Tourist bivouac. Organization of bivouac work. requirements for the place of choosing a bivouac; requirements for the place of choosing a bivouac; sequence of actions during organization. Details about the organization of the bivouac They did not go through an easy path. Sensing the freedom of a vacation, they decided to leave

Tourists must be able to find a safe and comfortable place to relax, quickly set up a tent, and if there is none, build a temporary shelter, and light a fire in any weather.

For each bivouac, choose a flat, dry place protected from the wind, near which there is firewood and water.

For a lunch break you need to sit in the shade, for the night - on a flat area with soft soil.

In the mountains, the camp should not be located where there may be rockfalls, avalanches, landslides, mud flows (mudflows), where there may be flooding by a mountain river. Before choosing a place for bivouac, they look to see if there are recently fallen (lighter) stones nearby, and move away from high rocks where rockfalls are possible. You should not camp on the moraine; if there is no other way out, you need to choose a flat, not steep area and check whether the stones from the top of the moraine will roll to where you plan to put up the tents. Sometimes you have to level the area for a tent.

You cannot set up a bivouac in a dry bed of a mountain river or on shallows near the water itself, since at night rain for several hours, and sometimes tens of minutes, can sharply raise the water level or cause a mud flow.

In the taiga, you should not camp in dense bushes or coniferous thickets due to the risk of forest fire and mosquitoes. We must ensure that there are no dry, rotten trees nearby that could be blown over by the wind. It is better to choose a place to spend the night in a sparse coniferous forest, where the soil is covered with fallen dry pine needles, and tree branches cannot catch fire from a fire.

Rice. 66. Methods of securing a tent

In the steppe, parking is made behind a hillock, in a ravine, to shelter from the wind. In northern tundra regions, drier areas can be found on river terraces, rocky or sandy soil elevations.

Near the river (during a water trip), the camp should be set up not far from the water, preferably on the shore, illuminated by the sun in the morning.

The site for the night bivouac begins to be looked after 15-20 minutes before the stop. All participants carry out the work of organizing it: one or two light a fire, bring water and start cooking, others collect firewood for the evening and morning, set up tents, and place things in them. Some of the backpacks and food that do not fit in the tent are put in one place and, in case of rain at night, carefully covered with raincoats or waterproof material. Things should not be scattered throughout the camp to avoid them being lost in stones, grass or sand. Axes are always stored in the same place.

For the tent, choose a flat area without hummocks, holes and stumps, remove all knots and stones. The platform must be horizontal: even a slight slope will interfere with normal rest. If the tent is placed next to trees, you can tie guy ropes to some of them (Fig. 66).

Dry leaves, small dry twigs, grass, ferns, reeds or moss are placed under the floor of the tent, and when sleeping on snow and ice, ropes, empty backpacks, and windbreakers are placed on the floor inside the tent. As already mentioned, rugs made from sticks are good.

Having unfolded the tent, they stretch the floor between pegs driven into the ground. Then the poles are placed - either exactly at the height of the tent (then they are installed inside), or above the tent (then they are placed 30-40 cm from it) - and the main guys are pulled.

Before tightening the roof braces, fasten the entrance. Pegs for corner braces are driven in so that the ropes are like a continuation of the diagonals of the rectangles of the roof slopes. After all the pegs are hammered in, they adjust the length of the guy ropes, and sometimes change the location of the pegs, ensuring that there is not a single fold on the roof panels and at the same time, the tension force of the ropes does not tear the fabric.

The pegs are driven in with the butt of an ax at an angle of 45° to the ground. To set up a tent you need 10 pegs (preferably metal) 20-25 cm long and 2 poles. Both should be prepared in advance and carried along with the tent (the poles are folding). Instead of racks, you can use alpenstocks or 2 ice axes connected to each other with auxiliary ropes.

In the mountains, before setting up the tent, guy lines are tied to large stones and the stones are moved to the desired place to regulate the tension of the ropes. In the forest, guy ropes are secured to trees, and the floor is stretched between the pegs last. The main guys must be tied to the trees at such a height that the side walls of the tent do not raise the floor, but also do not sag.

In rainy weather, to protect against water flowing from the roof of the tent, you can dig a ditch around it, 8-10 cm deep and wide, with a groove that drains water along the slope of the area.

The back wall of the tent is positioned towards the wind. After sunset, the entrance to the tent should be closed so that things do not become damp when dew falls. When it rains, you must not touch the roof, otherwise it will get wet. Warm clothes (padded jackets, blankets, etc.) are placed on the floor, and backpacks with soft things are placed under the head. Pockets on the side and back walls of the tent contain electric flashlights, safety glasses, toiletries, compasses, etc. Axes in a case can be placed under the floor of the tent at the “entrance”, and boots inside it at the “exit”.

If you don’t have a tent (on a one-day hike), you can spend the night under a piece of tarpaulin or polyethylene, using branches to build a lean-to or gable awning. You can make an inclined barrier out of blankets and light a long fire in front of it at a distance of 2-2.5 m from the tourists lying under the barrier.

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budetinteresno.info

So, we are in nature, in a fighting mood and a new tent and ready to set it up) Where to start? Before setting up the tent, you should find a level, dry and easily ventilated place. Clear it of foreign objects - cones, twigs, stones, which can not only disturb your sleep, causing inconvenience, but also damage the bottom of the tent. There should be no hummocks, mounds, or protruding tree roots on the ground.

Be careful with anthills - such a neighborhood is unlikely to bring joy. It should be taken into account that dense trees will prevent the tent from drying and ventilating, however, if installed in the open rays of the sun, the tent will heat up during the day.

The golden mean is important here. When choosing a place for a tent, you need to remember that if it rains, you don’t want to end up in a puddle of water rushing down the slope. Ultraviolet rays negatively affect the PU coating, so place the tent in the shade if possible. If during the day the tent will be exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, cover it with an awning.

For safety reasons when camping, the tent should not be placed too close to the fire, because even a small spark can damage it, the same applies to hot objects that, in contact with the material, can easily burn a hole. At the same time, do not forget that a suitable place must be found, and not created, you should not destroy vegetation and level the terrain within a radius of several meters, it is better to just look for a more convenient place;)

The diagram will help you set up the tent; if you strictly follow the instructions and follow the sequence of work, there will be no problems. It is best to familiarize yourself with the design of the tent at home, so you will not get confused in its assembly, and at the same time check whether all the necessary components of the tent (arcs, pegs, awning) are in place.

You need to stretch the surface of the tent without distortions, evenly with all stretch marks, avoiding folds and kinks, which can lead to fraying of the fabric. When installing, make sure that there is no contact between the awning and the inner tent, otherwise condensation from the inside of the awning will end up inside the tent itself. The pegs are stuck into the ground at an angle of approximately 45°, at? length, otherwise they may warp or jump out from tension.

When going inside the tent, leave dirty shoes and wet outerwear either outside or in the dressing room. Do not smoke inside or use open flames. Even if everything goes well, there will be traces of burning on the inner surface. When assembling the tent, do not forget to shake it out and remove all foreign objects.

When assembling the arcs, pay attention to the joints of the tubes - there should be no gaps between the elements. It is better to start dismantling the arcs from the middle and fold them in pairs. This will not only extend the life of the elastic due to uniform stretching, but will also make disassembly easier - it will be faster and require less space.

It is advisable to fold the tent in different ways each time so that there are no permanent folds in the fabric, otherwise over the years the permanent folds in the fabric will wear out.

Caring for a tent at home

Before taking a new tent with you on a hike, it is advisable to assemble it at home in order to become familiar with the method of assembling it in comfortable and familiar conditions. At the same time, you will check whether all the necessary components of the tent (such as poles, pegs, awning) are in place.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: the tent must be stored DRY! If you store your tent in a wet or damp condition, be prepared for mold to form on it.

