How to build an igloo.

Last week outside the recreation office was a signup sheet for 12 people to spend Sunday building igloos. What a great opportunity for a beach guy to do something really different. So I signed up, attended a safety lecture and watched a few videos on how to build an igloo. The igloos would be a great place to camp in the upcoming months when the stargazing season starts. We built them at Castle Rock on a glacier about three miles from town.


I must say that I have never worked so hard but had so much fun! It really is backbreaking work to quarry the ice and carry the blocks to be stacked. The weather cooperated as it was around 0 degrees F with light winds in the morning. But as the afternoon progressed the wind came up and it got a little uncomfortable. I still don't know how those old explorers walked across this continent. How brutal! 


We completed one of the igloos and plan to return and complete the other two. Either that or keep them as open amphitheaters for star gazing.  It is amazing how warm it is inside an igloo. I can definitely see myself camping in one.

Getting ready to board a Pisten Bully. I was a student driver last Friday but today I was a passenger.

Our first stop...

was to resupply a "tomato". There are several of these survival huts that contain food, water and heat. Some of them also contain a telephone connected to the firehouse. No radios because the batteries wouldn't last in the cold.

Looking back at a lone golf ball (radome for an antenna).

Castle Rock. In the summertime it is a popular climbing rock. We are on a glacier leading into the ocean.

Measuring out the diameter of the igloo. There were 3 teams of 4.

Laying out the foundation.

I have cut the ice and will now remove the blocks with a light shovel push on the bottom.

Working in our ice quarry. My partner and I called ourselves Fred and Barney.

Moving right along.

The blocks can get very heavy. It is amazing how nicely they cut and remove.

Some real craftsmanship here. The top inside edge needs to be continuously beveled so that the additional layers move inside towards eventual closure.

A nicely cut block ready to be picked up and placed one the igloo.

This is when it gets tough. Along with beveling the inside edge the ends also need to be beveled for a tighter fit. There were a few times when a portion collapsed due to a poor fit. There are two working inside and two working the blocks. Wait! How are they going to get out?

I'm handing the inside crew another block.

A pause to admire the fantastic views. Being away from town I really felt like an explorer. What a fascinating continent!

Closure complete! Now the inside crew is digging out about 1 1/2 feet below the base layer of blocks and we are digging in.

Our neighbors.

Our transportation.

Stuck! I had to pull him out by his feet. As both of the inside guys struggled to get out they felt they were were being born again!

Lunch break. I wish my glasses hadn't fogged up. Spent most of the time with them like this.

We eventually increased the opening size and made a partly covered vestibule. That's me going inside.

A rough but very nice igloo. We also worked on sealing between the blocks with ice. No ready made caulking here!

A view from inside an igloo - a view not seen by many.

What a crew! The four of us inside our igloo. The flash washed out all the ice. It will probably sleep 3 comfortably. It is actually pretty warm inside. I just look cold.

I'll never look at ice the same again.

My "Frankenstein" boots! Warm and comfy liners inside.