“I climbed the mountain.

The publishing house of the Sretensky Monastery published the second in a series of six books under the general title “Jesus Christ. Life and Teachings "of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev). The main focus of this unique work is the person of Jesus Christ. Polemising with different currents of Western New Testament science, the author returns us to the Gospel text - the only reliable source testifying of the Lord Jesus Christ. The second volume is devoted to the Sermon on the Mount, containing the quintessence of the moral teaching of the Savior. The sermon is viewed in the broader context of the subsequent church tradition, in which it has a rich history of interpretation and practical application.

The presentation of the Sermon on the Mount is preceded by the words of the evangelist: Seeing the people, He went up the mountain; and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And He, opening His mouth, taught them, saying ... (Matt. 5: 1-2).

Mountains have always had a special meaning for humans. Even today, staying in the mountains is associated in the minds of many people not only with clean air and beautiful landscapes, but also with liberation from the hustle and bustle, the opportunity to be alone with oneself, with nature and with God. In the minds of old Israel, mountains were unambiguously associated with the presence of God. The psalmist says: I lift up my eyes to the mountains, whence will my help come. My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Ps. 120: 1-2).

If in order to receive help from God, it is enough to raise your eyes to the mountains, then in order to meet God, you need to climb the mountain. Often God assigns a date to a person not just somewhere, but on the mountain.

One example, undoubtedly well known to the listeners of Jesus and the readers of Matthew, is the biblical account of the sacrifice of Abraham. The story begins with God telling Abraham: Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac; and go to the land of Moriah and there offer it as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you about. Abraham does not hesitate to set out and after three days of travel comes to the mountain indicated by God. There he lays out the altar, binds his son and raises a knife over him, but the voice of an angel from heaven stops him with the words: Do not raise your hand against the boy and do nothing against him, for now I know that you are afraid of God and did not spare your son, your only one, for Me. Abraham sacrifices a ram in place of his son, and the place he calls the name "The Lord will provide." The narration ends with the words: Therefore, it is said now: on Jehovah's mountain he will see (Genesis 22: 2-14).

Another example is the appearance of God to Moses in the Sinai desert. According to the account of the book of Exodus, Moses ascends the mountain, and God calls to him from the mountain. Moses descends to the people, retells the words of God to them, and then rises again to hear the command of God to return to the people and consecrate them for three days:

“On the third day, at the coming of the morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud over the mountain [Sinai], and the trumpet sound was very strong; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was all in smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently; and the trumpet sound grew stronger and stronger. Moses spoke and God answered him with a voice. And the Lord descended on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses ascended "(Ex. 19: 16–20).

But this time too, God commands Moses to return to the people and warn that no one, on pain of death, should approach the mountain. Only after Moses ascends to Sinai for the fourth time, does God speak the commandments that form the basis of the so-called Mosaic legislation. Moses retells them to the people and writes them down. But the Epiphany of Sinai does not end there. God calls Moses again, and again the meeting takes place on the mountain:

“And the Lord said to Moses: Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, and the law and the commandments that I have written to teach them. And Moses arose with Jesus, his servant, and Moses went to the mountain of God, and said to the elders: stay here until we return to you; here is Aaron and Hor with you; whoever has business, let him come to them. And Moses ascended the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain, and the glory of the Lord overshadowed Mount Sinai; and a cloud covered her for six days, and on the seventh day [the Lord] called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord on the top of the mountain was like a consuming fire before the eyes of the children of Israel. Moses entered the middle of the cloud and climbed the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights ”(Exodus 24: 12-18).

When Moses descends from the mountain, he discovers that during his forty-day absence the people departed from God and began to worship the golden calf. In anger, he breaks the tablets with the commandments of God written on them. But God calls him again: You dry yourself two tablets of stone, like the first ones, [and ascend to Me on the mountain,] and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the former tablets that you broke; and be ready in the morning, and ascend in the morning to Mount Sinai, and stand before Me there on the top of the mountain (Ex. 34: 1-2). Again, the meeting of Moses with God takes place on the mountain, and again Moses receives instructions from God, which he must, having descended from the mountain, retell to the people.

