Are you ready to awe your neighbors this winter? Are you thinking about launching a sneak snowball attack from the ultimate home base? Here are five tips for building a snow fort.
Prepare your space and equipment
No matter what your final fort will look like, some basic prep work will help it to last. Trace the perimeter of your structure in the snow with a stick, or handle. If a ton of snow fell, go ahead and draw a four-walled fort. However, if you have less snow, stick with a smaller design that utilizes a single wall with short wings to use for cover.
To create the bricks for your fort, look for items that are easy to fill, and a uniform shape. Some ideas are a beach pail, a plastic storage box, or a cooler. Gather your molds, and a yardstick for getting the snow out more easily.
Construct your bricks
Pack snow into your container. Wet snow works the best. If your snow is powdery, try to start with snow that is near buildings or landscaping, as this tends to be wetter. Pack the snow down tightly to ensure your brick stays together when you unmold it.
Fill your space
Start building your fort by placing your bricks around the perimeter you drew earlier. Leave a few inches between each block, and then stack the next layer like a brick wall, with the upper brick overlapping two lower bricks. Once you have your bricks in place, fill in the gaps with additional snow to bolster your walls.
Smooth the walls
The side of a snow shovel, a plastic lid, or a trowel can all be used for this step. Your goal is to make the walls of the fort smooth, and slanted slightly. Think about the sides of a pyramid, and go for that look for extra strength.
Make ice
Dump buckets of cold water over the entire fort, starting at the bottom and working your way up. As this water freezes, you will create an ice layer that will help your fort withstand snowball attacks.
Now that you have created the ultimate snow fort, you can start stockpiling snowballs so you are ready for battle whenever the opportunity arises.
Follow us for more on everything you can do in our American Southwest.
American Southwest Magazine 