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will be. To insulate yourself from the ground, make sure you have an insulating layer under you
as well as on top. Without a poncho or tarp on top, it won't be very effective at keeping you dry
in a rainstorm.
Building on Fallen Trunks and Trees
It is usually easier to start a primitive shelter from an existing feature. A fallen trunk makes an
excellent support for a simple lean-to (see fig. 7-37 ) . Shingling is an important part of primitive
structures, and can be made from any materials that will keep rain from penetrating your shel-
ter. Shingling can consist of thatch, bark, sod, or sticks and dirt. The basic idea is to make
enough layers of overlapping sloped materials so that water runs down the outside without pen-
etrating the structure and getting you wet. Traditional thatch is made from bundles of straw
with the straw strands all oriented in the same direction. The capillary action of water causes
rain to flow along the straw strands, rather than penetrating through the straw, and is very ef-
fective at keeping rain outside of a shelter when the thatch bundles are laid in overlapping
shingle fashion.
Figure 7-37. Fallen log shelter.
Scout Pits and Coal Beds
It takes considerable effort, but you can spend a comfortable warm night in a “scout pit,” even
when it's very cold outside (see fig. 7-38 ). First, dig a trench about 2 feet deep by 2 feet wide
and a few feet longer than your body length. Build a fire in the trench that covers the entire
length. After the fire has roasted the ground for an hour or two, cover the coals with several
inches of dirt. Bridge the top of the trench with a layer of sticks and cover with leaves for insu-
lation, finishing with a layer of dirt. Crawl in and enjoy the warmth of the heated ground. If the
trench is big enough, you can use it a second time by heating rocks in an outside fire and drag-
ging them in at night to heat your scout pit. One alternative is to build a fire in a shallower
trench, 6 to 12 inches deep. When the fire is down to coals, cover the coals with a few inches of
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