Winter fieldcraft? (Pics)

Spring is truly here in my AO it seems. Old man winter has retreated for now.
What winter fieldcraft did everyone here get up to?
I tried this year building a Quinze


Here is the interior with a bivi bag


Construction photos

It was quite claustrophobic digging it out!



Making this yourself:
It has to be powder snow!
Put your pack in the snow, hopefully you have a waterproof pack cover.
Next take your trusty shovel and start shoveling.
You want it ideally the length of your body - though a bit shorter is quicker and just means you will have to curl when you sleep.
Height wise is a bit varied, I think around 2-3 feet - when you do it you start to gauge it quite quickly!
Once you are happy get a selection of sticks about a foot long and push them in.
Now excavate!
When you reach the end of the stick you know to stop excavating.
Ideally you then want to build a slightly raised area for you to sleep on and create a cold sink to trap the cold air.

(Skunkhunter said I should jump right in so I hope this is ok...)

If anyone has any questions on construction for next winter I'll do my best to answer. Keen to see what ya'll did and what you learned this winter!

LR, Ya done good! Right section and GREAT how to. You can clearly see some of your "Thickness stakes". I never would have thought of something like that before I saw my first pictorial on how to do it read what they were for. You'll get some responses out of this. BUT don't get sad if you don't get TO many OR TO fast. The Outdoors and Field craft section of the website is kinda the poor stepchild in the winter months. Don't loose heart though, it WILL pick up. Pitman is a big poster on this side and folks really like his posts.

Oh one thing, you might add a blurb about the stakes and what they are for and How thick the roof should be for inexperienced folks like me.

Skunkhunter - thanks man! I edited in a quick how to that explains the process of making one. I won't loose heart, am happy to share with the yard regardless!

A lot of us would LOVE to get in the outdoors like you guys but because of reasons running from health to money to just plain old opportunity, can't. The Pictures Y'all post up let us at least experience it through your pictures and I for one am VERY thankful.

Randy

Oh and you list your location as Alpine. Does that mean you are in or out of the U.S.? Not looking for a place, just a (Region).

I'm out of the US, working in Switzerland currently but am not a native.

Another pic as well

Made this on a winter walk as a test of building expedient shelters - forest workers had been trimming trees so jumped at an opportunity to practice a down and dirty simple shelter.

Hi lone reader, and welcome to the group! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Thanks for sharing the how to ad pics. That is something I have always wanted to try and is still on the list. Did you end up spending the night out there and what where the temp differences.
Thanks again and Great post <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to the Yard Lonereader! That is a very impressive shelter, I think I might give that a whirl... if we ever get enough snow in Colorado again <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Sar5 - Unfortunately I couldn't - had commitments that evening I couldn't duck out of to hide in my snow cave <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Temp wise, after I had finished building it and crawled in to rest for a bit my clothes started to steam - I estimate it was at least 5 degrees celsius warmer inside - probably a bit more because once inside there is no wind chill either.

ElCacaFuego - I would hope Colorado has plenty of snow!

Another lesson I learned this winter is the importance of ground insulation.
On one trip I used this setup

DPM Milsupr bivi - then bog standard foam sleeping mat, then a cheap inflatable trekking mat - then sleeping bag, liner inside the bag. This worked OK on a short overnighter but really was too bulky and heavy to take on longer treks. Then I just used the inflatable and it was miserable - deflating at 3am, ground sapping your heat is not fun. I will have to save for an alternative next winter - maybe reindeer fur!

This is another shelter I did overnight in - you can see the wind has mucked it around and I fixed it up before going to bed but a strong gust around 3am (why is it whenever I'm out sleeping around 2-3 I am awake?!) blew the part covering my head off and I had snow come right down on top of me.
Always wear a balaclava to sleep in!

Me dressed for the weather - wool all the way baby!

LR, that is a great idea. I am in OK and never see enough snow to do something like that, well we have had two large snows in the last two winters but it was gone pretty fast and a wet snow at that.

One thing i can agree on is the importance of having good ground insulation--being cold and shivering is no fun.

Thanks for sharing, and look forward to more ideas/trips/and experiences.

Thanks LR, love to see guys out there practicing skills.
regards, Mike