A snow cave makes a great emergency shelter for back country skiers and snowboarders who get caught in bad weather situations.

When temperatures drop or winter storms bring strong winds and heavy snowfall, seasoned mountaineers prefer to sleep in a snow shelter, rather than a tent. A snow cave takes more time to build, but is more secure than a tent. In cold weather a snow cave is also much warmer.

Snow caves are best suited to locations where you can burrow into a snow-covered hillside. A strong and stable cave requires somewhat firm (consolidated) snow. The snow must also be deep enough to leave about two-feet of ceiling thickness.

Several people can shelter in one snow cave. A well-built cave dug in the firm snow is a very secure structure. However, if the outside temperature is warming toward freezing, a tree shelter may be a better choice. The weight of a collapsed snow-cave roof could cause serious injury to people underneath.

Find a short seven feet minimum – 30 to 40 degree slope or snow drift, that is clear of any potential avalanche hazard. It is easier to dig the cave into a steep slope than a gentle one. The snow must be deep enough that you will not hit ground before you finish excavating the entire cave. Dig an entry that is 1.5 feet wide and five feet high. Then create a construction-debris exit slot by digging a waist high platform centered on the entryway, forming a “T” that is four feet wide by 1.5 feet high.

Cutaway side view of a finished snow cave. Illustration by The Mountaineers Books.

Develop this platform so that it forms a horizontal slot extending into the slope, providing a temporary exit-way for all the snow being shoveled out as the interior of the cave is excavated. Excavate so that the cave floor is about six inches higher than the bottom level of the horizontal slot.

Create the main room of the cave by digging inward from the entry and expanding the room to the front, sides and upward; all directions except down. Shovel snow out through the horizontal slot. A second person working outside, can can clear the snow away.  Extend the original entry hallway another two feet into the slope permitting the excavator to get farther into the cave to continue excavating outward and upward. Now it should be nearly possible to stand inside. continue to excavate, now out of the wind. When enough snow has been cleared to to allow the excavator to sit upon the main cave floor, another person can enter and help continue to expand the cave in all directions except downward.

Excavate until the inside dimensions are about five feet from front to back, by seven feet wide and 3.5 feet high; a comfortable minimum for two people. Make the cave larger for more occupants but remember that a small cave is warmer than a larger one. Keep a minimum of two feet of firm snow on the slope above the cave ceiling to provide enough strength to keep the roof  from collapsing. Avoid building a flat ceiling. The more dome-shaped the ceiling contour, the stronger it will be and the less it will sag.

You can't build a snow shelter wihtout a shovel. This Brooks-Range Mini-Pro retails for under $40 bucks, weighs only 32.01 ounces, and features a telescoping handle.

Fill in the temporary horizontal slot with snow blocks; one large block or two smaller blocks leaning against each other may be sufficient to close the slot. Cut any spaces around the blocks with snow. The top of the completed entrance tunnel should be at leas six inches lower than the cave floor, keeping war air in the cave and cold drafts out. Use snow blocks to build a wind-screening wall on either side of the entry path. Poke a pair of ski-pole basket sized ventilation holes through the ceiling of the cave from the inside out. This is important to prevent asphyxiation of the snow cave occupants. If it gets too warm inside the cave, enlarge these holes. Remember to not use a camp stove inside the cave. Cook outside at the entrance open air.

Smooth the domed ceiling of the cave’s interior so that it is free of any bumps or protrusions. Scratch a small ditch all around the base of the wall to channel any melt water away from the floor. Place a ground sheet on the floor to help keep things dry and prevent loss of equipment in the snow. Keep stormy weather out by putting a small tarp or a pack over the entrance, but leave some opening for ventilation air to flow in. To ensure that no uninvited guests drop in, mark  the area around the cave so that someone doesn’t walk onto the roof. When you are finished using the cave, collapse it so that it does not present a hazard for others.

a) Choose the location, b) Dig the entry, c) Dig a T-shaped slot, d) Dig inward expanding up left and right, e) Expand to desired size, f) Fill-in T-shaped slot - Illustration by The Mountaineers Books

By Rick Shandley

For its weight and function, the Marmot Home Alone Bivy is definitely worth considering as a solo backpacking shelter. The Home Alone Bivy weighs less than two pounds and packs small enough to fit inside the pack rather than lashed to the outside, or bulging under the pack lid.

