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5 tips for a relaxed bivouac in the mountains

8.11.2016

Translation: machine translated

The myth that spending the night outdoors is always associated with agony persists. Many people have the idea of lying shivering in a freezing cold sleeping bag and longing for the night to end. But sleeping outdoors in the mountains doesn't have to be torture! With a little advance planning and preparation, a night on the mountain will reward you with fantastic views, good food and a good time.

1. the right equipment for the prevailing conditions

The first priority should always be to ensure that the equipment you take up the mountain is suitable for the conditions you expect. It is therefore important to find out about the conditions before the tour. Where are you travelling? What temperatures can you expect? What will the weather be like?

By adapting your luggage accordingly, you can save weight depending on the situation and be well prepared. The warmer and better the weather, the lighter your rucksack will be. While you need a well-insulated sleeping mat and a thick winter sleeping bag in winter, a light, thin summer sleeping bag and a light sleeping mat will suffice in the summer months. If you're expecting rain, you'll need to pack a tent, and on a clear night you can simply sleep outdoors under the stars.

2 Avoid redundancy by skilfully dividing your luggage

Hiking, trekking and mountaineering have one thing in common: a backpack that is too heavy can be tiring in the long run and put you in a bad mood. The lighter the rucksack, the better the mountain experience. So it makes sense to consult with each other, otherwise you'll end up carrying everything twice and three times over.
Think about which items you only need once - you'll be surprised how much weight you can save this way. Camera, first aid kit, toothpaste tubes, sun cream - one item is enough for several people.
Pro tip: distribute the weight evenly across all backpacks.

3. good food

Overnighting in the great outdoors doesn't have to mean doing without good food. There's no doubt that ready meals are ultra-light in your rucksack and quick to prepare. Unfortunately, the flavour of dry food often leaves a lot to be desired. Trekking meals can be refined and made more flavourful with simple means. Fresh vegetables (e.g. carrots or peppers) give the food a better consistency and a little cheese enhances the flavour. Classic oatmeal can also be greatly enhanced with additional nuts, dried fruit and cinnamon.

4. little surprise for your companions

The mountains can be unpredictable. To keep your spirits up when you have to sit out a storm, a board game or Jass cards are a great way to pass the time and keep your spirits high. A bar of chocolate or another sweet treat can provide a huge motivational boost if the walk becomes too long for the weary soles of your hiking companion.

5. you can treat yourself to a luxury item

After you have reduced your luggage to the essentials and adapted it to the conditions, you can treat yourself to a little luxury. Pack something that you don't necessarily need to survive, but that gives you pleasure and motivates you. The possibilities are endless and everyone enjoys different things. Some people are happy about the summit schnapps in their hip flask, others appreciate an e-book reader or a simple camping cushion. For me, it's a coffee grinder that I use to make my morning coffee with freshly ground beans.
Find the one item that you can look forward to at the end of a long tour and it will be both a motivation and a reward for you.

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Martin Stiegler

martin@outcozo.com

Already as a child I spent every free day in nature and roamed through the woods. In the meantime I have grown up, but the love for nature has remained. On my blog OUTCOZO I write about everything that has to do with outdoors and I want to share my adventures with the readers. From glacier tours to freeride descents, from mountain bivouacs to equipment testing, everything is included. The main thing is "Outside the couch zone". <br><br>
More of me under:
<a href="http://www.outcozo.com/" target="_blank">outcozo.com</a>

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5 tips for a relaxed bivouac in the mountains

1. the right equipment for the prevailing conditions

2 Avoid redundancy by skilfully dividing your luggage

3. good food

4. little surprise for your companions

5. you can treat yourself to a luxury item

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