Shelters for Camping Without Tents
Tent camping is easy for beginners, but more experienced campers sometimes choose alternative shelter structures in the backcountry. Tarps are popular among long-distance backpackers, those who prefer to keep their pack weights to a minimum and campers looking for economical alternatives. A snow cave is a shelter option in cold climates; you reduce pack weight by not carrying a tent, and a properly built cave provides more insulation than a tent.
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Tarp Camping
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Trekking poles can support your tarp in treeless areas. Use a traditional polyethylene tarp or a lighter polyurethane-coated nylon tarp, available at most outdoor stores, several yards of strong rope or line, and two to six tent stakes. If you will be traveling in an area without many trees, bring two small (approximately 3-foot) tent poles or trekking poles.
Tie the line between two trees or the two poles at a height of 2 to 6 feet, depending on the size of your tarp. Place the tarp over the line so the rope is in the middle. Stake the corners of the tarp to the ground, either directly through the corner grommets or tied to pieces of line that are fastened to the grommets.
Tarps are versatile and can be set up in multiple configurations. Try staking the windward side of the tarp directly to the ground and leaving several feet of space on the other side. During the months when insects are active, hang a mosquito net from the main tarp line and drape it around yourself, to keep the bugs off while you sleep.
Snow Caves
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Do not make a snow cave for a shelter until you have received instruction from an experienced builder. The temperature inside a properly constructed snow cave will be above freezing, even if the conditions outside are much colder. Learn to build a snow cave from an experienced person before you depend on one for your shelter. Do not sleep in a snow cave unless you understand how to make one with proper ventilation. Use an insulated pad in your snow cave.
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Supplies
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Appropriate clothing keeps you warm even if it gets wet. Pack clothes and a sleeping bag that are appropriate for the climate. Bring wool or fleece clothing that will keep you warm even when it is wet. Choose a sleeping bag that is rated for weather at least 10 degrees cooler than what expect to encounter. Bring fire-making tools and know how to start a fire under all conditions, even when it is raining. Sleep on a camping mat that insulates you from the ground.
Safety
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You should always carry 10 essential items when camping or backpacking, even if you are only on a day trip. These are a map, a compass (optionally supplemented with a GPS device), sunglasses and sunscreen, extra food and water, extra clothes, a headlamp or flashlight, a first-aid kit, a fire starter, matches and a knife.
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References
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