So much snow and so much time - what can you do with it at the moment? Build an igloo, for example! But realising a child's dream in your own garden is harder than expected. How good that we took part in an igloo-building course run by Marco Seitner back when group activities were still possible. With the tips and tricks that the winter professional and owner of the Lermoos Alpine School gave us, the snow house in the garden became a real experience.
Reaching the goal together: building an igloo is teamwork
The right equipment is important first: in addition to all available helping (and family) hands, saws and shovels are absolutely essential. Then the only thing missing is the right "construction site": Seitner measures out a diameter of two metres for his igloo building course. "It takes four people about three to four hours to build an igloo of this size - depending on the snow conditions and, of course, the motivation of the team," explains the outdoor enthusiast. Then it's time to get started: To build an igloo, the hard-working helpers first have to dig a trench. As soon as it is deep enough, they go down into it to saw out the first blocks of snow - which sometimes crumble straight away. "That's due to the weather," explains Marco Seitner. "If it has rained a lot, we have an interfering layer. But then the snow is nicely compressed underneath. So there's only one thing to do: dig deeper!" If the snow is nice and "sticky", the blocks retain their shape. They can then be placed all around the circle on which the structure is to be built. Building an igloo in a team is particularly quick: one person saws, the next passes the snow blocks to each other and the last person places them on the ever-growing wall of snow.
Three-point rule for a stable childhood dream
It is best to have one or two helpers inside the igloo to ensure the stability of the snow wall. One thing is particularly important when building an igloo: the three-point rule. This is because each newly placed block must rest against the lower and side blocks at three points. If this is observed, the igloo can withstand strong winds and snowfall.
Block by block, the childhood dream of your own igloo is created. At the end, only the hole at the top remains open: The keystone is sawn like a diamond. Once it sits on the igloo, the work is as good as done. Now the cracks and holes on the outside and inside need to be grouted. Finally, the igloo is given an entrance. After all, the helpers who have grouted the inside have to be let out of the igloo again: "To do this, we dig a trench from the outside so that we can later enter the igloo from below. As we know, warm air rises to the top. If the hole were at ground level, too much heat could escape and too much cold could come in," explains Marco Seitner. If you build an igloo correctly, it is always around zero degrees Celsius inside. Good winter sleeping bags can withstand temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius, so it stays cosy and warm even during an overnight stay - another childhood dream that needs to be fulfilled.
As soon as it is possible again, Marco Seitner and his Alpine School Lermoos will be offering great outdoor activities. Until then, we wish you lots of fun in your very own igloo.
