Wilderness Survival Shelter Tips

Location

• The real estate agent's motto is location, location, location, and the same applies here. If you do a poor job of choosing the site for your shelter, you will gain little benefit from it. Try to select a site that will minimize the effects of wind, rain, snow and direct sunlight. Locate your camp on the wind-sheltered side of incoming weather systems, using mountain ridges, tree groves or natural formations as windbreaks. Avoid locations that are in the path of potential hazards, such as flood plains, avalanche-prone slopes and dried-out brush or dead trees that create a fire zone. Make sure your site is well drained and at least 50 yards from the nearest water source. In a wooded area, try to find a site at the edge of a clearing that has a southern exposure. The opening of your shelter should face east to catch the early rays of the sun. Stay away from areas that have dangerous plants and animals. Poison ivy or oak, stinging insect nests and predatory animal dens should motivate you to move on. Look for a location that is well-stocked with the things you need. A good supply of kindling and the presence of edible plants and animals, along with a nearby water source, will help you conserve energy, while meeting each day's demands.

Construction

• When building your shelter, start out small. A small shelter does a better job of maintaining your body's core temperature and takes a lot less energy and resources to build. If you can sit and lie down in it, it's big enough. Whenever possible, take advantage of existing terrain formations. Caves, hollows, logs and large rocks can often reduce the effort required to build a good shelter. The easiest way to get a roof over your head is with a simple lean-to. Cut a ridge pole that stands taller than your reach and two forked support poles that are waist-high. Hammer the support posts into the ground and lay the ridge pole across the top forks. Now cut branches that are long enough to rest against the ridge pole and create a 45-degree angle with the ground. Cut saplings to the same length as the ridge pole and weave them over and under the sloping roof poles. Complete your shelter by weaving whole branches into this lattice until the roof is waterproof. Make sure the roof faces into the wind. You must adapt your shelter to whatever environment you are in. An A-frame that gets you well off the ground is recommended for tropical locations. An igloo or Quinze made of ice blocks or packed snow is the way to go during winter months. Desert locations are the most demanding, but you can still dig a trench between sand dunes or rocks and mound up three sides with the excavated sand. Then cover the trench with anything you can find and secure it with sand or rocks. In this trench, the outside temperature will be as much as 22 degrees lower.

Bedding

• A good bed creates an insulating layer between you and the ground and lets your body relax. It should be warm when ground temperatures are cold and cooler than the surface temperature in a desert setting. It should also be dry and elevated above the ground in humid rain forest locations. A smooth, level surface insures maximum comfort, but hollows that fit your body are worthwhile additions. If you don't have insect netting or repellent, you can burn wet or green wood and grasses or leaves to keep bugs at bay. To build a raised bed, arrange logs that are longer than your height side by side in your shelter and secure them together by hammering pegs into the ground at the outside corners. For padding, put a thick layer of grass on top of the logs. Add additional layers of foliage to create air pockets and a plush mattress you can sink into. You can even mound up a layer of grass to use as a pillow. If cold is still a problem, you can dig a trench under your bed that is a foot wide and deep and stretches the length of your body. Fill this trench with rocks you have heated in the fire and cover them with about 6 inches of dirt. When the steam has evaporated, replace your bed and enjoy the warmth.