How to Build a Quinzee snow shelter – Infographic
A quinzee snow shelter is a type of winter shelter made by hollowing out a pile of snow. It is similar to an igloo, but instead of using blocks of snow, the quinzee is made by piling up snow and then letting it settle and harden before hollowing out the inside.
The process involves compacting the snow pile and then allowing it to set for several hours or overnight. Once the snow has hardened, the builder can then cut out a doorway and hollow out the interior to create a shelter.
A quinzee can provide protection from the wind and cold and is often used by winter campers and survivalists. Below is our guide on building a quinzee – snow shelter:
Primitive Fire Starting Workshop – Southern Ontario
Have you ever tried to make fire with primitive tools? Using a flint & steel, or a firebow, or hand drill is not as hard as you think. This primitive fire starting workshop will give you an introductory understanding of the principles involved. We’ll teach you everything you need to know to master this extremely useful backcountry skill.
What you will learn
- We start off by covering the basic principles that apply to all friction fire methods and break them down so they are easy to understand.
- Success or failure in primitive fire making often hinges on your ability to identify and select the best materials for each method you are using. We will walk you through this very important step along with the different components you will need and how to make them.
- Turning muscle motion and friction into heat is what produces a coal or ember. This is where the practice part comes in. We’ll teach you the different techniques but the rest is hard work and practice.
- Congratulations…You have produced a coal! Once you get to this point, you don’t want all that hard work to be lost. We’ll show you what you need to do next to turn that little glowing ember into a flame.
Additional Topics Covered
- suitable tinder
- proper fuel selections
- using coal extenders
- selecting natural materials used for “flint”
- making and using a tinder box & charred cloth