The Video

This is the web page where we house the Quonset Video. It is a fairly large file, so you might want to start downloading while you read a bit. Right Click Here and "save target as" down load it. You will find the video runs faster on your hard drive. However, you can left click above and simply run the file from the web site. It will be slow, but it can be done. The file is in VDO format, which is self executable. The file format runs only in Windows 95/98/Nt format (sorry Lynux and Mac users). It will ask you if you want to install the video, and if you want to see it, you have to say yes. The installation leaves a small file on your temporary folder to run. I have NO clue as to who runs the video, so I am NOT tracking your hard drive (I have too many things to do to track your personal whatever).

What is a Quonset? Ok, on to "What is a Quonset." A Quonset is basically a snow cave. When most folks think of cold weather survival, they think of an igloo. An igloo is built of ice blocks. While fun and enjoyable to build, the down side of an igloo is that nicely formed ice blocks do not appear in nature. Building an igloo is a planned event, and is not easy to prepare in a survival situation. Survival situations tend NOT to be planned events, but related to unexpected outcomes inside a planned event. Igloos were typically constructed for courtship purposes of ones daughter, or other showcase events, not as an emergency survival shelter. In contrast, a quonset can be easily dug out from any sufficiently large snow drift. Snow drifts are often easy to find in arctic survival situations. In a couple of hours with fairly crude digging equipment, you can have a make shift survival shelter. This video covers a quonset built by some young children as a learning experience. It is not as extensive as traditional quonsets we have built, and was limited by space factors related to taping. While we have built larger, more extensive quonsets, they are a challenge to photograph from the inside. They tend to have limited lighting for videotaping, even with a candle or a coleman lamp. This one had several extension cords ran to it for the purposes of videotaping. This video is by no means professional in quality, and was originally filmed for family viewing only. It is offered for educational/amusement only. It is not intended as a film for arctic training, although one could use it as a general introduction to the general question of "What is a quonset." This particular one was built by a young girl. Enjoy!

Other Videos

If you would like to see other videos, try this page Kids Skijoring Or you can download a real video file of skijoring home here of skijoring click here No, the little boy in this video is not wearing skis, they fell off down the trail. However, he keeps right up with his sister and the dogs. He is 7 years old. If you have any questions, E-mail me by clicking on this picture of Fairbanks, Alaska in a summer mid-night below.