Igloo Building and Sleeping

Building an igloo was hard work. We paid close attention while, Mike Goodyear, the director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre and an expert on extreme cold weather survival taught us the process.

First, we needed to cut out 50 snow blocks. The blocks were roughly 4' x 3' , 8" thick and weighed on average 25 pounds. After cutting, we then joined them together using the snow as glue. It was amazing to see the physics and chemistry of how each block supported the next with only snow to hold it together.

I was surprised to find the spiral building technique was the best way to build the igloo. I just assumed you put one block on top of the other block.


Last night three of us slept in the igloo.Sleeping in an Igloo while a blizzard brews outside with wind chill of -50? No problem. The igloo was warm and toasty with an inside temperature of around -9C (15F). I slept the night away.



Completed structure with Julie, one of the other teachers here, by the entrance. It was fun to experience the igloo building and now I can say I've slept in an igloo in the arctic.