It sets up and takes down in minutes.  We really enjoyed this characteristic of the Home Alone Bivy, especially when you need to get moving before dawn and get back on the trail before it gets hot or congested with other backpackers. Setting up in late afternoon or after dark is easy since you are only dealing with one hoop of pre-bent DAC aluminum pole to give the door-end of the shelter some structure. Another benefit we value is how easily this shelter lends itself to being used simply as a barrier between your sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and the ground. Yes, we had no reservations about using this completely waterproof MemBrain Strata (100-percent ripstop nylon) as a ground cloth, when the weather permitted, and the mosquitoes stayed a couple thousand feet down the mountain.

No, we really wouldn’t consider this a free-standing shelter. You stake down the foot end, stretch it out, clip up the DAC pole and

Marmot Home Alone Bivy at First Lake in High Sierra.

stake out the front end. We would love to see those nice DAC tent stakes onboard this package, but the current stakes work. And that foot area could benefit from support, such as a DAC hoop and guy-line, to give the bottom of the sack some structure and keep the waterproof fabric off the foot of the sleeping bag, along with some foot-area cross ventilation.

Marmot DAC hoop pole and clip on Home Alone Bivy.

Likewise, the front of the bivy would benefit from being able to guy it out a little to give it support, structure, and rigidity for wind, driving rain, and possibly a light snow load. But that means making more tent-like, and that’s not the purpose of a bivy sack. So we’ll take this Marmot Home Alone Bivy just like it is and appreciate the functionalities it offers. It’s a super-light weight and compact three-season shelter that is easy to pack up or slip into on short notice.

Because it is waterproof, and the only ventilation is the No-Seeum netting at the front, you do have to contend with moisture condensation at the foot of the sleeping bag in the morning. Durng our test, moisture soaked the bottom of the down sleeping bag. Though it dried quickly, it is a trade off for each day you spend on the trail. Waterproof often means non-breathable, so we suggest that you plan on keeping the front door of the bivy open as much as possible while you are in the shelter.

A gust of wind inflates the Home Alone Bivy to an ideal profile, making it a perfect solo shelter.

Once inside the Home Alone Bivy, it offered enough room for a 6’2” person weighing more than 200 pounds to feel comfortable. The weather was clear and cool at the elevations we tested the bivy in, and sleep came almost instantly. So who could complain about that? However, it was a little awkward getting into the Home Alone because of the compact size and its proximity to the ground.  Again it is a worthy trade off for the fast-and-light strategy of quick set-up and takedown in order max out your trail time. Getting out of your boots and scooting your legs into the bag without dragging dirt inside was a challenge. But certainly not a deal breaker for this bivy.

Entry to Marmot Home Alone Bivy.

We found the construction, the noiseless zipper, and most of the hardware to be of the high quality Marmot gear is known for. It might be nice if the Marmot logo on the sides of the bivy would illuminate in the beam of a flashlight at night. Finding your shelter in the dark is a safety issue and some reflectivity would be a cool feature. We can offer no real complaints about this product because it is so functional for quick get-to-sleep, hit-the-trail adventures.

Forget about head room and ample space to whip out your laptop to outline your next novel while you wait out a thunderstorm.  You get in this thing and go to sleep. You wake up, pack up, and go. That’s why we’ll use this Marmot Home Alone Bivy again and again.

Features:

• Marmot MemBrain® Strata Waterproof/Breathable Fabric
• Mesh door for ventilation
• Highly Compressible
• Single DAC pole structure – For Increased Stability and Increased Internal Space
• No-See-Um-netting
• Inside pockets – for easy reach
• Jingle-free nylon zipper pulls

Specifications:

• Number of people: Single person
• Maximum Weight: one pound, 12 ounces
• Minimum Weight: one pound, 10 ounces
• Dimensions: 26×38x96 inches
• Packed size: 5×19 inches
• Tent pole: one DAC NSL 8.5mm
• Floor Area: 19 square feet
• Floor material: 40d 100-percent nylon 3000mm thick
• Canopy material: 2.2oz/yd of Marmot MemBrain Strata 100% Nylon Ripstop
• MSRP: $250

TentPak Systems introduces “Grab and Go” pack and tent combination!

After the devastation of September 11^th in 2001, Galen Bench’s first was inspired to create TentPak, and “grab and go backpack” supplied with critical gear in the event you need to bug out from a hot zone.  The the tsunami that struck the Indonesian coastline of Sumatra in December 2004  was the impetus that led the Bench family to introduce TenPak to the mass market.

