Foo - Heather and Joe build an Igloo! (with pics!)

Heather and I decided to go build an igloo and spend the night up butler fork in big cottonwood canyon, we built our igloo on the side of a hill near the dog lake / desolation lake fork. Temperature at time of departure from SLC was 61 degrees, we used the air conditioner on the drive up the canyon... the snow was wet, and heavy, classic spring conditions.

Heather making her way up:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270967522_HfTnD-M.jpg

Me in my glacier goggles, it was a nice and sunny day, temps in the low 40's very little wind:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270967828_vAryw-M.jpg

Really wet snow:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270967990_mR7xB-M.jpg

Self shot of Heather:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270968456_cA5bE-M.jpg

Heather going over the bridge:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270968528_Cqycj-M.jpg

Our destination! Dog lake to the left, Desolation to the right:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270970011_f3oYv-M.jpg

Snow pile done, starting to dig out the inside:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270970309_gFED3-M.jpg

Heather digging out the Iglo:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270970825_AWU2N-M.jpg

All done! About the size of a good 3 man tent! We laid down a tarp, zipped our bags together and slept on two full size thermarests for insulation:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270971252_b7FMB-M.jpg

(continued in next post...)

The view from inside:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270970619_zWsqa-M.jpg

Lunch!
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270971317_FwKp6-M.jpg

We emptied our bags in the Igloo and retreated back to the car... to get our snowboards and snowboard gear:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270971526_Y5SVD-M.jpg

I took the helmet cam with us, and recorded the descent back, quite a ride! I'll get some video footage together in the near future... :D

Very cool (cold?)!

How long did it take to set up the igloo?

East Hill

About 5 hrs of work in total. The snow was really REALLY wet and heavy, we both felt we got a great workout!

Over all the igloo was about 7 feet wide by 8 feet deep and 4 feet tall at the highest point. Maybe somebody good at math can figure out how many tons of snow we had to move to build it!

I bet that was a lot of hard work.

Not everyone can say they've built an igloo!! (Especially when living in CR!) :p

About 5 hrs of work in total. The snow was really REALLY wet and heavy, we both felt we got a great workout!

Over all the igloo was about 7 feet wide by 8 feet deep and 4 feet tall at the highest point. Maybe somebody good at math can figure out how many tons of snow we had to move to build it!

Are you sure you would really want to know?

I have a photo in here of my back garden, with all the stone walls and walks I put down myself. I was just thinking about how many tons of rock and cement I moved to do the whole thing...:eek: .

Anyway, that must have been quite an experience. Was there anyone else out there, or just the two of you?

East Hill

Wow. Seriously, coolest thread of the week.

Brings back some awesome memories. :D

The guy in that survivor man show of discovery could learn a couple of things from you guys!!! At least how to smile!!!! :) Agree..the coolest thread in a while....

sweet! Looks like a nice day for some corn Skiing!

Damn, that's all kinds of cool. I was picturing a dome structure made of blocks of snow, but wow, how neat. :)

DUDE! I haven't built an igloo since I was a kid. What a cool idea!

I did an iqloo once, it was more like Joes and Heather's version rather than the blocks of cut ice.

Properly done, insulated well, it keeps you quite warm.

Isn't it a snow cave if it's dug out, and an igloo only if it's built up of blocks of ice?

Looks like fun...Joe you've become like just another one of the regulars since you handed off the technical responsibility...writing posts about things other than server upgrades and database errors and all that. :D

Yeah, I think it's technically a snow cave, but igloo sounds so much cooler!

6720 pounds of snow,+/-

Wet compacted snow has a Specific Gravity of 0.48, so weight/ft³=30#

You moved 224ft³*30=6720 Lbs. ;)

6720 pounds of snow,+/-

Wet compacted snow has a Specific Gravity of 0.48, so weight/ft³=30#

You moved 224ft³*30=6720 Lbs. ;)

We had to move it twice, er, three times. Once to make a snow pile big enough to dig into, once to dig out the cavity, and once more to get all of that snow away from the front door!

Thanks for the math, Tom.

