter for the night.
Let's consider the worst case. Snowstorm and the onset of evening. If you can not find a natural shelter - a cave or a crevice, you need to build your own protection.
In strong wind conditions, you will not be able to work for a long time, therefore, first of all, you need to build wind protection while you work. Snowboards and skis can be excellent protection. Stick them into the snow at an angle, forming a solid wall. If there are not enough boards and skis, they can form an excellent frame for the wall. Throw on backpacks and you can make snow bricks from thick pieces of crust to build a full-fledged wall.
Next, you need to dig yourself a shelter. The simplest scheme is a trench (or trench), a meter and a half deep. Not very wide, but so that everyone can easily fit there. In the walls of the trench, you can make sleeping places, like in a train car. The bottom of the trench should be lower than the bottom of the shelf, as cold air will accumulate at the lowest point. It is better to tamp the walls and ceiling with your hands so that the snow melts a little and freezes again, this will prevent a collapse. It's better to put something under yourself. A backpack, ropes, anything to keep body heat from escaping into the ground.
When everything is ready, the boards and skis can be removed from the windbreak wall you made earlier and placed as a trench roof. The snow brick wall can be left or even moved closer to the trench.
The most important thing to remember! Those people who dug your shelter are now the most vulnerable. First of all, they sweat a lot. A wet body loses heat 10 times faster than a dry one. Therefore, if possible, exchange things with them. Let everyone who "rested" from digging a trench have one wet thing from those who worked. Moisture evaporates quickly enough and you will not feel the difference.
You can leave at dawn.
Another danger in the mountains is the lack of food. At such a height, due to the unusually low oxygen content, performance is greatly reduced, psychological stability and reaction are also greatly reduced. Add to this the constant struggle with the weather and terrain, and you have a group of hungry and irritable people whose sense of danger is dulled. Therefore, it is very important to try to restore protein reserves. About the search for food in the mountains, I will write a detailed article later. But roughly speaking, it comes down to finding a forest or an alpine lake.
In addition, about shelter for the night. Ice tunnels are often found in the mountains. Never stop in them. The ice in them is strong as steel, but at the same time, if there is some weak area and a crack starts there, then the entire tunnel will collapse like broken glass.
A traveler whose path lies through the mountains has no right to make even the slightest mistake. The mountains do not forgive them. Therefore, when traveling in the mountains, you need to firmly “drive” the rules of survival in the mountains into your memory. This knowledge will help to save in the event of an avalanche, tell you how to cross the glacier with the least loss of physical and nervous strength, and finally, teach you how to safely descend from the mountain slopes.
If you are caught in an avalanche, then first of all, unfasten your backpack, skis and other objects that hinder your movements, and try to run away towards the edge of the avalanche, that is, across it. If you are still covered by a "wave", but it is possible to make movements like swimming, try to do it with your back forward, against the direction of the avalanche. Keep your mouth tightly closed. If an avalanche of loose snow comes down, cover your nose and mouth with a cloth, forming an air bag where snow will not fall. Try to conserve energy until the moment when the avalanche loses power and slows down, but stay at the top level of the avalanche, otherwise your chances of survival will drastically decrease. When the avalanche stops, start digging a hole for freedom little by little.
The descent from the mountain slopes also requires special knowledge, skills and abilities. If you have an ice ax in your equipment, you can choose a very fast way to go down the slope - sliding. You just need to sit in the snow and start sliding down the slope, using the ice ax as a brake. The descent can be accelerated by lying on your back while sliding and lifting your legs up. When choosing this method of descent, remember the following rules:
- resort to sliding only if the slope smoothly turns into a horizontal;
- first remove the spikes - if they catch on something, you will be thrown onto the slope with great force;
- for protection from the icy wind and in order not to get hurt on the ice ax, it is necessary to wear gloves with a thick layer of material, to protect the legs and buttocks during the descent - waterproof pants.
So, we escaped the avalanche, went down the slope, and the glacier became another obstacle on our way. If you are in a group moving on a glacier, the first rule is that everyone must be tied together with a safety rope. Following the chain, stand next to the next person walking in front. You have to be especially careful when crossing natural ice bridges through crevasses. Use a pole or an ice ax as a probe for reconnaissance of the path.
