When you find yourself in a survival situation, your top priority is staying alive. Severe weather conditions can kill within a few hours if you don’t have some type of shelter to defend you from the elements. Luckily, there are a wide array of techniques and materials for escaping the elements. In this article, we will discuss the best ways to build mountain survival shelters.
The Mountain Survival Shelters
There are four main types of shelters: mountain, easy, wilderness, and designed.
Mountain Shelters
Mountain shelters are typically used in cold weather conditions. They are built by creating a frame out of branches and then covering it with insulating materials like leaves, moss, or snow. Mountain shelters can be time-consuming to build, but they offer excellent protection from the cold and wind.
Easy survival Shelters
Easy survival shelters are just that – easy to build. You can create them with minimal materials and effort. Easy survival shelters include lean-tos, debris huts, and ponchos.
Wilderness Shelters
Wilderness shelters are more complex than easy survival shelters, but they offer increased protection from the elements. You can make these shelters can from a variety of materials, including branches, leaves, and bark.
Shelter Designs
There are many different shelter designs that you can in a survival situation. The most important thing is to choose a design that will meet your needs. You should also take care of the conditions you are facing.
Round Lodge
The round lodge is one kind of mountain shelter that you can easily create. By creating a frame out of branches and then covering it with insulating materials like leaves, moss, or snow, you can make the lodge. However, round lodges offer excellent protection from the cold and wind.
Debris Hut
A debris hut is an easy shelter that can be built with minimal materials and effort. It is created by leaning branches against each other and then covering the frame with leaves, bark, or other debris. Debris huts offer good protection from the elements.
Poncho Shelter
A poncho shelter is a type of easy shelter that can be made from a poncho or tarp. It is simply a matter of draping the poncho over a frame of branches or other materials. Poncho shelters offer good protection from the rain, but they do not provide much insulation.
Desert Tarp Shelter
A desert tarp shelter is a type of easy shelter that can be made from a tarp. It is simply a matter of draping the tarp over a frame of branches or other materials. Desert tarp shelters offer good protection from the sun and heat, but they do not provide much insulation.
How to Build Mountain Survival Shelters
Building a mountain survival shelter is an important part of being prepared for a survival situation. The type of shelter you build will rely upon the materials you have available and its weather condition.
Materials
The most important thing to remember when choosing materials for your shelter is that they must be waterproof and insulating. Some good materials to use for survival shelters include:
- Tarp
- Poncho
- Leaves
- Bark
- Moss
- Snow
Frame
In the process of building the mountain survival shelter, a frame is the first thing you would require. The frame of your shelter will be the structure that supports the rest of the shelter. It is important to choose a sturdy material for the frame, such as branches or logs.
Covering
The covering of your shelter will provide insulation and protection from the elements. Some good materials to use for the covering of your shelter include:
- Tarp
- Poncho
- Leaves
- Bark
- Moss
- Snow
Insulate the Ground
Once you have chosen a location for your mountain survival shelter, it is important to insulate the ground. This will help to keep you warm and dry. Some good materials to use for insulation include:
- Leaves
- Bark
- Moss
- Snow
Ventilate
It is important to ventilate your shelter to prevent the buildup of carbon dioxide. You can ventilate your shelter by opening a small opening at the top of the shelter.
The location of your shelter is also important. It should be in an area that will provide some shelter from the elements, such as a cave or behind a large rock.
Once you have chosen a location for your shelter, it is important to insulate the ground. This will help to keep you warm and dry.
The Fallen Tree
One of the most common shelter designs is the fallen tree shelter. It is created by finding a large tree that has fallen over and using it as a roof.
The branches of the tree will provide support for the rest of the shelter. The leaves and bark of the tree will provide insulation and protection from the elements.
Building the Shelter
Once you have gathered your materials and chosen a location, you are ready to start building your shelter. There are many different ways to build a survival shelter, but the most important thing is to make sure that it is sturdy and will protect you from the elements.
Bad Places to Build a Shelter
There are some places that you should avoid when choosing a location for your shelter. These places include:
- Near steep cliffs
- Near fast-flowing rivers
- In open areas where there is no natural protection from the elements
Conclusion
Shelters are your top priority in most survival emergencies. Severe weather conditions can kill within a few hours if you don’t have some type of shelter to defend you from the elements.
Luckily, there are a wide array of techniques and materials for escaping the elements.
In this article, we have discussed the best way to build mountain survival shelter. Use this information to choose the best shelter for your needs and the conditions you are facing.