Every time after a hike, you need to reassemble the tent at home and make sure that it is well dried. If moisture is present, leave the disassembled tent in a well-ventilated area until it is completely dry. Let us note once again that you should not leave the tent in direct sunlight.
If you have such an opportunity, it is better to store the tent without a packing bag. Do not store the tent in damp basements or in hot attics.

Don't forget that not only the inner tent must be dry, but also the awning. If you are caught in the rain while assembling your tent, and you have no choice but to fold the wet awning, try to set aside time during the day to dry it. Ideally, after sunset.
Caring for a tent in the field

The biggest enemy of a tent is humidity. The tent must be stored DRY. Therefore, if the weather permits, dry the tent thoroughly before assembling and packing. If this is not possible, be sure to dry it at home immediately upon your return.
It is not advisable to roll up tents that have not been dried out tightly. In a humid environment, the PU coating in folds and folds may come off, and the water resistance of the tent in these places will be lost.

Protect the tent from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Remove contaminants in a timely manner; they lead to rotting of the material. Zippers should not become clogged with dirt.
Under NO circumstances should you wash the awning in the washing machine! Otherwise, there is a risk of snags on the fabric, damage to the water-repellent coating, and hot water and heat can distort the material.
It is better to use laundry or baby soap as detergents. If the dirt is very stubborn, a SOFT sponge will help. The water should be warm (no more than +40 °C). Do not rub too hard) It is best to wash it straightened out. Then dry thoroughly.
Over time, the protective water-repellent coating weakens. There are many modern special impregnations for restoration, for example Nikwax. This will help solve the problem for a short time and allows the awning to last for some more time.
Repair any minor damage as soon as possible, this will make further use of the tent easier and will prevent the damage from getting worse.
By following these simple recommendations, you will keep your tent in working condition for a long time!
Enjoy your hikes!

Seams and waterproofing

Tents with unfinished seams allowing moisture to pass through must be hand-sealed using seam sealant (liquid or glue) and a fine brush/applicator. When processing, you must follow the instructions included with the sealant. It is advisable to process seams in an open area outside the house. A shiny finish on a seam indicates that a water-repellent polyurethane coating was applied to it during production.
Do not forget that with long-term use of the tent, the seam coating weakens; therefore, the seams are re-treated with sealant.
A water-repellent coating can also be applied to the walls of the inner tent and its flysheet, as the protective layer of the tent weakens over time. In this case, use the same water-repellent agents as for outer membrane clothing. Single-wall tents (primarily used by mountaineers) are made from waterproof, breathable material. For these tents, water-repellent agents are used when they want to update its properties.

Most often, the inner tent and awning are produced with already treated, taped seams. This is necessary in order to hide small holes from the needle that form when sewing two pieces of material.

One exception: tents (usually very light models) with a flysheet made of silicone-treated nylon.

How to arrange a bivouac

RULES OF BEHAVIOR IN NATURE

RULES FOR SETTING UP A BIVACK (HOLIDAY CAMP)

Since the greatest harm to nature is caused by long-term bivouac, let's look at the rules for organizing just such a bivouac. It should be noted that it is unlikely that it will be possible to completely eliminate damage during the construction of a bivouac; we can only talk about him minimization. It should also be noted that sometimes environmental regulations conflict with safety regulations.

It is best to arrange bivouacs where you have already stopped People. If this place is littered, before setting up a tent camp it is necessary to carry out cleaning territories.

1). The place for the construction of a bivouac (tents, fire pit, garbage pit, toilet, etc.) should be selected based on security schoolchildren, and should try to follow the rules of behavior in the wild to the maximum extent possible.

2). If a water protection zone is defined near a reservoir, a bivouac must be placed beyond.

3). You cannot set up a bivouac in clearings covered moss. The moss layer will be torn off in the first hours.

4). The bivouac is installed in such a way that damage as little as possible vegetation.

5). If the bivouac is long-term or crowded, it is necessary to plan and mark out, and then protect stone paths along which its participants will walk - otherwise all the vegetation on the territory will be trampled! It is better to take stones from placers, and not to pick out separately lying ones from the ground, since under them over many years a small world has formed, which is so easy to destroy.

6). Tents should be installed in areas free of trees and shrubs; cutting them down to set up a tent is unacceptable.

7). Racks for tents you need to bring it with you, in extreme cases use dead wood. It is unacceptable to cut down living trees for stands.

8). Pegs To secure tent guy lines, you should also have ready-made ones. However, it should be remembered that a peg driven into the soil, after being removed, leaves a hole that can give rise to erosion processes. For this reason, it is better to fasten guy ropes to stones. You can also use tree trunks for this purpose, but not their branches or bushes, because the guy may simply tear off or damage the branch.

9). Completely unacceptable ditch tent, i.e. build a drainage ditch around it. If the tent is installed incorrectly, the rain groove will not protect you from the rain; A properly installed tent does not need a groove. No matter how the ditch is leveled later, the process of soil erosion will still begin from there.

10). Cannot be used as tent bedding spruce branches dwarf cedar, larch branches and moss.

eleven). One of the top priorities when organizing a long-term camp is toilet construction; when organizing a short-term bivouac (for one or two days) - choosing a place to perform natural needs.

12). Pits for food waste and toilets, it is necessary to dig no closer than 50 meters from the shore of the reservoir. The turf cut from the pit construction site must be placed in a shady place and periodically moistened with water.

13). When leaving the bivouac, you need to do everything carefully put away- the place must be perfectly clean. Stones taken for setting up a fire pit, paths, or for setting up tents must be returned to where they were taken from. Garbage and toilet pits must be carefully filled with compacted soil and turf placed on top.

Other pages in the “Educational Programs” section:

www.ecosystema.ru

How to arrange a bivouac

Our goal is to provide residents of the region with affordable, high-quality and environmentally friendly meat and dairy products, and, therefore, ultimately contribute to ensuring food independence and security of Russia.

The traditional tourist rally of the Sayan Broiler Agricultural Holding took place on June 18 and 19 on the Oka River. This year the theme of the tour meeting was Russian cinema.

In total, 14 teams took part in the event: teams from production units of the main production - a poultry farm in Sayansk, a team from OJSC Trud from Irkutsk, OP Megetskoye from Meget, OP KhPP from Kuitun, TD Sayansky Broiler, OJSC Kuitunskaya Niva "

They competed in several types: the main type - passing the tourist strip, water crossing, presentation of bivouacs, cooking, amateur art competition, volleyball, bullet shooting, darts, hula hoop spinning.

The winners in the overall team competition were the Hatchery team,

In lifting weights: once again the best result is from Yuri Otmorsky (55 presses). Spinning hula hoop - the best result - Senko Anastasia. The most accurate in throwing darts was Pshechenko Krestina (130 points). Yuri Okorokov won among men and Olesya Romanova among women. The JSC Trud team received a prize and a certificate for the best greeting.

The teams took a creative approach to the design of the bivouacs. Both the bivouac and the dish were decorated according to the theme of the film chosen by the team. It was difficult for the jury to evaluate the competition, because... the entire clearing turned into a single film studio.

The presentation of bivouacs and dishes was attended by State Duma Deputy S.Yu. Ten, Chairman of the Board of Directors V.V. Bukhanov, and Mayor of the Sayan Municipal District O.V. Borovsky.

The rain prevented the amateur art competition from being held as scheduled. It was held on Sunday, June 19th. 1st place - management, 2nd place - feed shop, 3rd place - PJSC Kuitunskaya Niva.

The winners and runners-up were awarded diplomas and prizes. All teams that took part in the tourist rally were awarded certificates and valuable gifts.

www.s-broiler.ru

Test of strength

Last Saturday, the traditional fifth city tourist rally of working and student youth started in the picturesque clearing of the Zhuravlik recreation center.

