If you are venturing out into the backwoods, one of the key skills you need to know to keep you safe is how to build a shelter for survival. Canoeing is a fun and rewarding activity, but it can also turn dangerous quickly. Keep reading this article to learn more about the essential skills to keep you safe in the rare event that you ever get stranded in the backwoods.
There are many different survival shelters, some more elaborate than others. There are many factors that go into choosing which kind of Shelter you might build. Building a Shelter depends on your location, physical condition and where you find yourself stranded and what materials might be ready at your disposal. This article will cover the different types of survival shelters and how to construct them.
First things first, some core concepts hold true to most Survival Shelters.
Find a good location
It is essential to find a suitable location for your Shelter. Make sure to choose an area that is protected from wind and the elements.
You will also want a location far enough away from water so that your Shelter doesn’t become flooded. The same goes for choosing a location at the bottom of a hill where the path of least resistance for run-off rainwater happens to be right through your Shelter.
Create Insulation from the ground
Your body will lose most of its heat from contact with the ground. Therefore, it is essential to insulate yourself from the ground. One of the best ways to do this is to lay down a bed of pine bows. Dry leaves and other natural materials can also work. This Insulation can be used as a bed; it will be a lot more comfortable than the bare ground and will ensure that you also preserve body heat as best as you can.
Build a frame
The next step is to give your Shelter some structure. The important thing to consider is that your Shelter needs to be big enough to comfortably sleep in but not so big that you waste energy heating up an area you are not using: the smaller, the better in this situation.
Cover it up
Next, add Insulation to the outside of the structure to provide Insulation and protection from the elements. Many kinds of organic material can be used for this, from leaves to pine bows and everything in between. The vital thing to consider is that it is thick enough to provide adequate Insulation; we recommend between 6-8 inches.
Some types of Shelter for survival.
Know that you understand the basics of building a shelter; here are some different forms that a Shelter could take.
Pit Shelter
A pit Shelter involves digging or finding a shallow trench and then covering it up with pine boughs, leaves and other organic material for Insulation.
Pros: Pit shelters are easy to build and take little effort.
Cons: Pit shelters are susceptible to flooding and should only be constructed in higher elevation areas.
Additionally, pit shelters can be colder than above-ground shelters as they are built slightly below ground level.
Tarp shelter
A Tarp shelter is an excellent choice assuming you are stranded with some human-made equipment.
First, attach one side of a tarp to the ground. Then attach the opposite side to a tree or log so that the tarp is at a 45-degree angle. You can then shore up the open sides with a pile of leaves or a stick wall.
Pros: The tarp will always provide superior protection from the elements compared to natural food materials only.
Cons: You might find yourself without a tarp which is necessary for this type of Shelter.
Spider Shelter
The Spider is a simple survival shelter built from sticks and fallen leaves. The structure can be started with a a “V” shaped branch to act as an opening and to hold the front to hold it up. Then anouther long branch can be rested on the first branch creating a dimond shaped frame. Then rest as many branches as you can against this central branch to build the walls. Finally, cover everything with leaves, dirt, moss and other material to add protection from the elements.
Pros: The spider shelter is easy to build and is durable. The Spider shelter is also less susceptible to flooding as it is placed above ground level.
Cons: It can take some time to gather the right amount of organic material to insulate this type of Shelter properly.
Wickiup
The Wickiup is a more elaborate type of survival shelter. The Wickiup resembles a type of small hut or even a tipi with its pyramid-like shape. Start by standing up three sturdy branches to meet in the middle. If you have a rope, you can use it to secure the branches in place. If you don’t have a rope, a strip of a supple green branch can be a substitute. Then rest other branches on the outside to complete the structure of the Wickiup. Finally, layer leaves and organic material to fill in the gaps and finishes the Shelter.
Pros: The Wickiup is structurally set up to have more room than some of the other survival shelters that we mentioned and may be better suited to house multiple survivors if you are not alone.
Cons: The Wickiup is larger and more elaborate and will take more time to build and collect the materials.
Quinzhee
A Quinzhee is a type of snow shelter first created by Indigenous people in Canada. Although you will most likely not be canoeing when there is enough snow to build a Quinzhee, we decided to add it to this list regardless.
The Quinzhee has a straightforward construction. First, use what tools you can get your hands on to create a large pile of snow. Then wait some time for the snow pile to settle and firm up. An hour is a good, recommended time for this; however, you can leave it as little as 20 minutes in an emergency. Once the pile of snow is ready, you can hollow out a snow cave large enough to crawl inside. Snow is a surprisingly good insulator, and the Quinzhee is one of the best ways to stay warm if you find yourself trapped outside in the winter.
Pro: The Quinzhee offers quite a bit of Shelter for not a lot of work.
Cons: There will need to be enough snow on the ground to construct a Quinzhee properly. Don’t attempt this type of Shelter if the Air temperature is above -4 degrees, as the Quinzhee will be at risk of collapse.
There are many more useful designs of survival shelters. This article only covers a select few of them. You now know the fundamental principles of building a shelter for survival that can be transferred to many different types of shelters. Hopefully, knowing these skills will give you a leg up if you ever find yourself stranded in the backcountry.