Christian Photographers Community

I wasn't sure where to post this, but since it ultimately involves my family, I thought I would post it here.  This is copied from another site, outdoor gear related, that I frequent.  But I thought you folks might enjoy seeing this, so here goes!

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Finally, we are getting a good snowfall here in Anchorage, Alaska!  Yesterday, we received around 6 inches and another 2 today.  More snow is in the forecast for at least the rest of today and all day & night tomorrow.  It's good to see the white stuff falling.

I went out and shoveled the driveway, moving snow away from the building so the plow can get at it easier.  I then started building a base for an igloo.  I piled snow, put snowshoes on and stomped on it, piled more snow, more stomping, and so on and so forth until I got the following result - it's about 2 to 2.5 feet high.  I used a Paris Company Expedition sled to move snow from various shovel and plow piles around the place.



This base should be big enough to build a 9 foot igloo with a ledge around it after it is completed.  I hope to start building this evening when the kids get home from school.

The base will be used to tunnel under the igloo wall for the door, and will eventually have a trench dug in it. Cold air will sink into the trench and the raised base will provide a warmer area to sleep on.  I'm hoping an adult will also be able to stand upright in the trench, and make sitting in the igloo easier too.  We'll see.

Anyway, I'll try to document the building of this igloo with photos and post them here.  Since I don't have a lot of free time, this may take a few days.

By the time the boys and wife got home from school (roads/traffic were terrible tonight) and I fixed supper for the family (spaghetti with a meat sauce - my youngest's fav), it was getting close to bedtime.  But we went out and built with the boys for an hour anyways.

Here we are getting a start on the igloo.  Erik shoveled and stomped snow, preparing it for insertion into the form.  You can see the first block to the right of the form.  The first block is 1of 3 that form a ramp that starts the igloo.  The right side starts at base level, and you only fill it 1/3 of the way up on the left side.  The second block starts at the 1/3 level on the right side and is filled 2/3's of the way on the left.  That's where the form is here.  And of course the third block starts at 2/3's on the right side and is full on the left.



On the next photo, I've labeled most of the parts of the igloo maker.  The form is located in the same position as in the last photo.  When you move the form, you lift up on the U-Bar and then release the toggle.  This separates the form's panels enough to allow you to move it without breaking the block.  Because the form has an open end on the right side and closed on the left, you move the form in a counter-clockwise fashion. Moving the form on the first row seems to be the most difficult. The biggest deal on the first layer is making sure to SET the form in the proper 'square to floor' position  marked on the outside of the end panel BEFORE filling and packing with snow. As you get to the second layer, moving the form is much easier.



The next photo shows the form located at the seventh block of the first layer.  You can easily see the 'ramp' made from block numbers 1, 2 and 3.  As you start building each of the next layers, all adjustments to the pole are made when you get to blocks 2 and 3.  I won't go into this since this info is readily available on www.grandshelters.com by accessing the IceBox manual (pdf format).  If anyone has any questions about this, please ask.  But it's pretty straightforward.



The next photo shows the first row just about complete.  The final block of the first row is actually on top of the first layer of the ramp.  Here the form is located one block in front of that.  Pretty easy getting to this point.  Just make sure you've followed the necessary 'square to floor' requirement on this first layer.  You can ignore it once you are on the second layer.



The following photo shows the igloo's 2nd level halfway complete.  My boys were inside getting ready for bed so I was building solo here.  At this point, I was shoveling snow inside the igloo.  Once I guesstimated I had enough for a block or two, I'd jump inside and build by shoveling and packing snow into the form.  Packing wasn't a problem tonight.  The snow was easy to work with and packed in very easily, even with temperatures at 12º F.  I still worked it good, mixing/stomping/mixing/stomping.  But each  block was packing wonderfully tonight.



The last photo in this post shows the 2nd row complete.  The next two blocks will each require a pole adjustment.  You can already see the curve and angle of the igloo forming.  This tool makes buiiding so easy as long as you read and follow directions.  A practice igloo or two, and watching the video helps a great deal too.



I hope to work on it in daylight tomorrow.  I can see building solo from this point will be challenging.  I'll need to shovel snow inside the igloo for each block.  At this point, I may try tunneling thru the base to make it easier to get in and out of the igloo.  I just don't have long enough legs to easily step over and clear the 2nd layer.  Maybe if I'm really careful I can get thru the third layer without a door and tunnel.

Fun stuff.  Hated to quit tonight. But I had 2 hours into it and that was enough.  Even with my boys help, it really wasn't enough to speed things along.  My first grader was more 'in the way' than a good assistant though I wouldn't trade his help for anything.    I really needed another adult.  That, and taking time to do photos also slowed me up.  Even still, it's coming along nicely.  Just might sleep in this one if it turns out well.

The photo below shows the entire IceBox tool as it sits about 3/4 of the way around on the 3rd level.  You can see the pole (made up from 3 parts) and you can just see part of the swivel (red) in the snow at the end of the pole. Normally, you would be able to see more of the swivel end, but building solo means I have to shovel a good amount of snow into the igloo. Consequently, the swivel is partially covered in this snow.

And yes, I was able to successfully dig a door thru the base under the igloo.  A bit of a tight fit, but it really helped me proceed more easily with construction.



I moved thru layers 3 and 4 pretty easily.  After taking a break, I went back out and started layer 5.  Here, I found it necessary to remove the outside panel.  I could now shovel and pack into the previous block.  You can't make a full block now, but you pack diagonally into the form which now only has two sides to it.  It's starting to create the roof!