It was dedicated today to the Year of Russian Cosmonautics and the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight into space. This day was also declared the Day of Sobriety in the Sverdlovsk region, and our tourist athletes willingly supported the initiative.

I must say that the day turned out to be unusually cold. Just yesterday it was summer, the sun was scorching hot, but here it hid behind the clouds and indifferently watched everything from the vastness of the gloomy sky.

But tourists, accustomed to the surprises of the Ural weather, were not at all embarrassed by this. Many teams arrived at the competition site the evening of the previous day, set up tents, removed the turf, lit fires, once again practiced passing difficult stages of the distance, set up their bivouacs, and spent the night in nature.

And at dawn the rest arrived. The forest clearing was again filled with the sounds of a working chainsaw and an ax (ready-made logs are brought with you). A savory spirit emanated from the fires, and morning tea flavored with smoke and herbs began to boil in pots. Every bonfire has jokes, laughter, music. Everyone completely forgot about the bad weather! But in vain: she, mother, has added extreme sports in the coming day.

And so - the formation, the ceremonial raising of the Russian flag and... first a minute of silence in memory of the athletes of the Yaroslavl hockey team "Lokomotiv" who tragically died in the plane crash and the crew of the crashed plane. Then - welcoming words from the head of the city district Viktor Grishin, the chief judge of the competition Boris Bersenev, the head of the department for physical culture, sports and youth policy of the city district administration Natalya Andrievskaya, a member of the political council of the United Russia party, an assistant to the deputy of the city Duma Viktor Gusev. Well, and the presentation of the teams in the first competition of the rally - the “Greeting Competition”. Short, bright speeches, interesting costumes. By all appearances, the teams prepared seriously.

The mutual greeting ended. Victor Vasilyevich wished tourists a wise and sober lifestyle, health, and perseverance in achieving their goals. Natalya Andrievskaya and Boris Bersenev - worthy fight in the upcoming sports and creative competitions. And then... Then the cooks remain at the fires, the teams go to the start in the most difficult and important stage of the sports tourism competition - the “Obstacle Course”. The length of the distance is about 4 kilometers (now it is longer than last year and takes place in a different place), there are eleven stages, the elevation difference is 100 meters. Separate start, interval – 5 minutes, distance class – first, high. A team of six people (including at least two girls) covers the distance independently, guided by a map of the area, and against time. The control time for the distance is 2.5 hours. A team that fails to meet this deadline is considered eliminated from the competition. Let me make a reservation right away: the tourists from the plant team - the winners of last year's rally - noted that the new distance is moderately difficult and very interesting: thanks to Dmitry Abramov, chairman of the Active Recreation Territory, and the employees of the Emergency Rescue Service. They were the ones who prepared and laid the route and set up the checkpoint.

Seventeen tourist teams, according to the draw, will start (the first at 10.30 am), having received a route map with control points marked on it. It is important to follow the order in which tasks are completed.

The stages are different. “Start with packing your backpack” (every little thing is serious!); “Moving on a slope with an alpenstock” - a special safety pole for moving on a slope; “Task Clearing” – for knowledge of international disaster codes; “Providing first aid and transporting a victim”; “Azimuthal movement with overcoming dense undergrowth” (up to 200 meters); “Crossing on a suspended log” suspended through a conditionally dangerous zone; "Orientation"; “Water stage”, which is a catamaran race at a distance of 300 meters in different swims according to the Olympic system, pair starts and singles qualification.

Stage "Get" This is where I remembered the morning weather extreme. Imagine: out of breath athletes come running to the shore of a pond - a small but deep swampy depression through which three wet poles are laid, crossed by short logs (conventional support points). There are six of these logs on a 15-meter section. Everything is within reach of the poles. Having stepped on this squelching, wet, support covered in knots, you need to take a pole after a few steps and lay it forward, to the next log, and then stand on it and, balancing, quickly run the segment. Then again take the pole in your hands, lay it to the next log... and so on for each team member, taking turns taking the last pole, until everyone finds themselves on a dry shore, without swimming in cold water and without even getting their feet wet.

The teams silently, concentratedly, without female hysterics, carried out the task very clearly. The girls were especially surprised. I stood on the shore and thought: “Well, just lose your balance a little, slip in your wet sneakers, get caught on a long pole - and you’re in icy water. To the brave! So extreme sports turned out to be a real test of strength, and even with such a rich competition program, which only those who are prepared can perform.

By one o'clock in the afternoon, all the sports stages had been completed and the members of the panel of judges went on a visit. It was necessary to visit all the bivouacs, sum up the results of the competition for the best bivouac and the best tourist lunch. This is where the theme of the rally came into full focus: space. What kind of space dishes did the jury members try! Soups cooked over a fire and poured into pumpkin containers that look like an alien ship. All kinds of salads laid out in the shape of a flying saucer, an unidentified space object, and even vegetable cakes in the shape of a comet or rocket. The aesthetics of the execution of the dishes conflicted with the taste qualities, which confused the tasting panel of judges. But lunchtime whetted our appetite – and we tried everything!

Each bivouac was greeted with a warm, cheerful greeting from the team. Poems and songs with a guitar, participation of children - little fans: their drawings, crafts on a space theme. And everyone did a great job decorating the bivouacs. The jury members did not see abandoned garbage, broken trees or bushes anywhere. Each team presented its feature, according to its name. Well, as for the theme of the rally, here everyone’s imagination was in full swing. About space in so many different ways and so interesting! Wearing space helmets and suits, sitting in flying saucers made from tents, the rally participants talked about space as their native element. No one even expected that tourists were capable of this - people walking with a backpack on their backs ON THE GROUND.

And now - the award ceremony. The names of the winning teams sound over the large clearing. The jubilant winners of the rally come forward to loud applause and encouraging shouts from fans (and rivals!). Simply participants are also noted. Gifts and applause for everyone.

A diploma for first place in the open City tourist rally of working and student youth, dedicated to the year of Russian cosmonautics and the 50th anniversary of Yu.A. Gagarin’s space flight, was awarded to the first (strongest) group of teams A: team “Prometheus” of the Federal Fire Service No. 6 Second place is awarded to the team “Yasen stump!” youth public organization of the Elektrokhimpribor plant. Third place went to the “Pilot” team (Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Electrokhimpribor Plant”).

In the second group of teams B, the winner's diploma is awarded to the Ultra-Mega team (Ural Furniture). Second place goes to the team “Artisans of the Galaxy” (professional team No. 78). The “Mobile” team (Department of Education) receives a diploma for third place.

In the “Obstacle Course” category, the first in group “A” were tourists from the Elektrokhimpribor plant - the “Pilot” team; in group “B” - team “Europe” (general education center “Europe”);

In the nomination “Water stage” in group “A” the first place went to the team “Prometheus” (FPS No. 6); in group “B” - the team “Gagariki” (social rehabilitation center “Chaika”);

In the category “Tourist Lunch” in group “A” the team “Torglandia” (consumer market) won; in group “B” - the team “Slaughter League” (OMVD); and there were no winners in the “Best Bivouac” category - everyone distinguished themselves!

In the nominations announced by the territorial organization of the United Russia party, the winners were: in the nomination “A healthy mind in a healthy body!” - team “Bodybuilders” (SKDC “Sovremennik”); in the category “Patience and work - everything will grind!” - Team “Jedi” (TIYAU MEPhI); in the nomination “Our strength is in unity” - the Medsanbat team (TsMSCh-91).

The meeting went smoothly and orderly. Much credit for this goes to the youth department of the administration in the person of Natalia Andrievskaya, Tatyana Kudelkina, Tatyana Napalkova, Inna Popova. And of course, the tourists themselves, who love this gathering, wait for it and prepare for it every year.

...The flag was lowered, the fires were extinguished, but the light of a good and faithful tradition remained in the soul - making friends, loving nature and being on friendly terms with it.

