How to Build a Snow Cave

In this video clip Ray Mears demonstrates how to build a T-shaped snow cave with the aid of a hand saw, which if necessary you could shelter in for weeks at a time until the weather cleared up enough to get to safety. Not many of us are likely to see that much snow any time soon, but its a great bit of knowledge to file away in the reference archives of your mind. If the opportunity ever presented itself, might make for a fun test run with the kids.



Curious if anyone has tried this approach or similar with any success.

[edit on 7-2-2009 by The All Seeing I]

Found a tutorial that covers an igloo shaped interior snow cave that is more suitable for camping.

www.outdoorswithdave.com...

Good here in Canada, although I'd never go any place where I'd be so remote from all other shelters that I'd have to make one.

In my opinion:

- He wasted a ton of effort digging down when he didnt have to, just dig into the side of a hill
- He made it way too big it looks like, tons of open space. Keep it fairly tight for draft.

Great tip from Les Stroud, always have a stick inside with you while you're digging... it might save your life if it collapses in on you.

I have noticed quite a few "how-tos" instruct digging a step in the entrance, to eliminate draft. Here's an illustration of a interior side profile from PBS/NOVA's adventure kid section of their website pbskids.org...