Here's a quinze that I built with some help. It was built over several days and with several snowfalls. We finished yesterday. The tools we used were regular snow shovels, then a stick (shown on the left) to create air holes. We destroyed one kid's size shovel in the process, but it was an old one.
It's not that big inside. I could and may make it larger. It is about 4 feet high and 10 feet in diameter.
It was quite cold yesterday. Temperatures this morning are near 0 degrees F. I had a collapse at the door, so I built it back up with ice sheets and then shovelled snow back over that. I propped the ice pieces up with a stick and removed it in the morning after it had set. I did not make a gear or plastic bag pile in the middle to make excavation easier. I have done that in the past and it is definitely helpful, though you risk losing gear in the snow.
I did make this one with a shelf and cold pit area. This was my first time doing that. I'd line it with hemlock boughs if I were using it for a shelter.
This is quinze number 3 or 4 for me. Overall, not too bad.
Lessons learned:
1) Don't get wet doing this. I did and if I had to sleep wet, I'd be miserable. Dress properly next time
2) These take a while to make even with good tools. Plan accordingly.
3) Really fluffy snow means spots will collapse and makes it tough to fill in bad spots.
Enjoy - I did!
It's not that big inside. I could and may make it larger. It is about 4 feet high and 10 feet in diameter.
It was quite cold yesterday. Temperatures this morning are near 0 degrees F. I had a collapse at the door, so I built it back up with ice sheets and then shovelled snow back over that. I propped the ice pieces up with a stick and removed it in the morning after it had set. I did not make a gear or plastic bag pile in the middle to make excavation easier. I have done that in the past and it is definitely helpful, though you risk losing gear in the snow.
I did make this one with a shelf and cold pit area. This was my first time doing that. I'd line it with hemlock boughs if I were using it for a shelter.
This is quinze number 3 or 4 for me. Overall, not too bad.
Lessons learned:
1) Don't get wet doing this. I did and if I had to sleep wet, I'd be miserable. Dress properly next time
2) These take a while to make even with good tools. Plan accordingly.
3) Really fluffy snow means spots will collapse and makes it tough to fill in bad spots.
Enjoy - I did!
I'll pack my ugly WSK and Poncho...and rock out with my socks out.
