Shelter for Winter Camping

The big three are heavy tents, Quinzhees (snow forts), and igloos. Of the three, igloos were judged the warmest, with Quinzhees coming in 2nd - and last, the heavy tents. Anyway, the heat increase of the igloo was significant - so surely, the Eskimos know what they're doing! Has anyone tried any of these winter camping shelters?

Oh, by the way, looking at expense, the Quinzhee is the cheapest, 2nd, the igloo, and finally the tent - even though, oddly enough, it isn't the best - but then again, there isn't always snow!

 

Well I have not used one but just the name alone makes me want to get or try the igloo for my winter camping, but the truth is there is not really all that much of that anymore. I did have a string of really cold trips and I just remember compiling whatever we could for insulation, and of course socks are key.

 

Even if there was a big snow where I live (in East Tennesseee, USA), there certainly wouldn't be enough to make a snow fort or igloo. In that case, a tent would be a must. Anyway, regarding the last year, there wasn't any snow worth mentioning!

 

Hey that's right! Your from my neck of the state. Snow? Ha.

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I had seen the documentary of a traveler in Alaska who slept inside an igloo. He said that the main purpose of staying in an igloo over the night is for the protection against wild animals particularly the bear. In fact, the camera had caught sight of a bear that was inspecting the igloo. The light inside the igloo seemed to turned off the appetite of the bear. And it also increases the temperature significantly especially when the night wind is roaming around. The igloo is made of blocks of ice. The host of the documentary and one native made the igloo.

 

We lived in the northern part of Michigan when I was a pup, and when dad would clean the snow off the driveway us kids would shovel more snow on top of the largest mound and tunnel into it. It wasn't hard to do with a few gardening tools. Sometimes we would have a decent size room cut into a pile maybe large enough for 2 of us. Other than the floor being damp from our body heat, it was warmer than outside. It was quite cozy.

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Interesting. I did not know that! I was thinking it was purely for warmth.

Seems like it would melt, but I suppose there is just so much cold stuff it isn't possible.

Was it snow fort or an igloo?

Why?

 

As long as it stayed below freezing out side, It will last for days or maybe longer. The walls do get a little thinner over time because of the warmer temperature inside, and there should be a couple of small ventilation holes cut into it from the top to allow the carbon dioxide to escape and fresh air in. Survival tip we learned in school was if we ever got caught in the open during a bad blizzard, we should dig into a snow bank, drift or any pile of snow to escape freezing to death. I was just a kid then, and never had a survival situation arise. I think igloos are made of ice blocks? I was a stupid kid, they would've found my body in the spring when the snow melted.

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