Temporary and base camps are arranged on each hike for recreation and various events. The main requirement for parking is safety. To do this, you need to take into account natural factors: the presence of water, wild animals, snakes, insects, rockfalls, waterfalls, etc. Do not break under dry trees or branches - this poses a danger in case of bad weather. You cannot set up a camp under separate trees - in the event of a thunderstorm, such a camp will be dangerous. In addition to natural factors, it is necessary to take into account the crime situation - the presence of nearby settlements, busy roads, etc.

When developing a route, the group leader must outline where the camp will be, in what place, taking into account the availability of drinking water, sufficient good firewood and brushwood for cooking over a fire, and whether the camp site itself is safe. He must foresee and think through all these questions in advance. As mentioned above, any trek leader should study the route well and imagine in what terrain or area the group’s path passes.

Proper installation of tents is one of the main conditions for safe parking. The tents are placed at a safe distance from each other so that they do not interfere with the tension of the ropes (braces), so that there is enough space for passage between them. Tents are set up on an elevated place, blown by the wind (from mosquitoes and midges). The need to install them on a flat and elevated part is so that during rain water does not get under the tents and wet all things. If it is not possible to install it so that rainwater does not wet the bottom of the tents, then small grooves are dug around the tent to drain the water, and the drainage is diverted to the side.

The exit of the tents is positioned in the direction of the wind so that it does not blow inward, and away from the forest or other obstacles. For safety, all tent exits must be free for evacuation during natural phenomena. The area under the tents is cleared of debris, cones, twigs and other bulky objects that will interfere with your rest.

In swampy areas or on flooded areas of land where camping is planned, special scaffolding is installed from poles and branches, on which the tent and all the necessary things are then installed to prevent them from getting wet during heavy and prolonged rain.

Each group with tents must have waterproof awnings or tent covers. If the tents are designed or sewn from waterproof fabric, then additional capes or awnings are not needed.

The tent camp is set up compactly and rationally, for ease of use by the participants themselves in the holiday camp. There is no point in setting up tents at a great distance from each other or in areas of poor visibility - all participants must be supervised by a leader.

On mountain hikes, for overnight stays on snow or glaciers, a plastic film is used, which is placed under the bottom of the tent to avoid getting wet during the night's rest. The film creates additional insulation from cold snow or ice.

It is better to sleep in a tent with your feet inward and your head towards the entrance.

All entrances to the tent should be easy to fasten and unfasten to avoid accidents during a quick evacuation.

All tents used by tourists should be convenient for organizing camp and relaxing after a hard and stressful day, optimal in size, and easily dismountable. The shape and color of the tent play a big role, having a strong psychological impact on the participants of the hike. If the tents are gloomy in appearance, have a complex design, are difficult to install, or leak during heavy rain, you will not be able to have a good rest. After such a rest, all participants in the hike remain in a depressed mood and psychological tension is created. The color of the tents should be varied and beautiful, and should please the eye even in bad weather. Tents should stand out brightly against the backdrop of green nature, white snow on winter hikes, and on gray rocks in the mountains. They must be seen from a great distance.

The fire and all fire equipment are located at a safe distance from the tent camp. They try to make the fire itself so that the wind blows in the opposite direction from the camp and the forest in order to prevent a fire or any kind of combustion. When setting up a fire, all fire safety requirements for lighting a fire in the forest are met. The clearing where the fire will be lit is cleared of dry grass or pine needles. Lighting a fire near dead wood is strictly prohibited. If there is turf, then carefully dig it out in small layers and lay it away from the fire or along the perimeter of the future fire pit site.

If special tagankas or fire stakes are used, this is only welcomed by environmentalists, while forests and bushes are saved from being cut down for racks for fire and dishware equipment.

After the camp is over, the fire is filled with water, all the firebrands are removed, and the previously removed turf is laid in place.

Special safety measures must be taken when near the river. There are cases when tourists die while getting drinking water from rivers. A steep bank without organized railings contributes to an emergency situation. This is also facilitated by the high speed of the river and the strong slope of the riverbed or bottom. The leader of the trip must warn all tourists how to behave on the river when organizing a camp.

Equipment for latrines. Natural human needs make us think about equipping camp latrines. Ignorance of the basic rules of their arrangement can lead to the fact that a beautiful corner of wild nature in 2-3 days will turn into a place unsuitable for human existence with countless flies.

The simplest types of camping latrines are the “cat hole” and the forest communal toilet.

The “cat hole” is dug in a secluded place at a distance of at least 75 meters from the camp and nearby paths. Using a shovel, make a small hole no more than 18 cm deep. It is at this depth that microorganisms live that can process natural human waste and a small amount of toilet paper.

After using the cat hole, fill it with previously removed soil and stick a stick on top as a warning signal to other members of the hike.

A forest toilet for collective use is equipped if it is planned to spend 2 nights or more at the parking site. Using a spatula, dig a shallow groove 35-40 cm wide and 120-150 cm long. The depth of the groove, for the same reasons as in the case of the “cat hole”, should not exceed 18 cm.

The cut turf and top layer of soil are not thrown away, but are carefully stored in one place. After each use of the latrine, it is covered with earth, and after the camp is closed, it is buried and covered with turf.

Making a fire

It is difficult to imagine any hiking trip without a fire. But making friends with a fire is not easy: you need to be able to light it correctly, know what kind of firewood it likes, how to make it burn for a long time without requiring a lot of firewood, and many other skills.

The principle of making a fire itself is simple. First, the kindling is ignited - some kind of material capable of producing a large enough flame for a short time so that it can ignite very thin dry branches as thick as a match. Then thicker branches, approaching the thickness of a pencil, are placed in the fire for good combustion. So, gradually thicker and thicker wood is put into the fire. It is clear that all firewood added to the fire must be dry.

Kindling is usually paper, less often birch bark. We must remember that it is unacceptable to remove birch bark from birch trees growing near the bivouac for kindling. Birch bark is usually stored for future use when a rotten or fallen tree is found during the transition.

Experienced tourists often do without paper or birch bark. As kindling, they use either a thin splinter, which is taken from the middle of a dry log, or a very dry branch. They can always be found near large spruce or dense young pine forests in the lower part of tree trunks.

However, it is better for a novice tourist to use both a small splinter and a cobweb as the first portion of fuel, which will go into the fire as soon as the kindling flares up.

Often in a coniferous forest, kindling lies under your feet - bend down and pick it up. These are dry pine needles and cones. They are the best material for starting a fire. Good material is located on pine trees - these are dead lower branches: they are very dry and can be lit with one match.

The kindling is usually placed in a place ready for the fire, and twigs or splinters from the first batch of fuel are placed on top of it, but not all the prepared firewood. They are added as the fire flares up and the first coals form.

The kindling should be lit from below on the leeward side, protecting the flame from strong winds. As soon as the kindling has flared up, twigs are placed on top of the fire and laid evenly at an angle. Fresh fuel should not be thrown into the fire at random. If branches or splinters fall in a dense layer, they will clog the fire and the fire will immediately go out. This is a common mistake of young tourists: as soon as the flame appears, they generously put pre-prepared firewood on it, as a result the fire subsides and the ignition has to be started again, wasting precious time and firewood.

An experienced tourist will never start lighting a fire until he has prepared the fuel necessary for the first time. He knows that he will not be able to move away from the fire until the branches are one and a half to two fingers thick. And the time he spends collecting this fuel will always be less than the time it takes to restart the fire.

There are many options for starting a fire in different climates and weather conditions. It is good to light a fire in dry weather, when there is a lot of dry brushwood. But the situation is completely different in rainy, cold, stormy weather. Lighting a fire becomes a big problem for inexperienced tourists.

