Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
dirt, followed by debris insulation. You can pull some of this insulation over you for a pre-
heated squirrel's nest shelter. If you have a tarp, place it underneath your body, to act as a vapor
barrier for protection from ground moisture due to steam rising from the heated earth.
Figure 7-38. Scout pit.
Snow Shelters
Snow is a good insulator and can protect you from fierce winds and bitter cold. If your clothing
is cotton, or otherwise poorly designed for snow country, beware of getting yourself wet while
constructing your snow shelter. Unless you are traveling in the Arctic, with wind-packed snow
and little contour to the land, you will probably be better off constructing a snow cave or a
shelter under the boughs of a tree than trying to construct a traditional igloo. Create a raised
platform for sleeping on, with a lower area to collect the coldest air. Insulate the sleeping plat-
form with pine boughs, when available, to keep yourself relatively warm and dry.
Caution:
You must provide ventilation in snow shelters. Your body heat will eventually
raise the inside temperature above freezing to the point where it glazes over the inside of a
snow cave. You can suffocate without a hole for ventilation (I suggest a fist-sized hole).
If you can't find a firm snowdrift or a suitable tree well (see
fig. 7-39
) for your snow cave,
you can pile soft snow into a heap, trample it some, and let it firm up for a couple of hours be-
fore digging it out to make a snow cave. Make sure that you carve the ceiling into a curved
