4 critical elements to consider when looking for a place to build your shelter
The following are the four most important considerations while searching for a location to construct your shelter:
- Wind
- Water
- Wood
- Widowmakers
WIND
When it comes to keeping a fire burning and heating your shelter, the direction of the wind will make a difference. Look for high-ground spots in the midst of the terrain where the wind is prevalent but not too strong.
WATER
Look for a nearby region, such as a stream bed, that may provide as a reliable supply of water on a consistent basis.
WOOD
For the fire, for constructing a shelter, and for crafting other resources, you’ll want a large amount of wood. A huge fallen tree may be a valuable source of fuel, and species such as pines can produce a consistent supply of fatwood over an extended period of time.
WIDOWMAKERS
Examine the trees in your immediate vicinity, particularly big trees, for any dead limbs that might pose a threat to you and your campsite. If you find any, change or get rid of it immediately.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BASE CAMP
You will not have to carry all of your supplies on your back if you set up a base camp in advance of your expedition. To be sure, creating a long-term home will require many days of hard effort, and it may take up to a week if you don’t have access to a team of people to assist you.
This is why the first thing you will need to do when you arrive at the location where you wish to establish your base camp is construct a temporary shelter to serve as a temporary home for you until the permanent shelter is complete. Just keep in mind that you must complete the construction of your permanent shelter before the weather necessitates it.
Build a bigger version of your temporary base camp (such as a hunter’s station) out of natural materials for your permanent shelter, or include a larger canvas shelter in your survival kit as a backup plan.
No matter what kind of shelter you pick, it must have at least three sides to provide protection from adverse weather. It must also have a big fireback or portable wood stove that is as least as high as the pitch or roof of the shelter.
In inclement weather, an elevated bed is required; however, if the weather is pleasant, a hammock may be sufficient. On this page, you will see tarp configurations that may be utilized for mobile camps, as well as working camp structures and ways for creating a permanent shelter.
RV CAMPS ARE AVAILABLE
we spoke about the most popular tarp configurations. In this section, you will learn about several easy impromptu camp convenience items that will make tarps and other temporary setups even more pleasant than they already are.
TENTS
There are many different kinds of canvas tents and yurts that can be carried simply as long as you have access to transportation. Keep in mind that huge canvases may be difficult to heat, so if you’re looking for a temporary shelter, consider something smaller.
When deciding the sort of canvas shelter to utilize, your surroundings will play a significant role in your selection. Open-faced tents, such as the Whelen, give covering on three sides and may be used in conjunction with a hammock. It is recommended that you choose anything that can accommodate a stove in colder weather, such as a modest wall tent.
In addition to being quite comfortable, small wall tents may also provide excellent protection from the weather, particularly if they are equipped with a stove jack. Many of the gold rush miners slept in wall tents that were set up on elevated platforms to protect them from the elements.
These temporary buildings were big enough to accommodate a few modest pieces of furniture, such as a chair and a small table, if necessary.
Within the wall tent, you can easily put a hammock, a cot, or even a raised bed if you want to get creative. The most significant advantage of the wall tent is that it gives covering on all four sides, allowing it to function similarly to a canvas cabin in many ways. An 8′ by 10′ wall tent gives plenty of space for a single individual.
It may be utilized as a temporary shelter with all of the same fixtures and amenities, such as lighting and sleeping arrangements, that you would use for a more permanent shelter in the future.
THE METHODS OF TAKING AND TIE-OUT
No matter what kind of temporary shelter you employ, it will need to be roped down or staked down to ensure that it remains secure throughout the storm.
Fortifying your shelter may be accomplished in a variety of ways, each of which is dependent on the materials that were used in its construction as well as the environmental circumstances in which it has been constructed.
The use of grommets should be avoided at all costs; they seem to be the weakest link in any shelter, regardless of its construction material, since they have a tendency to undermine the surrounding fabric.
Instead, wherever practical, use tie-outs or stake loops to secure the structure. To tie off an open canvas if you only have a toggle on one corner and no other method to secure it, lay a jam knot on one corner of the canvas and trap it with another jam knot on the other corner of the canvas.
A toggle may be used to secure a tent’s poles.
A stone or a wad of dead leaves may also be used to create a ball-like structure in the region that needs to be knotted, and then you can tie a jam knot over the whole thing. It was common practice in the past to utilize musket balls to create this kind of formation.
A ball tie-down on a tarp setup is shown in the illustration.