The first thing tourists should pay attention to during preparations and during the hikes themselves is to ensure that the matches are well sealed. There are so many options for this. It's best to have reusable packaging. Nowadays you can buy matches in stores that burn even in water, so starting a fire with them in wet weather will not be difficult. But no matter how versatile matches are, everyone will still need the ability to assemble a fire correctly and light it.

In order not to find yourself in a difficult situation near an extinguished fire, you should take with you artificial kindling that is not afraid of moisture - dry alcohol tablets, pieces of plexiglass, a candle stub, even old toothbrush handles can come in handy.

Explosives and flammable substances, which are hazardous to health and, moreover, ineffective, should not be used as artificial kindling. Even if it is possible to find some way of using them that leads to combustion and not an explosion, such kindling will burn out so quickly that the firewood will not have time to ignite. Combustible substances - alcohol, gasoline, kerosene - are also ineffective. The branches doused with them light up instantly, but go out immediately as soon as the gasoline or alcohol burns out. And this happens extremely quickly, so that the branches or firewood do not even have time to dry out a little. And carrying gasoline in a canister with you is problematic.

There are many types of fires that have been used by tourists, fishermen, and hunters since ancient times. The main types of fires commonly used are shown on the reference page. It is better to remove firewood from the rain under a canopy or awning for drying and preservation. If a lot of firewood has been prepared and it is difficult to remove it under the awning of the tent, then it is necessary to cover it with plastic film, securing the ends with stones or other weights so as not to be blown away by the wind.

The black forest, noisy in the rain, seems cold and hostile; there is a desire to somehow pull up the tents and quickly hide in them, without eating or drying out. In a bad mood, people huddle in tents and shiver all night, warmed only by the warmth of their own bodies, and in the morning they get up tired and broken, although the rain has already stopped and the bright sun is shining, but the mood is heavy after a cold night and the whole hike goes down the drain.

But if you manage to light a good fire, despite the rain and wind, your mood immediately rises, warmth and light come from the fire, which fill people’s hearts with goodness and a feeling of happiness. The bivouac work goes on amicably and cheerfully, everyone manages to dry wet things, prepare a good dinner, and everyone is in a great mood. New plans are made for the next day. The first chords of the guitar are heard around the night fire.

Cookware and fire equipment

Group equipment also includes cooking utensils. With the exception of one-day hikes, where you can limit yourself to making tea and a simple snack with homemade sandwiches, it is recommended to take three different containers on a hike so that you can simultaneously cook the first, second and third courses over the fire. As the experience of hiking has shown, aluminum pots of different shapes that fit into each other are best suited for cooking. Depending on the composition of the group participants, the required volume of pots, that is, boiler equipment, is determined. It will be very difficult to feed a large group of 10-15 people with a 2-3 liter pot. Therefore, you need to check the volume of cooking pots in advance. For a large number of participants, large buckets are taken on a hike. But walking with buckets is simply difficult and inconvenient, and therefore it is recommended to limit the number of participants in the group to 8-10 people. Pots with a spherical bottom are inconvenient. Pots with a flat bottom are more practical - they are stable. When cooking in pots over a fire, they smoke and become dirty, so you need to have special covers for them. But you should always monitor the cleanliness of the pots and the dishes themselves. When there is free time, those on duty should thoroughly wash the soot from the pots so that it does not build up in a large layer. If possible, you should purchase lids for the pots to speed up cooking.

On any trip, it is advisable to have a ladle or a large pouring spoon. It is advisable to have a small piece of oilcloth in the kitchen to decorate the table. You can lay out food on it. If none of the participants has a folding knife with a blade for opening cans, then you need to take a special can opener on the hike. It is not advisable to open cans with a simple knife or ax.

Experienced tourists, standing by the fire, can usually quite deftly move or remove a hot pot without spilling a drop, using a small knotty stick. However, young tourists who do not have hiking skills are recommended to take a pair of canvas mittens on a hike for working with hot pots.

Items that support food preparation also include hooks for hanging buckets and pots, metal stands, flyers, homemade tagankas, and cable stretchers.

Let's look at some of them. Since the pots hang over the fire on one crossbar, removing them is always a problem: one needs to hold the crossbar, the other needs to remove hot soup or tea, and all this is done over a burning fire and therefore requires special care. The most widely used on camping trips now are various hanging hooks for hanging pots. They are mainly used to quickly hang or remove a pot over a fire. Special hooks allow you to adjust the height at which you can hang the pot over the fire. They also allow you to remove pots with already prepared food without touching the crossbars.

Campfire equipment:

• hooks for hanging pots
• pendant chains
• replaceable stops for racks
• collapsible Taganka

Cable equipment, which is described in many books, was also tested in the field and did not perform well. Firstly, the cable must be well stretched between the trees, and this is a big problem. Without the help of special systems or good efforts, it simply cannot be tightened. At a minimum, there should be two good trees nearby and the distance between them should be about 5-6 meters. The crown of the trees should not be low, as a fire will be lit under them.

Secondly, when tensioning a steel cable, the bark of trees is always deformed, which causes damage to nature. Cooking takes place only once or twice, then the tourists leave, and the trace from the cable remains for a long time, causing injury to the trees.

Third, trees growing close to each other have a double crown, and a fire is lit just under this zone, which is very fire hazardous: a strong or large fire causes a large flame and heat to rise upward, which can lead to the ignition of scorched leaves or needles and the death of tree branches.

Fourth, walking around such a fire with a taut rope is also unsafe, especially in the evening and at night. The thin cable is almost invisible in the evening, and hikers, especially children, can easily be injured by it. When working near a fire, the cable can get caught in branches or firewood, which can lead to the pot tipping over if dinner or lunch is being cooked over the fire.

Fifthly, when the cable is used at high temperatures, it changes its qualities. The steel threads burn out and anneal, which wear out over time and begin to stick out in different directions, which leads to hand injuries.

At sixth, it is necessary to have special devices in the form of brakes or bushings in order to prevent the pots from moving to one point on the cable.

Nowadays, metal stands or flyers are often used on weekend hikes, which ensures quick installation of fire equipment and serves to preserve forest plantings. Metal stands are made of steel tube with a diameter of 16-20 mm. When traveling, they are carried in a special case. If possible, you can take the crossbar with you or, as a last resort, find a strong ready-made stick.

After the camp is assembled and all things are put away, the fire equipment is wiped off soot and put into a cover.

Tagankas, which are made from steel angles or reinforcement, are taken only to large rallies or events, where they are installed only once and removed after the completion of the entire event. Since they require metal and are heavy to carry, they are not taken on hikes. At the base parking lot with a large crowd of participants, they are indispensable and very convenient; you can put many buckets or pots and even frying pans on them.

You can also add a small sapper shovel to the fire equipment for digging out turf under the site of the future fire. The designated area of ​​the fire is cleared of turf by digging, the turf itself is carefully removed to the side, in a cool place, so that it does not dry out. If the parking is going to be long, then it is advisable to water the removed turf with water so that it does not dry out. It is advisable not to dig a large pit for a fire. The best excavation size is 50-60 cm. After burning all the accumulated debris, the fire is carefully filled with water. The previously removed turf is placed in its original place. The area of ​​the fire that is completely covered with turf must be spilled with water. Thanks to this procedure, a real tourist will not leave behind black bald spots of scorched earth. If there are well-equipped campsites for bivouacs, then it is advisable to locate the camp there and not in another place: it is undesirable to make fires in different places in the same campsite. There are especially many such sites located along river banks, the most common routes for water tourists and pedestrians. As a rule, they have ready-made parking lots, places for tents and fires. The only thing that remains for tourists is not to spoil the “inventory” and not leave behind mountains of garbage and scorched earth. If there is any firewood left, there is no need to burn it, leaving it for other groups.

