PSR ExpertPrimitive Survival Rating

Primitive Shelter

Terrain / natural shelter

Using caves, rock overhangs, root wells and snow trenches—often the lowest calorie option when geology cooperates.

1 min readLow energyMedium reliability

At a glance

Energy investmentLow energyFinding beats building—if the site is safe.
ReliabilityMedium reliability
TimeMinutes to an hour

Materials

  • Site assessment
  • Bedding
  • Optional wind wall of packs or brush

Steps

  1. 1Scan for overhangs, dense thickets or snow drifts on the lee side.
  2. 2Check for animal sign, rockfall and rising water.
  3. 3Improve with a wind wall and thick ground insulation.
  4. 4In snow, poke a vent hole and never burn a flame inside a sealed shelter—carbon monoxide builds without warning.
  5. 5Mark the site so you can find it in dark or whiteout.
Terrain shelter under a rock overhang, closed off with a stacked stone wall and boughs, snow banked along the outside of the wall
Geology does the building. When the ground cooperates this is the cheapest shelter you will ever make.

Common mistakes

  • Flash-flood washes and tide lines
  • Unstable snow roofs
  • Sharing space with animals
  • Sheltering under an overhang or in a shallow cave during a lightning storm

Other methods

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