Building a Two-Person Quinzee

The video is taken directly from the Frontier Bushcraft Online Elementary Wilderness Bushcraft Course.

This is an example of just one section from the course and gives you and idea of the production quality of the videos the course contains. 

There are over 110 sections in the course, spread over 12 modules. It's a comprehensive library of foundational bushcraft techniques and knowledge. 

The video above is from the shelter module of the course, which covers a range of essential shelter designs using natural materials, key techniques for tarp set-ups as well as many general shelter principles applicable all over the world.

From watching this video, even though this specific example demonstrates winter techniques, you can see how the material in the course applies to a wide range of geographies. 

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Building a Two-Person Quinzee Shelter in the Boreal Forest

In the heart of the boreal forest, deep in the far north of Sweden, we constructed a classic winter shelter known as a quinzee. The video above documents the entire process, from selecting the ideal location to settling in for the night inside a shelter crafted entirely from snow. Below, I offer a few reflections and practical pointers that reinforce the points made in the footage.

Why A Quinzee?

The quinzee is a time-honoured technique used throughout northern forests. Unlike an igloo, which requires firm, wind-blown snow that you can cut into blocks, the quinzee can be built with the loose, fluffy snow more commonly found in forested environments.

A well-constructed quinzee offers a surprisingly stable and comfortable overnight refuge. With just body warmth and a few candles, you can raise the internal temperature to just below freezing, even when the mercury outside plummets to -35°C or lower.

Choosing the Right Spot

We sought an open area free of trees, stumps, and large surface undulations. Flat ground makes things easier, and deep snow nearby is essential. Trudging back and forth to collect snow is both time-consuming and calorie-burning—two things best avoided in the cold.

We used a simple method to determine the shelter's footprint: one of us stood in the centre with an arm outstretched, while the other walked a circle to define the radius. This measurement ensures the shelter is appropriately sized for two people (no larger than necessary).

Constructing the Shelter

First, we trampled an area of snow to create a solid foundation. Then we began piling up loose snow over the footprint, shaping it into a mound large enough to house two sleeping platforms with space between them. Snow shovels are essential here, not just for shaping, but for compacting the mound. Tamping helps crush the snow crystals, which aids sintering and structural integrity once the mound has settled.

We allowed the snow mound time to consolidate and freeze, taking the opportunity to manage our clothing, have a hot drink, and collect spruce boughs from the woods for bedding.

Excavating the Interior

Digging out the interior is arguably the most uncomfortable part of the process. It's damp, awkward, and can feel quite claustrophobic. But it's also where things start to take shape. We tunnelled in low, creating a trench and cold well, then worked upward and inward to hollow out the sleeping areas.

As the dome walls thinned, the snow's colour changed from bluish to nearly white—our visual cue that we were approaching the structural limit. Some builders use guide sticks pushed in from the outside, but colour and care work just as well with experience.

Finishing Touches

With the inside cleared and the spruce boughs laid for insulation, we ensured our entrance sloped slightly downhill to allow cold air to drain out. A cold well in the centre of the shelter serves the same purpose, helping maintain a stable internal temperature. The raised sleeping platforms keep us off the snow and out of the coldest air.

We placed our packs at the entrance to reduce drafts and kept a shovel inside the shelter, essential in case wind drifts block the entrance overnight.

Candles added both warmth and light, their glow bouncing off the white snow and helping maintain an internal temperature just below freezing. It might be frigid outside, but inside the quinzee, we were warm, dry, and ready for a comfortable night.