Structures
Shelters
Match the shelter to the climate, energy budget, and materials on hand — from a leaf debris nest in the Southeast to a snow trench above the Arctic Circle.
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General practice
- Site selection beats construction — check drainage, widowmakers, wind exposure, and animal sign.
- Insulation UNDER the body matters more than a fancy roof.
- Small shelters heat with body warmth; large shelters do not.
- Never cut live saplings when downed wood will do.
Regional focus
Rocky Mountains
Wind, cold, and lightning drive alpine shelter choices.
Key items
- Below-treeline debris shelter
- Snow cave or quinzhee in winter
- Rock-wall bivy in cirques
Regional caution: Never camp on a ridge in convective weather.