BWCA quinzee fail Boundary Waters Winter Camping and Activities
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03/01/2014 05:21PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I have made 100's of quinzees over the years. So I wanted to teach my kids how to make one. I piled up a 5 foot pile of snow and let it sit for over a week (it got to cold to finish at the time). We went out today to dig it out and I was almost done when it collapsed. No one was hurt and I was digging with my feet so all was well. But what caused the collapse? I know there was over a foot thickness to the walls. The only thing I can think of is the settling didn't settle right over the week. With the winds and snow something must have happened to prevent it from setting up? Thoughts?
 
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OldFingers57
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03/01/2014 06:09PM  
It could be that because it was so cold that it wasn't able to bind together even though you had let it set for so long. Or when you piled it up you may have been using different snow from different snowfalls. Just like in avalanches the snow is not the same it is different levels and types and thus it can shear and thus the avalanche happens.
03/01/2014 06:26PM  
quote OldFingers57: "Or when you piled it up you may have been using different snow from different snowfalls. Just like in avalanches the snow is not the same it is different levels and types and thus it can shear and thus the avalanche happens. "


Yes this! When I was digging I noticed it had different layers. How would I prevent this. Do I need to jump on the top longer?
SevenofNine
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03/02/2014 03:34PM  
Make sure you are mixing the snow well when pilling it up. And I wouldn't wait a week to dig it out. A day or over night should suffice.
OldFingers57
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03/03/2014 08:00AM  
Ya,I suppose by packing it down some more or mixing the snow it might help. I'm not for sure if either of those options will work though.
tonyyarusso
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03/03/2014 03:26PM  
You shouldn't need to jump on it at all...just let it settle on its own. Definitely make sure it's mixed as you build - take take all of the snow for a layer from one spot, turn over shovelfuls as you go, etc.
IglooEd
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03/03/2014 09:11PM  
I'd be more inclined to suspect the snow wasn't pack all the way to the ground when the pile was originally piled up.
Another scenario could be that the heat of the ground turned the bottom layer into depth hoar.
 
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