To ensure that tie lines may be tightened or loosened as required, they should be made adjustable for tension on all ends. The addition of this adaptability makes it simple to erect and disassemble your shelter. Flat slabs of wood with a hole drilled at either end that is big enough for the ropes to slide through would work well for this project.
After that, the rope is threaded through the toggle with one end in each hole and tied. If you’re utilizing loops as tie-out points, it’s a good idea to run the rope through the loop before knotting the rope on one end of this sliding toggle to avoid tangling.
After that, it may be wrapped around a stake and then tensioned to the desired level. Another option is to use a regular trucker’s hitch knot on the tie-out ropes, with a tensioning loop on the other end of the knot. Additionally, a barrel knot may be used since it will self-tighten as pressure is applied.
Another alternative is to drive stakes directly into the ground to secure your shelter. The wind and weather will have very little influence on the environment as a result of your efforts. It will be an irritation all night if you have a loud, unfastened tarp that is flying about in the wind.
Check to ensure that all lines are taut and secure enough to resist any unforeseen weather conditions that may arise.. Stakes made of wood are ideal for longer-term camping since the wood expands when exposed to moisture, further anchoring the stakes in the ground.
The length of the stake is mostly determined by the quality of the ground: Longer stakes should be used for damp ground, while shorter stakes should be used for dry ground.
If the ground is exceptionally hard, you may be forced to utilize metal instead of wood or concrete. Stakes made from ” steel stock such as rebar, bent at the top at a 2″ 120° angle, are recommended in certain situations.
It is possible to make do without stakes entirely by using items such as logs, boulders, or sacks loaded with something weighty such as smaller pebbles or mud to function as a substitute. If the ground is exceptionally soft, it may be necessary to anchor the tent with a chain of two pegs in order to keep it from blowing away.
3 8 Stake-driving angular positions
SHELTER OPTIONS FOR THE LONG TERM
Environmental factors such as seasonal fluctuations, money available, equipment available, and the user’s skill level all influence which sort of permanent shelter is ideal for them.
We’ll go through a few easy designs that don’t need any special professional knowledge in this section. Anything that is too tough or complex to develop, in my opinion, is more likely to be abandoned.
CAVES AND ROCK HOUSES ARE AWESOME.
Just like animals do, long before man began to create his own shelter, he made use of existing materials in nature to serve as his primary residence.
These caves and stone shelters have withstood the test of time in nature, and although it may take some work to make them comfortable, they may still be a fantastic option if the need arises in an emergency. Millions of people throughout the globe live in caves, which is a fact that should be noted.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF CAVES
It is essential to be aware of the hazards that might arise while living in a natural setting.
Sleeping in a wet cave may be a terrible experience. Unless you live in a location with significant humidity or a lot of yearly rainfall, caves are probably not the greatest option. Water in the cave may cause a variety of problems, including bacterial development and mildew, poor stone integrity, and a dampness that can make you feel chilly for the majority of the time you are in the cave. In addition to insects and other creatures such as bats, cats, and bears, a cave may already be a haven for them.
BUSHCRAFT SUGGESTIONS
If you are contemplating utilizing a cave as a permanent shelter habitation, be sure to check it for evidence of creatures that may have taken up residence there previously.
Keep an eye out for excrement, bones, and the scent of urine.
If there is a possibility of falling rock, do a visual assessment of the ceiling and walls using a bright light source. Look for fissures or fractures in the stone that may have been exacerbated by the heat from a fire or other source.
Take, for example, the height of the ceiling. The lower the cave’s ceiling height, the greater the likelihood that a fire may compromise the structure’s structural stability. Additionally, caves with higher ceilings will have far greater ventilation.
SHELTERS FOR THE PLATFORM ON HIGHER LEVELS
A raised platform shelter may be built by joining wood pieces together with simple lashings and cross elements to form the platform and supporting structure. It is important to note that the more complicated the shelter, the more resources and equipment will be necessary to build it.
The elevated platform should be at least 3’–5′ above the ground level; however, this varies depending on variables such as fauna, resources, and the surrounding environment, among others.
It is recommended that you build this platform at least 2 feet wider than the interior dimension of the shelter you want to build on top of it, and at least 6 feet longer to allow for open work spaces.
An easy hoop design or a square structure may be used to cover or build the shelter itself, depending on the situation and resources available. By far, the most straightforward design to construct and maintain, and it also has the finest water-shedding properties
