Photo by Julian Bialowas on Unsplash
Forget inflation, it’s all about location, location, location!
It’s not about what equipment you have — it’s what you do with it.
– Aphex Twin
Three hours without shelter and you’re toast. It’s important to know the in(ns) and outs of shelter-building, not just as a survival tool but to maximise comfort and enjoyment when spending time out bush. The first rule of thumb is, you guessed it — location, location, location.
You might not be looking to build your temporary home with sweeping views of the north-shore, minutes from elite schools and organic up-market grocers, but scoping out the perfect location for your shelter, even in the ‘middle of nowhere’ can be the difference between life or death. These rules will help you determine the perfect location for your temporary or long-term stay.
1. Where the wind takes you
By this I mean build your shelter perpendicular to the wind direction so that you aren’t spending the night facing into the freezing wind, risking hypothermia and the possibility that the wind will rip your shelter apart. You also don’t want to suffer the misery of trying to sleep in a wind tunnel.
If you aren’t sure which way the wind is blowing, pick up a handful of leaves or other (light) debris, chuck it into the air, then observe its direction.
A bonus of building your shelter to block out the wind means you can safely light a fire which will keep you toasty and warm throughout your stay.
2. Eyes up here, buddy
Remember to look UP. Are there any widow-makers lurking above? Dead or dying trees/branches/other debris that could potentially perform a crash landing on you*?
3. Animal Crossing — no, not that kind of game
If you have discovered a game trail — fantastic. But you do not want to set up your shelter in the middle of an animal highway. You’re either going to get the fright of your life — or scare the living daylights out of a wallaby or rabbit or fox as it passes through.
4. Flat is where it’s at
You want nice, even ground, as flat as possible. Lie down and check for any sticks, stones or slants that will make sleeping there miserable come 2 am.
5. Water you know
You also want to be close to a water source, but you don’t want a water source making its way to you! Consider the ground and positioning of your shelter — if it rains could a stream of water make its path right through your camp? Are you at risk of rising flood waters from a river bank?
In conclusion
While these five rules of setting up your shelter are important, take them with a grain of salt. Yes, you should go through these steps every time, but there are always risks in the outdoors and sometimes your only choice is to take a calculated risk.
Arm yourself with this knowledge and you will be able to make the best-informed decision every time you set up shelter for the night.
*Extra points to the k-drama fans out there..this one’s for you.
