I have to challenge your claim that a lean-to will keep you neither warm nor dry. When my dad was a boy living near Flagstaff, Arizona he and his brothers pretty much had free range to do what ever they pleased after school and chores were done. One time he built a lean-to, exactly as you describe not working, to show his brothers how. He chopped two pine trees down so they were still attached to the stump to form triangular frames. Then he placed poles horizontally across to form a ladder shaped frame sloping towards the ground. Over the top of that he placed pine boughs so that the cut end was in the air at the open end of the lean to and the needles pointed towards the ground. Finally he covered the two triangular shaped sides to create a lean-to with a sloping roof, two triangular walls and a rectangular opening facing away from the prevailling wind. On the open side he built a fire pit with a reflecter to complete the shelter.

Okay, so what, I've just described a shelter from any number of survival books including the US Army manual "Survival, Evasion and Escape", 1966 version. The point is that after he and his brothers were done with it, a homeless woman found it and moved into it. With some augmentation such as covering the floor with cardboard, she spent the winter in that shelter. This is in Flagstaff Arizona, relatively high altitude, winter snow which sticks until spring in non-drought years, and high wind. I would call that a successful shelter from a survival point of view. And survival techniques are why I read this site, not for camping. If I am in a survival situation, i am there because I no longer have all the gear which makes life easier and softer, including my house, electricity, tents, stoves, cafeteria, computer and internet. Anything else, including a bugout with my BOB isn't a suvival situation, at worst, it is an unpleasent camping trip.


Edited by AROTC (09/04/06 05:14 PM)
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A gentleman should always be able to break his fast in the manner of a gentleman where so ever he may find himself.--Good Omens