Winter Camping in Snow Shelters

“I have a question maybe some of you can answer. I just got back from a winter camping trip with the college class I teach in, of all things, Winter Camping. We snowshoed about 2 miles, and made snow shelters. There was about 3 feet of snow. It was quite cold, maybe zero at night. With snow shelters, anytime you touch the sides or roof of the shelter, the powdery snow flakes off, onto your sleeping bag or plastic tarp. If if lands on your plastic tarp, it will be contacted and absorbed into your sleeping bag soon enough. So, how do you avoid "snowfall" during the night inside the shelter, and how do you stay as warm as possible when the snow isn't deep enough to dig a heat trap entrance? Any suggestions?”

“I haven't ever tried making a snow shelter but a friend of mine (Yes, I do have friends!) always takes along a bivy sack. He also hauls along a tent just in case the snow conditions don't allow building a snow cave or it starts collapsing during the night.”

“Can't help ya. I never see enough snow to fill a hat much less make a shelter.”

“Did you let the snow settle down (pat it down with a shovel helps too) before digging into it?

Try lighting some candles inside...that way the heat will melt the snow (wall and ceiling) and it will refreeze, forming a layer of ice. Make sure you have a hole in the ceiling...you don't want to have carbon dioxide builtup.

I had some friends that slept in snow shelters (Winter camping course in college also)...I have not done it myself.”

“I have used snow shelters before. The candle trick works (you have to use several if it's big) but the water drips/runs to the floor. You'll still get wet if you leave them burning. You have to do it early enough that you can put them out and let it re-freeze before you get in. It's faster if you sweep the candle around along the walls/ceiling. Sort of like using a blow drier. Packing the snow before hand is best. Anyway, it's been over a decade since I've done this so I may have left something out. Maybe someone who's done it more recently can fill in or has a better technique?”

“I tried snow shelters in the 60's - even dug one in an overnight survival situation, but never really enjoyed the experience. I now use a (Canadian) military surplus bivy sack (Cdn60$). I stomp on thye snow and just throw it down and slip my sleeping bag with the VBL and my mattress into it. I jus lie in it and cook by sticking out my shoulders and arms and firing up the MSR Whisperlite then I often lie in bad reading a magazine with me headlamp. I would not go back to the bother and weight of a tent except in bug season; in fact, I have been thinking of getting the Integral Designs Unishelter with the bug screen.”

“We do quinzees a couple times per year. Stack the snow & let it sit for a couple hours if possible, it will "settle" and you won't have to worry about "patting" it down, etc. It will settle on it's own due to it's weight. Wet snow is heavier so settles faster, etc., so everthing is relative based upon your snow moisture content.

Internal temp of the snow shelter will often cause melting, it's important to smooth the roof of the shelter so that the water will run down the sides instead of dripping on you all nite. Also might consider digging a trench around the inside wall so the water has a place to accumulate.

Also should have a few air-holes poked thru the roof for ventilation.

You should NEVER burn a candle inside as it's WAYYY too easy to get CO2 buildup. Smooth the inside surface / roof manually instead of using the candle...”

“Well sweetie, you don't leave the candle burning all night ; )

I've done it both ways. If you use the candle, you don't end up with cold wet hands. Of course, there's a reason why it's been over a decade since I've made a snow shelter. I DON'T LIKE THEM!”

“I don't think any snow on the inside would be melting from a candle. It was cold where we camped, and the snow was not deep enough to dig heat traps. Next time I'm goingto bring a thermometer that tells the inside and outside temp.

We made trenches and covered them with a roof made of snow blocks tipped together. I kept my boots inside the shelter, and they still froze. I put water bottles in a hole in the snow, and covered them with a block of snow, and they still partly froze. It was damn cold!

I'm thinking next time of bringing a material for a door, like a piece of foam, or some bubble wrap doubled over.”

“I always dug into a drift or made a pile and dug into it. Usually when it's really cold the snow won't pack. How'd you get it to form blocks?”