Easter is here – have you tested your equipment and brought enough food for your trip to the mountains?

Testing oxygen consumption during moderate and intense digging in the snow.
Resting energy consumption increases in the cold climate. When working outdoors in the cold, factors such as temperature, wind chill, food and water intake, clothes and gear for protection need to be considered. Preparing in advance in case of stormy weather is essential for outdoor activities like breaking camp, or digging snow shelters. It is critical to bring the necessary equipment if you plan to, or by accident need to spend one or more nights outdoors.
Not only is equipment such as tent, storm shelter bag, sleeping bag and padding, shuffle, snow saw and cooking equipment necessary, you also need to check the quality and workability of your gear beforehand. Raise and dismantle your tent at home, check the status of your sleeping bag and “test-burn” your primus! These are some of the equipment tests for preparing for your mountain trip.
Making an emergency shelter, such as a snow cave, by digging and sawing snow and moving blocks of snow is both time consuming, and requires great energy consumption. During the “Enjoy the Cold” physiology class at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, maximal oxygen consumption and oxygen consumption during snow sawing and digging was measured in participants. In one participant with a maximal oxygen consumption of 49.5 ml∙kg-1∙min-1 (3.65 L∙min-1) the oxygen consumption during snow sawing and digging were at a steady state value of 32 ml∙kg-1∙min-1 (2.35 L∙min-1) while maximal values during intense digging was a high as 42 ml∙kg-1∙min-1 corresponding to 65% and 85% of maximal oxygen consumption (see the picture above).
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