Winter shelter: how to build it correctly. How to build a shelter in a winter forest Hidden shelter in the forest

Surviving in the forest is not so easy, unless, of course, you have long-term survival experience. Of course, in our age of high technology it is difficult to get lost in the forest with different GPS technologies, but what to do if you have an accident and the nearest populated area is no closer than 100 km? Or did you crash somewhere in the taiga and your phone broke? In this situation, our forest survival tips will help you. If you have carefully read our website, you know that we have already raised many questions, so we will simply refer to them here.

The article will be divided into subparagraphs, or rather into the sequence of actions that you will need to take. So let's begin.

Plan

Once you find yourself in the forest and realize that you won’t be able to get out quickly, then it’s time to think about shelter. Experienced survivalists put this point first because shelter helps solve many problems. It’s easy to do it yourself in a very ordinary forest.

So, if you find yourself in the forest in winter, then first you should follow simple rules. We have already written detailed articles on this topic:

Emergency overnight stay in the winter forest

By learning these instructions now, you will be able to last much longer when you are in this situation.

In these articles, everything is chewed down to the smallest action. Now you know how to build a shelter in the forest at any time of the year. Next, you should think about how to stay warm.

Types of fires - simple and complex methods of ignition

Of course, alcohol and other traditional methods are good way to warm up, but not in the forest, in which it is unclear how long you will remain. Therefore, you need to learn how to make a fire using almost all available methods. But first, a little theory about the rules and what kind of fires there are.

After studying this material, you will understand how to properly make a fire and what is needed for this.

Foraging for food

Shelter and a fire are of course good, but everyone always wants to eat. Now we need to find out where to get food in the forest and how to determine whether it is fresh or not. I have already published articles on this topic:

You won’t be satisfied with simple berries, so you often have to hunt. In this situation, you should read the article - Cutting elk, wild boar, hare, because suddenly you will be able to catch someone.

After you've resolved the food issue, you might want to make some homemade dishes with your own hands.

Homemade dishes in the forest

Making dishes is a second matter, because if you have a strong desire to eat, your hands can become a tool for eating food. But if you are thoroughly stuck in the forest and you have time, you can make your own dishes. In my article - how to make dishes in the forest with your own hands, you will learn how to make simple spoons and bowls.

Mining devices

I wrote above that it is possible and necessary to obtain meat in the forest. Of course, it’s smart to do this with a weapon, but most likely you won’t have one. Therefore, you will have to get meat with your own hands. Traps will help us with this, which we will have to learn how to make, because catching even a hare with bare hands is not easy. It will also be useful for you to read about hunting snare traps, which will also help catch the animal.

If you know how this is all done, even in the most in simple form, then for sure your chances of getting food will be much higher.

Water extraction and purification

Water is simply necessary in the forest, otherwise it will be very difficult; fortunately, getting water in the forest is not as difficult as, for example, in the desert. You can read how to find water in the forest in my article - how to find, extract and purify water while in the forest. Additionally, I advise you to familiarize yourself with the material - filtration, disinfection and storage of water.

Exit from the forest - orientation in the forest.

So, this is the final point in which you will learn how to get out of the forest. By the time you leave, you should already be able to make a fire, get food and water.

To begin with, you should stop and take no further action. Sit on a tree stump and think about landmarks (railroad, lake, river) that you might have noticed before. Remember the direction of movement, for example relative to the sun or moon. Next, it’s worth listening, because the noise of a tractor can be heard 3 kilometers away, railway roads 10 km away, and the barking of a dog 2-3 km away.

If everything is in vain, then just follow the stream to the river, and the river should lead you to people. If there is big tree and you want to climb on it, then look what’s around. It is also worth paying attention to the road; if you see that there is a path, then feel free to follow it. The main thing is to determine in which direction you need to move. If you keep bumping into branches, then most likely this is an animal path. If there is a fork in the road, then it is better to take the one that is more trodden.

Now about orientation. If you know approximately where to move (for example, you looked before entering the forest, its approximate position relative to settlements), then you can try:

It is worth remembering that many “wandering” people walk in circles, because man is designed in such a way that he often right leg takes a step wider than the left and, accordingly, over time it turns out to be a circle, so it’s worth doing Serifs and create landmarks.