We had to move it twice, er, three times. Once to make a snow pile big enough to dig into, once to dig out the cavity, and once more to get all of that snow away from the front door!

Thanks for the math, Tom.

So, yeah, a good* workout!

East Hill

Nice. I love snow shoeing this time of year. I need to talk the old lady into giving it a try.

I think I'd be paranoid all night... wondering if the roof is going to cave in on me. :o

Very cool though.

Snow pile done, starting to dig out the inside:
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270970309_gFED3-M.jpg[/QUOTE]

What an icehole!

I think I'd be paranoid all night... wondering if the roof is going to cave in on me. :o

Very cool though.

I would probably have felt the same way, except we were so exhausted from building the damn thing that we passed right out. :)

Awe man that looks like so much fun!!!

Here is a quick video tour of the snow cave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Hp4M0iN08

And the fun part, snowboarding back to the car: http://youtube.com/watch?v=eUE3qXZc8-k

That is pretty cool. :D

I thought an igloo was a shelter constructed from blocks of snow.

Here is a quick video tour of the snow cave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Hp4M0iN08


That was very nicely done. I am mistaken in thinking that I did indeed see some blocks used in the build?

I like the nicely finished entrance. By the way, did you leave the cave intact when you left?

East Hill

We did leave the cave intact. We didn't build using any blocks, but I did square up the entrance and the front area of the cave with my shovel so we would have a place to dress, cook and hang out while not in the cave. You can see a few lines in the cave walls, these are layers of snow that melted and iced up between big storms, they are at an angle because we decided to build the cave on a hill side rather then in the flats.

I just edited my above post to include the video of us snowboarding back to the car, its my favorite video we have made so far, really a fun trip.

We did leave the cave intact. We didn't build using any blocks, but I did square up the entrance and the front area of the cave with my shovel so we would have a place to dress, cook and hang out while not in the cave. You can see a few lines in the cave walls, these are layers of snow that melted and iced up between big storms, they are at an angle because we decided to build the cave on a hill side rather then in the flats.

I just edited my above post to include the video of us snowboarding back to the car, its my favorite video we have made so far, really a fun trip.

Oh, that's what I saw then, the lines looked like blocks.

I'll go take a look at the snowboarding video.

The two of you sure looked as if you were having a blast!

The trip back reminds me of a horseback riding experience I had once where my horse kept having to go through some very tight squeezes through trees. Cold wet branches, yeah!

East Hill

Very cool...so to speak. I think that would qualify as a snow dome shelter. Looks like you did a nice job. If I remember what I learned at arctic survival school, here are some of the comfort factors to consider for the next build (if possible) to keep warmer (its all about heat and air flow): Build a higher platform for your mats that is gets you off the floor, build that platform higher than the highest part of the opening into your shelter, and build a cold sump that allows cooler air to drain out of your shelter (if you dig your door so it goes up into your shelter, that works). You will need to install an air vent to allow carbon monoxide to escape if you use any type of fire.

If the snow isn't deep enough, you can dig down to earth, throw down all the pine boughs branches you can lay your hands on or use bare branches covered by material, and then pile snow back on to a depth of 8 inches. Sit down, refuel, relax, and rest. Give the snow time to settle and harden (you'll be able to walk on top of this the next day if done correctly). Dig an entrance and start carefully removing the boughs or branches. Viola, you have a shelter.

That does look like it was fun!!

Very cool...so to speak. I think that would qualify as a snow dome shelter. Looks like you did a nice job. If I remember what I learned at arctic survival school, here are some of the comfort factors to consider for the next build (if possible) to keep warmer (its all about heat and air flow): Build a higher platform for your mats that is gets you off the floor, build that platform higher than the highest part of the opening into your shelter, and build a cold sump that allows cooler air to drain out of your shelter (if you dig your door so it goes up into your shelter, that works). You will need to install an air vent to allow carbon monoxide to escape if you use any type of fire.