Mount Sinai, also known as Horeb, is associated with the appearance of God to the prophet Elijah. Elijah walked to this mountain forty days and forty nights. After he approached her, God told him:

“Go out and stand on the mountain before the face of the Lord, and, behold, the Lord will pass, and a great and strong wind, tearing the mountains and crushing the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord is not in the wind; after the wind there is an earthquake, but the Lord is not in an earthquake; after the earthquake fire, but the Lord is not in fire; after the fire there is a blowing of a quiet wind, [and there the Lord is] ”(1 Kings 19: 11-12).

In addition to Sinai, another mountain had a special meaning for the people of Israel - Zion. On this mountain, David built his city (2 Samuel 5: 7-10). He sang her many times in the psalms:

“He who hopes in the Lord, like Mount Zion, will not move: he abides forever. The mountains are round about Jerusalem, but the Lord is round about His people from now on and forever ”(Psalm 124: 1-2). “The Lord bless you from Zion, and you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life” (Psalm 127: 5). "Let all who hate Zion be ashamed and turn back!" (Ps. 128: 5).

“For the Lord chose Zion, and desired [it] for His dwelling” (Ps. 131: 13).

"The Lord bless you from Zion, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 133: 3).

"Blessed be the Lord of Zion, who lives in Jerusalem!" (Ps. 134: 21).

According to Jewish tradition, Zion is the very mountain in the land of Moriah, which Abraham ascended to to sacrifice Isaac. On this mountain, according to Christian tradition, the first man, Adam, was buried; on it Jesus Christ was crucified.

During His earthly life, Jesus climbed mountains many times. In the Gospel of Matthew alone, we find eight such episodes. At the beginning of this Gospel, we read how the devil takes Jesus to a very high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matthew 4: 8). Then Jesus ascends the mountain to deliver His first sermon (Matt. 5: 1). After Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish in a desert place, He ascends a mountain to pray in private (Matt. 14:23; Mk. 6:46). Further, we see how, having ascended the mountain, He heals the lame, blind, dumb, crippled and many others (Matt. 15:30). One of the main miracles of Jesus - the Transfiguration - also takes place on the mountain (Matt. 17: 1–3; Mark 9: 2–4; Luke 9: 28–30). On the Mount of Olives, Jesus answered the disciples' question about the signs of His second coming (Matt. 24: 3; Mark 13: 3). At the end of the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples, having chanted, went to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26; Luke 22:39). In the same place, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays to the Father that, if possible, this cup may pass by (Matt. 26: 36–46; Mark 14: 32–42; Luke 22: 41–46). Finally, after the resurrection of Jesus, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus commanded them, and when they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted (Matt. 28: 16-17).

To these episodes, you can add Mark and Luke's story of how Jesus climbed the mountain and called to Himself whom He wanted; and they came to Him. And put twelve of them (Mark 3: 13-14; Luke 6: 12-13). It should also be noted that, according to John, the feeding of five thousand with five loaves took place on the mountain (John 6: 3). John mentions how Jesus, after visiting the temple, went to the Mount of Olives, and in the morning came back to the temple (John 8: 1–2). From the words of Luke, we learn that the ascent of this mountain was in Jesus' custom: During the day He taught in the temple, and when He went out, He spent the nights on a mountain called the Olives. (Luke 21:37). Luke is the only evangelist who specifies that after the Last Supper, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives as usual (Luke 22:39).

For an itinerant preacher like Jesus, mountain climbing seemed unnecessary. All the main roads ran along the plains, and if desired, it was easy to avoid the mountains by communicating with people in cities and villages. Meanwhile, we see how Jesus again and again ascends one or another mountain. Sometimes He rises alone - to be alone with the Father. Sometimes He takes disciples with Him. And sometimes whole crowds of people rise up after Him - in the hope of hearing His word or receiving healing.

The image of Jesus ascending the mountain to give instruction to the disciples, and through them to the people, recalls Moses ascending the mountain to receive instruction from God and pass it on to people. However, there is a significant difference between the two images. Moses ascends alone, and the people are strictly forbidden to approach the mountain; Jesus takes with Him to the mountain those to whom He intends to teach a new teaching that complements the Mosaic legislation and is called henceforth to serve as a moral yardstick for His followers. Moses climbs the mountain to meet God; Jesus Himself is God who invites people up the mountain to meet Him. Moses climbs the mountain several times and each time he goes down he retells to the people what he heard from God; Jesus together with the people climbs the mountain once and tells the people what they need to hear.

