There are various circumstances that could possibly indicate a need for an emergency snow shelter. Maybe you are on a hiking expedition and a sudden blizzard occurs, or maybe you have simply gotten lost and need a place to stay warm until help arrives. There are several different ways to build a snow shelter.
One of the most common shelters is the snow cave. Of course, your snow shelter will depend greatly on where you can build it and how much snow you have access to. To build a snow cave, ideally you need to look for a spot that is sloped. Of course, you always want to take precautions and use good judgment when constructing a snow cave. Try to place the entrance to the cave away from the wind. Pay attention to the surrounding area. Is there a chance that an avalanche could block the opening to the cave? If so, find an alternate area.
Once you have determined where you will build your snow cave, you need to begin tunneling an entrance. You will want to angle your entrance in a downward slope. Hopefully, you have a collapsible snow shovel to work with, but if you don’t, you can dig with your hands. Building an adequate snow cave can take several hours, so be sure and conserve your energy by eating high calorie snacks and drinking plenty of liquids.
Once you have dug an entrance into the cave, you can begin hollowing out the inside of the cave. As you work, pull the excess snow out of the cave. You won’t need to make the cave so large that you can stand up in it. Try to dig out an area that is comfortable enough for you to sit in. If you think you will be in the cave for several hours, you can build a sleeping platform by leveling off a raised area on one side of the cave.
It is very important that you have adequate ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. You can take the handle of your shovel or a large stick and make a hole in the roof of the cave. You will need to keep a stick in the opening to prevent your hole from becoming plugged. Be sure and put skis, excess baggage, or some other object on the outside of your cave to mark it so someone can see where you are. This is especially important if there are search and rescue parties hunting for you.
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Another emergency snow shelter that you can build is an igloo. Constructing an igloo can be difficult, time consuming, and tiring, however. You also need hard snow because you will be cutting sections into blocks. You will want to cut your blocks as large as you can, but you don’t want them to be so large that you can’t manipulate them easily.
The size of your igloo will depend on how many people will be using it. Remember, the larger the igloo, the harder it will be to keep warm. Once you have cut several blocks, you can start arranging them in a circle. As you cut and stack your blocks, move each layer slightly inward to form a dome. Once you have made the igloo, you can cut out an entrance. You will still need to make sure you have adequate ventilation, so you need to have a small opening in the top of your igloo.
If you do not have a sloped area of snow and the snow is powdery rather than hard, you may have to improvise and build a snow mound. Snow mounds are very rudimentary shelters, but then can work in an emergency. Basically, you will mound up as much snow as possible into a dome shape. Once you have enough snow mounded that will adequately accommodate your body, you can begin to dig a tunnel into the snow. You will need to use caution when hollowing out your snow mound, however, because the powdery snow can easily cave in, and you will have to start all over. You shouldn’t create an area that is much larger than your body. Your ventilation may have to come from your opening, so try and turn your body so that your face is closest to the entrance of your snow mound.
Because a well-constructed snow shelter provides even better insulation than a tent, you can double your insulation by piling snow around your tent. Again, you will want to face the entrance to your tent away from the wind. Always be conscious of good ventilation; carbon monoxide is a silent killer.
Snow shelters can save lives. If you must build an emergency snow shelter, pay attention to the area and type of snow available.
