aceatic
"Ever been snow caving?"
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Yes. Its much more work than you can imagine unless the geometry of your location helps you clear the rubble out of the way so you don't move each shovel full twice. There are many kinds of snow shelters. Snow caves require certain conditions not found everywhere. Tents are easier to deal with and require less energy, often also they mean the difference between going to bed dry vs wet after digging. You will never really dry out in a cave of snow. They're not such great places for down bags. You need a good shovel, preferabley with a metal blade - preferabley steel, but theres the weight trade off. An avolanche shovel should be carried anyway even if not snow caving. If you have an injured or "exposed" member of your party, they may not get to lay down in the shelter for an hour and a half while more able bodied team members dig.

On the good side, snow caves are quiet, out of the wind, don't shake, and its easy to light a stove - better have good ventilation and have the stove on the down side so carbon monoxide can flow down and out. And of course its kind of a romantic idea to sleep in a snow cave.

Similarly you can build up a sort of topless igloo and tie a tarp over the top. This has a lot of the feel of a snow cave and maybe less work. OR find someone elses topless old igloo - dig it out and tarp it.

I have friends who "snow hole". You sort of dig a hole just large enough to squeeze into with your bag. This is more of a mountaineering move. I have built a snow coffin from hard wind blown snow. Its an above snow structure. I didn't get to sleep in it because one of the scouts noticed this nice raised pile of snow and sat on it to tie his boots. He landed inside my snow coffin - he was pretty shocked... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Anyway on scout snow cave/quinzie trips, you ALWAYS take a tent just in case.

BUT I prefer a domed tent with 3-4 poles stretching the dome tight. This kind of 4 season tent is pretty stable and quiet also, but weigh in the 6-12 pound range.

Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

P.S. You can pitch your tent as a "backup" and after all your buddies see you crawl into your snow cave - you can sneak into your tent and spend the night. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />