The Snow Trench

neeman said:
IA Woodsman

Lots of questions, so here goes.

I did not realize how small the shelter is, until I saw the footage.
Do you you use this on a regular basis.
Do you go out without a tent, and rely on this shelter?

How long does it take for the snow to settle?
Could you pack down the snow as you make the mound? Like walking over it with snowshoes as you are working.
Would that speed up the hardening?
Did you try sprinkling water on the sides to freeze the inside walls?
Do you have to use such a wide shovel?
If you made a narrower trench with the shovel, the opening at the top could be closed with pine branches and not need a poncho and those heavy logs?
How practical would it to build a two man trench like this?

Could this be a practical survival shelter for an emergency?
"All" you would need is a shovel, but would you have to wait too long for the snow to compact?

For a shovel, I only ever carried an MRS attachment to an ice axe.
I tried a flat metal food tray before I purchased the attachment, it worked well and was light!

Any answers would be interesting.
Click to expand...

In the past I have used this style shelter a lot. Yes I have only taken a tarp and relied on snow shelters, but it takes proper planning. I can take a few hours for the snow to bond. Packing it with snow shoes will speed the process. To glaze the inside of snow shelters, I use a camp stove. Heat up the inside till the snow just starts to melt. Let it air out and cool off and you won't have snow falling in you bag when you are getting in it. You can use boughs for the top, but you want the snow for the insulation factor. as far as a "survival" shelter goes, it depends on the circumstances. I would use the tarp and build a shelter with a fire. Rick just did a great experiment on his last outing. Hope that answers most of your questions.
 
I posted this link up last month or so, gives some additional tip/tricks on building a snow trench. Very interesting was the differential in temps as you went down into the snow.

http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/snow-trench-shelter/

Where I hike in the winter (Rockies) you most often don't need to pile up any snow- there is usually several feet to dig into :)

I find small beeswax candles to very handy in this type of shelter (debris shelter as well)- the confined space not only holds your heat in better, but allows a small heat source (candle) to rather efficiently warm up the shelter. When you've taken the chill off, blow the candle out- repeat as necessary (or as long as your candle(s) hold up)
 
Thanks for all the answers.

So due to the few hours it would take for the snow to settle, it is not a useful backpacking shelter?
You could not stop just before sundown, and have a shelter ready within a 1/2 hour.

For using boughs over the top, I would then use snow as you did.
It might be easier to find boughs and lighter too.
Do you use a bough bed or just your carry mat?


I always carried a candle lantern, and it heated up either my tent or snow trench.
I very rarely dug a snow cave, but it was amazing how much a candle lantern heated the cave.
 
That's a pretty cool looking tool -- Bladeite posted pics of one in use recently, too -- be interesting to see what you think of it.
 
Very cool and informative... I've grown to value your many posts and videos... Can you post up a link to RIck's last outing with his experiment you mentioned above? I quick search didn't yield anything.

Thanks,

JGON
 
JGON said:
Very cool and informative... I've grown to value your many posts and videos... Can you post up a link to RIck's last outing with his experiment you mentioned above? I quick search didn't yield anything.

Thanks,

JGON
Click to expand...

[video=youtube;zQODITeWBHc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQODITeWBHc&feature=g-vrec[/video]
 
IA Woodsman said:
Unfortunately it is hard to incorporate a cold well or sleeping platform.
Click to expand...

At a minimum, I would not remove the snow all the way to the ground. I would leave 3 inches of hard pack or so, and then trench around the outside of your "bed" with it favoring the entrance. Once in there, with the body heat, etc, the interior will crust. You can get some drips, and if you smooth the walls, and create the trench, you can keep those off you. Not as good as a cold well, but it does help.

Thanks for the pics.

B
 
I was just starting to get sad about the summer ending but now I'm starting to get excited about the winter and snow after seeing this thread. Some great ideas here. I may have to try some this year.
 
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