Wikimedia Commons/ Jim Champion

In our last post in this series, we talked about some of the basic how-to’s of building a fire in the wilderness, and today we’re here to talk about another skill that will help you stay warm in a situation where every comfort factor feels like a life-saver – how to build a shelter.

Before starting to build a shelter, you’ll need to choose what kind of structure you want to build. And, to do that, you’ll need to inspect your surroundings, both to make sure there’s shelter from the wind and a good water source nearby, as well as to figure out what materials you have to work with.

If you’re in an area where there are natural shelters, such as overhanging cliffs, caves or deep snow, then a lot of your work has already been done for you.  If tree branches are your biggest material source, then your best option is to build some kind of lean-to. Look here for 15 great shelter ideas to keep you protected in an emergency.

The following are a few tips for a few different locations you may find yourself in:

1. If you decide to take shelter in a cave, proceed with caution, in case it’s occupied, and make sure that you build your fire near the mouth of the cave to ward off animal intruders.
2. If you’re near the coast and have access to rocks, you can build a U-shape with the rocks, against the wind. Then you can form a roof with driftwood and fill in the cracks with seaweed.
3. If you’re using trees as wind barriers, you can dig a shallow pit at the base of a tree and line it with bark, leaves or moss.
4. You could also use branches to form a lean-to, leaning the foundational first branch against a standing tree. If you have rope, it might come in handy here. Branches of all sizes will be useful, as the shelter slopes down to meet the ground, and using thick grasses and bark and branches with leaves and needles will help fill all the cracks and keep you sheltered from wind and even rain! It would be super useful to have a multi-function army knife on hand, to help you get your branches to the best sizes.
5. If you’re able to find long enough branches, you may be able to build a wigwam, and even construct it so that you can build a fire inside, with a place for oxygen to get in and smoke to rise up and out.

So really, when it comes to building a shelter, you have options no matter where you find yourself. Assessing the situation first is key, and then taking action quickly, before the cold sets in or night falls.

For a further look at shelter-building and other survival skill tips, look back at some of our recent blog posts, or find more information at the British Columbia Adventure Network.

Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io

If you have read some of our most recent blog posts, you’ll remember that we’ve been talking about a number of survival skills useful in the case of an emergency where you need to “rough it” in the wilderness. We are not wilderness experts, but want to get the juices flowing and challenge you to get excited about looking further into learning these valuable skills. In our previous post, we talked about staying hydrated, and today we want to talk about a specific skill that will help you to stay warm: how to build a fire.

If you decide to enjoy a campfire with friends, are you the one who builds the fire? If you’re not, perhaps think about becoming that person—or joining and learning from whomever typically takes on that role.

Here are a few tips to get you started on how to build a fire:

1. Find a sandy or rocky area to build your fire, to avoid forest fires or brush fires. Having a supply of water or sand nearby is important, in case you need to put out your campfire quickly.
2. If you keep matches on hand, it’s best to have waterproof and windproof matches, or even a flint striker, which can last you a long time!
3. If you don’t have matches, you can create a spark with a cigarette lighter, flint and steel, the electric spark from an ignited battery coming into contact with a gasoline dampened rag, or the sun’s rays passing through a magnifying lens onto the tinder.
4. Of course, tinder is another very important element of building a fire. When you’re choosing tinder, try to find dry grasses, bark, small pieces of wood, cloth, paper or lint. As long as the tinder is dry, it should work. And then these smaller pieces can be used to ignite larger pieces of wood.
5. Collect all of your tinder and firewood before you start building the fire, because timing can be of essence, once you get the fire going.
6. Ventilate your fire well. Whatever construction you create, make sure there are open spaces between the larger pieces of wood so that oxygen has access.

For more wilderness tips, feel free to delve into this handy online adventure network and tune in again soon to read about another important survival skill that will help to keep you warm: building a shelter!

Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io

If you’re in the midst of a frightening emergency where you find yourself stranded in the wilderness, it can be tricky to find the balance between thinking positively (eg. “Someone will find me by nightfall”)  and preparing for the worst (eg. “It may just be me, myself and I for the next couple weeks”). If you’ve already prepared yourself for a two-week stint, the prospect of waiting it out shouldn’t seem quite so bad.

But even if help is probably going to arrive in the next hours, or by tomorrow, it’s smart to start making a plan immediately. And one of your first priorities, of course, should be water and staying hydrated.

Now, ideally, you would have some kind of water filter or purification tablets with you, such as the LifeStraw Go or one of the other LifeStraw water filters that we carry.

But even if you don’t have the right gear, all is not lost if you can get a little creative. The following are a few tips to use if you find yourself in a tight spot and getting thirsty. They’re based on non-ideal situations and involve more risk than if you’re using a certified water filter, but they’re still good tips to know.

So here it goes:

• To stay as hydrated as possible, it’s important to prevent as much water loss as possible. To do this, try to find shelter, stay in the shade, rest and keep cool.
• Start looking for your next source of water before you run out of your current supply.
• Avoid fatty foods, caffeine and alcohol, because they trigger aggressive digestion, which uses up liquid. Instead, try to eat fruits and vegetables, which contain water.
• If you have a map, any water sources should be marked, so look to the obvious, first.
• If you don’t have a map, find an elevated location and look for indentations in the earth or tree tops. This could very well be an indicator of a waterway.
• Listen for the buzzing of bugs and mosquitoes. They like to hang around near water sources.
• You may be able to collect water from the surrounding plants, such as birch trees, which can sometimes be tapped for water like sap from maples.
• You can also dig for water at the bottom of dry creek beds or ravines.
• If you’re desperate for water and all you have is muddy water, you may need to make do with a makeshift water filter, using sand! Find some helpful instructions here, and remember that even with an added layer of charcoal to your filter, the water may not be completely pure of all dangerous bacteria.

There’s so much more to know about staying hydrated and finding and treating water to make it safe for drinking. For a deeper read on finding water in the wilderness, have a look here! And stay tuned for our next installment on another survival skill that is crucial to have if ever you face an emergency camping trip.

Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io