Mini – Quinzee

A Quinzee is comparable to an igloo but made from loose snow which is compacted into a rough dome and then hollowed out. It is a simple but involving project which you can possibly introduce when the snow has fallen like it did on a recent training course in London. It can be a very stable structure and can last long after the rest of the snow has melted.

Sizing

For a mini-Quinzee you are looking for it to be large enough to one or two people. To give a rough guide for this, have one person stand at a fixed point, hold holds with another and have that second person shuffle their feet around the person in the middle.

Collecting Snow

There are a number of ways to collect the snow required, which is more than you think. The easiest is to have everyone line up and shuffle towards the planned Quinzee, collecting the snow as they go. Rolling large snowballs works well also, rolling them onto the growing hill of snow then breaking them up pack down. A couple of snow shovels make all the difference however sheer joy and enthusiasm of things to come can make light work of the task in a short space of time.

Compacting Snow

As you collect the snow it is very important that you compact it down to create a dense mound. Compact the snow through stamping it down or dancing a jig, filling in any odd gaps with more. Leave it overnight if possible but at least a couple of hours (in Arctic conditions it can take as little as an hour) to allow the compacted snow to form a solid block, dense enough to hold its form when it is hollowed out. Think of those horrible ice-creams that have been allowed to thaw out and then re-frozen. They are full of ice, but this is more or less exactly what we want in the Quinzee as ice is harder and stronger than snow.

Sticks

Gather a large number of approximately 8-10” sticks, as thick as your fingers. These sticks will be used to leave a uniform thickness to your Quinzee which is important for strength. You will also notice daylight starting the change the colour of the snow as you thin out the walls.

Insert these evenly over the surface of the Quinzee and push them into the mound until they are completely inserted into the structure. Try to make sure you have covered the entire surface as these will be an important guide for later.

Hollowing Out

Once the snow has frozen together you can begin to hollowing it out. Starting with the entrance way, begin to dig a channel directly in towards the centre. Once this has been done, you can start to widen the channel as well as carve away the roof. Be careful when doing the latter as it can be the easiest way to get snow down the back of your neck. So this is the perfect time to let someone else have a go! Continue to carefully carve away at the snow, stopping when you reach the ends of the sticks previously inserted into the Quinzee walls.

You now have a Quinzee!!

If you are going to try and keep the Quinzee for a while, you will need to add snow to the outside as it shrinks over time, so no, you haven’t become a giant.

It is important that no one is left alone while in the Quinzee in case it collapses in on that person. There needs to be others whom can help excavate them as it is akin to being trapped in a an avalanche.

Author: Paul Moseley

Simple Snow Shoe

The beauty of Forest Schools and understanding the natural resources means that as Practitioners we have the flexibility to introduce new ideas and options that come from unique circumstances.

While delivering a Level 3 training course we were fortunate enough to enjoy the first of the winter`s snow.  You can read the article on how we made a mini-Quinzee here, but there was also call for a pair of snow shoes.

Snow shoes are used to distribute a person`s weight so that they do not press down so deeply into the snow, making travel easier.

To make your own snow shoes you will need;
Per Shoe
2 x 1” thick hazel – this needs to be the arm span of the person for whom they are intended for.
4 x ½” thick hazel – the length of the person`s foot for whom they are intended for.
String

• Lay the rods so that the thick and thin ends are together.  The thick portion will form the body and back of the shoe, the thinner ends will form the front or toe of the shoe.

• Attach one of the shorter hazel pieces across both poles towards the very back of the rods,  leaving just a short amount on the outside of the rods, using square lashes.

• Add another about a third of the way back from the point bound with the sheer lashing. 

• Bind the two long hazel rods at the toe end with a sheer lashing.

• You now have the general shape of the shoe and we now need to put the foot supports in place.

• Find the balance point somewhere towards the middle of the shoe and then move slightly towards the front of the shoe.  It is best to have the shoe slightly weighted towards the back so that the tow will raise up, rather than drag down into the snow.  You can experiment with different foot bindings, but a simple toe binding will be enough for all but the longest endurance race.

• Place two shorter hazel rods onto the shoe frame, placing one under the ball of the foot and the other under the heel.  Tie these in place with more square lashings.

• Carve a small V into the top edge of the short hazel rod nearest the toe end and tie cord to the toe end itself using a clove hitch.

• Rest the tow end of the shoe against a solid object (tree branch, stump, log) and press down to bend the toe end upwards slightly.  The deeper the snow the more bend you will need to help prevent it digging into the snow.

• Holding the tension, pull tightly on the cord and place it into the V to keep it central.  Using the Tension/Humpty Dumpty Knot (frapping round turn with two half hitches) to apply more tension and to hold it in place.

• Experiment with different bindings that feel comfortable.  The important point is that the toe and heel are well secured to the rods on which they sit.

You can also use the shoe as a sledge to pull equipment through the snowy conditions where wheels become troublesome.

I hope you have fun building and using your simple snow shoes and find them useful.

Author: Paul Moseley

With winter here and snow abound, our feathered friends are eager to find food. By simply clearing away some of the snow and sitting, or laying, still, we can provide magical moments for ourselves and our learners. Within moments Robins, with their brash confidence around humans, can be scratching and nibbling away inches from us. To be that close to a wild bird can be a miraculous moment which excites and inspires anyone fortunate enough to look into the eye of this woodland wonder.

Author: Paul Moseley