The ultimate guide to building protection from the elements for beginners and experienced outdoor enthusiasts alike

Without shelter, a person stuck in the wild can die of exposure in a matter of hours—long before they run out of food or water. But most people, even hardened backpackers, don't know how to build an adequate shelter. Packed with 30 easy-to-follow tutorials and over 200 step-by-step photos, this all-encompassing primer teaches readers how to construct a wide range of life-saving shelters using the natural materials available. Covering everything from basic debris covers, branch lean-tos, and bent sapling shelter to advanced leaf huts, snowcaves, and subterranean hideaways, this book provides the designs and techniques needed to build the ideal structures, even in extreme weather conditions. Also included are instructions on how to make tools to assist in shelter building as well as tips on bedding, mattresses, and other items to increase shelter comfort. By mastering the techniques in this book, readers will not only learn how to build specific structures, they will also obtain the skills needed to adapt any of the classic designs to suit any landscape, climate, and circumstance.