It’s been a big snow year, great for skiing, snowshoeing and sledding … and snow camping. It’s kind of fun rolling out a sleeping bag on the bare ground beneath a big spruce tree with snow all around, but if you want the full snow camping experience, plus all the protection that goes with it, you should dig a snow cave.

Snow caves can be lifesavers, as thousands of people have learned in dangerous conditions. But they also provide an enjoyable and educational way to spend a night in absolute quiet and more warmth than you would think. And trying snow caves a time or two will make you confident in your ability to survive an unplanned night in the mountains.

First, the equipment. You’ll want a short-handled shovel, warm, waterproof clothing, a closed-cell sleeping pad, a sleeping bag with a waterproof bivvy sack, headlamp, a candle and a lighter. The sleeping bag is optional but without it you’ll stay just on the wrong side of warm.

You don’t need to dig your cave far away from a road but you’ll want to avoid places where avalanches or slides might occur or other people might travel.

Your ideal spot will be on the downwind side of a small hill where snow has collected in a deep drift. It should be fairly solid; powdery snow will be hard to dig and will not dependably maintain its shape once dug. If necessary, you can pack it down with snow shoes.

Start by digging into the hill, then make a turn and dig upward to enlarge your sleeping quarters. The turn will keep wind from entering your cave and the upward cant will allow cold air to flow down and away from you. Do your digging in a minimum of clothing, with just a waterproof layer. After the cave is dug, you can change into your dry, warm clothing to enter your bed.

As you dig out the sleeping chamber you’ll want to shove the snow down toward the opening with your feet, where your partner can pull it out and discard it away from the hole. Trying to dig a snow cave by yourself is difficult and sleeping in one alone is not recommended. Cave-ins are possible and much easier to escape with two people.

Enlarge the sleeping chamber just enough to hold you and your partner(s). Then dig a trench between you to lead the coldest air down and away from you. The trench doesn’t have to be deep but if you neglect it the coldest air will pool all around you.

Next, smooth the walls and ceiling of the sleeping area; rough spots provide a pathway for condensation to collect into drops and fall on you, generally in your ear.

Make a flat spot for your candle. The candle will get you close to 60 degrees but you should put it out when you go to sleep. Also, use a branch or ski pole to put a ventilation hole through the side of your cave. You can keep it plugged with a snowball on the inside unless the air inside becomes stale.

Now you are ready to move in. Bring the shovel in with you — just in case. Relax and enjoy the quiet and the dark. You may never have experienced quiet and dark like you will in a snow cave. Claustrophobia can be an issue, but it’s not like you and your partner will be alone. With luck you’ll be able to watch ice worms travel across the ceiling of your cave all night.

Seriously. Ice worms. Little black things. Sometimes you can hear them sing.

Snow caves can be lifesavers, as thousands of people have learned in dangerous conditions. But they also provide an enjoyable and educational way to spend a night in absolute quiet and more warmth than you would think. And trying snow caves a time or two will make you confident in your ability to survive an unplanned night in the mountains.