Hidden bushcraft shelter

[Gcckoka]

Hello everyone , today I'd like to share progress on my hidden bushcraft shelter , I wanted a good long term shelter since I got involved in bushcraft 5-6 years ago.
Since I don't have access to my mountain house any more , I had to make it near the city , the main goal being it to be hidden from all the people that hike there , hope you like it and all advices are welcome from you dear friends

heres how I started making the roof

Here's how i dig the hole

God bless and have a nice day
Nick

 

[Robson Valley]

Thank you. Good beginning for a winter pit house in Western Canada.
Good dog to help you dig! You will be warm and dry.
Cree First Nation pit houses could be 2m deep x 8+m diameter, 60cm soil over log roof.

 

[Gcckoka]

Thank you. Good beginning for a winter pit house in Western Canada.
Good dog to help you dig! You will be warm and dry.
Cree First Nation pit houses could be 2m deep x 8+m diameter, 60cm soil over log roof.

glad you like it , thanks

 

[Snufkin]

I like that. Maybe dig a gutter behind the shelter to channel rain water around it.

 

[Erbswurst]

I think you will get problems with entering water.

Pay attention, that it doesn't work like a mouse trap and break you the neck.

 

[Gcckoka]

I like that. Maybe dig a gutter behind the shelter to channel rain water around it.

Yes I plan to put ground around it to keep the water out

 

[Erbswurst]

With Wall and trench you can protect it a bit. But in heavy rain water could enter through the hill in your room. That depends of the sort of earth you have there.

I recommend to put some floorboards in the room, that you come off the ground, and to dig a trench to drain the ground of the shelter.

But perhaps it stays dry how it is.
You will see it.

 

[Robson Valley]

First Nations lived in pit houses in western Canada as recently as 2 centuries ago.
The houses used 60 cm of the earth to cover the log roof to soak up some rain.
Gcckoka should be warm and dry with little needed to redirect ground water run-off.

 

[Erbswurst]

Please tell us if it stays dry.
I think it will rain through the earth in the room, if there isn't something else in between.

 

[Robson Valley]

Because pit houses were so common for our First Nations in North America, the designs might hold some useful ideas.
This is the newest one that I know of. No anglo help is ever needed. It is maybe 5 miles from where I sit.
https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com...tional-pit-house-unveiled-near-unbc-1.1347534

 

[Gcckoka]

Please tell us if it stays dry.
I think it will rain through the earth in the room, if there isn't something else in between.

I dont plan to go there in heavy rain but I was there in rain , covered it with small amount of debris and was kept bone dry , it rained for 2ish hours and again I have the same concern that it will leak in heavy rain but I wont go in heavy rain and thats it

 

[Erbswurst]

OK, I understand!

Different areas, different thoughts.

I never could construct a house like this in Germany, because even in the nicest days it can suddenly in the evening start to rain horribly, and you never know it before.

 

[Janne]

Good soil you have there!
Maybe that is the reason you grow such nice grapes?

 

[tiger stacker]

OK, I understand!

Different areas, different thoughts.

I never could construct a house like this in Germany, because even in the nicest days it can suddenly in the evening start to rain horribly, and you never know it before.

You should try living outdoors in Scotland or Ireland, this rare bout of sunshine is keeping the rain at bay.
Thanks for sharing the vids, good effort keep up the posts.

 

[Robbi]

You should try living outdoors in Scotland or Ireland, this rare bout of sunshine is keeping the rain at bay.
Thanks for sharing the vids, good effort keep up the posts.

Ha ! you're right !!

over here we call shelters like that water features !

 

[Robson Valley]

I've been in the city long enough this time to ask some FN elders about the pit house at UNBC.
They say no, it's just imagination that they get wet inside. No need to do any guessing.
They don't even get damp. The central house fire under 60cm soil with grass growing on top is a good roof.

 

[Erbswurst]

I would be I interested to see the original wooden construction.

 

[Robson Valley]

The original article showed several pictures of the inside. It's about 2m deep and 8m in diameter. Fairly typical size.
Some in the south had an entry from the top center with a ladder. Most in the west and north used a side entrance with steps.
The wooden log roof is always supported by 4 vertical posts which represent the 4 corners of the world.
To me, the logs look like 20-40 cm diameters (not very big). Just laid tight, side by side.

When you visit an ancient village site, the house pits hardly seem knee deep.
That's because the logs rotted and the whole thick earth roof fell into the house pit.
I guess they dug new ones or excavated the house pits.

Wanuskewin was occupied for 6,000 years, fabulous site protected from bad weather.
That place is Aspen Parkland biogeoclimatic zone. With range fires, the logs from regeneration
would have been very skinny. Like the logs used by the Ukranian immigrants for their farm buildings.

Gcckoka has good logs for the roof of his pit house. Should support a thick soil load.

 

[Erbswurst]

That means, there is only one layer of round logs, and without anything in between directly 60 cm of soil on it?

 

[Robson Valley]

That's correct. Most roof tops appear to be stabilised with living grasses.