If the snow isn't deep enough, you can dig down to earth, throw down all the pine boughs branches you can lay your hands on or use bare branches covered by material, and then pile snow back on to a depth of 8 inches. Sit down, refuel, relax, and rest. Give the snow time to settle and harden (you'll be able to walk on top of this the next day if done correctly). Dig an entrance and start carefully removing the boughs or branches. Viola, you have a shelter.

That does look like it was fun!!


Good tips! Our bed space was about 1" lower then the top of the door, our door was dug down low, lots of space there to hang the feet and put the gear. You could feel the temperature difference between the sleeping area and the door area.

We dug in half a dozen tea light candle platforms for warmth and light. For every candle we had 2 air vents in the roof. I think we did a good job this time around, beats digging a tunnel to the air spot under a picnic table! :D

that's no igloo. igloos are made out of cut snow blocks. thats a qunizee.

For every candle we had 2 air vents in the roof.

I wondered what those were!

I am now ready to survive my back yard today :D .

(We had snow here today. Yes, really!)

East Hill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igloo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_cave
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinzhee

*shrug*

I wondered what those were!

I am now ready to survive my back yard today :D .

(We had snow here today. Yes, really!)

East Hill

The air vents were a by-product of measuring the roof thickness. It snowed here today as well, 3" of heavy wet stuff on the car this morning. How much did you guys get?

Here is a quick video tour of the snow cave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Hp4M0iN08

And the fun part, snowboarding back to the car: http://youtube.com/watch?v=eUE3qXZc8-k

Great videos! Looks so fun!

The air vents were a by-product of measuring the roof thickness. It snowed here today as well, 3" of heavy wet stuff on the car this morning. How much did you guys get?

Not as much as you, and it's pretty much gone now...

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_2034.jpg

It had already started to melt here. But, I don't think it's ever snowed this late as long as I've been here, and that's over 25 years :p .

East Hill

And the fun part, snowboarding back to the car: http://youtube.com/watch?v=eUE3qXZc8-k

Looks like you had some tight stuff there at the beginning! Helmets good. In the ravine, were you worried about breaking through the snow to a stream beneath? I thought I saw some holes that made me think maybe there was running water underneath.

Looks like a nice peaceful run. Helmet cams rock.

From my winter survival courses, I agree that this is actually a snow cave. I have built several igloos for fun, and the snow caves are much easier, though more prone to collapse.

that's no igloo. igloos are made out of cut snow blocks. thats a qunizee.

beat me to it.

also, if you break a bunch of sticks to whatever thickness you want and stick em all over before digging, you will have a much easier time getting the right thickness. hit stick, stop digging.

Very cool...so to speak. I think that would qualify as a snow dome shelter. Looks like you did a nice job. If I remember what I learned at arctic survival school, here are some of the comfort factors to consider for the next build (if possible) to keep warmer (its all about heat and air flow): Build a higher platform for your mats that is gets you off the floor, build that platform higher than the highest part of the opening into your shelter, and build a cold sump that allows cooler air to drain out of your shelter (if you dig your door so it goes up into your shelter, that works). You will need to install an air vent to allow carbon monoxide to escape if you use any type of fire.

If the snow isn't deep enough, you can dig down to earth, throw down all the pine boughs branches you can lay your hands on or use bare branches covered by material, and then pile snow back on to a depth of 8 inches. Sit down, refuel, relax, and rest. Give the snow time to settle and harden (you'll be able to walk on top of this the next day if done correctly). Dig an entrance and start carefully removing the boughs or branches. Viola, you have a shelter.

That does look like it was fun!!
Outstanding tips. I spent three weeks at the Marine Corps Cold Weather Survival School as a Captain a few years back. The "cold hole" dug in front of the door really does an outstanding job of keeping the cold air that flows along the ground out of a cave/igloo/tent. Plus it gives you a good place to cook, especially if you are in a tent and don’t want to risk the cooking inside.

Despite the stress of three weeks of eating "cold weather MREs” which seem to consist of either Brown Dinner or Green Dinner, it was really a great time. My greatest coup of the time was that since I was the best skier in the squad I got to pull the squad sled the entire time. My fellow squad mates saw this as a great sacrifice as I loaded not only my 75lb pack onto it but also the squad common gear. Little did they know that pulling a 120lb sled is way easier than hauling a 75lb pack on your back.

