Building a Snow Trench

Hey everyone!

I finally found the time to get outdoors and use all this snow to work on the outdoor skills.

I've wanted to build a snow trench for quite some time but never had enough snow to build one. Now I finally have enough to build one.

I started off by measuring my approximate

height so I would know about how long to build

my trench. You will want it to actually be a

little longer, which I learned the hard way.

Once you've measured the length, start digging the

trench. Using a stick helps considerably and saves on the hands.

After the trench is finished, start laying sticks
perpendicularly to the trench. You will want to
lay them very close together.

Once you've finished with the first layer, lay another
layer in the opposite direction. Again lay them very close together.
The idea is to keep them tightly together so the snow won't
all fall through when you put it on.
You will want to do about four alternating layers
of sticks.

When you're done it should look something like

this.

When you are done laying the sticks, start piling loads

of snow on top of the sticks. You will want it

pretty thick, so be generous with the snow.

This is what the finished product should look like.

It's not very roomy or comfortable but it could save

your life in a survival situation.