888.630.9224If you find yourself trapped in a blizzard miles away from any civilization, you may want to consider building an igloo. For centuries, igloos have provided shelter and warmth on a temporary and permanent basis for Inuit tribes. How, you may ask, does a tent built out of ice and snow keep someone warm? The air pockets in the snow walls creates insulation that confines your body heat inside the igloo, rather than letting it escape, so building one may be your best hope for survival. However, the process and techniques for igloo building can be tricky if you don’t know the steps.
Step one: Acquire Snow
The truth about igloo building is that it can’t be done without snow. But it’s important to find the right kind of snow. Drifting snow is a poor choice, as it’s dry and doesn’t stick well; if you were to build your igloo out of that snow, it would just blow away with the wind. Locate snow that’s thick and easy to pack, like the same snow you’d make snowballs out of. Now that you’ve got your snow type in order, you need to find a lot of it. There’s nothing more frustrating that beginning to build an igloo and running out of snow halfway through.
Step two: Establish Appropriate Block Size
The more even and similar the igloo blocks are, the sturdier your igloo will be. An ice pick is a very nifty tool for constructing igloo blocks. However, if you don’t have one on hand, then create a block to use for scaling to make sure that your blocks are the same size. Pack them tightly together so they don’t fall apart. The larger of the igloo blocks should be at least one cubed foot and reserved for the bottom. The higher you go on your igloo building process, the smaller and more precise your blocks should be shaped in order to avoid holes in the construction.
Step three: Mark Your Area
Find a level patch of land and begin laying your igloo blocks in a circular formation. The rigid squareness of your base blocks may need some tweaking to fit. As your igloo will be dome shaped, the measurements of your blocks will not be identical to each other, and even the measurements of the blocks themselves won’t always be equal. Begin stacking the blocks and packing in loose snow in between the cracks of the blocks to avoid any air leakage. And remember to leave yourself a door so you can get in and out!
Step four: Create The Dome
This is the hardest step to building an igloo, especially if you’re just one person. Your best hope to avoid a cave in, is to gradually work up into the dome, rather that creating a steep incline. From the first layer of blocks, a slant should be evident, but not so dramatic that it won’t stand strong. Take extra care, however, when nearing the top of your igloo by packing extra snow to ensure that the blocks will stick, and precisely sized snow blocks are a must to make sure everything fits correctly. As for the top piece, create a block that is slightly larger on the top than on the bottom, and insert the smaller side in first, so the top keeps it firmly in place.
Step five: Enjoy Your Igloo
Congratulations! You’ve just completed your igloo and may now enter it and commence with the warming. Now that you’ve got an igloo, you’ve got nothing to worry about, just sit back and wait for the blizzard to pass. With the extremely useful skill of igloo building, you no longer have to fear the elements and can brave the coldest winters of Siberia without breaking a sweat.
