the winter, seek a site that offers protection from the cold prevailing winds,
is close to wood for fuel, and has direct sun exposure.
Shelter Construction Basics
Step 1: The Bed
When you are ready to build your shelter, don’t make the mistake of start
ing with the frame. You’re better off creating your bed and then building
your shelter around it. Why? First, with this approach you’ll have lots of
room to build the bed, rather than constructing in the cramped confines
of your shelter. Second, you’ll be able to correctly size your bed and, as a
result, your shelter. One of the most common mistakes travelers make in
building their first shelter is making it too small. More times than I can
remember, people I’ve known have made the bed too small, built a terrific
shelter around it, then crawled inside, only to look down and see their feet
sticking out the door!
It’s also important to create distance between you and the ground,
either by elevating your bed or by putting as much material as you can
underneath you. This step is vital! Aside from the wind, nothing will suck
the heat out of your body more quickly than sleeping on the ground.
If you have wood available, you can get yourself off the ground by starting with a layer of logs.Shelter (^) | 147