Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
life a lot more pleasant and comfortable. This section will cover several rudimentary shelters
that you can build from foraged materials. A good shelter can keep you dry and warm, even in
torrential rains or subfreezing weather. A plastic tarp will make the job of keeping the rain out
of a primitive shelter a hundred times easier than trying to accomplish that task using just bark
and grasses (thatch). Mountaineers and soldiers will often “bivouac” outside using just their
rain poncho covering most of their body and perhaps stuffing their feet inside their backpack
for a little extra warmth and protection from the elements.
Location
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Water.
Try to locate your shelter near a good water supply, but above high-water
marks and never in a dry streambed or wash. Stay at least 30 yards from your water
source to avoid polluting it. If insects are a problem, stay away from stagnant water,
especially wet, boggy areas.
•
Building materials and fuel.
Choose a location where you can find building materials
and fuel nearby so you are not hauling them a long way.
•
Visibility.
If you are seeking rescue, make sure you are visible and not too near a
noisy river that might obscure the sounds of rescuers approaching.
•
Natural shelter.
Utilize natural bluffs, fallen trees, caves, ridges, and so on for protec-
tion from the wind and rain.
•
Comfort.
The site should be flat enough and smooth enough for comfortable sleeping.
Before pitching a tent, it's a good idea to lie on the ground first to see how the spot
feels.
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Drainage.
Make sure that the site will drain. Avoid hollows that can turn into ponds
in the rain. Trenches can help to divert small streams in a downpour, but you can't
move a pond.
•
What to avoid.
Don't try to build a shelter on hard, rocky ground. Check the area for
stinging ants, bee nests, and so on, and avoid high wind areas, such as hilltops and
ridge tops (unless you want high winds to keep insects away). Avoid areas with
danger of falling rocks or large dead branches from overhead trees. Valley bottoms
and hollows can collect cold, frosty air at night.
Squirrel's Nest
This is the simplest of survival shelters. It's a drag to get in and out of, so you should really
make something else if you will be using it more than once. The basic idea is to heap as much
dry debris as you can into a pile, and then crawl into it to stay dry and warm. Use leaves, pine
boughs, bark, and so on. The debris is your sleeping bag, so the thicker it is the warmer you