According to a legend that appeared in the 4th century, the mountain on which the Sermon on the Mount was delivered is located not far from Lake Galilee: it is called the Mount of Beatitudes, and it offers a picturesque view of the lake and its surroundings. Unlike the rocky Sinai, which reaches 2285 meters in height, the Mount of Beatitudes is only 110 meters high, and climbing it is not difficult. The very appearance of this mountain, surrounded by fertile lands, reminds of the meek Teacher, Who came not to proclaim the harsh laws to the people of Israel in thunder and lightning, but to proclaim new divinely revealed truths to mankind in a gentle wind.

Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount are not the fruit of bookish wisdom. These are the words of God Himself addressed to man. They differ from ordinary human words both in form and in content. And it is precisely the realization that the words of the Sermon on the Mount belong to God, and not just to a person, even a prophet and teacher, that is the key to understanding its meaning and significance. It was God who at one time called Moses to Mount Sinai to give him stone tablets with commandments for the people of Israel. And it is God who initiates the New Covenant with the New Israel through His Son, Who, in the Sermon on the Mount, solemnly proclaims what God Himself wants to say to people through Him.

Heb. יהוה יראה Yahwē yir’ę (in the synodal translation “Jehovah-Jireh”).

Highlighted by us. - M. I.

Highlighted by us. - M. I.

For the symbolism of the mountains in Matthew, see Lee D. Transfi guration. P. 43–46.

Some scholars suggest that after the resurrection, Jesus met with His disciples on the same mountain in Galilee, on which He delivered the Sermon on the Mount, which is the core of what the disciples were to teach all nations. See: U. Schnelle Th eology of the New Testament. P. 438.

Brake D. L., Bolen T. Jesus. A Visual History. P. 89.

The tiger in the skin of a lamb was called an innocent, at first glance, white snow Mathias Zdarsky, an Austrian researcher who was studying the question of what an avalanche is. The softly falling snow fascinates even those who dislike winter - the picture is too beautiful, like a fairy tale. And crystal stars smoothly flying to the ground create a deceptive impression of fragility, defenseless tenderness. However, excessively active snowfalls are fraught with danger, and a serious one. After all, from small snowflakes, not only snowdrifts, but also avalanches can grow. So what is an avalanche? The definition of this concept is given below. And now a little history.

A brief excursion into history

In all likelihood, an avalanche is a phenomenon that has existed for as long as the steep slopes of the mountains, and Polybius mentions the first large-scale melting of snow, which caused the death of hundreds of people, in the context of the history of the campaign of the Carthaginian army through the Alps. And in general, this mountain range, chosen by tourists and climbers, has a long history of disasters behind it. It was not for nothing that in the twentieth century, in some areas, masses were celebrated in memory of those killed under the snow, because in this case an avalanche is pain and grief for the relatives and friends of those who suffered from its descent. It is also noteworthy that in one of the last winters of the First World War, more soldiers died from this on the Austro-Italian front than directly during hostilities. And December 16, 1916 went down in history as "Black Thursday", when six thousand people were missing in one day. Hemingway, who was in the Alps at the same time period and described his definition of what an avalanche means, noted that winter landslides are terrible, sudden and bring instant death with them.

Residents of Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, the United States, the Russian Federation, Canada, as well as Asian countries: Turkey, Nepal, Iran, Afghanistan also suffered from the "white death", and in the latter, the death toll is largely not kept. Tens of thousands of lives and on account of the avalanches that fell from Mount Huascaran in Peru.

What is an avalanche? Etymology of the word

The ancient Romans called this phenomenon "a pile of snow". Each nation had its own definition. What does avalanche mean? It is a beautiful, exciting and dangerous natural phenomenon. Interesting is the very meaning of the word "avalanche", in the origins of which the Latin root lab, meaning "instability", although it got into the Russian language already through German, since there was a definition of Lavine in Old German. Xuan Zang poetically called them "white dragons", and in the time of Pushkin avalanches were called landslides. In the Alps and in the Caucasus, the names of individual mountains, gorges and valleys are already "speaking". For example, Lanskiy forest or Zeigalan Khokh ("a mountain from which avalanches always descend"). Sometimes the ability to read onomastics, although it does not tell everything about snow blockages, can save you from unforeseen circumstances.