Types of fires: 1-well; 2-hut; 3-star;
4-taiga -1; 5-taiga-2; 6-taiga-3;
7-large taiga made of logs

Meals on the hike

During a hike, due to the heavy physical activity, high-calorie and nutritious food is required. But the weight of the products increases this load. The issue of nutrition is very acute during a difficult multi-day hike, where the body receives a very heavy load during the entire hike. Food consumption is calculated strictly for the entire duration of the trip. The diet is determined by the type of tourism and the timing of the trip, the duration and complexity of the trip.

On one-day hikes, you can sometimes do without cooking food and go with sandwiches, snacks and hot tea from thermoses or boiled at a large rest stop. On bicycle trips, tea is usually boiled over a fire, since it is unsafe to carry thermoses with glass flasks on bicycles. At a common table at a halt or bivouac, when each participant takes out his food, the lunch menu is determined. Then you can decide whether to cook a full meal or make do with just tea. It depends on the goals of the trip, the composition of the group, and the time the group has. Preparing tea alone takes at least an hour; lunch, even a two-course meal, will take twice as long. Only more experienced tourists with extensive hiking experience can make a full lunch in a very short time with optimal food consumption and calorie content.

The weight of food on any weekend hikes (and longer simple hikes) should not exceed 1200 grams per person per day. The longer and more difficult the hike, the less weight of food per person per day you have to take. For highly complex sports trips, the weight of food can be reduced even to 800 grams per person per day. But it is necessary to take into account that such a diet, limited in weight, must be compensated for in terms of calorie content, so that later there are no serious consequences with fasting on the route itself during heavy physical activity of the participants.

On any hike, it is advisable to eat three times a day: for breakfast and dinner - approximately 35-40% of the daily supply, at lunch - about 20% of the daily requirement. At small stops you can get by with dried fruits, glucose, sweets, cookies, etc.

The diet for any hike should have as little weight as possible with a maximum of calories. At the same time, replacing lower-calorie carbohydrate foods (bread, cereals, vegetables, fruits) with higher-calorie proteins and fats to gain weight on weekend hikes is undesirable, since due to the decrease in volume there will be no feeling of satiety. Such measures have to be taken only on long, difficult hikes. The diet during the hike requires increased doses of vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Let us present the diet for recreational and training weekend hikes per person per day (Table 7).

Table 7. Diet for one day per person

Name	Grams	Calories
Crackers (biscuits)
Cereals (rolled oats, buckwheat, peas, vermicelli)
Soup and vegetable concentrates
Meat (stewed, canned, fried, pates, freeze-dried)
Butter, rendered lard
Powdered milk
Sugar, candy, glucose
Raisins, prunes, nuts, onions, garlic
Salt, spices, vitamin tea, coffee

The composition and weight of products for winter ski trips are especially important. When skiing at a speed of 6 km/h, and with a backpack of about 30 kg, approximately 3.5-4 km/h, you need 8.5 calories per 1 kg of weight per hour. With a weight of 70 kg, a tourist spends 4760 calories just on movement in 8 hours of walking. The total energy consumption per day is 5000-5400 calories. With a total calorie content of 5000 kcal, proteins should account for 160-180g, fats 140-150g, carbohydrates 700-850g. Taking this into account, we can recommend a compromise diet containing about 3000 calories with a food weight of about 8000 g. The missing 2000 calories are gained by the body from internal reserves, mainly fat, which is quite acceptable for a hike lasting up to two to three weeks.

On summer hikes, where energy consumption is less than in winter, the diet can be made even more economical, the diet can be less fatty. Here you can also find “pasture” (mushrooms, berries, fish).

We give an approximate diet for hiking in summer and winter per person per day (Table 8).

Table 8. Daily diet

Winter hike			Summer hike
Name	Gram		Name	Gram
Buckwheat, rice, dry. kart.			Buckwheat, rice
Pea puree, borscht, concentrated soup.			Subl. Meat
Subl. meat			Ghee
Lard, lard			Dry cream
Ghee
Powdered milk
			Onion, garlic, salt
			Tea, coffee, spices
Vitam. C, glucose
Coffee, cocoa, tea
Onion, garlic, salt
Total:

On weekend hikes, some products can be replaced (freeze-dried, canned, concentrates with natural ones, crackers or biscuits with bread), which will lead to a slight increase in the weight of the backpack up to 1200 g of the daily ration. On short hikes this is acceptable, but when they want to evaluate the diet or change it, they must adhere to a similar list. Before any hike, you need to create a menu for all days. The diet and the menu itself do not always coincide with the desires of the participants themselves during the hike, so it is advisable to develop products that can be used to prepare a variety of dishes without disturbing the psychology of the participants during a difficult hike. You often have to change the entire menu according to the list that was compiled at home. In field conditions, almost everything can change, or partially, and the caretaker needs to be on guard and approach this issue competently, and not set strict limits for preparing dishes for the participants.

Table 9. Tourist’s personal equipment

Name of items	Quantity, pieces, pairs per trip
	We walk	Ski	Gorny	Velo
3-4 person tent
Backpack (soft or easel)
Backpack cover
Backpack insert
Sleeping bag
Sleeping bag liner
Thermal insulation mat
Mountain boots
Thermal insulation mat
Fur stockings, chuni
Nylon torches for feet
Insulated vest (down)
Woolen trousers,
Cotton training trousers
Cloak cape
Thin wool sweater
Woolen leggings
Cotton T-shirt
Cotton socks
Nylon socks
Wool socks
Lightweight hat with visor
Woolen hat, balaclava
Protective helmet
Bicycle gloves, motorized gloves
Gloves
Warm mittens
Protective mask
Windproof mask
Safety glasses in a case
Mosquito net
Towel
Handkerchiefs
Mug, spoon, bowl, knife,
Bags (cases) for dishes,
Toilet. accessories (com.)
Drinking flask
Individual bandage. plastic bag
First aid kit
Insect repellents
Sunscreen ointment
Rubber tube, means
Clock with second hand
Adrianov's compass or liquid.
Waterproof matches
Document in a waterproof case
Notebook, pencil
Skis (cross-country, touring,)
Ski bindings
Ski poles
Backpack for bicycle
Ice axe, alpenstock, icebail
"Crampon
Belt or harness
Safety loops
Descenders
Zhumar clamp

Table 10. Group camping equipment

Name of items	Type of hike
	on foot	ski	mountain	bicycle
4-person tent (with awning)
Tent pad)
Awning, 4x5 m
Boilers (set)
Autoclave
Ladle
Can opener
Oilcloth for dining
Metal thermos
Kitchen mitts
Washcloths (nylon and metal)
Containers for products (set)
Laundry soap
Waterproof matches
Ax medium, small in a case
Two-handed saw with cover
Campfire accessories
Primus or stove (gas)
Camping stove
Dry alcohol
Sleigh-drag
Pocket flashlight
Stearic candle
Fishing tackle (set)
Razor with a set of blades
First aid kit in a case
Repair kit
Spare parts
Camera
Camcorder
Maps, charts, diagrams
Transport, curv., compasses,
Thermometer
Altimeter
Binoculars or monocular
Rocket launcher with rockets (com.)
Ski ointment (set)
Spare ski
Snow brush
Felt boots for duty officers
Signal whistle
Spare mittens
Spare safety glasses
Musical instrument,
Main rope (30-80 m)
Auxiliary rope, (40-80 m)
Rock hooks (set)
Ice hooks (set)
Bolt hooks
Mountaineering carabiner
Hammer of rocks, ice. or universal
Consumable rope (10-15 m)
Carbines (set)

A bivouac is a place where a group of tourists camps in the wild. This word is of French origin. When going on a hike, it is important to know how to set up a bivouac on a hike, how best to do it and how to choose a place for a bivouac. Before the step-by-step instructions, you should know a few general rules that you need to consider when going on any hike.

