498Victor Wanotch waited for me to arrive, keeping the truck warm at Camp Artaban, Alberta.
“Father get in,” Victor suggests. “You will like to see it.”
I hopped into his truck. I never realized that I would see a Quinzhee. Quinzhee is a snow shelter. Like a fun igloo, it is used during winter camping and survival. Quinzhee entered the English language in your lifetime – 1984, according to Wikipedia.
“Seven people slept into this last night,” Victor told me.
This Quinzhee was used as 2020 Winter Campout by the Junior Forest Wardens (JFW) with a title, Smoky River Bears. JFW focuses on developing wildlands conservation ethics in youth. People who slept inside claimed that it was warm inside at night. Cardboard stood as a door, as they snoozed off in the sleeping bags and winter blankets on the snow cover floor.
When I arrived, JFW had left. Quinzhee told the story.
I crawled to see the inside. Space carved out from snow was enough to sit or crouch, not to stand.
“It is loose snow piled up,” Victor said, explaining the process.
Willow sticks are inserted on the top of the snow heap, as a marker to stop the snow removal at a certain height. It is easier to pile snow. The tough part is excavating the snow from inside.
Entering the Quinzhee felt like I am closer to staying in an igloo. Why not? Can I have a parish church as an Igloo?
Am I tempted to go out and sleep inside the Quinzhee? You can guess it correctly. I’ll do it.
Something for you …
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