Digging a Snow Cave

If you find your self in a situation where staying put for the night is the best way to ensure your safety, and you do not have a tent or overnight gear, a snow cave heated with a candle from your repair kit, will help you survive the night in relative comfort. Find a safe spot-You want to avoid any potential avalanche slopes and any windward slopes where blowing snow could seal you in the cave. Try to find some type of small slope or bank with snow at least six feet deep. A slope is much easier to dig a cave on than the flats. Try to stay dry-take turns and work slowly but efficiently to avoid excess sweating. Dig the entryway-tunnel into the slope about three feet and then begin angling and excavating upward to clear a living space. You need to leave the cave ceiling at least one foot deep to keep it from collapsing. Put the cave floor above the top of the entry tunnel to trap warm air inside. Make the ceiling and walls smooth so melting snow will run down the walls and not drip on occupants. Punch a ventilation hole in ceiling, and cover the entrance if possible with a tarp or extra gear. Get inside your emergency blanket or bivy and sit on your pack to stay warm. Light the candle from your repair kit and try to remember your best jokes.