The Four Shields arrived at Cascades Montessori to find chilly
temperatures and a weather inversion over the lowlands. Luckily we were headed
up to the Mt. Baker Wilderness where the forecast called for sunshine and mild
temperatures, perfect snow cave building weather! On the way we spotted Bald
Eagles along the North fork of the Nooksack River and marveled at snow walls
that grew ever deeper as we gained elevation up Highway 542.
Pilling out of the bus in the upper parking lot the boys
suited up and threw snowballs at one another. Calling for some focus we headed
over to the backcountry gate and circled up for our opening meeting. The
mentors let the group know that backcountry travel was a lot different than an
outing in the frontcountry, and though we would not be venturing out too far from
the backcountry gate it doesn’t take long to be out in deep wilderness.
As we talked droves of snowshoe parties walked pass us. Many
of them looked very underprepared. Together we discussed: winter backcountry
travel and etiquette, avalanche prone slopes and terrain traps, what we knew
about the current snow pack, and how to identify tree wells. Feeling oriented
we headed out in search of the ideal location to build snow caves. Trudging
along the mentors pointed of some of the prominent peaks, which glimmered with
crystal clear clarity in the bluebird skies.
Arriving at a Northwestern-facing slope we pulled out an
avalanche probe and found snow depth at roughly 240cm or 7.8 feet. Being
careful not to compact the snow the group excavated a four by four foot section
down seven feet before making an entrance to their cave. Meanwhile the mentors
spent some time building a bench seat that they lined with a Term-a-rest. One
of the greatest parts about snow is that it’s excellent building material and
leads to tons of creative inspiration. The mentors cautioned the group that
backcountry camping is much different than a snow play day in the woods.
Staying hydrated, taking in the proper amount of calories, and keeping your
base layers dry is of the upmost importance for preventative care.
Two of our mottos came up while the group was digging: Slow is Fast and Fast is Slow, and Many Hands Make Light Work. The Four
Shielders anxiously excavated the entrance to their snow cave and found that
they had dug themselves into hole. Shoveling their way out of the hole required
heavy lifting, heaving, and extra effort that slowed them down significantly. Refocusing
their efforts the boys excavated a path to the hillside just below them so they
could easily shovel the snow in a fire line. Greg demonstrated a few digging
techniques that he had learned in avalanche courses and their efficiency
improved.
Looking at the time the Shielders could not believe that we
had spent half the day just doing the prep of getting our site ready to dig the
cave. Taking a snow saw the boys cut a three-foot cube into their snow cave to
create the entrance. All their hard work provided a great opportunity to talk about
clothing layering systems, moisture control, and how to hold focus towards a
daunting task. Three feet into the snow cave the boys started to dig upwards.
Keeping your sleeping platform inside your snow cave higher than the entrance
will trap heat inside the cave. Steve told a story of building a snow cave and
lighting an emergency candle inside which brought the temperature up to sixty-five
degrees! With a slight southerly breeze the boys could already feel the
insulating qualities of the shelter.
Digging the initial few feet inside a snow cave always feels
a little claustrophobic, but gradually the cave grows more expansive and
comfortable. There were two points when the snow excavation really started to
move along; first when the digger was able to sit up inside the shelter, and
second when it was big enough for two people to fit inside. Our shoveling crew
got what the group coined “gold fever” and didn’t want to stop. While a few
boys dug others worked on creating different features of a snow camp: a
sheltered cooking space, bench seating to relax and congregate, and a spot to
store gear were just a few features that the group added to the campsite.
The group spent the last part of the day learning the art of
shovel sledding, making snow cones with orange juice concentrate, and soaking
up the Vitamin D and spectacular mountain views. It was truly a pleasure to
spend a day in the mountains with your sons. We live in an amazing place and
this day was a great way to reinforce this truth. Before heading out we gave
some thanks and each shared about about what we had learned and what had
challenged us about the process. Normally we would have collapsed the snow cave,
which is the standard process, but one of the mentors was headed back up to the
mountains the following day with a younger group of Explorers to also build
snow caves so we decided to leave it as an example.
For more photos of our winter exploration please visit the
Four Shielders photo album
from the day.
