Building a winter shelter after the snow is already on the ground is not advisable, as it can be incredibly dangerous to expose your body to low temperatures during the amount of time it can take to construct a complex shelter. Not to mention, it will require equipment that you might not have on you, such as ice axes.

You will be expending a lot of energy and time into building something that can protect you from the elements – even if you’re building a primitive shelter, its structure can be time-consuming – so planning is everything!

Wooded areas are ideal so that there is more protection against the wind. You want to ensure that you don’t construct a space that is too large; otherwise, your body heat won’t be able to warm up the space!

Check out this awesome winter shelter that a group of students constructed in the woods to see how to make your own primitive winter shelter on the video on the next page!

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