At Home in the Wilderness!
A survival situation dictates that shelter is usually one of the top priorities, but what shelter you choose to build can depend on a whole range of factors; be it building material options, geographical location, physical state... All can play a part in your wilderness home. Now their are different shelter designs for different situations. You've got your more sturdy long term shelters like a Wikkiup, a quick A-Frame constuction for a night stay or even an emergancy natural shelter like a rocky outcrop to shield you from the wind and rain. Here is a list of a few different shelters that when built correctly can keep you warm and secure from the threats and elements.
Wikkiup
One of the more permanent shelter designs is the Wikkiup. This is a shelter that offers a good amount of move space inside and also has the advantage of being able to house a fire in the center to heat the whole shelter. They can take a number of days of hard work to build but the construction time all depends on how many people are building it. This type of shelter can be made waterproof if enough debris is added to the outside perimeter. Infact, survival expert Cody Lundin spent two years living in a Wikkiup out in the woods where he said that his debris walls were around 3 feet thick so that the shelter was servicable for the Winter.
Snow Cave
A Snow Cave is often the best choice for shelter if you are in an Arctic survival scenario with limited resources but a lot of snow. There can be many different variations and layouts that can be dug out in the snow but this one shown below is a simple design that Bill dug out in the Winter. When creating a Snow Cave you must make sure that it is a solid structure, meaning that the sides or roof will not collapse in on you which could be the perfect set up for death! The temperature change from inside the Cave to the outside temperature is quite incredable, it really is amazing how much warmer it is inside one of these things. It is a good idea also to place your pack if you have one at the entrance of the shelter just incase it caves in or snows over so atleast you know where to dig. Always dig a trench or hole in the shelter so that the cold air is able to sink past you, or have yourself raised off the ground floor.
A-Frame
An A-Frame shelter when built well can be very effective and shed the heaviest of rain. Ideally they are made to fit one person to sleep in but this one shown here was built by us and we could both manage to sleep comfortably in it aswell as keeping our gear under there as well. Combined with a fire infront of the entrance of the shelter, this design makes a very cozy wilderness home especially in Winter. Like with the Wikkiup it is best to get a good thick coverage of dibris on top to ensure it will be fit for all the elements. This type of shelter does not take too long to make compared to bigger designs like the Wikkiup so would be a good choice in a survival scenario!
Fallen Tree Lean To
In a survival scenario the best shelter option to look out for is one that is already partly done for you, in this case a fallen tree that has uprooted. Because the tree and its roots have been ripped out the ground there is usually a hole that is left and if it is a large enough hole then you could take advantage and turn it into a quick shelter to hunker down in. The base of the roots which usually turn on there side create a natural wall. Main support poles are angled from the top of the root base done to the ground to give it the lean to design. Then it is best to apply a good layer of branches if you have no water proof materials like a plastic sheet to duplicate that step. After that all that is needed is a generous amount of debris thrown over the top and thats it! As shown in the picture it took us around 2 hours to construct this shelter and with a fire outside the entrance it could prove to be a cozy night.
Natural Cave
If you are stuck in the wild and come across a Cave you may think you have hit the jackpot but infact there are a few things you need to make sure of before you choose to stay the night. First check for any animal signs because there is a good chance another animal thinks it makes a good home too and may not take kindly to you being there; for instance in the Cave shown in this photo there was a Badger hole right at the back.. So be aware! Another problem might be that the Cave is wet inside, now this can be very common as water will filter through the rock above and seep through the roof of the Cave which will not only make it a wet place to be but also a cold one due to the fact that water sucks heat from the body 25% faster than Air. These things said, not all Caves are bad and some could be a god send so it is never a bad idea to check them out.
One more thing.. If you are stranded in Bear or Mountain Lion territory for example it is best to make a lot of noise as you approach the Cave so that any animals that might be in there are made aware of your presence which will minimise the chance of you startling them and provoking an attack!
One more thing.. If you are stranded in Bear or Mountain Lion territory for example it is best to make a lot of noise as you approach the Cave so that any animals that might be in there are made aware of your presence which will minimise the chance of you startling them and provoking an attack!
Low Lying Lean To
A Low Lying Lean To is another rather quick shelter design, however due to the low angle it does not provide a very good water proof shelter unless you have the ability to use waterproof materials like plastic sheets. They are perfectly sized to sleep one person comfortably and with a Long Log Fire infront it would keep warm and serve its purpose. If you are in an area where rain is not likely then this shelter is a quick, easy and effective design.