Now let's talk about animals. You can meet animals in the forest, but more likely they will find out about you sooner and simply leave. The only thing is that they can attack you if:

they are injured;
frightened by your appearance;
protect their young.

In this situation, you should run away or try to scare away the animal with fire. You can knock a stick on a tree. In any situation, of course, you should avoid direct contact with animals, because they may be infected.

This concludes my article. I tried to put in it everything that I considered necessary and that I learned from other resources dedicated to survival. If you have questions, you can write in the comments.

Dugout

In some cases, a person has to hide in a shelter in the forest in order to survive and avoid mortal danger. If this is easier to do in the warm season, then in winter or late autumn With the onset of cold weather, there is a danger of freezing and not surviving.

A forest shelter is made for several people or for one, depending on the situation. Usually available materials and tools, natural stone and boards are used. The shelter can be temporary or designed for a long stay.

The building is insulated using natural materials inside or with an awning outside, which helps protect people inside from the cold, atmospheric precipitation or wind. Before building a forest shelter, you need to choose the safest place, for which you should familiarize yourself with certain rules and advice from experienced builders:

When choosing a safe place for shelter, you must remember about the possible strong wind, which breaks not only the growing tree, but also its branches. The danger of an emergency evacuation in the middle of the night or a threat to life and limb is not worth building a shelter under the canopy of trees;
It is important to inspect the nearby places - they should not contain a lot of dead wood (dead tree, dried out over time), as well as trunks caught in the crowns of neighboring trees by branches. As soon as the wind rises, the crowns will sway, throwing off excess;
Once a location is selected, a polygon-shaped area is marked. The poles for marking are chosen thick, connecting them at the very top with thin and flexible branches. It is important to do the work at this stage very efficiently so that there are no unstable supports;
You can make a roof from a piece of tarpaulin or awning. This provides protection from rain or sleet. Having made it pretty high level you can make a fire. A live fire allows you to cook food, keep warm and dry clothes without going outside. If there is a strong wind, you can lower the awning lower so that it does not get carried away by a gust (it is recommended to use wood for greater reliability);
If you don't have an awning or a piece of tarpaulin at hand, you can make the roof more dense by reinforcing it with branches and resin.

How to make a forest refuge for a long stay?

Shelter in the forest is necessary not only for spending the night, but also for long-term stay inside it in cases of danger and threat to life. Outside civilization, such a building must be reliable, quite comfortable and safe. You definitely need to make a canopy in the form of an awning from wet snow and rain.

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If desired and possible, it is allowed not to use powerful equipment for construction. If construction is carried out in advance, then you can purchase additional building materials. Natural boards for construction will allow you to harmoniously fit the shelter into the forest and create an environmentally friendly shelter.
How to make the correct entry?
The main point in building a shelter forest type- his entrance. It is possible to make an opening out of wood or install a full-fledged door; you can punch a hole and cover it with an awning. As experts admit, the door is the most reliable option - its door is not afraid of rain and wind, cold and bad weather. Conserving heat indoors will be more effective than with an opening in the wall.
If it’s too warm inside, for example in the summer, you can open it for ventilation or leave a gap for cool air masses renewed the air inside the shelter. When the door is closed, all the heat heated by the house or heating will be retained. The door can also protect against animals in the forest or uninvited guests if there is a settlement nearby. The entrance can be made without the use of traditional metal hinges - there are many options for different adjusting fasteners.
A long stay in a forest shelter requires a thorough approach to arrangement, so you still can’t do without a minimum set of tools. In particular, a drill is required manual type to make holes in the wooden sheet. Using a drill, the wedges and fastenings will match exactly, which will significantly increase the durability and reliability of the door.

