How To Create a Shelter While Lost in

the Woods

The Problem:



Being lost in the woods can be very scary and it's a good thing to know how to build
different types of shelters for different types of situations and weather. The high average
temperature for the rst six months of the year according to State Guide USA in Maine is 49.
The low average in Maine is 29. According to Wunderground, It has gotten to -50 on January
16, 2009. The average precipitation in Maine according to Maine Tourism, is 41.21 inches. In the
town that I live, Mechanic Falls, it's 47.56 inches. So, as you can see, it can be very hard to
survive in the woods in Maine and the your rst priority should be nding some shelter, which
can be hard.



Steps for Tackling the Problem:

Before you try to make a shelter, you should try to nd a natural
one, like a cave or an overhang from a rock. You want to make
the shelter is close to a water source but not too close because
there will be mosquitoes. Also, make your shelter before it gets
dark. You don't want to be stuck without a shelter all night.








Natural caves
in woods.
Natural rock
overhangs in
woods.




One type of shelter you can make is called a debris shelter.
1.) Find a nice strong tree, log or
rock to lean a stick across.
2.) Line more sticks up against the
other stick to create something like a
tent.









3.) Put debris, like grass or leaves, on the top of the structure.
This should make it waterproof and it will keep heat in if you put a
re by the opening.


Another shelter you can make would be a lean-to. These are a
little more difcult to build. You want to nd two trees that have
two branches about the same height.
1.) Put a long branch on the inside of the branches so that they
hold it up.
2.) Lean more branches all the away across the one that's being
held up.
3.) If you have a poncho or a parachute, you can put that over
over all of the branches or you can put debris -leaves or grass- on
top of the branches. You then have a nice water proof shelter.


The last shelter is a good snow shelter. If there is deep snow
you're in good shape.

1.) Dig a hole about three times the size of you body.
2.)From one side of the hole, dig into the wall so that there's a
roof.
3.) Make enough room for you to move around and to dig a hole
where the cold air will sink.
4.) Smooth out the ceiling so that the warmth doesn't cause it to
melt and drip all over the place.

This video will give you a good explanation and a really good
visual of how to make this shelter. I used this exact tv show to get
this idea and it's a really good source for survival skills. http://
videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28037-man-vs-wild-making-
a-snow-cave-video.htm






Sources Cited:

"Question: What Are the Average Monthly Temperatures in
Maine?" StateGuidesUSA.com. Web. 20 May 2014.
View in list Edit


"Record -50F Conrmed for Maine; Is This Inconsistent with
Global Warming?" Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog :. Web. 20 May
2014.


"Who Owns Maine's Forest?" Maine Tree Foundation. Web. 20
May 2014.