Snow Shelters

Winter School 2002

By Hector Briceno

Pictures from

Freedom of the Hills 6th Edition

or

Princeton University Outdoor Action Program

Basic Winter Camp: Review• Shelter Protects you from the wind for sleeping

and cooking• Shelter traps heat

Anchors

• A little more difficult to “stake” the tent in the snow. You have different anchors: Ice Axe, Ice Screws, Snow shoes, skis, deadman anchors

Snow Shelters

• Traditional Igloo (everyone is familiar with the idea)

• Snow Caves

• Snow Trench

• Quin-zhee: low snow conditions

Possible Tools• Snow Shovel is key if

you want to move a lot of snow (and if snow is icy is pretty much only choice)

• Snow saw cuts nice blocks if snow is good

• Snow Shoes• Sleds• Hands• Ice Axes

Igloo Construction

• Need good snow that stays in blocks.

• Make sure you sleep above entrance

Igloo From Inside• Igloos can be pretty big and cozy (right R and A?)

Snow Caves• Under branches is

fast because the branches provide a natural roof

• On Slope is good because it is easy to make sure you sleep higher than the entrance.

Snow Cave: theory• Snow caves require adequate snow depth• Are you on a potential avalanche slope?• Could wind blow over and seal you in? (that is why someone

has to clear or dig opening every couple of hours or more• Easier to dig a cave on a steep slope than a shallow one.• Temperature can be around freezing when it is –10 outside• Takes time, 2 or 3 hours for a four person snow cave with 2

shovels. With experience a 2 person emergency cave can be built in as little as 30 minutes.

• Make sure to keep your clothes dry during construction• Keep the ceiling smooth, and dig a trench around the base so

water does not drip on you.

Snow Cave 1• Dig a space (T) big

enough to haul the snow out. This will later be covered with a pack or snow blocks.

Snow Cave 2• Notice that you sleep higher than the entrance

Snow Cave 3• Notice wands demarcate boundary so

people don’t step over the cave

Snow Trenches

• First one needs tarp

• Second one needs branches

Snow Trenches• Can use skis or tarp, you sleep on the side chambers

Snow Trench• Need somewhat deep

snow, but quick to build

• Can dig a hole in the middle to trap cold air

Trench Igloo• More basic emergency shelter.

• Vent a hole.

• You can also dig a hole where the cold air will collect

• Caulk any gaps between the blocks and smooth out irregularities in the ceiling.

Tree-pit Shelter

• You can also use the tree-pit shelter for holding out a storm. Quick to dig. Shelters from the wind.

Quin-Zhee• For when there is little snow

Quin-Zhee continued• Make a big pile of snow (6 feet high and 12

feet in diameter with a stick in the middle)

• Let it sit, then dig in