Product Description

How are the ice blocks of igloos so perfectly formed and fitted, and able, it’s been said, to withstand the weight of a polar bear?
How can you determine if the fresh snow that’s fallen outside your front door is as good for making a slab shelter as a snowman? What is a slab shelter, anyway? For that matter, what are drift caves, spruce traps, snow block walls, and bivy bag shelters, and how would you go about building them, whether for winter fun or protection from the weather?

In this instructive, whimsical, illustrated manual, Norbert E. Yankielun, a seasoned cold-regions explorer and researcher, takes readers step-by-step through the process of constructing and inhabiting a range of useful snow structures—from the most basic to the more complex. Whether you’re a veteran backcountry skier or a backyard builder, this is one book you won’t want to be without. 100 line drawings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #496922 in Books
• Size: How To Build An Iglo
• Brand: W.W. Norton & Company
• Published on: 2007-11-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
Norbert E. Yankielun, PhD, is a former research engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Laboratory in New Hampshire. In his spare time, he conducts igloo-building workshops, which draw hundreds. His Web site is www.DoctorWhy.com.

Customer Reviews

As Good As It Gets
First of all my 5 and 6 year old started looking at this book and it was hard to get it back from them as they were so charmed by the pictures. They have been playing in the snow and hounding me to help ever since.

Second of All I lived in Nunavut for 9 years and took lessons in igloo building from Inuit elders. I also worked with elders and teachers to create a unit on igloo building for students and teachers. I learned to make a half presentable igloo in this process! I can say with a modicum of expertise that many books on the subject are complete flops but not this one.

This book is the real deal. The pictures are great and the text is as well. A fantastic and charming tutorial for playing in the snow. First rate.

Just Add Snow!
What a truly delightful book describing both the science and the frivolity of snow structures. Dr. Why's excellent detail and evident excitement about the subject lend a depth to a subject all those exposed to the colder climes will enjoy. Make those NOT in a snow-filled area jealous... Great book for all ages and abilities!

Outdoor Fun and Survival
"There are lots of reasons to build a snow shelter. A snow shelter can be a serious survival refuge for people who work or play in the winter backcountry. It can be a fun social experience shared by friends, or a wonderful educational and inexpensive afternoon family project." ~ pg. 9

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to build a snow shelter then this book has many creative ideas including:

Preparation Before Building
Igloos
Quinzees
Slab Shelters
Drift Caves
Spruce Traps
Expedient Shelters
Camping Out

Norbert E. Yankielun explains why snow on a roof helps keep a house warmer and how snow acts as an insulator to protect plant roots and even stops hibernating animals from freezing. He then gives safety tips and explains the importance of nutrition and hydration. He also discusses windchill, frostbite, claustrophobia, hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning.

"...it has been reported that polar bears occasionally climb on top of an abandoned igloo to better survey the surrounding flat terrain for prey." ~ pg. 39

The instructions for building an igloo are very detailed and there are some interesting ideas for making part of the igloo with a block of ice for a window to let some light in. In areas where there is less snow an igloo can still be made after making a "sheet cake" of snow. Making a quinzee looks easier than the igloo or you could try to make a slab shelter that looks like a "pup tent." For most of the shelters it seems better to have at least two people working on the project. The simplest project includes a spruce tree and snow packed around it to form a type of cave for two people.

Throughout the book safety is emphasized. There are also creative ideas to keep tents from blowing over in damaging winds. A few structures are built with tarps. There is a short discussion about camping items you will need if you are sleeping out in your snow shelter. If you are building an igloo near your house all you need is warm clothing, a shovel and a saw. This book could save lives if you are out camping or can be a source of fun ideas if you just like to play around in the snow.

~The Rebecca Review