Originally, TentPak was designed to fill a gap in the emergency preparedness product market. Today, TentPak’s unique design patent – integrating a tent and a backpack into an all-in-one unit – has evolved into a grab-and-go solution for hikers, photographers, hunters, scouts, families, outdoor enthusiasts and emergency response teams alike.

Now it’s available in 12 different backpack models and two tent models. Each TentPak  includes a built-in two-person tent in either an all-purpose three-season or four-season expedition model. TentPak models vary in design for use in extreme situations to more recreational expeditions with varying strap features, storage design and accessories.

On average, TentPak weighs approximately 13 pounds – tent and backpack combined. Each TentPak is built on the European High Peak platform, a top selling design for more than two decades. TentPaks feature high-quality ripstop nylon and polyester fabrics, Duraflex buckles and connectors, and water resistant bags and zippers. Each backpack is also equipped with an internal rain cover to keep gear dry during inclement weather.

Beyond the convenience of providing an all-in-one tent and backpack solution, TentPak is an easy to use device. Upon arriving at a campsite, simply unroll the tent from inside the bottom of the pack and set it up. The backpack remains attached to the tent after setup. The pack stores inside of the tent or in the rain fly vestibule, even while connected, for easy access to gear and protection from small critters. For protection in bear country the pack separates from the tent for storage up a tree. And, when it’s time to break camp the tent simply rolls back into the bottom of the backpack.

With the tent stored in the bottom section of the TentPak, carrying weight is more effectively distributed across the users back instead of focusing the weight on the shoulders where tents are traditionally carried.

FreshAirJunkie is trying to arrange a product review on the TentPak, so we’ll share our thoughts after we’ve had the opportunity to get theTenPak in the field.

The Hilleberg Kaitum 3, is a light weight three-person shelter that’s ideal for trips where strength and comfort are a priority, but where true all-season, all-weather capability is still a necessity.

This Kaitum 3 is a two door/two vestibule tent that offers maximum usable space, outstanding comfort, and excellent strength in a incredibly lightweight package.

The Kaitum 3 uses ultralight Kerlon 1200 outer tent fabric and DAC Featherlite NSL 9 mm poles to keep total weight to a minimum while providing strength for all  conditions.  Also incorporated into the Kaitum 3 is a two door/two vestibule tunnel design, which adds outstanding comfort and flexibility.

Kaitum 3 is ideal for mobile adventures that involve moving camp frequently, and is equally well-suited for long and short back-country stays. This shelter is outstanding for use in protected terrain in any weather, and easily robust enough to handle use in exposed and/or above tree-line terrain in all but the worst conditions. For warm weather treks,  the Kaitum 3 is excellent since the front section vestibule can be completely rolled open for maximum air flow. 

We’ll have the Hilleberg Kaitum 3  (price point: $775) on several upcoming backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada mountain range as we move into Fall and Winter conditions in the high-country. Our usual trailhead begins at the 10,300 ft. elevation level and should bring us plenty of weather and conditions to evaluate the tent in a variety situations. Two colors are available: Red or Green.

If your backcountry ventures take you up in elevation where thunderstorms, wind and plummeting night time temperatures are a normal part of your trip,  then consider the Kelty Apex Series Foxhole and Marauder tents.

A four-season tent built for all conditions, the Foxhole is an affordable shelter made for camping in a variety of environments. A hubbed, two-pole design combines with clip attachment points for quick and easy set up. Fusion welded tent floor and fly result in lighter, more durable and fully waterproof seams. The Foxhole has two doors and two vestibules for quick access to gear while a welded window in the vestibule lets you check the weather from your sleeping bag.

The Foxhole’s closable mesh panels and vented fly regulate temperature. DAC Featherlite NSL poles reduce weight while adding strength. Available in a two-person version for $379.95 and three-person versions for $419.95.

Designed to excel in adverse conditions where reliability is essential, the Kelty Marauder is built to withstand the elements. Five-pole construction keeps the Marauder standing tall in snow, wind and rain while the fly connects securely with side release buckles. Fusion welded tent floor and rainfly are stitch-free, resulting in supremely durable, watertight seams. A large front and smaller rear vestibule provide ample space to stow gear while closable mesh panels and a vented fly regulate temperature. DAC Featherlite NSL poles reduce weight while adding strength and a clear, welded window provides a view of the world outside. Available in a 2-person version for $419.95 and 3-person versions for $499.95.

You can see the full line-up of Kelty shelters and backpacking gear at: www.kelty.com .