| Safety issues |
 |
To people travelling in
the mountains it is important to keep the security of the team in mind
at all times. It is necessary to incessantly revise and re-consider your
planning of what to do if the weather becomes worse or if someone is injured.
The wise team leader can always come up with a bunch of such "escape plans".
Note suitable places for snow cave digging by studying the map and the landscape when passing by, and also suitable escape paths down from the mountains. When the necessity for having shelter from the storm is a fact you are prepared and you will know what to do. |
| Start digging |
| The suitable place for the
snow cave is where the snow has accumulatet in a slope. First, convince
yourself that the snow is avalanche safe. Check that the height is enough,
at least 5 meters. Use an avalanche probe for checking that there is enough
room for a snow cave.
Start digging the cave about 3 - 4 meters below the top of the drift. The ceilig is to made vaulted, and the thickness of the roof should be at least 1 meter. It is good to have much space below the openings to have the snow removed more easily. Dig 2 or 3 openings horizontally into the wall having a distance of 2 meter between them. Only one opening shall be left as an entrence, the other openings are covered later, but will facilitate removal of the snow inside the cave. |
Check the selected location for avalanche safety. Also check that the snow is deep enough for the cave. |
| The final touch |
Building two snow caves
wall to wall. Note the amount of snow below the openings. The ski poles
are used for indicating the cave roof to others.
|
Having advanced at least
1 meter into the snow, a large bed surface is built by digging a ledge
to the side 1 meter above the "floor". The bed surface is made horizontally
flat and comfortable, having room for maximum 3 persons beside each other.
Digging a snow cave for more than 3 persons will require digging both to
the right and to the left from the middle opening (as in the picture shown
to the left). In this case only the opening in the middle is kept as an
entrence. The other openings are covered with snow from inside. The best
place for cooking is usually opposite to the entrence.
The temperature in a snow cave is around 0 degrees Celsius (water freezing point) if the cave is built with a "chill block". This is constructed by having the entrence to the cave sloping downward when going out, and the upper edge of the snow cave opening must have a lower altitude than the horizontal bed surface. Prepare blocks of snow for covering the top of the entrence by cutting them from the upper layer of the snow using a spade and erecting them so they are hardened by exposure to the cold air. Finish the snow cave by covering the top of the entence with the blocks of snow. Use a pair of skis to spare the snow above the opening from too much strain. There is no need for any door when the opening is placed low enough. Sleep tight! |
| Living in a snow cave - tips & tricks |
| Snow
cave shape
Make sure the ceiling is smoothly shaped to prevent drops of water from falling down in your face at night. Where to put the shoes
Candles
|
The
necessary snow brush
Bring a small brush for cleaning off snow from the clothes and shoes when entering the snow cave. Using the snow brush is one of the most frequent activities after building the snow cave. The way to the bathroom?
Wet clothes
|