Among the dead wood or trees that have fallen from the wind, you can find a large trunk, dry and smooth enough to make a door leaf out of it. To do this, you need to act in the following sequence:
break the nearest hazel or its analogues into wedges for sequential splitting of birch. Use ash or other types of wood to create a hammer, one end of which is cut as a handle that matches the size of the palm;
When choosing a trunk for shelter boards, you need to monitor their evenness and quality, so the trunk must be split exactly in the center, for which a hazel wedge is used. The crack increases along the wood grain until the wood is completely split. An approximate calculation allows you to get about 4 full boards from one log;
a pole is made to hang the roof of the shelter, which ideally has a couple of branches for fixing the slats. To find such a trunk, you can walk around the area; trees often have one of their sides extended in the sun at an angle of 90 degrees. This will be the top beam of the shelter door;
the bottom door block is made according to the principle dovetail– the boards are made flat and smoothed with an ax blade. A pair of hardened wood cores are drilled into the door post overlapping each other. Theoretically, the undried wood of the shelter and door elements dries out over time and compresses the hole more tightly;
When driving in the rods, they are cut from above and cuts are made for the pegs. The depth of such cuts is great value, as the bars expand towards the edges to support the wedge. It is recommended to choose stiffer wedges than ash ones;
the first rod for the door is driven in. Fixed with oak wedges. The boards are fixed with fasteners, after which the door is ready for installation by lifting it around the corner;
a protrusion the size of a large palm is left at the pillar of the shelter doorway. Corners are planed and rounded to reduce friction.

When setting up a shelter in the forest for a long stay, it is necessary that it “breathe” - the enclosed space must withstand bad weather, do not accumulate moisture. If the shelter is damp and humid, the materials will quickly rot and the structure may soon collapse. If desired and possible, you can leave one person inside to maintain the fire for drying.
The mounting location of the roof and walls is different high humidity because of straw and earth. The integrity and dryness of the shelter structure in the forest depend directly on the rafters and their decay. The construction task boils down to a strong, low-level interior wall made of hickory rods twisted around oak posts. Rafters are laid on the wall. Such a frame protects the base of the shelter and is a reliable foundation.
All parts of the shelter structure that are supposed to be laid on the ground or underground must be lightly smoked in the fire.

The support post should stand straight and support the ridge ridge inside the back wall of the shelter. It is secured with two pillars with a slight slope and weaving near the wall. The frame has a different slope than the door, but is also fixed to the ridge and top. It is important to keep it compact while providing some heating from the fire built inside. Even in ancient times, forest dwellings were built without chimneys—a smoky ceiling from the fire was created at head level, penetrating through the thatched roof.
Additionally, it kills insects that hide in roof cracks. In conditions wildlife the roof can be covered with fern sheets, cut at the root. They are laid from the bottom of the roof towards the ridge, on top of each other. Additionally, it is recommended to use fallen leaves and mulch, moss, and any camouflage materials plant origin. Leaves on the roof provide additional protection from the cold.

In order not to be smeared in the comments, I’ll add to the topic both a review of Norda’s publication and my construction experience winter shelters. Firstly, regarding the polyethylene shelter: why not? True, polyethylene causes some rejection for me because of its camouflage characteristics, and it’s uncomfortable in an aquarium. But this is all subjective. In addition, using, for example, polyethylene foam, we obtain protection from “Teletubbies” (l/a with thermal imagers).

Now about other types of winter shelters. Let me make a reservation right away - all options are for the forest (taiga, mountain taiga zone). Everything is tougher in the tundra. If you can’t make a fire (for reasons of camouflage) and the temperature is up to -15 - -20, a one-sided canopy for a group or a snow trench for an individual will do.

The snow is raked to the ground, compacted on the sides, and on the bottom - a spruce blanket, a rug, a sleeping bag. Upstairs - a raincoat tent, sprinkle the edges with snow, you can also insulate it with snow on top. Inside - a candle. On one side there is a snow wall from blowing in, with your head towards the entrance. Construction time - 20 minutes. For security, there are the same trenches, only with the possibility of viewing one’s sector, and not in a sleeping bag, of course.

If a fire is allowed, there are many options. In the absence of an ax/saw, we make shelter on trees bent in an arc.

Poles are placed closely on the support (dead wood, dead wood - everything that can be broken and collected with your hands), and the top is covered with snow.

The entrance can be covered with a raincoat. Construction time, depending on size, is 2-4 hours.

For long-term stays of a group, a “chumik” is suitable - a frame shelter covered with spruce branches, raincoats and tents with a fire inside. You need trees arranged in a quadrangle, poles for the frame, spruce branches (a lot!). Construction time - from 4 hours.