• Choose all inventory and equipment based on weight considerations. Especially if you go hiking, you will carry all your luggage yourself. When choosing a tent, focus on its weight and functionality. Today you can choose absolutely any tent. Choose a light backpack and light but warm clothes. During the cold season, use thermal underwear.
• Don't forget to take sunscreen, mosquito and insect repellent in the summer and barrier cream in the winter. Personal hygiene products will come in handy.
• Take food that does not spoil quickly and does not require careful storage. It is very important to take care of food in advance on a hike.
• Try not to take unnecessary things and plan everything in advance.
• Take a first aid kit. On vacation, it often happens that someone gets minor injuries and having a first aid kit is important.

Choosing a place for bivouac

We choose a place for bivouac. The presentation, determining the location for the bivouac and bivouac work occupies an important part. Determining the location of the bivouac and organizing bivouac work must occur clearly and smoothly. Based on what the surrounding area is like.

Relief and other terrain features

Here are a few rules you need to know.

1. You need to choose a small slope and position yourself between the foot and the top. This will prevent the camp from flooding in case of heavy rain or morning dew.
2. Do not camp in low areas or between slopes.
3. You should not camp near water. In the morning, fog and heavy dew rise from the water, and there is also a cold breeze.
4. Do not set up camp in a dense forest, as there is a chance of encountering wild animals and will cause discomfort when moving around the camp.
5. If the area is mountainous, then choose a place where rocks or snow are not expected to fall from the mountains.

Availability of fresh water nearby

Having decided on a bivouac location, you need to take into account such things as fresh water nearby. There are many clean mountain streams in the mountains. You can be located nearby, this will be a huge advantage. It is worth making sure that the stream is not dirty. If we talk about other areas, then you are unlikely to find fresh water. It is worth making sure that you have enough supplies on your trip.

The source of water is very important. It is convenient to wash dishes, do laundry and wash some things if you have a source of water nearby. Fill the vat with water and use it for its intended purpose. There is no point in polluting the river.

There is a possibility of finding a source of underground water. You need to know where to dig. Such sources are rare in the forest. There are much more of them in the mountainous and steppe areas.

Availability of a nearby settlement

An important point is the presence of a populated area near the bivouac. If you are not vacationing in wild places, then having a populated area nearby, you won’t have to worry about unforeseen situations.

If you run out of food and water, you will replenish your supplies. It will be useful if you get injured - you will have the opportunity to get professional medical help. If you have to spend the night on an island, it is better to choose one with a populated area.

Having chosen a good place, you need to start setting up camp. Clearly divide responsibilities between vacationers and then you will finish much earlier. You should start in the morning or afternoon so you can finish before dark. Start by setting up your tents. They can be installed in an L shape or in a semicircle. This will create a barrier to strong wind and ensure that the center of the camp is free from it.

Make sure that the tent poles do not interfere with each other and that no one will be injured by tripping over the poles. Place dry leaves, moss, and all unnecessary rags and fabrics under the bottom of the tent; this will prevent water from wetting the tent from below. Around the tents, along their perimeter, dig trenches to collect morning dew. This will be useful if it rains heavily.

Organization of bivouac work

Next, take care of the inside of the tents. These can be sleeping bags or air mattresses with blankets. Both have their pros and cons. After sleeping, it is better to take out the insides of the tent and leave them in the sun. Things will be dry and warm.

Having dealt with the tents, proceed to creating a fireplace. There are many options for creating it. If you need to cook food quickly, use a star-shaped hearth arrangement. Arrange the logs like sun rays. This will create heat and a large surface for dishes. If you need to quickly warm up, build a tent out of logs. This will produce a large, hot flame. There are many campfire options.

Camping

Build a clothes dryer next to the flame. Do not place it too close or low above the fire. As you work with the fire, make sure it doesn't get too hot and the flames don't spread to dry grass. This is especially true for dense areas. At night, it is better to fill the fire with water or leave a person on duty next to it. It is better to collect logs for the fire in advance for the whole night; searching for logs at night can take a long time and cause inconvenience.

Build a table for eating and benches. If you didn’t take what you needed in advance, you can use logs and build a table from scrap materials.

Build a toilet for the bivouac, it is better to do this at a decent distance from it, deeper in the bushes. After its disposal, it is necessary to disinfect the area and remove debris. It is better to scorch the garbage in a fire and bury it so that it decomposes faster. If possible, it is better to pick it up.

Organizing a bivouac begins immediately after choosing the optimal parking place, which we discussed in

A bivouac in the highlands, requiring special work to organize it.

Let us list the main types of work that are included in the concept of organization in the order of their implementation:

1. Determining the location of the main elements of the camp - tents and fire pits.
2. Setting up camp.
3. Procurement of kindling, brushwood and firewood.
4. Lighting a fire.
5. Water storage.
6. Cooking.

After all the points have been implemented, we can consider that the camp has been set. In different conditions and in different areas, the order and scope of these works may vary, and therefore, the instructions for setting up a bivouac will also be different.

Now let's look at all these points, but in more detail.

Determining the location of the main elements of the camp and its staging

The convenience, comfort and safety of those who will be in it depend on how the camp is planned.

The place for the fire should be located on the downwind side in relation to the tents, so that the smoke is carried away in the direction opposite to the resting place. It should be convenient for preparing and eating food, drying things and heating, and also organized in compliance with fire safety rules.

A specially organized place for tent camps.

The distance from the tents to the fire should be sufficient so that the fire does not scorch the fabric of the tent, but not so much that you have to run across the entire camp to the fire: this is, at a minimum, inconvenient. If, instead of tents, a lean-to hut is used, a fire can be built near it: this is how some hunters in the winter taiga warm themselves.

If there are a large number of participants in the hike and there is a large, flat area convenient for setting up tents, the tents can be placed in a circle with the entrances to the center. This will allow camp participants to communicate with each other more easily. However, it is perfectly acceptable to place tents in rows to save space. This will allow you to set up a bivouac even in a relatively narrow place, for example, in a ravine.

However, in difficult conditions, tents can be placed regardless of their position to each other, but so that each of them is on a fairly level and safe place. This is especially true if you need to set up a bivouac in a mountainous forest area, on loose land or moraine, where there are not so many flat areas.

It is advisable to place tents so that there is enough free space between them, and a passing person does not trip over each guy rope stretched from the tent.

The tent entrance is oriented depending on the conditions. For example, the entrance of the tent can be directed towards the river flowing near the bivouac, which increases the aesthetics of staying in the camp. Or the entrance to the tent can be located on the windward side so that the tent is well ventilated and it is not hot in it.

In any case, the entrance to the tent should ensure ease of use, as well as the safety of people. For example, it is unacceptable to place a tent on the edge of a cliff with the entrance to this very cliff, despite the beautiful views that open to the eyes of the residents.

If necessary, an awning can be pulled up in the camp so that the whole group, regardless of the weather, can gather under it and discuss important issues, or simply sit down to eat. Here it should be convenient for those on duty to organize meals for the hiking group. The photo shows such an awning over a fire pit:

In general, if the camp is placed correctly, it should be convenient to work and relax comfortably. This is true for tourism, and for fishing or hunting, but a tourist bivouac usually must be organized in compliance with the greatest number of requirements, both because of extreme situations and because of the distance from human habitation.

In many cases, tourists can choose a hiking route so that, based on known data about the area, they can initially plan the placement of bivouacs in suitable places indicated on the map, or at least so that at the end of the walking day they go to an area convenient for setting up camp - on the river bank , to the edge of the forest, to the well.

Preparing kindling, brushwood, firewood and lighting a fire

After setting up the tents and determining a place for the fire, you need to organize the collection of kindling, brushwood and firewood.

Sometimes the collection of kindling can be carried out directly during the journey. So, for example, it would be useful to put birch bark picked along the way in your pocket or collect a certain amount of pine resin. They will not take up much space, but they can save time when organizing a fire, since there are not always sources of good ready-made kindling directly near the camp.