What is an avalanche

An avalanche is a type of landslide, a significant mass of snow that moves or even falls from the slopes of mountains under the influence of gravity. It simultaneously creates an air wave, which accounts for a significant part of the destruction and damage that are almost inevitable in this natural disaster.

Having begun its movement, the avalanche can no longer stop, sinking lower and lower and capturing accompanying stones, ice blocks, branches and trees uprooted on its way, turning from boiling white snow into a muddy mass, remotely resembling a mudflow. The stream can continue its “exciting journey” until it stops at gentle slopes or at the bottom of the valley.

Factors affecting the convergence of snow masses from mountains

The reasons for the avalanche convergence largely depend on the old snow - its height and density, the condition of the surface under it, as well as the increase in new masses of precipitation. The intensity of snowfall, subsidence and compaction of the cover and air temperature also affect. In addition, a fairly long open slope (100-500 m) is optimal for the beginning of an avalanche.

It is not for nothing that the wind is called the main "architect" of this natural phenomenon, since an increase of 10-15 cm is enough for snow to melt. Temperature is also one of the most important factors that can provoke a catastrophe. Moreover, if at zero degrees the instability of snow, although it arises quickly, is no less active (it either melts or an avalanche disappears). And when the low temperature is stable, the avalanche period increases.

Seismic vibrations can also activate snow convergence, which is not uncommon for mountainous areas. In some cases, there are enough flights of jet aircraft over dangerous zones.

In general, more frequent avalanches are indirectly or directly related to the rapid economic activity of man, which is not always reasonable. For example, the forests that have been cut down today used to serve as natural protection from snow landslides.

Periodicity

Depending on the frequency of occurrence, intra-annual convergence (for the winter and spring periods) and the mean annual convergence are distinguished, which includes, respectively, the general frequency of avalanche formation. There are also systematic avalanches (annually or every 2-3 years) and sporadic ones, occurring at most twice a century, which makes them especially unpredictable.

Movement, the seat of a natural phenomenon

The nature of the movement of snow masses and the structure of the source determine the following classification: trough snow avalanches, special and jumping ones. In the case of the former, the snow moves either along the chute or along a certain channel. Special avalanches during movement cover the entire accessible area of \u200b\u200bthe terrain. But with the jumping ones it is already more interesting - they are reborn from the troughs, arising in places of irregularities in the flow. The snow mass has to "bounce", as it were, to overcome certain areas. The latter type is capable of developing the highest speed, therefore, the danger is very significant.

Snow is insidious and may well creep up unnoticed and inaudibly, crashing down with an unexpected shock wave, destroying everything in its path. The peculiarities of the movement of these natural masses underlie yet another division into types. A layer avalanche stands out in it - this is when movement occurs in relation to the surface of the snow located below, as well as the ground one - it slides directly on the ground.

Scale

Depending on the damage caused, avalanches are usually divided into especially dangerous (they are also spontaneous) - the volume of material losses amaze the imagination in their scale, and simply dangerous - they complicate the activities of various organizations and endanger the peaceful measured life of settlements.

Snow properties

It is also important to note the classification associated with the properties of the snow itself, which is the basis of the avalanche. There are dry, wet and wet. The former are characterized by a high speed of convergence and a powerful destructive air wave, and the masses themselves are formed at rather low temperatures after significant snowfalls. A wet avalanche is snow that has chosen to leave the cozy slopes in temperatures above freezing. The speed of movement here is less than that of the previous ones, however, the density of the cover is higher. In addition, the base can freeze, turning into a hard and dangerous layer. For wet avalanches, the raw material is viscous, wet snow, and the mass of each cubic meter is about 400-600 kg, and the speed of movement is 10-20 m / sec.

Volumes

Well, the most simple division is small and almost harmless, medium and dangerous for humans, as well as large ones, which on their way erase buildings and trees from the face of the earth, turn vehicles into a heap of scrap metal.

Is it possible to predict the occurrence of avalanches?