“Chumik” for 6-8 people

At temperatures below -20, it is better to use closed snow shelters. In others, the risk of frostbite is high. In general, there are many known snow shelters, probably the most famous is an igloo, or snow hut. In conditions middle zone It is very difficult to do due to the lack of suitable snow density. We were able to either press the snow and then cut out the blocks, or cut the already pressed one (a couple of times we dismantled 200 meters of ski tracks). There are subtleties in construction, for example, blocks are placed in an upward spiral. The cracks on the outside are covered with snow.

In general, hemorrhoids, and igloos are classified as block shelters (i.e., the insulation is worse than that of closed ones). It is much easier to construct a “snow hive”.

It is built regardless of the depth and density of the snow. Capacity - 2-3 people. Construction time is 2-3 hours. First, we shovel a pile of snow onto the chosen place, periodically compacting it, for example, using a raincoat. Dimensions for a “troika” - diameter at the bottom - 4 m, height of the heap - 1.5 m. After pouring and compacting, dig a tunnel, not reaching the wall opposite from the entrance by half a meter. We expand the blind end of the tunnel, making a vaulted room inside.

Nuances: digging and starting to expand the tunnel is the most unpleasant thing. The snow falls and you have to shovel it out from under you with your hands first. Clothing should be changeable, preferably a waterproof top. Digging while lying on the rug. The most unpleasant thing is to break through the vault and it cannot be repaired. Therefore, to control the entire dome, thin branches are stuck to a depth of 20-30 cm (the thickness of the arch). How I reached the branch from the inside - good in this place. There must be a dome inside, otherwise it will collapse. The inner surface is smoothed, otherwise there will be drops.

Inside there are spruce branches, rugs, sleeping bags. Heating with candles. Be sure to have a vent! If there is heavy snowfall, periodically clean the ventilation. There are a lot of burnt people in snow holes! Close the entrance from the inside with a door seal. The colder it is outside, the more comfortable it is inside. At temperatures above -10 it makes no sense; it thaws through ventilation and in thin places.

The same shelter can be built without piling up snow if you find a snowdrift of suitable depth, for example, in a supercharged ravine.

When building a shelter, don’t forget: it’s better to spend 4 hours building it and relax for an hour in comfort, than to put together something in an hour and spend 4 hours regretting that it was even born.

I continue my review of the construction and use of winter shelters. Conditions: snow cover 20 cm, fine-grained loose snow, air temperature -8 dropping to -12 at night, construction of “snow hive” type shelters for three people by three people with periodic diversion of one to guard. Tools - small shovels and raincoats.

The snow is pulled onto a selected flat area using raincoats until a snow pile is formed with a height of 1.5 and a diameter of 2.5 m. As it is poured, the snow is compacted by its own weight and with the help of raincoats the shape of the dome is leveled.

After preparing the pile, a tunnel is dug on the leeward side. Beacon sticks are installed across the entire area of the dome to a depth of 15-20 cm. The excerpt is carried out by one person; it is optimal for him to be dressed in a “russhun”, because snow is falling from all sides. The blind end of the tunnel breaks through to the center, after which it expands in all directions. Those remaining outside shovel away the snow that is pushed out.

It is necessary to ensure that the ceiling inside has a vaulted shape; a flat one will collapse. Upon reaching the ends of the beacon sticks, snow removal in this area stops, and the ceiling is carefully smoothed. As the space increases, be careful and careful; if the vault is broken, do it all over again; the holes are not repaired.

At the entrance, the snow is cleared to the ground, the floor inside should be raised. There is a small ventilation hole in the dome. After clearing the internal space, a fire is lit in the hive for about 5 minutes, after which the thawed walls freeze together, increasing the strength of the dome.

Inside - spruce branches, rugs, sleeping bags. The entrance from the inside is closed by a taxiway. The temperature inside rises with candles.

When the temperature outside was -11, the temperature inside the hives was raised to +7. The colder it is outside, the higher you can raise the temperature inside without fear of the roof thawing.