On a water trip, it is easier to organize a bivouac due to the fact that a significantly larger amount of equipment can be carried on watercraft.

I know of a case when, while setting up camp, tourists encountered difficulties in lighting a fire: it rained and finding dry kindling became a difficult task. One of the participants saved the situation by pulling out a piece of birch bark from his pocket. It turned out that he collected it in the middle of the day, when the group passed by a birch grove.

Speaking about preparing fuel for a fire, it is important to note the following nuance. Despite the fact that there is a fireman in the group, that is, someone who is involved in equipment and lighting the fire, the collection of fuel is also carried out by other members of the group. Otherwise, if everything is put on one campfire, a large tourist group may be left without a hot dinner. The strength of one person may simply not be enough to quickly collect enough firewood to prepare food for a large number of camp participants.

The video below describes the procedure for preparing firewood for a bivouac:

On one of the trips to which I was invited and where I had the “luck” to be a campfire leader, the following happened. The leader ordered to set up a camp in an already equipped parking lot (there were several gazebos with a roof and a built-in place for a fire). But due to the fact that this place was popular and frequently visited, there was almost no brushwood and firewood left nearby, that is, one of the fundamental rules for choosing a place for a bivouac was violated. The leader gave me the task of collecting wood and lighting a fire. My reconnaissance of the surrounding area showed that the nearest dry logs were at least half a kilometer away, and there was also a good parking place there. The only tools I had were a knife and a chain saw. As a result, it took me at least an hour and a half to search for, prepare fuel and light a fire to cook food for a group of five people with a supply of fuel for the morning fire work. Everything would have worked out much faster if we had set up a camp in a nearby “wild” clearing, and sent all the participants of the hike who were free from other activities to search and collect firewood. As we see, with an unsuccessful choice of location and improper organization of bivouac work, loss of excess time and effort is inevitable, and this is without taking into account the tense psychological situation in the group.

As soon as everything necessary for the fire has been collected, and the place for the fire is appropriately equipped, the fireman begins to build a fire. At this moment, the remaining participants are doing other things around the camp, for example, going to fetch water for a future dinner and tea.

Kindling for a fire, which can be collected in the forest-steppe.

The stage of procuring fuel and starting a fire is considered completed when the supply of firewood is sufficient to carry out all the tasks associated with the fire, the fireplace is equipped in accordance with the requirements for the safety and convenience of fire work, and the fire itself can burn for some time without human assistance.

Water storage

This is, perhaps, in most cases the simplest and fastest task, accessible even to children. That is why it can be left until the very last moment.

However, in some situations difficulties may arise, for example, if there are no open sources of fresh water near the camp. For example, a spring indicated on the map may simply dry up.

In such cases, it may take much longer to obtain water, and then you should take care of this almost in the first place. For example, if there is a nearby settlement, several participants should be sent there with empty containers.

If the place for bivouac is chosen correctly, there will be no problems with obtaining water.

While hiking along the Kuyalnitsky Estuary, we had to go to the place where we planned to stop for the night. On the map, a well was marked near this place. We were going to collect water from this well for the night and for the entire next day, since we planned a long trek through an arid region. However, to our disappointment, there was no bucket at the well, and the water in the well itself was heavily polluted with garbage. It was even possible to see the corpse of a mouse floating on the surface of the water in this well. I had to urgently go to the nearest village and ask people for water, leaving plans for setting up the camp for last.

Here's another cautionary tale. A group of tourist friends of mine lost their way and got lost. Dusk was approaching - it was decided to set up camp. In the place where the group initially headed, there was a source of fresh water, on which all hope was pinned. But at the place where the participants of the hike actually ended up, nothing like this was found. All water reserves were drunk on the way. In order to somehow quench their thirst, tourists drank water from a small puddle, which was not immediately discovered.

At the same time, small mountain streams are usually sources of clean water, quite suitable for drinking without special treatment.

In the mountains, the water in streams simply does not have time to become polluted.

For such cases, it is useful to have water disinfection tablets or a special water filter with you. I’m generally silent about ropes and utensils, thanks to which you can pull water out even from the deepest well or standing on a steep bank of a reservoir: they should be included in the mandatory set of tourist equipment.

Tablets for water disinfection, relatively inexpensive but effective.

The water procurement stage is considered completed when water is in the camp in sufficient quantity and quality for cooking. A bucket of muddy water with plant debris floating in it will be of little use. Such water will need to be settled and filtered, which will take additional time.

Cooking

Most often, tourists carry food with them in backpacks, so there is no need to waste time replenishing it, as is the case with water. For this reason, cooking food usually happens as an afterthought. As a rule, this is done by the attendants.

Often, by the time field cooking begins, the main work for the camp has already been done, and each participant can take care of himself (carry out hygiene procedures, relax or communicate with other participants in the hike), although this time can also be spent usefully, for example, replenishing firewood, going for berries and mushrooms, if conditions permit. But most often the camp is set up in the evening, and it is not possible to do anything else other than basic bivouac work before dark.

The criterion for the successful completion of this stage of bivouac work can be considered the satisfied faces of the participants in the hike, consuming with appetite the dinner cooked over the fire.

A bivouac in the dense taiga, where the water source is quite far away and we had to carry water in special containers.

This is all just an example of actions and the sequence of their implementation for an ordinary tourist group hiking in a temperate climate zone. The procedure and the actions themselves may differ from those indicated here depending on the presence or absence of certain resources and equipment, as well as on the conditions in which people are located.

The nuances of organizing bivouac work in different conditions

To understand the variability of the actions of a marching group when setting up a bivouac, depending on the conditions, I propose, as an example, to briefly consider some situations and the features of organizing bivouac work during them.

In the mountains, where there may be no trees or other vegetation at all, there is no need to search for firewood. In such places, tourists usually use burners. This means that instead of collecting fuel for the fire, participants can be busy with other useful activities.

In essence, a bivouac in the mountains is simply properly set up tents and a place where the burners are securely placed.

In the desert, there may be no need for a fire at all, especially when, in addition to the tent, you have a sleeping bag in your backpack. Travelers prefer to carry a supply of water with them when crossing dry regions. This means that when carrying out work on the camp, there is no need to search not only for firewood, but also for water, and setting up a parking lot takes much less time.

In a forest in a large swamp, to set up a bivouac, you may need to build a deck or a hanging bed for rest. In addition, the same flooring will be needed for the fire. In this regard, first of all you will need to look for poles for the flooring.

On the seashore, if there are no trees nearby, but you still need to make a fire, finding and delivering dry driftwood (pieces of wood washed ashore) to the site may be a higher priority than setting up tents, especially if it’s nightfall.

Such a site bears little resemblance to a classic bivouac, but fulfills all its main tasks.

In winter, in the forest, with severe frosts and the absence of a tent, you must first take care of preparing firewood for the fire and poles for the hut, and in the steppe, with deep snow cover, about building a snow shelter. In both cases, searching for fresh water does not make sense, since drinking water can be obtained by melting snow and ice.

A bivouac in the winter forest, quite safe, compact and well organized.

In spring and autumn, during thaws and rains, a priority may be to organize a roof over your head and a shed for firewood and a fire. In the summer, the search and production of fresh water may take the lead.

In windy weather, in the absence of a natural wind barrier, the device of artificial wind protection may be a priority.

As we see, in each individual situation, priorities can shift towards one or another “element”, and the number of “elements” themselves can either increase or decrease.

To summarize, we can say that a properly organized bivouac should ensure the safety of the people in it, the convenience of bivouac work, comfortable rest and, if possible, satisfaction from staying in the parking lot. And the organization of the bivouac itself should be energy- and time-saving, so that by the time the camp is set up, the camp participants can have time to have dinner and have a good rest, and not greet the dawn with their tongues hanging out from fatigue.