The Arctic and Polar Regions (or anywhere in the snow)
The best shelter to use in the Arctic (in the winter) is the igloo. The prob
lem with igloo building, however, is that it takes skill and practice. Few
people can make an igloo on their first try if they haven’t been trained. You
have to know what kind of snow to look for—it feels like you’re cutting
into Styrofoam—and understand the process. A few photos in a book will
not give you the instruction you need to build one successfully. That’s why
it’s imperative that everybody planning to travel in the Arctic in the winter
take a survival course, and one that includes igloo building.
Another option in areas of ample snow is the snow cave. Although
most books make the snow cave seem like an easy shelter to build, it’s not
(at least not the first time). I’ve been in survival mode in the middle of win
ter where there was snow all around me, and still I could not find a suit
able spot for a snow cave. In the right location, however, a snow cave can
provide protection that could save your life in winter conditions.
Related to the snow cave is the quinzee. The difference between a quin
zee and a snow cave is that a snow cave requires that you find a snowdrift
and dig into it. With a quinzee, you take matters into your own hands and
make the pile of snow yourself, then dig out a cave. This can work, but I
hesitate to call it a survival shelter because a) you have to be in a place where
you can maneuver enough snow into a large pile, b) you need a shovel (or
at least a snowshoe) for digging, c) building it exhausts you, and d) you get
soaking wet while making it.
If you decide to make a quinzee, dig your entry hole on the side
away from the wind. And with any snowcave shelter, make sure you poke
a hole in the ceiling for ventilation. Finally, make a small fire inside for a
few minutes to glaze the ceiling. The iceglazed ceiling will reflect your
body heat back inside and any moisture will drain down the sides rather
than drip on you.
Whether you decide to build a snow cave or quinzee, the effort you
exert making one (as well as the snow that accumulates all over your body)
will make you wet. So brush off snow constantly and remove layers as nec
essary to minimize sweating.
Summer in the Arctic changes your perspective greatly, and your first
priority will be getting away from the bugs. Choose as windy an area as
possible; that’s where the bugs won’t be.
Shelter (^) | 171