How To A fast shelter is needed in the wilderness.
A makeshift shelter is one of the essentials for survival in the wilderness.A shelter protects you from the elements by keeping you warm in cold and snowy areas, shade from extreme sun and heat, and shield you against wind, rain, or snow.You can learn how to build a basic shelter that will protect you in the wilderness.
Step 1: There are natural shelter features.
Land features that could be used as shelter can be found in your wilderness area.These are the fastest forms of shelter you can make.Natural shelters are caves or rock outcroppings.If you build a fire in the entrance of a rock dwelling, you can use it to smoke out any animals living in it, and then use the fire to warm rocks around your body for warmth while you sleep.If there is space between the trunk and the ground, large fallen trees can offer shelter.If you want to protect the trunk, prop branches against it.If you want to keep the branches warm, cover them with leaves and brush them.
Step 2: To get a lean-to, look for two close trees.
If you want to build a lean-to shelter, you need to find two trees that are growing close together, about the height of your own body.If you have a rope, put it between the trees.A tree with lowforks is one where the trunk or larger boughs branch off from one another.A tree that forms a Y shape with its trunk and branches is the ideal situation.You can rest one end of the ridgepole on the ground if you can't find two trees.The ridgepole has branches on one side.Apply more branches, brush, leaves, snow, and so on.The wall is several inches thick.
Step 3: You can build a small hut.
A tree with a low crook, a boulder, or a stump can be used to make a small shelter for your body.Take one end of a large branch and place it on the tree, rock, or stump.When leaning against a tree or rock, make sure your main branch is long enough to create a space large enough for you to lay down.The ridgepole has branches against it on both sides.Smaller branches, leaves, and other brush are laid on the first branches so they don't fall through.The thicker the walls, the better.You can use a pile of brush outside the entrance to cover the opening once inside.A debris hut can be created by piling debris from the forest floor and creating a hole large enough for your body.The entrance should be partially covered to create warmth.
Step 4: You can build a tarp tent.
If you have a long branch between the two trees, you can tie a rope across it to make the base of a regular lean-to.Load the branch with rocks, logs, dirt, or snow and drape a tarp over it.If you don't have a tarp, you can build a shelter with a poncho, garbage bags, a space/ emergency blanket, or other plastic sheeting.If you have enough tarp material, lay it over the ground inside the shelter for better protection.The tarp would form a triangle with the ridgepole at its top point.
Step 5: A tarp or blanket is needed.
To make a shelter large enough for your body, prop a large branch against a low crook of a tree, rock, or stump.You can drape plastic over the ridgepole with equal lengths on either side and secure it to the ground with heavy objects.If you have a small poncho, garbage bags, or space blanket, you can use small a-frames for maximum warmth.If you don't have any other materials, you can build an a-frame with branches and brush and use a tarp or plastic sheet to cover the walls for extra warmth and protection.
Step 6: A tube tent can be made out of trash bags.
If you have at least two large trash bags, build a tube tent.To make a longer tube, split the bottom of one bag and slide it over the open end of the other.If you have one, tie up the tube between two trees, rocks, or other structures with a long branch or rope.You can either prop the tube open with branches or crawl into it.
Step 7: Shelter around a tree.
If you are in a wilderness area with deep snow and evergreen trees, you should build a tree-pit snow shelter.The shelter can be created by digging around the tree to the ground level.The best overhead coverage can be found in an evergreen tree with thick, bushy branches that extend wide from the tree.Go around the trunk in a circle, no wider than the tree's branches.Until you reach the ground, dig to a level that you can comfortably sit or lay down.Pack the snow at the top and sides of the hole.If necessary, line the bottom of the hole with evergreen branches to provide thicker overhead coverage.
Step 8: A snow cave is needed.
You can make a small cave out of the snow by carving out a space large enough for your body.If you want to dig into the snow pile without the top collapsing, you should make it a few feet taller than your body height.After building a mound of snow, pack it down and make it easier to dig a cave without snow collapsing.You need a corridor long and wide to fit your whole body in the snow.Make sure the walls of the cave are at least a foot thick.Attach evergreen branches to the inside for insulation.The entrance can be closed with more branches.For this and any other snow shelter, a shovel is best used for digging, but a cup or bowl, ski or snowshoe, or other sturdy item can be used in a pinch.
Step 9: A pit can be found in a desert or beach.
You can protect yourself from the sun and wind by digging a trench in the sand.You can cover the pit with plastic or sand.To get as little sun as possible, run north to south and dig out a trench that is long enough for your body.A deeper pit can be made with sand on three sides of the trench.Then lay a tarp or other plastic sheeting over the mounds and weigh them down with sand or something similar to support sand for a roof.If you are on a beach, build your sand pit above the water line or high tide mark.