Ideally, try to find 2 trees with low split trunks that are within 10 feet (3. 0 m) of each other. If you can’t find this type of set-up, just look for 1 tree in a flat area. Build your shelter near a strong, stable face of rock if you can. This can reduce your wind exposure as well as reflect the warmth of a fire back into your shelter. Be sure to build on the flattest ground you can find, avoiding the tops of hills, bottoms of valleys, and any other low points or flood zones where colder air will settle.
If you have a serrated survival knife that doubles as a wood saw, you can also saw down any 10 ft (3. 0 m) branch that you find to make it straight enough for your shelter.
If you have rope with you or you have access to nearby vines, tie the branch to the tree to make it more secure. You can also use this tying material to the branch to the side of a tree if there isn’t a tree with a split trunk nearby. However, make sure you use a very strong tying material if you do this.
A small shelter will do a better job of keeping you warm than a large shelter. Yours should be small enough for you to lean on your side while you’re lying down. Place smaller sticks along the sides of your main branch as well to fill in the space between the thicker “ribs. ” These smaller sticks should be less than or equal to 1 inch (2. 5 cm) in diameter.
Other things you can use as insulation include thin twigs, leaves, brush, or even mud. Use these types of materials in whatever combination is available to you. Add all of this to the frame of the shelter in order of decreasing size until you can’t find any holes you can fit your fist through. Add as many layers of insulation as time will allow. This will increase heat retention and weather resistance.
In a pinch, you can even use a pile of branches as a bed. Although this probably won’t be very comfortable, it will do a better job of keeping you warm than the ground will.
If possible, mix snow of different temperatures (i. e. , frozen snow with partially melted snow) to give your shelter a harder surface.
Poke these sticks throughout the entire outside of your mound, keeping them about 1 to 2 feet (0. 30 to 0. 61 m) apart from each other.
If your situation isn’t urgent, allowing your snow up to 90 minutes to freeze will make your shelter even stronger.
This will ensure that the walls of your shelter are 2 feet (0. 61 m) thick, which is the ideal thickness for it. If you didn’t use these guide sticks before, avoid making your walls so thin that they’re translucent. If you can see sunlight shining through, they’re too thin.
Whatever branches you use, make sure they’re about 1 to 2 inches (2. 5 to 5. 1 cm) thick to make it less likely for them to snap. Don’t use branches that are shorter than 1. 5 feet (0. 46 m). This will make your shelter too short to be effective.
You can also use 3 branches to make a triangle formation, if you’re in an area with sparse vegetation and can’t find 4 branches. Be careful if you try to hammer the branches into the ground with a rock. You don’t want to inadvertently break them.
If you don’t have any tying material with you, you can also use vines or long, thick blades of grass as cordage. Avoid using branches that are thicker than about 1 inch (2. 5 cm) in diameter. Anything bigger than this will probably be too heavy.