Construction time by UNPRAINED people is 3 hours. Construction time is reduced with greater depth of snow and the presence of snow (avalanche) shovels. For comparison: under the same conditions, in a two-layer tent lined with snow - +3, In a closed lean-to canopy - -3. In the shelter with a fire (“chumik”) the temperature was raised to +12. The temperature was measured at the level of the sleeping place.

Since ancient times, the most important skill has been the construction of a home. Housing saved people from cold, heat, and wild animals. Even now, a tent is a must-have item when camping. But if you find yourself in extreme situation, then you will have to find and equip the shelter yourself. In this article we will look at how to arrange a temporary shelter in the forest.

Shelter classification

Shelters can be divided into the following types:

1) According to the construction method. Open (canopy, flooring) and closed (dugout, wigwam, hut).

2) By capacity. The shelter can be designed for 1 person or for a group.

3) By purpose. A shelter can protect from cold, rain, snow, animals, and insects.

4) By time of use. The shelter can be temporary, used for spending the night, resting, or shelter from bad weather. Capital shelters can be used for long-term living.

5) According to the expenditure of effort. They are divided into prefabricated (usually temporary shelters) and labor-intensive (capital, long-term shelters).

6) According to the materials used. To build a shelter you can use many various materials:
— Fabric shelters (tent, canopy)
— Frame-fabric (wigwams, tents)
— Frame-deciduous. In the absence of fabric, branches, grasses, and ferns are used to cover the shelter.
- Earthen ones. Such shelters are dug in the ground.
- Snowy ones. Caves are dug in the snowdrifts, and igloos are built from snow blocks.
- Stone.

7) By origin. There can be natural (caves) and man-made.

Summer forest shelters

A shelter consists of three main elements: floor, walls and roof. Depending on environmental conditions, some of these elements may be discarded. Let's consider the main types of forest shelters in the summer.

A canopy is the simplest type of shelter. It is built quite quickly, but the functionality is very limited. A canopy can help provide shelter from precipitation and nothing more.
To build a canopy you will need polyethylene or a piece of fabric. Find two nearby standing trees and attach a ceiling pole to them, or stretch a rope. Place polyethylene on top and press down the ends with stones.
If there are no trees, then several poles will do for construction. Drive 2 poles at an angle to form a triangle. It will serve as the entrance. Place the third pole on top of the formed fork with one end, and lay it on the ground with the other end. Place a film or cloth over this pole and press it down with stones.

Wigwam

It is a frame building. Able to protect from rain, wind, and help keep you warm. If you are going to make a fire, then take care of the hole for the hood.
For construction you will need poles. On the ground they are lined up in a circle, and connected at the top into a bundle. The resulting structure is covered with film or cloth. If they are not at hand, then tree bark can be used as a covering material. They begin to lay it from below and fasten it with willow twigs.
The frame can be built around a tree trunk. But in this case, you shouldn’t light a fire inside.

Adyghe house

To build this type of shelter, you will need flexible branches or bushes. Flexible branches must be dug into the ground in two parallel rows, and the tops must be fastened together. You should get arches. Attach branches horizontally to the arches. Spruce branches are placed on the resulting crate.
If the area where you want to build an Adyghe house is overgrown with bushes, then instead of branches you can use nearby bushes. To do this, tie their tops and you will uproot everything between them.

Winter forest shelters

In winter, a shelter can be dug directly in the snow. You will need a snowdrift; if there is none, then you need to rake the snow into a pile.

Trench

In deep snow it is very convenient to dig a trench as a shelter. If you don't have tools, you can trample it with your feet. The width of the trench must be at least 1 meter, the length depending on the covering material. After digging a trench, place rafters on top; skis and branches are suitable for this. Cover everything on top with film, cloth, and cover it with snow 20 cm thick.

Cave in the snow

On slopes with very thick snow cover, it is most convenient to dig snow caves. Be sure to make sure that the terrain has minimal chance of avalanches.
For construction, knock out a hole in the snow with your feet and start digging a tunnel. Dig the end of the tunnel slightly at an angle to the top and widen it to required sizes. This will help the warm air stay inside.

Den

Another good shelter in a snowy forest is a den. It can be built in deep snow among windbreaks and roots. Make sure the trees won't move and start building your shelter. A den is built by analogy with a cave.

