Expedient snow shelters

[Moondog55]

Another thought experiment.
Lots of snow and the weather changes for the worst at the half way point of you day trip. You don't have the 'Mid in the pack but you have some extra clothing and a snow shovel.
Will a snow trench be enough? and what other absolute minimum gear would make the snow trench more survival friendly if the storm is longer than a few hours?
I will have skis with me, what about you?
This is why I always carry that bit of foam pad in my day pack, this year I've done the JoeBrown thing and rolled a full length of 4mm CCF foam into a cylinder as a pack liner and why I have decided to pack one of those UL S2S poncho-tarps along. But I've had a thought about this, it's a raging snowstorm and I am going to be wet and probably more than a little tired. Will I be thinking straight? So to get ready I've taken some short lengths of cord and pre-tied loops to the corner grommets and tabs on the poncho and I'll make sure I pack 4 of the 300mm snow pegs.

I think a trench is probably the lightest, but not the quickest and easiest What's the general opinion ??

[Wollemi]

I like your thinking - and would happily travel with you.
Although, I do think I have been on many day trips where shovels were not carried, whether organised club trips or a day out with mates.

I have read of guides never leaving without a megamid, planning to use a ski as a pole if need be.

If the storm is longer than a few hours, perhaps it would likely be forecast - and you not elect to go?

Have deliberately gone out in ~45km/h+ winds with others, if a leader (sometimes me) or co-leader has done the popular route before, ie., Charlottes Pass to Thredbo Top Station, or from camp at the base of Mt Townsend to Seaman's Hut (which was difficult for several reasons).

[Moondog55]

My reasoning is thus, I want to travel light, I'm solo, the mid weighs 2kilo all up and the poncho is only 600 grams including the long stakes. I agree with the Megamid and the kids are why I got my first
And for I can then put in the small sleeping bag for the same finished mass on the back

[DarrenM]

Good to see some thought going into this topic MD.

In my experience, when the weather hits, the wind generally prevents you from doing a great deal with any makeshift shelter. I would be fairly hesitant to try any kind of tarp at all unless it was more in line with a Bothy bag or proper Bivy.

Trenches would be my absolute last resort If I couldn't find a drift or general depression behind a boulder etc. Digging into drifts has another set of problems due to the large accumulation of snow on the Lee side. You have to be very vigilant to clear any entrance of the shelter you create.

Doing anything in wind can be extremely difficult and IMO it's best to spend the time on the shovel in building a more secure shelter. I've spent an hour working my way around a tent during blizzards before only to get back to the start with the same amount of snow built up. When it comes on strong, you can be buried in a trench within 10 minutes.

I've spent 15 minutes to build a rough hole and ledge in a drift to sleep on, and also spent 2 hours building snow caves to sleep in. If you know what the weather is doing and new snow is not in the forecast then it's probably ok in terms of trenches with tarps etc. In this case though picking a spot you know won't accumulate is critical. Set an alarm if you're unsure to check you haven't been buried.

Most of my bad weather experiences have been above the treeline in big wind so I tend to have my own specific kit and rules.

In terms of shovels, I have two options. My Blackdiamond Bobcat has a large blade which can move higher volumes of snow and if I'm going fast and light, it's the one heavy piece of kit I take. All the small light flimsy shovels I see around are pretty useless when sh$t hits the fan. When the weather is good I'll take a smaller version.

I'm always experimenting with cheap and light Bivy's, sometimes with success....sometimes not.

[Moondog55]

Well my preferred solution is to always carry a shelter, but I also need and want to get the weight down from my usual 9 or 10 kilo day pack and the old Megamid weighs too much for it to be carried as a matter of course when I'm on my own.
There are very strong but also small solo shelters but also very expensive
I'm going to assume I always carry my Nikwax treated Thinsulate SB [96GSM rated for summer] and one of Evans lightweight Tyvek SB covers which I would boost with a down jumper etc and a LW down half bag
I have been thinking of a UL single pole solo shelter something like a cross between a Megalite and a Kifaru paratarp but in silnylon not cuben due to cost limitations

[neilmny]

Not exactly on topic but I was wondering if a tent getting covered in a big dump of snow was a risk to
the occupants. In other words if fully covered by snow can you suffocate and if so does the regular alarm to
waken you to shake the snow build up off the tent apply?

[DarrenM]

I had 20 metres of silnylon at one stage and was toying with the idea of making a very simple hooped Bivy. As you know though, plans became so grand and by the time I had decided to do anything with it, my mate asked to buy the lot back.

I have a SOL Escape Bivy that was too small and I managed to bust out of the side so I'm going to sew in a wide gusset and use that for fast light trips.

I have been almost completely buried in a minaret after a good 50cm storm but with the wind there was just enough ventilation at the top to get air. Two of us were squashed together from all the build up on the side walls and it set like cement as it was heavy wet snow below 1600 m. I guess it could definitely be an issue in the right circumstances neilmny.

Same idea sleeping in a snow cave with the alarm. I've only been concerned once due to warm temps and a sagging roof. Pretty wet conditions as the shape of the roof normally let's water run down the sides but on one occasion it sunk by a foot during the night! It was only a shallow cave though.

[Moondog55]

Wouldn't be the first time I had to get up 2 or 3 times during the nite to shovel snow off a tent and stop a tent from collapsing [ another reason for sleeping in clothes right there] but usually it isn't a problem