How to Make a Snow Fort

While many people think of snow as a freezing, all-encompassing challenge to get through every winter, snow is one of the greatest tools for outdoor fun. If you are lucky enough to live in an area where a sufficient amount of snow falls to build fantastic hideouts, you can make a snow fort that will last all winter long.

Things You'll Need

• Flat location
• Lots of dry, firmly packed snow
• Large knife

Instructions

1. Select a flat location with plenty of dry snow for building your snow fort, and stamp down the snow to pack it firm and hard. Each block needs to be about eight inches deep, so pile more snow on top, and continue packing until you have a large area of hard snow at least eight inches from the surface to the ground.

2. Use a large knife to cut blocks from the packed snow, cutting cubes which are about three feet long, 15 inches wide and eight inches deep. Cut as many blocks as you can before you begin to make your fort.

3. Create a circle of blocks as large as you would like the base of your snow fort to be. For best results, the circle should be placed over the ground where you cut out the blocks so that the fort is resting on solid ground instead of ice and snow. Once you have created the circle, pack snow into and spaces between the blocks. Make sure that you leave a hole for the door of your fort.

4. Overlap another layer of blocks on top of the first circle. Pack snow underneath the outer edges of the blocks so that the blocks lean inward to create a dome shape. Pack snow into any cracks, and then begin another layer. When the blocks around the door lean inward enough to touch, pack snow on all sides of the blocks to support the entrance as much as possible.

5. Continue making circles until there is only a small hole on the top of your snow fort, and then reinforce any cracks, around the door and around the ventilation hole on top to make your snow fort as strong as possible. If desired, you can stack a few blocks inside of the fort as chairs.

Tips & Warnings

• If you make the opening for the door too wide, you will not be able to form the top of the door. It is best to leave about two feet on the first circle, and then cut the hole larger once the fort is complete, if necessary.

• Always supervise children when building a snow fort.