My First Snow Cave!!!

markhait

markhait

Joined
Jan 14, 2007
Messages
297
Well...I finally did it....I built and slept in a snow cave!!!!
It was only in my backyard, but it was a great learning experience!
I've been wanting to do this for quite some time now, but never took that leap of faith. I finally took it upon myself to do it this year after reading "Put up or shut up".

I've posted some pictures in a earlier post, but if pictures are worth a 1000 words, how much more is video? Check out my 2 videos and let me know what you think. Part 1 is my getting ready to go to bed and Part 2 is waking up at 4:15 a.m. the next morning.

Enjoy!
[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aiUH1pKRisw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aiUH1pKRisw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LQK6wX7Zt7E&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LQK6wX7Zt7E&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]
 
Congrats Markhait!

So...lessons learned: what did you like, not like, what would you do different, etc., etc.?
 
Thanks for posting this. Now you got me thinking... We don't get the snow like we used to here in Northern Indiana but I think Im going to give this a try. Did you elevate your sleeping surface from the rest of the cave for carbon monoxide or did you kinda crawl into the cave and try and it out. Did your candle burn all night?
 
anewrnn said:
Thanks for posting this. Now you got me thinking... We don't get the snow like we used to here in Northern Indiana but I think Im going to give this a try. Did you elevate your sleeping surface from the rest of the cave for carbon monoxide or did you kinda crawl into the cave and try and it out. Did your candle burn all night?
Click to expand...
you are confusing carbon monoxide(CO) with carbon dioxide (CO2)
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a non-irritating, colorless, tasteless, odorless gas only partially soluble in water. It is a flammable gas that is somewhat lighter than air.

Carbon monoxide is a waste product of incomplete combustion of coal, wood, charcoal, natural gas, fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline, fabrics and plastics. It is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the United States.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless, noncombustible gas that is soluble in water. Because CO2 is one and one half times as heavy as air it tends to 'pool' in low areas such as basements and underground areas not subject to air movement. As it 'pools,' it displaces the air that includes oxygen. CO2 does not support combustion; pilot lights on gas appliances will go out.
 
Well done, sir. It's one thing to read about something and think, hey, I can do that. It's another thing to put it into practice. Putting it into practice is where most of the real learning takes place.

I know, because I used to do it (read about it and think I knew how to do it, that is). Like bow drill fire - easy enough to understand the principle, not so easy to accomplish. In fact in my case, it took about 10 years between first trying and finally accomplishing it. Of course, I didn't have the brotherhood of BladeForumites to push me. :rolleyes:

So congratulations. Now what's next? :D

Doc
 
OK.....now to answer some questions....
What did I like/didn't like....That was all good, I was very pleased with my first attempt.
What would I change....I will next time pay more attention to how flat and LEVEL my sleeping area is. It sloped down towards my feet and leaned a little to my left. In my case, the bottom area was actually solid ice! What I should have done was put a layer of snow down to level it out. I think that would have made it much better.

Sleeping platform elevated....No, it wasn't and I was concerned about that. As it turned out, I wasn't cold at all! Now maybe because my sleeping area sloped down towards my feet, that my have caused the colder air to leave to cave. I don't really know, but I had NO elevation to my sleeping platform. Could I have been warmer with one? Not sure, but I was only wearing my thermals in the sleeping bad. I can't imagine being much warmer.
I guess in theory, a elevated platform makes sense, but it made no difference to me. Don't know if thats a topic for myth busters or not :D

Did my candle lantern burn all night....No, it didn't. I was too chicken for that.
I'm sure it was all paranoia, but I didn't want my family to find me cold, frozen and dead inside.

What I am glad I did was open the area up above my head. A couple of times while sleeping, I must of had some dream or sub-conscience thought about claustrophobia and would wake up. When I did, all I had to do was look straight up and see that large area above my head and it set my mind to ease. Like I said in the video, I'm 6'2" and could sit up and not hit my head on the ceiling. I guess that would probably make it about 3' tall in that area.

What amazed me....being so warm! I get cold feet pretty fast and my feet were NEVER cold. I mean it was 20 degrees outside and inside it was just over 35! I would have never in a million years thought that! With that being said though, it is a lot of work making one! I spent many hours digging and shaping and I even cheated my burying 3 65 gallon garbage cans! Had I not done that, thats no telling how long it my have taken.

I was very grateful about the suggestion of bringing a empty gateraide bottle in for night time relief. I almost always get up in the middle of the night to pee and was not looking forward to doing that while sleeping in a snow cave!
Some times its really great to be a man!!! :D

Again, thanks to you all for your suggestions and kind remarks...

Doc...whats next....making fire with a bow drill! Like you, I've read about it all my life and "know" how, but have never attempted. This should prove interesting!
 
theamazingdrew said:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a... flammable gas....
Click to expand...

That is not something I knew. I suspected you might be incorrect, but a quick check of its flammability, and not only are you right, you are VERY right.

I learned from you today and couldn't be happier! Sorry to have doubted.
 
Hey markhait,

Friction fire is a great next project, maybe the best - it would be in my books. Here's a link to a tutorial I did, maybe it can help you. If you have any questions, feel free to email me and I'll try to help.

A bit of a story for you - one time I did a presentation and some demonstrations for a local organic growers club (no, not marijuana :D) and at one point, I asked if there was anybody there that had read about fire by friction, had never done it, but thought they could if necessary. One lone guy put up his hand and I said, "Well here's your chance". I set him up with the tools and showed him the technique. I guess what the books he read didn't mention, is that a certain amount of speed is required. :rolleyes: :D

Fire by friction is not hard at all - that's a myth, providing you have the right materials, and you observe the correct technique. Doubt it? Ask kgd. He graced me with his presence last Earth Day (also my birthday), in fact, here's the thread. He wanted to learn bow drill fire - I told him it was a piece of cake - it was! :D

Anyway, go to it, bro.

Looking forward to the results. - Take pictures and record the date you become a 'firemaker' - mine was Monday, May 8/95. Success after trying so long was a real highlight in my outdoor experience. I even took pictures of the grin on my face. :o.

One other thing I would recommend, because you'll be hooked :D, is record all attempts, what materials, weather conditions, etc., because you can look back on it as a reference of what worked for you, what problems you had, what wood combinations worked, etc. It's a great resource, later on.

Doc
 
Last edited:
Cool (and cold :) ) vid! Thanks and congrats!

Love snow cave, especially it's silence.
I've experienced a crush :D.
Excavating gears in the middle of windy snowing night was really nice :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top