A closer look at the form at this point in construction.  The outside ledge really helps get snow into the form at this point.  As you can see, the snow is packed from the right bottom corner to the left top.  At this point, you move the form a bit and repeat.  I'll work this way thru the remainder of the 5th layer and the 6th.  Layers 7 and 8 are more about plugging the final hole.



And here is a look at the outside of the door.



I could finish this on my own, and may have to, but I'm going to try and drag my wife out there to help after dinner.  I might just get the roof on tonight!

Wonderful way to spend part of the day!  The snow never really stopped.  Just a nice light snow kept falling all thru the day.

Well, it's done!  My better half DID come out and help put the finishing touches on.  And we had a roof in less than an hour.  Cold work, let me tell you.  Temperature was down to 6º F.  Not frigid, but cold enough.  A small GAZ lantern was lit. Of course, my boys, one of their friends, my wife and I all piled in there.  Several cups of hot chocolate were downed.  With a stove running, the temp climbed easily above 60º F near the ceiling.  :shock:

Here's a photo of the happy crew enjoying the quiet of the interior.  And it really was quiet.  You could hardly hear a sound outside.  The interior sure does make a nice photo studio.  The bounce flash feature works like a charm! 



No camping out tonight.  I might try tomorrow with one or both of my boys. By the time we got it all done, I was just a bit too tuckered out to go digging for the pads, sleeping bags and such.  Tomorrow night it's supposed to get down well below 0º F.

I'll take a photo or two of it tomorrow and post the finished product.

Current plans are to sleep in it tonight with both my boys.  The wife is opting out for a regular nights sleep in bed.  Don't blame her none.  She's always had more sense than me.

The forecast has changed a bit.  Earlier, we were supposed to have a low of about -15º F but it's changed to -5º F, probably due to some clouds moving in.



I'm gathering a good sized tarp, closed cell foam pads and our thermarests.  On top of that, we'll have the bags.  My bag is the only 4 season we own, but I don't believe a 4 season is necessary inside the igloo.  The boys should be fine in the 3 season bags.  If not, their own beds are very close by.

Should be an interesting night!

Well, we all survived. The outside temperature at our place got down to -6º F.  While making hot chocolate with my recently acquired Coleman 508A single burner, the temperature got up to 52º F near the top of the igloo.  At the time, the igloo was also lit with a Coleman model 202 single mantle.  Next time, I'll probably opt for a gassy stove and lantern as the white gas equipment did leave a lingering odor.

For convenience sake, supper was done in the house, but we had to have another cup of hot chocolate.  Like I stated above, I used a 508A Coleman.  Here's the stove, kettle, and an appropriate mug.



And a photo of their happy faces with steaming mugs.



Of course, Jake, my youngest thinks everything is too hot if it's anything above luke warm, so he was last to finish.  That's fine.  We all managed to eat a bunch of sugar cookies while we waited.



Mom had to come in and make sure the boys accommodations were adequate, and to give kisses all around.  Can't say I didn't enjoy it.  



And each boy tucked in - first Jake.



And then Erik.




The night went about as expected.  Erik found it necessary to get up twice due to the call of nature.  He cooled the igloo down both times getting in and out.  But it gradually warmed up again both times.  I would say the temperature inside was a balmy 35º F without a heat source other than our body heat.  But it made for a nice and comfortable sleeping temperature.  Jake hardly stirred, and was in fact, fast asleep within minutes of being tucked in.  Erik struggled with sleep.  He talked for a long while after getting in his bag, which was fine by me. The reason I knew he was asleep was that the questions stopped.

Daylight was beginning to break when we got up and out. Sunrise here was at 10:01 AM this morning.  But I'm guessing we got up and out by around 9 AM. 

Did I sleep well?  Hmmmm.  Not a great night of sleep, but I did sleep well enough.  I was simply too hot in my 4 season bag.  I got out of the inner bag and just slept on top of that with the outer bag over me.  I also took off my extra socks and had on a layer of long polypro underwear.  Once I made the decision that I wasn't going to cool off and got out of that inner bag, I cooled off enough to sleep comfortably.

Our gear seems to be fine.  No condensation evident on anything, no dripping, and no icing up.  Overall, a successful night out.

Temps tonight are supposed to get down to -15 to -25ºF here in east Anchorage.  I think I'll sleep in my own bed, but I don't doubt one bit I could enjoy a good, warm night in the igloo.

And yes, I'm sure the boys will remember this night.  And I hope they'll enjoy many such nights with dear ol' dad in the future - and not just in the backyard. 

Oh, my Andy! 

What an enjoyable read!  This is something your boys will NEVER forget and this is so important in a family to have family times such as this.  What a great time you've had and I so appreciate your sharing this wonderful event with all of us!

Absolutely fascinating photographs.  I've never seen an igloo being built and I'm having difficulty believing it',s warm inside, but I will come back to this time and time again. Thankyou for posting.

Anthony.

Andy, I sent this link to my kids and both the sons mentioned how they enjoyed your article and the read of how you built this.  They had both done similar with their sons and daughter. 

Absolutely wonderful!  I echo all the comments Pat made.  I and my boys made an igloo years ago, but it wasn't nearly as hi-tech as yours.  But it sure was fun.

What a wondeful photos story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading as well as seeing your family and the building of the igloo.

Thanks all for your kind comments!  It was a great family time, and I get to repeat it today with our church body who is having a winter fun day / chili cook off.  I'm busy cooking beans for my chili submission and making enough to feed an army.  I'll be taking the igloo tool also, and plan on building one with the 10 inches of snow we received the other day!  Should be a great day - and I plan on sleeping in it too if all goes as planned.  Better get back to that 'secret' recipe for the chili!