How to Build a Temp Shelter in the Snow

The situation to build a shelter in the snow could be one that you do for fun or one that is done out of necessity. When it comes to building a snow shelter, the inside will be much warmer than the outside but will remain cold. You will need a thermal sleeping bag or blankets to stay warm. A fire that is small can be burned inside but will not provide a lot of heat. To build a snow shelter simply find a wall or hillside and use snow to build up around it. You can completely make a roof and all with snow should you not have a tarp or way to cover the top of your snow structure. If the snow is extremely deep digging down and into it while packing it tightly around will make you a small snow cave that will get you out of the wind. The wind can be deadly during a snowstorm or during cold weather.

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A snow cave may not seem like the warmest idea, but it will help to keep you alive. Also, when building a shelter in the snow should you be in an area where you can utilize pine branches they will make for an excellent insulator as rooftops to help keep snow from passing through. If you have never built a snow shelter and live in an area that gets snow regularly, then you should put this one on your to-do list as a fun way to spend an hour or two one cold winter day. If you are near a water source that has constant movement and does not freeze you can pull this water out placing it inside of milk cartons or orange juice containers and build ice bricks. This process will take much more time, but will build you a more permanent structure should you be having an extended stay in the snow. Snow block shelters are also less likely to cave in or collapse during heavy snows or due to fires.

 

I am curious about the how the heat from our bodies effect the snow shelter. If it is very cold out this would not be an issue but what if the temperatures are in the high 30's. Is there a way to keep the shelter from caving in as the warmth of the day sets in?

 

I find this very fascinating. I use to live in Michigan where it got a lot of snow but now I am in the South. I would have liked to build one of these snow structures. I often think about what would happen and how would I survive if I am lost out in the snow. I think a snow structure is a good idea. I would hope that if I ever get lost and need a shelter in the snow that I have a lot of warm clothes on!

 

These are life savers, it might not be the warmest looking place but if it you take into consideration that the temperature outside will be well into negative numbers, it doesn't seem so bad. The ice inside will melt and freeze again forming a sort of a cocoon and insulate the shelter more.