It is extremely difficult to predict the convergence of avalanches with a high degree of probability, since snow is an element of nature, which, by and large, is practically unpredictable. Of course, there are maps of hazardous areas and both passive and active methods are being taken to prevent this phenomenon. However, the causes and consequences of avalanches can be different and very tangible. Passive methods include special shield fences, woodlands, observation points for dangerous areas. Active actions consist in shelling areas of possible landslides from artillery and mortar installations in order to provoke the convergence of snow masses in small batches.

Snow avalanches sliding down from the mountains in any of the options represent It does not matter whether they are small or large. It is extremely important to take into account all the factors affecting the emergence of snow masses and their movement along an undefined route to unknown targets, so as not to sacrifice too expensive gifts to the elements.

All about avalanches: interesting facts

1. The avalanche speed can reach 100-300 km / h. A powerful air wave instantly turns houses into ruins, crushes rocks, demolishes cable cars, uproots trees and destroys all living things around.
2. Avalanches can descend from any mountains. The main thing is that they are covered with snow. If there have been no avalanches in a certain area for 100 years, then there is always the possibility that they can occur at any time.
3. Approximately 40 thousand to 80 thousand people lost their lives during the First World War, they remained buried under avalanches in the Alps. Data are approximate.
4. In America (California), people surrounded Mount St. Gabriel with deep ditches. Their dimensions are equal to those of football fields. Avalanches descending from the mountain linger in these ditches and do not roll into settlements.
5. This destructive natural phenomenon is called differently by different peoples. The Austrians use the word "schneelaanen", which means "snow stream", the Italians say "Valanga", the French - "avalanche". We call this an avalanche.

One of the most terrible avalanches in the history of mankind descended from Mount Huascaran (Peru) about half a century ago: after an earthquake, a huge mass of snow fell from its slopes and rushed down at a speed exceeding three hundred kilometers per hour. On the way, she broke off a part of the lower glacier, and also carried away sand, rubble, and boulders.

There was also a lake in the path of the snow stream, the water from which, after a huge impact force, splashed out and, adding water to the rushing mass, formed a mudflow. The avalanche stopped only after it covered a distance of seventeen kilometers and completely demolished the village of Ranairka and the city of Yungai, killing about twenty thousand people: only a few hundred local residents managed to escape.

An avalanche is formed by snow, ice and rocks after they begin to slide down the steep mountain slopes at a constantly increasing speed (from 20 to 1000 m / s), capturing new portions of snow and ice, increasing their volume. Considering that the force of an elementary blow is often tens of tons per square meter, an avalanche sweeps away everything in its path. It stops only at the bottom, reaching gentle slope sections or finding itself at the bottom of the valley.

Avalanches are formed only in those parts of the mountain where forests do not grow, the trees of which could slow down and prevent the snow from picking up the required speed.

The snow cover begins to move after the thickness of the freshly fallen snow begins to be at least thirty centimeters (or the layer of the old one exceeds seventy), and the steepness of the mountain slope ranges from fifteen to forty-five degrees. If the layer of fresh snow is about half a meter, the probability of snow melting in 10-12 hours is incredibly high.

It is impossible not to mention the role of old snow in the formation of avalanches in the mountains. It forms an underlying surface that allows freshly fallen precipitation to slide freely over it: old snow fills in all the unevenness of the soil, bends the bushes to the ground, forming a perfectly smooth surface (the larger its layer, the fewer rough obstacles that can stop the snow fall).

The most dangerous periods when snow falls are considered to be winter and spring (about 95% of cases are recorded at this time). Snowfall is possible at any time of the day, but more often this event occurs during the day. The occurrence of landslides and avalanches is primarily influenced by:

• Snowfall or accumulation of a huge amount of snow on mountain slopes;
• Weak adhesion force between new snow and underlying surface;
• Warming and rain, resulting in a slippery layer between snowfall and the underlying surface;
• Earthquakes;
• A sudden change in the temperature regime (a sharp cold snap after an unexpected warming, which makes it possible for fresh snow to slide comfortably over the formed ice);
• Acoustic, mechanical and wind impact (sometimes a shout or a clap is enough to set the snow in motion).

