Basic Shelters

 In Arizona we have so many different landscapes that when it comes time to talk about shelters we have a multitude of choices.  In the winter in northern AZ we can build anything from a snow cave to a lean-to.  In the southern part of the state our choices are a little more limited and require us to be very resourceful.  I want to look deeper into making a shelter in the desert regions of the state.  If you have packed a good survival kit you should have the required materials available to set up a tarp lean-to or cuddle up under your space blanket.  But, if you failed to pack appropriately (shame on you) there are plenty of things we can use to build a shelter.  Our first concern in building a shelter is to get us out of the hot day time sun and second to keep us warm once the sun sets and the temperature plummets.

The first and most basic shelter is referred to as a cocoon.  You simply find as much debris and vegetation as you can find and cover your self with it.  The other option is to gather everything you can find make a large pile and slide into it like a snake.  Be sure to check for scorpions and big thorns when choosing material for your cocoon.

The second shelter I would recommend is a simple lean-to.  I like to use spines from dead saguaro cacti because they tend to be abundant, straight, and easy to break and stack.  All you need to do is find a boulder, tree, or overhang and start leaning the sticks against them at a 45 degree angle.  Note: the steeper the angle the better it will shed rain and water.  After you have a base layer of sticks stacked together you need to cover them with any type of vegetation or solid objects you can find.  This second layer is meant to help block the sun, wind, and rain.  Remember to make the shelter just big enough to fit yourself and your gear.

Other options you have for building shelters in the desert are tepee style and A-frame style.  Both of these are built just like the lean-to but instead of building only one side you have to have a center support and build your shelter on both sides.