Snow dugout

Building a snow dugout is very similar to building snow trenches. For a snow dugout you need dense snow. Using a hacksaw or other tools, snow slabs are cut out and placed on top of the trench.

Lovers of outdoor recreation need to know how to act in unforeseen situations, have basic survival skills and setting up a camp. This is especially true for those who love outdoor recreation in winter time. When going on a hike in the forest in winter, you need to prepare in advance and take more useful things that will come in handy. One of important knowledge necessary for survival in the forest in winter - to know how to stay warm and not freeze. It is necessary to build a winter shelter and know how to properly heat and build it.

Shelter in the forest: features of the structure

Winter hiking in effect weather conditions have their own characteristics, and the construction of a winter shelter differs significantly from a summer shelter.

In winter, it is more difficult to find available materials for building a shelter, as well as to find the right place to build it. In summer this task is much easier.
In winter it is more difficult to stay warm. If in summer you only need to warm up at night, then in winter you need to maintain heat constantly.
It is important to build the shelter correctly so that the structure does not fall apart and to heat it correctly so that the heat is retained.

How to build a winter shelter with your own hands in the forest - step-by-step instructions.

Search for a place

The first thing you need to decide on when building a shelter is the right place. If you are in the forest, these are good options:

If you are in a mountainous area.

You need to choose a place that resembles a cave, some large gorge in the mountains, in order to fit freely there.
A flat area is suitable if you have a tent or tarpaulin.

Tools for building a winter shelter

Having decided on the location, you need to move on to construction. Let's consider each case separately.

woodland

To build a winter shelter in the forest, you need to decide on the type of shelter. The most suitable temporary shelter is a winter cave. An interesting paradox: to escape the snow and cold, you need to hide in the snow. If the location you choose is a small hill or flat area, then you need to dig yourself a hole.

Make sure that the cave or hole will not fall through and that the place is secure. Dig a hole of the required length to accommodate the required number of people. Make a small trench along the walls. With its help, cold air will fall down and accumulate there. Remove all snow outside. The exit can be covered with snow so that less wind gets inside. If you are digging a hole on a flat area, then build a roof from scrap materials.

If you have tarpaulin, use it. In its absence - with branches, leaves and everything else you find. Finding something in winter is much more difficult than in summer. Your shelter is ready. If you have a tent, you need to set it up on a more level surface and clear the area of branches and thickets.

Shelter in the crevice

Highlands

Having decided on a location (most likely a gorge or cave), dig the necessary hole, if necessary. If you find a real natural cave, you won't have to build it yourself. Rules for building a cave shelter like in a forest. It is necessary to additionally take into account that stones or snow may fall. You need to make sure you don't get hurt if this happens. If you have a tent, set it up on a flat surface, having first cleared the area of debris. Make sure that it will not fall from the wind, as the winds in the mountains are quite strong.

Snow Shelter

The next step is heating the winter shelter. The rules are the same here. Inside the shelter you need to make a fire from branches and sticks, but you need to be careful that it does not get too hot. Don’t rush to throw away wet branches; try cutting or breaking them in half. They may be dry inside and burn better.

You may have taken candles, they will also work. Any source of fire will warm the shelter if it is built airtight. The peculiarity of heating a snow shelter is that due to temperature changes, the snow begins to stick together inside and the walls become strong. During this process, cracks may form; they need to be covered with snow. The fire should not get too hot, otherwise you may be injured by the fire.

Ideally it should be small and create a lot of warm coals. Then the heat will remain for a long time. Find stones and put them in the fire. They will create additional heat like a stove. We should not forget that you need to dry things thoroughly so as not to sit in wet things. This will make it harder to stay warm.

Types of winter shelters

What other types of winter shelters do you know? Briefly about the types of shelters.

Shelters open type. These are natural caves and gorges. There is an opening in the shelter and it can be ventilated. It is advisable to do this if you plan to build a strong fire, and if there is no strong snowstorm.
Closed shelters. Pits, “burrows” in the mountainside. Such a shelter should have as little ventilation as possible and be closed on all sides.

There are a few more useful tips, they are suitable in any situation and in any terrain.