Sweeping everything out of the way

Freshly fallen snowfalls are kept on the slope due to the friction force, the magnitude of which depends primarily on the slope angle and snow moisture. The collapse begins after the pressure of the snow mass begins to exceed the friction force, as a result of which the snow comes into a state of unstable equilibrium.

As soon as the avalanche begins to move, an air pre-avalanche wave is formed, which clears the path for the avalanche, destroying buildings, filling up roads and paths.

Before the snow falls, a dull sound is heard high in the mountains, after which a huge cloud of snow rushes down from the top at high speed, taking with it everything that comes in its way. It rushes without stopping, gradually gaining momentum, and does not stop until it reaches the bottom of the valley. After that, a huge layer of snow dust is thrown high into the sky, forming a continuous fog. When the snow dust falls, dense piles of snow open up in front of your eyes, in the middle of which you can see branches, the remains of trees, and boulders.

Why are avalanches dangerous?

According to statistics, it is snowfall that is the cause of fifty percent of accidents in the mountains, and often becomes the cause of the death of climbers, snowboarders, and ski enthusiasts. A downward avalanche can simply throw a person off the slope, because of which he can break during a fall, or fall asleep with such a thick layer of snow and cause death from the cold and lack of oxygen.

A collapse of snow is dangerous because of its mass, often several hundred tons, and therefore, covering a person, often leads to his suffocation or death from painful shock caused by bone fracture. In order to warn people about the approaching danger, a special commission has developed a system for classifying the risks of avalanches, the levels of which are indicated by flags and posted at ski resorts and resorts:

• The first level (minimum) - the snow is stable, so a collapse is possible only as a result of a strong impact on the snow masses on very steep slopes.
• The second level (limited) - snow on most slopes is stable, but in some places it is a little unstable, but, as in the first case, large avalanches will occur only due to a strong impact on the snow masses;
• The third level (medium) - on steep slopes, the snow layer is weak or moderately stable, and therefore an avalanche can form with insignificant impact (sometimes an unexpected large snowfall is possible);
• Fourth (high) - snow is unstable on almost all slopes and an avalanche comes down even with a very weak effect on the snow masses, while a large number of medium and large unexpected avalanches may occur.
• Fifth level (very high) - the likelihood of a huge number of large landslides and avalanches, even on non-steep slopes, is extremely high.

Safety engineering

In order to avoid death and not be buried under a thick layer of snow, every person who is going to the mountains to rest while there is snow there must learn the basic rules of behavior when a deadly stream descends.

If during your stay at the base a warning of avalanches was announced, it is advisable to refrain from hiking in the mountains. If there was no warning, then before leaving the base and hitting the road, you need to take into account the forecast of the risk of the likelihood of snow melting, as well as find out as much as possible about the mountains in which the risk of avalanches is maximum and avoid dangerous slopes (this simple rule of behavior is quite capable of saving a life).

If, before going to the mountains, heavy snowfalls were recorded, it is better to postpone the hike for two or three days and wait out the snowfall, and in the absence of avalanches, wait until it settles. It is also very important not to go to the mountains alone or together: it is advisable to stay in a group. This will always provide insurance against an avalanche, for example, if the group members are tied up with an avalanche tape, this will make it possible to detect a satellite covered with snow.

Before going out into the mountains, it is advisable to take an avalanche transceiver with you, which will make it possible to find a person trapped in an avalanche.

It is very important not to forget to take your mobile phone with you (it has already saved the lives of more than one person). It is also a good idea to take special avalanche backpacks, which provide for a system of inflatable cushions that make it possible for a person who is caught in an avalanche to “float up”.

In the mountains, you need to move only along the roads and paved paths of the valleys and along the ridges of the mountains, while it is very important to remember that you cannot go on steep snow-covered slopes, cross them across or move in a zigzag fashion. It is also forbidden to step on snow eaves, which are accumulations of dense snow in the form of a canopy on the leeward side of a sharp ridge (they may well suddenly collapse and cause an avalanche).

If it is not possible to bypass a steep slope, you need to make sure that the snow cover is stable before crossing it. If it starts to sag underfoot and starts making a hissing sound at the same time, you need to go back and look for another way: the likelihood of an avalanche is high.