Keep in mind that lateral and median moraines are ideal "roads" for unimpeded movement, especially if they are made of large stones, but moraines made of pebbles, gravel and earth are usually loose and fragile. If the glacier is crevassed, moraines may represent the only possible paths of movement.
If you come across a stream of melt water, follow along it, but do not try to force streams, as as a result you may find yourself between two deep channels. The banks and the bottom of such a channel are solid and very slippery ice, on which it is easy to slip and get injured. Be alert!
👁 Do we always book a hotel on Booking? Not only Booking exists in the world (🙈 we pay for a horse percentage from hotels!) I have been practicing for a long time
The theme of orienteering in the mountains and survival in the wild is becoming more and more popular today. However, experience shows that in this area everything is much more complicated than the picture that is shown to us by the program “Survive at any cost” or a fifth grade geography textbook. In reality, it happens that a seasoned survivalist disappears without a trace in the taiga, and a five-year-old girl can live for a whole week and go out to people. Therefore, the advice of the author of the article - try not to get into situations in which you may need to survive and navigate the terrain.
However, orientation and survival skills will never become a “dead weight” of knowledge for a person who goes hiking in the mountains at least once a year. They will give you the most important thing - the variability of thinking. A person with survival skills always sees several options for getting out of a difficult situation on a hike. There is only one downside to this knowledge - in order for it to work, it needs to be practiced. If you just read books about how not to get lost in the mountains and survive in the wild, they will do you no more good than reading women's detective stories. Therefore, either try it yourself, or sign up for survival courses in your city.
As for the prepper kit, that's another difficult question. On the one hand, you will need all the things that are described in the "" section, plus a bowler hat, matches, binoculars, and a map of the places where you are going to survive. But, on the other hand, if you have all this - what kind of survival is this? Usually, emergencies happen to people suddenly: lagged behind the group; got lost, moving away from the car into the forest; was forgotten by friends after a party in the thick of the woods. There are all sorts of situations, but no one usually prepares for them. All that you can and should have with you is a box of matches, sealed in polyethylene along with dry fuel, and a folding knife. Even a girl can carry this in her purse, although she is unlikely to do this.
As for orientation on the ground, it is also difficult to do without practice. We will outline a couple of tips, but try to test them in practice in a situation where nothing threatens you. For example, on a hike in the Crimea with a group. Then you will have not only knowledge, but also skills, and it is quite possible that they will save you, if not your life, then your nerves. So, here are the signs by which you can navigate in the forest or in the mountains:
1. The bark of trees is lighter and more elastic on the south side, and dark and rough on the north side. The trunk of a pine on the north side is covered with a secondary crust; on the south side, this crust forms later and is located further down the trunk.
2. As you know, the northern side of the trees is more often covered with moss and lichen than the southern side.
3. On a hot day, resin on spruce and pine trees protrudes from the south side.
4. In spring, the grass on the south side of the glade is not as thick as on the north. And in the summer, during the hot period, the grass on the south side of the glade dries faster.
5. In the mountains, the southern slopes are always covered with less turf and are more washed out by water.
6. In spring, snow usually melts faster on the southern slopes of the mountains, and strawberries always ripen faster here, and flowers bloom.
7. If you are lucky enough to find a sunflower, then know that in the morning it turns its flower to the northeast, at noon - to the south, and in the evening - to the northwest.
8. Rivers do not always flow south, there are a lot of exceptions, so this sign should not be trusted.
9. The most famous sign is that at noon, face the sun, in which case your shadow will point north (if you are in the northern hemisphere).
10. The North Star points north in the northern hemisphere, and the Southern Cross points south in the south.
It is always better to rely on 2-3 signs than on one. If you are not at all confident in your abilities, stay where you are and light a smoky fire, you are much more likely to be found.
Climbing mountains is an interesting and memorable event in life. However, survival in the mountains is a much broader issue than it might seem at first glance. Read here what you need to keep in mind so that climbing the peaks does not turn into a deadly survival game.
Survival in the mountains is much more serious and problematic than it might seem at first glance. Why even a banal climb can turn into a survival game, read here.
Mountains are romance, great views, the feeling of conquering a big obstacle and overcoming oneself. But everyone knows that climbing is fraught with a lot of dangers. And, here are the dangers, we propose to talk in more detail.