The final reward for the weeks of misery was a 15 mile ski down a forest service road back to base camp. Of course this is on the legendary "white rockets", 1970s telemark skis with leather hike/ski boots. Still tons of fun. Of course the morning of the final run a member of each squad had to "volunteer" to ride back down the mountain and empty three weeks of feces from the "bio bags" we had been using and piling up. I of course drew the ace of spades and was voluntold to get on the snow cat. I bet the driver that there was no way he could beat me down the mountain and that if he ever passed me I would take off the skis and climb on board. I beat him down by over an hour.

Of course at that point I spent the next 4 hours emptying bio bags, by hand, into a large pit... probably the single most disturbing moment of my life.

As I stated in the other thread.. I am counting down the months until I can retire from this gun club and get back to a state with some real mountains.

Outstanding tips. I spent three weeks at the Marine Corps Cold Weather Survival School as a Captain a few years back.

Is that the training center on Hwy 108 east of Sonora Pass in the Sierras? I've passed by it a couple of times. Really isolated but gorgeous area.

Is that the training center on Hwy 108 east of Sonora Pass in the Sierras? I've passed by it a couple of times. Really isolated but gorgeous area.

It is.. Unfortunately it has been on the chopping block for years. I don’t know how much longer it will survive. If the Marine Corps begins to focus more on Afghanistan then it might get new life. We do both summer and winter training there. The Eastern Sierras is one of my favorite places on earth. I grew up backpacking in the John Muir Wilderness and skiing at Mammoth. I live in Hawaii now.. but I would take Bridgeport CA over Kaneohe HI all day long.

edit.. link.. dont know if you can get to it from a civilian computer.
http://www.mwtc.usmc.mil/

Looks like you had some tight stuff there at the beginning! Helmets good. In the ravine, were you worried about breaking through the snow to a stream beneath? I thought I saw some holes that made me think maybe there was running water underneath.

Looks like a nice peaceful run. Helmet cams rock.

We were not to worried, the snow was heavy and wet, and at least 3 - 4 feet deep at each crossing we made. There are 7 or 8 spots where you can see the stream peaking out, you get really close to two or three of them.

The first crossing over the foot bridge made me nervous, carving with a backpack on full of gear is a lot harder then it looks. The section next to the waterfall had full sun exposure and was pure ice.

Bridge crossing: (2 minutes into video)
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/270968528_Cqycj-M.jpg

The water fall section was exposed to a lot of sun and it was pure ice: (4 min into video)
http://joe-and-heather.smugmug.com/photos/271198527_hMpYS-M.jpg

Outstanding tips. I spent three weeks at the Marine Corps Cold Weather Survival School as a Captain a few years back. The "cold hole" dug in front of the door really does an outstanding job of keeping the cold air that flows along the ground out of a cave/igloo/tent. Plus it gives you a good place to cook, especially if you are in a tent and don’t want to risk the cooking inside.


I did the AF survival school at Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, AK. It was only a week long and was strictly how to survive until pickup after you jumped out of your jet. No escape and evasion, etc. I came to see why when the high temp for my week long excursion into the scenic Alaskan bush was -26F. On the positive side, before I did the school, I thought my odds of survival following punching out of the jet in that environment were miniscule. After the school, I realized that as long as I didn't break a limb getting out of the jet, I had a pretty good chance. They taught us to build snow cave's, the snow dome, and a-frame shelters. The igloo can be built but you need wind packed snow for the easiest build. I also built a fighting trench with wind packed snow blocks as an immediate shelter during a Search and Rescue exercise after I got dropped off on a mountain top at -30F.

We had an amazing survival kit in the seat plus our vests. Worse case scenario was jumping out over the high mountains in winter which meant possibly two days, assuming the helos could fly, before pickup. Best case scenario was jumping out in the flats in summer. Most of us joked that we should be allowed to get at least a week of fishing in before someone came and got us.