In the snow captivity

If an avalanche has fallen high and there is time to do something, it is very important to remember one of the basic rules of behavior when an avalanche rushes at you: to leave the path of a rushing stream to a safe place, you need to move not down, but horizontally. You can also hide behind a ledge, preferably in a cave, climb a dais, a stable rock, or a sturdy tree.

In no case should you hide behind young trees, as snow can break them.

If it so happened that it was not possible to escape from the avalanche, one of the rules of behavior says that you need to immediately get rid of all things that will drag you into the rushing stream and hinder your movements: from a backpack, skis, sticks, an ice ax. You must immediately begin to sharply make your way to the edge of the stream, doing everything possible to stay at the top, and if possible, catch on a tree, stone, bush.

If the snow is still covered with a head, then the nose and mouth must be covered with a scarf or a hat so that the snow does not get there. Then you need to group: turning in the direction of movement of the snow stream, take a horizontal position and pull your knees to your stomach. After that, with circular rotations of the head, do not forget to create as much free space in front of the face as possible.

As soon as the avalanche stops, you need to try to get out on your own, or at least push your hand up to be noticed by the rescuers. Shouting while under a snow cover is useless, since the sound is transmitted very weakly, therefore such efforts only weaken the forces (sound signals should be given only when the steps of rescuers are heard).

It is important not to forget the rules of behavior under the snow: you need to remain calm and in no case panic (screaming and meaningless movements will deprive you of strength, heat and oxygen). Do not forget to move, otherwise a person trapped in the thickness of the snow will simply freeze, for the same reason you need to do everything so as not to fall asleep. The main thing is to believe: there are cases when living people were found under the snow cover even on the thirteenth day.

This symbol is directly related to many fairy tales and legends. According to ancestors, the mountains concealed secret powers and served as a haven for their masters.

Many believed that treasures were stored inside the mountains that were inaccessible to people and brought misfortune to those who went in search of them.

For those who lived near the mountains, there were forbidden places that were not allowed to go, so as not to disturb the spirits.

Slavic oral creativity interprets mountains as eternal, not subject to human forces. The mountain is a big and serious obstacle on the way.

There is a well-known expression: “The clever will not go up the hill, the clever will bypass the mountain” and one more thing: “If the mountain does not go to Mohammed, then Mohammed goes to the mountain”, which means: do not wait in vain for the impossible, do as you can.

If in a dream you are climbing a mountain, then this means your desire to realize some idea.

To reach the top of the mountain is to achieve what you want, to make your dreams come true. If, despite all your efforts, you are unable to climb to the top of the mountain, then this indicates that external circumstances will interfere with the implementation of your plans, it may be worth waiting for a while and again trying to achieve your goal.

To see a mountain with two peaks - such a dream predicts your success in some important matter, because you have the support of an influential person.

If a river flows along the slopes of the mountain, it means that many events await you ahead, but they will be small and insignificant.

The work will not bring satisfaction, but this period of feverish pursuit of vain business will soon be over.

Seeing a chain of mountains is a warning dream. If a mountain chain blocks your way, it means that you will encounter insurmountable obstacles on your way.

If a chain of mountains stretches along your path, then this is a sign that you will achieve your goal despite the actions of ill-wishers.

If you dreamed about a mountain with settlements on its slopes, it means that you are surrounded by a large number of friends and good acquaintances who will help you in difficult times that will not keep you waiting.

Seeing in a dream how a person moves the mountain from one place to another at will - you are looking for strength to carry out your plan, but do not overestimate your capabilities and do not rely on help from outside.

To see in a dream that you are going to the mountain and understand that it is approaching you itself - this dream means that external circumstances will develop favorably and you will receive what has long been due to you.

To see in a dream a friend who came at night looking to ask for help: you need to dig up a mountain, and you immediately go to help him.

This dream means that you do not spare yourself for the sake of others, but every day you become more and more disappointed in those whom you help and for whom you sacrifice yourself.

Seeing in a dream that the mountain starts to move, like the belly of a pregnant woman, and after that many mice appear in the neighborhood - you anticipate the futility of what you are doing now and what your best strength is spent on.

Seeing in a dream a nag that barely drags up a mountain - endless hard work tires you too much, so you do not see a gap in front; You have to strain to complete what requires close attention.

Interpretation of dreams from the Ancient dream book

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