A-Frame Snow Shelter

Our Winter Skills Adventure Program teaches A-Frame Show Shelter construction.  It is one of the easier structures to teach and the skills learned can be used to build other structures. 

Snow Block Shelters

Snow Block Shelters are built from Snow Blocks, which seems obvious when you say it.  Block are cut from hardened snow and then used like bricks to make various snow structures.  One such snow structure is what we refer to as the A-Frame Snow Shelter.

The A-Frame is built by cutting out a trench and then using the blocks cut from the trench to make a roof.  The inside has just enough room for one or two people to slide in.  This structure protects you from wind and snow and the snow walls and roof are great insulators.  An A-frame should be much warmer to sleep in than a tent, especially if it is windy. 

Before heading out to build your snow structure, it is important to understand how snow works.  

Snow is a Dynamic Structure

• Snowflakes are delicate structures with many points

• When disturbed, the points break off

  • Snow becomes compacted

  • Energy from damaged snowflakes melts the broken ends

  • The snow refreezes into cohesive structure

  • This is how you make a snowball

  • This process is referred to as sintering 

Compacted Snow is Created from:

• Sun causing a melt freeze cycle on the top layer of snow

• Wind – creating dense Wind Slabs 

  • Tundra and exposed slopes are often covered with hard slabs

  • Forested areas protected from wind often have sugar like snow with no cohesive structure

• Digging up snow and remixing it

• Technique used for building a Quinzhee 

  • Used to build Igloo with IceBox tool

• Stomping snow to compact it into hard pack

  • Technique used for building snow structures in forests

Snow Quality Varies 

• Your location and the temperature affects your snow

• Snow may be ideal for making snow blocks

• Snow may need to be mixed up or stomped to create blocks

  • Ideally allow at least an hour to sinter

• If it is just too cold and shaded, blocks may not be feasible 

Snow Arch Roof (aka A-Frame Snow Structure)

Roof Tiles

• Building a roof with snow blocks requires the right kind of snow

  • You should be able to walk on it without leaving deep holes

  • A probe should go in easily and evenly

• Roof tiles should be 18" x 4-8" x 20-30"

  • Too thin and the roof will collapse

  • Too thick and the roof will not let in light

    • Light is nice to have

    • Sunlight also heats up the shelter a little

Cutting Blocks

• Using Scout Snowsaw:

  • Sold by Council Winter Camp Seminar - $15

  • 3/16” thick aluminum x 2.5” wide x 30” long

    • 4” thick blocks easier to lift

    • 6” thick blocks are stronger

    • Use 6” blocks if 4” fall apart

Snow Shelter Door

For extra insulation, the entrance can be sealed up

• When closing the entrance, make sure you have adequate ventilation

  • Tennis ball sized vent at entrance

  • Tennis ball sized vent in roof

• There are many ways to close the entrance

  • Snow block

  • Bag filled with snow

  • Backpack

  • Pulk/Sled

  • Cloth/tarp/trash bag

  • Pine boughs tied up in bunch

Many Variants

Various Ways of Arranging a Snow Village