Last winter, I went on a 7-day extreme camping trip alone at an altitude of 5,000 meters in the Himalayas. Minus 25℃, snowstorm, lack of oxygen... This experience made me deeply understand what true wilderness survival is.
Day 1-2: Set up the camp
Challenge: Strong winds make it difficult to secure the tent
Solution: Reinforce the windbreak ropes with ice picks and rocks
Lesson: Snow camping must be carried with snow anchors (ordinary ground nails are ineffective)
Day 3-4: Water Source Crisis
All liquid water freezes and water purifiers freeze
Response:
Melting snow water with body temperature (time-consuming but effective)
Switch to chemical water purification tablets (avoid drinking untreated snow water)
Day 5: Trapped in a snowstorm
Emergency measures:
Wrap the sleeping bag with a first aid blanket to prevent hypothermia
Move your toes every two hours to prevent frostbite
Satellite distress equipment is on standby. (Fortunately, the weather has improved.)
Day 6-7: Extreme drawdown
Strategy:
Lightweight disposal of non-essential equipment
Take short trips during the day to avoid sweating and losing body temperature
Five heart-wrenching lessons
Don't act alone. (At least two people should look out for each other.)
Battery life drops sharply in extremely cold environments (with a spare power bank)
The cooking efficiency is extremely low at high altitudes (with 50% more fuel).
Snow blindness is real (snow goggles must be worn)
Mental endurance is more important than physical strength. (Loneliness can break a person.)
My equipment review
✔ Reliable: Hilleberg tent, Black Diamond headlamp
The ones that will be replaced next time: ordinary gloves (replaced with electric heating ones)
Finally, suggestions
If you also want to try high-altitude extreme camping, start with a three-day short trip and gradually adapt to the low temperature and lack of oxygen. A true strong person is not one who "confronts head-on", but one who knows how to assess risks and retreat at the right time.
