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How to melt ice
or snow to drink
In the winter, your water source is most likely to be frozen and you need to melt ice or snow for drinking water. Water is equal important when weather is cold as when it’s hot. When having physical activities in cold weather it take a great deal of effort to stay hydrated because you lose water from sweating and breathing. Also in cold conditions dehydration can hasten chilling and increase your risk of hypothermia and frostbite.
To find water in cold, snowy condition you should first look for surface water such as streams, rivers and lakes. But if there is no surface water available you have to use ice or snow. Don't pop ice or snow in your mouth since it makes you colder and also it can damage the lining of your mouth.
Collect clean ice or snow. Ice is preferable since it takes less time to melt and ice also yields more water than snow. Start your fire and make sure you have enough fuelwood. It takes some time to melt snow and ice.
Using a pot for melting snow or ice
Do not fill the pot with snow since any water produced will be quickly soaked up by the remaining snow and the pan will burn through before the snow melts.
Heat your cooking pot only gently as you melt very small quantities in the bottom. Be patient. Gradually add more snow, not more than that the snow floats freely in the water.
The same principle also apply when melting ice, always start with a little starter water.
Alternative methods to melt ice and snow
A slower but not so labor demanding method is to improvise a sack from an item of clothing. For example use a t-shirt with sleeves tied. Fill the sack with snow or ice and suspend it to melt over a container placed beside a fire.
A second method is to melt ice slowly on a tilted rock over a fire. Hold the melting ice in place with small stones. As the water runs down the rock, collect it in a container.
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