Seek Shelter

In extremes cold and intense heat, you will not survive long without shelter.  Don't skimp on your shelter.  Continue to improve your shelter as priorities and time allows. 

Lean To

The Lean-to is a fantastic survival shelter.  It is easy to construct and protects you from the wind on one side.  When built with enough debris or with a plastic sheet, it will protect you from pouring rain.  Use a fire to heat this shelter and keep you warm.

The lean-to above was used as a demo for Wilderness Survival training.  It incorporates 2 rafters to ensure longevity and to make a longer shelter.  A crutch is used below the rafters on each side so that you don't have to depend on cordage strength.

This Lean-To was constructed of mostly deadfall.  A smaller alder tree was cut down using a knife (with permission from land owner) and used as rafter.  One side of rafter is supported in "V" made by 2 trees and the other side is supported by a "Y" stick leaning against another tree.  No paracord was used to demonstrate shelter construction with just a knife, your hands and ingenuity. 

A Lean-To built with a tarp is a cinch to set up and is waterproof.  This example breaks the soft rule of "Shelter First and then Build a Fire.  Sometimes it easier and more desirable to get a fire going before it gets dark - especially if you don't have a light. 

Debris Hut

A debris hut will keep you warm, even if you can't build a fire.  You will need a strong spine made from a sturdy timber.  It will support the weight of everything on it, so select or cut down a strong timber.  Set up your spine by leaning your strong timber onto the crotch of a tree, or tie it to a tree, construct a pioneering teepee or use a "Y" stick, or use some other ingenuity.  Once you have your spine, lean "ribs" onto the spine.  Then throw smaller sticks over your "ribs" to create a bit of net and then cover with as much debris as time allows.  Filling the inside with softer foliage will insulate you from the ground and fill in any empty space to keep you nice and warm.

This shelter uses a bipod made from two timbers joined with paracord to hold up the longer spine.  Smaller branches are used to create the "ribs" and it is covered and filled with debris and foliage. 

Snow Shelters

Part of this world is covered in snow part or all of the year.  Learning how to construct different types of snow shelters will enhance your ability to survive in cold weather environments. 

Our survival instructors will demonstrate many different types of winter shelters on our Snow Campouts and at the Winter Skills Adventure Program Troop 60 staffs each year.