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Shelter (LNT (food (animals (We want to keep our food away from animals…

- - - - Anything man-made (like someone else's trash) is okay to take.
  - - - Dangers
        
        Bears are the only real dangerous animal we will experience in the northcountry
        
        Bear canisters or bear hangs (where legal) will keep our food away from them
      - Nuisances
        
        small critters; squirrels, birds, etc.
        
        Don't leave your food out. If you're not eating it, make sure it is safely in your bag or tent.
      - We want to keep our food away from animals
        
        We need our food so we don't starve.
        
        Most of our food will make animals very sick if they eat it.
    - - When cleaning our pots, fair-shares, etc, we need to be careful of what/ where we're pouring out.
        
        we don't want to make animals sick via leftover food.
        
        If we use soap or bleach or some other artificial cleaning agent, we want to be sure we're not going to poison the ecosystem with it.
- - - - Where is the sun? Where is the wind coming from?
      - How will this affect our setup?
  - - - If it rains, are we going to be sleeping in a pond?
    - - Where will our runoff go?
- - - - In general, it is usually a good idea to have a slightly larger tent than you need (i.e. a 4-person tent for three people) so that you have some breathing room, space for gear, etc.
        
        Exceptions to this would be size/weight considerations, or if camping solo.
    - - There is a wide range of tent warmth levels, ranging from an ultra-lite summer tent all the way to an antarctic winter tent
    - - Stake in firm, unfrozen ground as best you can: loose ground will not hold the stake, frozen ground will not allow the stake in deep enough.
        
        Stakes should be perpendicular to the angle of pull.
      - Tent area should be clear of trees, brush, etc.
        
        LNT: avoid camping close to water, trails, etc.
        
        Avoid drainages, flood areas, water runoff, look for flat, even ground.
        
        Orientation: toward/away from the wind to best deflect it. Keep entrance clear at all times.
      - Always keep something in the tent to keep it weighted down.
        
        Unclip poles from tent walls before removing ends.
        
        Utilize guylines.
    - - season
        
        three season
        
        meant for warmer weather (North American April- October)
        
        winter
        
        meant for the snow-laden months
        
        much thicker, heavier, warmer
      - skin
        
        single
        
        the entire tent is a one-piece
        
        lighter, more simple to use, etc
        
        double
        
        there is a second layer to the tent, typically a rainfly
        
        more effective at keeping interior dry, warm
      - shape/ pole configuration
        
        tunnel tents
        
        more aerodynamic, good for high wind areas
        
        requires 100% stake use to stand
        
        teepees
        
        very simple to use, very few parts
        
        no/ detachable floor
        
        pole goes straight up, can make interior configuration difficult, requires 100% stake use to stand
        
        geodesic/ semi-geodesic tents
        
        most tents you'll see in the outdoors
        
        crisscrossing network of poles distributes stress evenly, provides a solid structure
        
        can be used without stakes (in an emergency, stake use is always highly recommended)
  - - - igloos are surprisingly warm
      - all you need is snow to make them
      - cold air sinks; ensure you have a trench of some kind in the shelter to keep the coldest air below you so that you're not sleeping in it
      - types of snowshelters
        
        tree pit
        
        takes less work than an quinzee
        
        more of an improvised shelter
        
        dig out the are around a tree trunk, there will be less snow there and it will already have a semi-built structure to it
        
        quinzee
        
        a "traditional" igloo
        
        more of a permanent/ semi-permanent shelter
        
        holds heat better and has more room than a tree pit
    - - take some time to make, but are very effective
        
        work best for one person
        
        making one big enough for two or more people will increase the likelihood of heat loss
        
        the exception to this would be to use the body heat of multiple people to help heat the shelter
        
        can be constantly added to as needed
      - great in places like the Adirondacks, not so easy in other biomes (i.e. the desert)
  - - - they are already there
        
        you don't need to carry a tent with you
        
        they have limited space and are only in a few locations: if there isn't room in the one you planned on using, you may not have any shelter that night
      - only has three walls, you will still be subject to the wind
- - - - keep in a dry place
      - store somewhere above freezing
      - keep all pieces together so nothing gets lost
    - - light debris buildup inside the tent is common on a long trip
        
        Sand, dirt, small bits of trash, etc. Simply shake out formed tent so that anything inside collect in one corner. Then use your hand or something to scoop it out.
      - Stains, sap, etc
        
        some substances will need a thorough wipe down if inside the tent
      - Food
        
        anything that will attract animals will need to be cleaned off
    - - damage to fabric
        
        rips can happen, but usually aren't too difficult to fix in the field
        
        small tears can be fixed with duct tape
        
        large tears can be "sewn" shut with zip-ties, cord, wire, etc to make them less "gaping." duct tape can then be used to seal up the rip
        
        any kind of tear will have a negative effect on thermoregulation, whether large or small
      - damage to poles
        
        breaks "mid-pole"
        
        do your best to splint the pole
        
        breaks when segments connect
        
        these are more difficult to splint, but it can still be done
        
        pole-joint breaks
        
        Some poles are connected, creating a kind of rib-cage for the tent.
        
        If a joint is broken, the shape of the tent can often keep the pole in the correct position.
        
        If damaged pole is a secondary, you can do without it in a pinch. If damaged pole is a primary, make do with what you have. some secondary poles can be used to replace primary poles if needed.
        
        be sure that the broken area isn't sharp, so as to avoid injury or damage to tent fabric
      - damage to zippers
        
        zipper becomes jammed
        
        fabric is caught in zipper
        
        This is quite common. gently tug on the fabric to remove it from the zipper's teeth. pulling too hard or suddenly may rip the fabric
        
        zipper itself is damaged
        
        If the zipper is bent/ broken beyond field repair capability, do your best to keep zipper closed and use other means of entry/exit if possible.
        
        using lip balm, deodorant, or some kind of waxy substance to lubricate the zipper can often fix the problem
        
        zipper unhooks from one side
        
        Try to reattach the two sides of zipper
        
        If this cannot be done, use other means to keep zipper together if possible
      - damage to stakes
        
        stakes can still be used if bent
        
        Do your best with what you'v got. Replace when out of the field