Solo igloo camping: an instructional on winter cold-camping

Last winter I made a series of instructional videos in the form of a solo igloo camping trip report, with a view to encouraging people to give winter camping a try. The videos demonstrate and explain what gear to bring, how to dress for cold-camping, techniques for keeping warm and dry, eating and cooking, keeping water from freezing, how to carry gear when snowshoeing, sleeping, and the merits of snow shelters.

Here are the links for any who might be interested.

PART 1:
http://youtu.be/fvUusSijfjQ

PART 2: http://youtu.be/9GwKOvRYha4

PART 3: http://youtu.be/LXSjsxAFX7M

PART 4: http://youtu.be/WxRE62WlvJI

PART 5: http://youtu.be/3kPmPvkohFo

Hope this helps,
- Martin

Good stuff as always martin

Loved your video's, thanks for posting them!

I enjoyed part I and will watch the rest of the vids soon. What's all that white stuff?

Thanks for posting, still working on them.....Good stuff so far.
Rep your way.....

Interesting and informative. That's the first time I've seen a slip form used to make an igloo. Cut blocks are the only way I've seen it done and done it. You did explain that the slip form allows igloo building in various snow conditions, so I understand the usefulness of the slip form.

I'm curious as to why you don't dig down into the snow about half the depth and build up from there?

Outstanding videos. I'll watch part 3 and the others later.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Winter

Interesting and informative. That's the first time I've seen a slip form used to make an igloo. Cut blocks are the only way I've seen it done and done it. You did explain that the slip form allows igloo building in various snow conditions, so I understand the usefulness of the slip form.

I'm curious as to why you don't dig down into the snow about half the depth and build up from there?

Outstanding videos. I'll watch part 3 and the others later.

---

I'm glad you have enjoyed the videos so far, Winter, and thank you for that generous compliment.

There are 3 reasons why one doesn't dig down into the snow to save time when building this sort of igloo, but none of them rule out your suggestion.

The first is simply that an igloo you climb up into will be a little warmer than one climbs down into, as cold air will sink down off the sleeping surface into the entrance trench. The 2nd reason is just a practicality: around here, we typically don't have deep accumulations of snow, so one can't really dig down too far without running the risk of discovering a rock, log, or tough, frozen vegetation is in the way. If you look at the photo below, you will see me seated in front of an igloo. I'm seated on an outer shelf of snow I built up around the first two courses of blocks which are hidden beneath that outer snow shelf. So, the actual snow depth in the photo is only about 11". Once compacted, it's just a few inches. That igloo looks like it's short, but the floor inside is almost at ground level and so the height inside is just a little less taller than I am (I'm 5' - 9" tall). That shallow snow depth is common around here in recent years. I haven't seen a winter in this part of Ontario where there has been 3 feet of snow since 2008/9.
http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_1762.jpg

The last reason is structural: The adjustable pole, which is the jig that allows one to make the igloo into that perfect, stable catenary arch, needs to be anchored in the center of the 'floor' of the igloo and once each course of blocks is built, the pole is shortened or lengthened according to a predetermined amount before adding the next course of blocks. This ensures the blocks will positioned in the correct place, distance, and tilt/angle to produce the desired catenary arch shape. However, if one were to dig down first and then begin building atop the surrounding raised circle of snow, one would have to guestimate which 'course' of blocks one was beginning with, adjust the pole's length accordingly, and then manually tilt the form and hope that the angles work out right. It sounds like it should be easy, but after having built a lot of igloos this way, I can tell it will be tricky to get right.

Now, as a matter of fact, your suggestion is one I have been thinking about trying for some time, and, if we ever get enough snow some winter, I plan to give it a try, as it could reduce the build time by as much as 50%, I'd think. Given how fast darkness descends in winter, that means one could travel farther before beginning a build. That's the biggest downside of cold-camping in a snow shelter - the time it takes to make one, compared to pitching a cold-tent. It usually takes about 30-60 minutes to pitch a 4-season cold-tent on snow, much of which is time spent letting the compacted snow base sinter up after packing it down. The upside of a snow shelter is it's vastly superior in terms of warmth and comfort (see the last video in my instructional series for more on that).

So, your suggestion is excellent and it's one I plan to experiment with. Provided one first compacts and builds up the perimeter where one will be building the igloo, the foundation should be secure enough to build upon. So my guess is it's really a question of correctly compensating for the fact that one will be starting to make blocks at around course 3 or so, instead of building all the courses.

Thanks for the feedback.

Hope this helps,
- Martin

Thanks for the explanation. I didn't consider that you had such shallow snow. The natives I saw build them just eyeballed everything. Rarely were the igloos as perfectly dome shaped as yours, but, they were cutting hardpacked blocks quite a bit thicker at the base and shrinking them in higher courses.

Those were done in 6ft of snow and the entryway was almost ground level and the floor was @2ft above entry level. In the morning the lowest part of the entry was a solid sheet of ice.

My one igloo built the way they showed me was, well, not good. I guess I should have been paying closer attention.

I've not been deep snow camping in quite a while. Last two times we made snow trenches with 2 sleeping shelves. It's really amazing to heat a structure with a candle. By heat I mean 45 degrees max, 45 deg is very comfortable to me.

those are awesome videos! when i was younger and lived in KY we helped my dad build what i now know is a quinzee. we used a metal trashcan turned on its side to dump the snow on top of and it also helped form a tunnel. then we spent most of the day hollowing out the middle. we didn't sleep in it. it wasn't that well constructed but it did last a couple of days. but we dont' get snow hardly like that where i live now. just lots of freezing rain and ice. if you want to see a hammocker winter camp you should check out some of shug's videos on youtube. he lives in minnesota and hammock camps in the winter. http://www.youtube.com/user/shugemery the man is crazy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SQWERL

those are awesome videos! [...] if you want to see a hammocker winter camp you should check out some of shug's videos on youtube. he lives in minnesota and hammock camps in the winter. http://www.youtube.com/user/shugemery the man is crazy.

---

Thanks for those kinds words SQWERL. Much appreciated.
Thanks for your suggestion to view some of Shugemery's videos on winter hammocking. I'm, in fact, already familiar with Shugemery's winter camping hammock videos. His videos are on of the reasons I've just purchased a hammock from a friend. I will be starting to use it only this summer though, as I want to learn to use it in easier conditions, and besides, I can't afford to buy top quilts and underquilts and the like. And you're right about Shugemery...he sure is one of a kind.

Cheers,
- Martin

yeah those tq's and uq's are pricey. :scared: $300-$500! if you can find a down comforter at a thrift store you can make one. that's what i'm going to have to do.

How dry and cold of snow have you attempted to make an igloo? I've camped here in alaska down to -30f in a tent. But would be intrigued in trying. Problem here is by time you get enough snow it's pretty cold or I'm at higher altitudes where the snow is really dry.

Our snow is too dry up here in Fairbanks.

Here's a cool igloo idea.


http://www.viralnova.com/backyard-igloo/

That was pretty cool. It might have to be a wee bit cooler before I give that a shot.

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