So, from the point of view of a traveler, mountains are formations of tectonic or volcanic origin that rise significantly above the general earthly relief.
Survival in the mountains directly depends not only on the height and complexity of the terrain, but also on the geographical location and climatic features. It is impossible not to take into account the peculiarities of the local flora and fauna, which are also capable of containing many dangers.
Therefore, when going to certain places where you have to climb to great heights, compare all the pros and cons, deciding how accessible it is to you for health and financial reasons. Because climbing mountains requires not only special equipment, but also often the services of professional escorts. If a person suffers from diseases of the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, as well as high or low blood pressure, it is better not to tempt fate. It is also better to refuse mountain hikes for those who are simply poorly prepared physically.
Mountain survival: how to prepare
First of all, when planning an exit to the mountains, inform the rescue service about this, indicating the detailed route, the type of communication with you and the estimated time spent at certain points, as well as the time of return.
In Russia - a highly professional service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations! Believe me, by sharing information with rescuers, you will greatly increase your chances of surviving if something goes wrong along the way. In addition, you in advance 
warn of the risks of weather changes, possible avalanches in snowy areas and other dangers that you may well not be aware of.
Remember that mountain climatic conditions depress the sense of appetite. But you need to force yourself to eat! Otherwise, you will imperceptibly feel a complete breakdown, which in mountainous conditions is the most dangerous factor.
Experts recommend for hiking in the mountains buy canned food. They perfectly restore strength and are ready to use. With them, it is also convenient to cook the simplest dishes according to stew recipes. There should be both in the morning and in the evening.
Otherwise, you will have to look for pasture in the mountains. And, if this happens, in no case eat the meat of dead animals and birds - you risk getting fatal poisoning or infection with a disease that led to the death of living creatures.
By the way, in the highlands there may be problems with firewood. Therefore, a gas burner is a necessary thing.
Naturally, you should take warm and waterproof clothes with you, change of underwear in case of different weather. For example, many facts are known when travelers started climbing mountains in warm weather and light, and after a short time they died from a storm that began and at sub-zero temperatures.
Be sure to have personal documents, reliable means of communication (best if you can take a satellite phone on the road), as well as first-aid kits with painkillers, antipyretics and drugs against poisoning and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
Drinking water is essential! Moreover, in mountainous areas, it is even required to observe a drinking regimen. About Methods water purification if you will use natural sources, as well as technology water disinfection We recommend reading this article on our website.
In mountains with extremely high altitudes, oxygen tanks are needed, and in places with snow-capped peaks, special sunglasses are also needed. It's no secret that the bright white color from the snow in the sun can ruin your eyesight!
Mountain Survival Risks
So that your stay "under heaven" does not turn into a game of survival, let's try to outline a few factors that should always be remembered.
First. Terrestrial heights are the need to move both horizontally and vertically. If you have the opportunity to bypass the sharp rise, do it - even if it takes more time. Do not forget that most often the death of people in mountainous areas is associated with a fall.
Second. No matter how strange it may sound, but your main goal is not the rise, but the descent. It is best to go down the same way as you went up. Leave ideas using a rope for descent and ascent to the most extreme case. The desire to take a shortcut can lead to rash actions, the risk of stumbling, which leads to serious injury and death. 
Third. Carefully calculate your actions several steps ahead. Don't forget about altitude sickness caused by lack of oxygen. Oxygen starvation is the cause of not only fatigue, but also disturbances in mental activity. The appearance of weakness, fatigue, headaches and loss of appetite are clear signs of altitude sickness.
Fourth. Movement in mountainous areas should be smooth and slow. Have a stick with you. It is especially important in snowy areas. Feeling the surface of the snow, you will determine whether there is a dangerous crevice under the upper snow layer.
Fifth. A thunderstorm at heights is the most dangerous enemy of tourists. The very behavior of the storm front is completely different than on the plain. The development of the situation is very fast! The beginning of the clouds gathering is a signal for you to urgently seek shelter.
Sixth. An avalanche is a terrible element, leaving almost no chance to survive in the mountains. Read the article on our website on how to avoid death under a giant shaft.
We hope that these tips will help travelers to anticipate more possible situations if you decide to conquer the peaks.
