Snow Shelters

[MindlessMariachi]

So, now that I'm a real person with a 'sensible' job and a small child, I really don't do nearly the amount of outdoorsy stuff that I used to. But I still go out of my way to do a winter trip, camping in snowshelters, usually in the little nugget of the WMNF that sticks into Maine, or somewhere near there - Grafton Notch, or Goose Eye perhaps.

That said, is there any possibility of camping in a snowshelter in the foreseeable future? It all seems like doom and gloom out there! I'm trying to maybe do this trip on MLK day weekend, but it seems like we'd need some major blizzards to make that happen at this point!

 

[freighttrain48]

I think you need more snow my friend. Unless you can build a snow cave in 3-4 inches at low elevations and 10-15 at higher elevations. Very sad winter so far

 

[Little Rickie]

I've been thinking about that as well. Does anyone have experience with these:

http://www.grandshelters.com/

I'm thinking as long as it's cold and you have enough snow to scrape up and fill up the box you could build a shelter?

Who has used one of these to build a shelter?

 

[sardog1]

I've been thinking about that as well. Does anyone have experience with these:

http://www.grandshelters.com/

I'm thinking as long as it's cold and you have enough snow to scrape up and fill up the box you could build a shelter?

Who has used one of these to build a shelter?

Take a look at this review. If I needed two hours to build a shelter (with the help of another person!), I'd want Halle Berry to be waiting inside with a shaken, not stirred, martini when done.

 

[skiguy]

I think you need more snow my friend. Unless you can build a snow cave in 3-4 inches at low elevations and 10-15 at higher elevations. Very sad winter so far

I agree...unfornately making a snow shelter at this point would be like scraping up the slushies from a DQ ice cream machine in August.

 

[Brambor]

Agreed. I have the igloo maker and it is a fun activity around the house (please do test it around the house first) but I will have none of that when going out backcountry snow camping. Reasons:

1.) Takes too long to build a shelter
2.) You need to have spare clothes because you will be soaking wet.

These alternatives work better for me:

1.) utilize existing lean-tos
2.) use a tent

Compromise:

1.) Dig a ditch and place tarp and branches across for a roof. You will stay dry and you will be done in less than 30 minutes.

Take a look at this review. If I needed two hours to build a shelter (with the help of another person!), I'd want Halle Berry to be waiting inside with a shaken, not stirred, martini when done.

 

[Nessmuk]

Take a look at this review. If I needed two hours to build a shelter (with the help of another person!)...

I'd never trust the veracity of just one review, especially if it is posted on the manufacturer's own website. Do a google search "review grand shelter icebox" and you will find several others with less than ideal opinions, especially on backpackgeartest.org. Completion times varied, but all were far more than 2 hours. I'd like to see how well it works with extremely fluffy lake effect snow with a 20:1 air:water content of the western Adirondacks and Tug Hill Plateau. I can build a quinzee in about 3 hours solo, which is an hour to pile snow, an hour to let it rest to sinter, and another hour to dig out, and lake effect fluff works just as well as denser stuff. It is a lot of work that may generate a lot of sweat, but with proper attention to clothing and rest there is no need to get soaking wet.

The GS may be worth getting to fool around with, but it doesn't seem to be wildly better than any other shelter building method. From the reviews read, definitely don't trust your life to it without a bailout solution if you have not first practiced with it in varied snow conditions. As with a quinzee, it would not be a very practical use of time to build a new one for each night of a multi-night trip.

 

[MindlessMariachi]

I usually do the compromise "ditch/branches/tarp" method described above. Mine are generally pretty half-assed. Sometimes I'll dig into a snowbank a bit too (though not too far, lest the thing collapse on me).

I'd like to try a gadget like the grandshelters.com block builder but have never really wanted to put the time in to make something comfortable.

I should say, regarding staying dry when making a snow shelter, they absolutely work best if it's really cold, because the snow will brush off you, and you'll stay dry. Trenches with tarps aren't exactly the lap of luxury on a bitter cold night though! You need a really warm sleeping bag, and your nose might get cold poking through the airhole!

 

[Jason Berard]

I'd never trust the veracity of just one review, especially if it is posted on the manufacturer's own website. Do a google search "review grand shelter icebox" and you will find several others with less than ideal opinions, especially on backpackgeartest.org. Completion times varied, but all were far more than 2 hours. I'd like to see how well it works with extremely fluffy lake effect snow with a 20:1 air:water content of the western Adirondacks and Tug Hill Plateau. I can build a quinzee in about 3 hours solo, which is an hour to pile snow, an hour to let it rest to sinter, and another hour to dig out, and lake effect fluff works just as well as denser stuff. It is a lot of work that may generate a lot of sweat, but with proper attention to clothing and rest there is no need to get soaking wet.

The GS may be worth getting to fool around with, but it doesn't seem to be wildly better than any other shelter building method. From the reviews read, definitely don't trust your life to it without a bailout solution if you have not first practiced with it in varied snow conditions. As with a quinzee, it would not be a very practical use of time to build a new one for each night of a multi-night trip.

I've used it to build a few igloos with friends, and it works amazingly well no matter how dry the snow is. It think it has something to do with adding energy to the snow while packing it into the form (I post this realizing that my understanding of the science of snow is VERY limited!)? I have pictures somewhere. Maybe I'll post them later. I would give the Icebox two thumbs up! It might be useful for creating a basecamp. I agree that it would not be useful for staying in different locations each night. I does take a good long while to make, even with a few helpers. We found one trick is the have shovellers gathering snow from outside the diameter of the igloo, and then having one person fill the form, and one person pack it and move it.

 

[Little Rickie]

I'd never trust the veracity of just one review, especially if it is posted on the manufacturer's own website. Do a google search "review grand shelter icebox" and you will find several others with less than ideal opinions, especially on backpackgeartest.org. Completion times varied, but all were far more than 2 hours. I'd like to see how well it works with extremely fluffy lake effect snow with a 20:1 air:water content of the western Adirondacks and Tug Hill Plateau. I can build a quinzee in about 3 hours solo, which is an hour to pile snow, an hour to let it rest to sinter, and another hour to dig out, and lake effect fluff works just as well as denser stuff. It is a lot of work that may generate a lot of sweat, but with proper attention to clothing and rest there is no need to get soaking wet.

The GS may be worth getting to fool around with, but it doesn't seem to be wildly better than any other shelter building method. From the reviews read, definitely don't trust your life to it without a bailout solution if you have not first practiced with it in varied snow conditions. As with a quinzee, it would not be a very practical use of time to build a new one for each night of a multi-night trip.

I've built and dug snow shelters at Tug Hill. The insulation from snow makes it very comfortable and quiet to sleep in.

Not much insulation in a trench but they are quick to make. Been there done that, their OK for one night with a good sleeping bag or two.

Quinzees may take the same amount of time as the ice box but they are more sweaty wet work and making a quinzee for three or four people is... a... lot... of... work even if you pile up your gear with a tarp over it to make digging it out easier.

The snow at Tug Hill doesn't always make good blocks.

I wouldn't build one for one night but for a base camp.

I'm really looking at this as another winter adventure/skill/fun thing to play with.

 

[skiguy]

I wouldn't build one for one night but for a base camp.

Ditto...in the big picture it is about the only time they make any sense IMO. Also as already outlined here snow conditions dictate when. Right now in the Northeast I think...well I go back to my DQ analogy

 

[yardsale]

Here is a shelter IN the snow I happen to like.

 

[skiguy]

Ahh a hot tent.....very kool but be ready to gather them sticks full time!

 

[yardsale]

About two arm fulls per day. Just fire the stove evenings and mornings. Still makes for comfy quarters.