Other than a fire, building a shelter when you are away from civilization is key to ensuring your survival in the days to come.
Most of the time, however, the shelters we do build are not particularly long lasting; after all, we only ever find ourselves needing to build shelters during critical situations, such as moments where we find ourselves stranded with little to no contact with civilization.
Those shelters are built on the spur of the moment and are never really meant to last long. Their goal is simply to keep us alive until we are rescued.
So why build a permanent shelter?
For those who love the outdoors such as campers, a permanent shelter would be a good thing to consider building, especially if you have a
campsite that you visit regularly. It would be especially useful as a form of shelter other than your tent, and can even have different additional functions, depending on the type of shelter you build.
For hunters, it’s a reliable location for hunting, and it can even be used a safe space when modern civilization is taking its toll on you.
In this article, we will show you how to build a permanent shelter in the wilderness. Materials required will vary, as some of them can be built simply out of scavenged items in the wilderness.
Step 1: Location!
No matter where you are, what time it is, and what season it is, finding a suitable location is crucial, especially considering how your shelter is meant to last for an exceptionally long time.
And while all the things to be considered when making short-term shelters carry over to long-term ones (using nature like trees, caves, or tall rocks as cover, finding the right materials in your location, etc.), there are additional things to think about that short-term shelters would not need to worry about as much. For instance, you would need to consider nearby predators. As these animals vary depending on where you live, you’re best off doing some research beforehand on your local predators before going to the site itself then searching for any signs of them when you arrive. This means searching for things like animal tracks or droppings.
This will help ensure not just your safety, but that of your permanent shelter even when you aren’t around to guard it. You do not really want to come back to the campsite in the future only to find it thrashed because a bear found it while you were gone.
Here are some other things to consider before building your shelter:
1. Is it near any potential environmental hazards? (Flash floods, avalanches, landslides, etc.)
2. Is it near a clean water source like a river or stream?
3. How exposed is it to the rest of the world?
4. Is it near a potentially risky place? (Muddy ground, Sandy ground, Swamps, Cliffs)
Not all of these need to be thought about rigorously, but all of them will help in keeping your shelter up and about for the years to come.
Step 2: Choose Your Fighter-err Shelter
This is where the fun begins. As your aim is to keep your shelter working for as long as possible, it is in your best interest to think about what kind of shelter would fit your needs. This would mean considering your potential future outings and the amount of people you will be bringing with you (If any) as well.
Some permanent shelters can be built using only materials from the wilderness. Others may require materials from civilization to make. Either way, the type of shelter you choose to make should be in accordance with your needs. Here are some shelters that you can build:
a. Lean-to
An inexpensive shelter that can be built from materials scavenged from the woods. It’s simple, sturdy, and doesn’t take too long to build either!
To start, first, find two poles and stick them at least eight feet apart. If you want the roof of your shelter to be sturdier, it’s better to find two trees that fit the distance bill instead.
After, find some long and sturdy branches. It needs to be strong as it will become the backbone of the roof of your lean-to. Tie the sturdy branch across the two trees using any form of rope. The stronger your rope, the better.
Now lay some long branches on your tied-up branch, preferably at a 45-degree angle, touching the ground. You may want to make it steeper to account for weather conditions (Rain or Snow) so that the roof sheds them.
And you’ve finished! You can use some foliage from the woods or a tarp of your own to cover the frame of your roof.
b. Wickiup
Indigenous people in North America and Australia use these shelters and for good reason: They are highly effective at what they do. Even better? They can be built even without materials from home. Done right, they can even fit in a campfire without risk of burning the structure down.
The only catch is that it will take significantly longer to build than the lean-to, but it would well be worth it as a long-lasting shelter.
To create a wickiup, you will need to gather at least ten large branches. The larger they are, the larger the inside space of your shelter will be.
Tie them together with any sturdy rope in the shape of a funnel and set it upside down on the ground. Cover the frame with foliage and leaves, or you can use a tarp or blanket to cover the outside, shielding you from the heat and the cold. The slanted feature of the shelter will also make it, so rain drops slide off the cover, and not fall inside.
c. Log Cabin
The log cabin shelter may very well be both the most expensive and time-consuming shelter of the three to build. It’s likely that you will need outside help and materials to be able to construct one unless you are a professional carpenter yourself. But on the bright side, it’s also the comfiest shelter out of the three, and will feel like your home away from home when done right. It works especially well for both summer and winter too.
In terms of materials, you won’t find yourself short of any, especially when your campsite is located in or near the woods, as you’ll be using the trees nearby as materials to build your log cabin. For building the cabin itself, it may be a better idea to call in a professional to save time and effort, as doing it alone will take a significant amount of time to finish.
Wrapping things up
It’s not every day that people really want to build permanent shelters, and for good reason. You have your own house to take care of already, and unless you’re a pariah or a criminal being chased away from the city, you’ll have minimal use for a shelter out in the wild that is meant to last for a long time.
Still, as we’ve discussed above, building a permanent shelter still has it perks, especially for the adventurous types. It may even help you should you find yourself missing your own items, cutting down the time needed to make a shelter when one already exists nearby.
Building permanent shelter takes time and effort, but it’s well worth it when done right, considering how flexible they can be when you’re out and about when around nature.