Best way to avoid blizzards

[Pyroxene]

What is the best way to avoid blizzards when you're trekking in the Zone of Contamination?

[Prometeu]

Make sure you have good condition. Good rest. Open the door if you see snowflakes close the door and wait another day.

[conanjaguar]

Not specifically for ZoC, but with a bit of practice you can light a fire just about anywhere if you can find a sheltered spot. Trees, rocks, and cliffs will do quite nicely; just pour on the fuel and pray the wind doesn't shift!

[ManicManiac]

There is some good sound advice in this thread already, but I thought I might add my thoughts as well. 

I'm not so sure that a snow shelter is always objectively the best option.  I'm sure it's favored by some... but I personally don't really think it's necessarily the best solution.

The snow shelter is definitely a convenient one (especially if set up in front of a hollow tree or a windproof firebox).  However, I find that it's usually the better option to simply seek any nearby shelter/cover to hole-up in and wait out the storm.  This way (assuming you have at least mid-tier clothing... we can generally keep warm in any "indoor"/interior of a shelter (including the back of nearly all shallow caves, interior caves, and inside buildings *where we have an inside/outside loading transition) even without a fire.  Most times even if we need a couple more degrees to start warming up... we can also then hop in a bed or use a bedroll in most cases to make up the difference.

I think folks will find that "shelter" can even be as simple as a spot where we can be shielded from the wind.  Tucking up under a low bridge (for example - the one between the town of Milton and the Paradise Meadows Farm), this can give you a place to both get cover from the wind, but also a shielded spot for a fire.

Hollowed out trees are also a good spot to get a campfire set up... it's mostly protected (except for if the wind is blasting straight at the opening).

For those who really enjoy exploring and seeking out all the little nooks and crannies... there are also many many small niches in ridgelines, crevices, tiny little cave-like nooks where we can get good shielding from the wind with enough room that we can sometimes get a campfire setup with us (assuming it's deep enough that we can squeeze in with it). 🤭

If you have enough sticks on hand... you can even nurse a campfire and just tank the storm by a tree.
But again... I'd posit that usually the most ideal answer to a blizzard is to just find a nearby structure with an interior transition (or the back of a common/shallow cave).

All this having been said... which is the "best" option I think really just comes down to each particular situation, what you have to hand, and what your personal playstyle is.

As long as you find a way to survive the storm... then it's not a bad answer.  

Edited April 24, 2024 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

@BugReportEnthusiast

I don't disagree with that... it is a good option.  I only mean to say that I didn't think it was always the best option, depending on the circumstance. 

[Semple Fi]

On 4/22/2024 at 10:51 AM, Pyroxene said:

What is the best way to avoid blizzards when you're trekking in the Zone of Contamination?

Avoid? Or Survive?

 

 Play Pilgrim (answer to both)

[Leeanda]

There is also the old follow the edges ,there's usually little hooks and crannies to hide behind.or of course caves.. 

[KingFuzz]

Something to add to the snow shelter, (this is a last resort option) if you’re just shy of being able to warm up  but you have torches or flares on you, pop one and sleep for an hour. You can keep doing this until you run out of a heat source. It’s still risky but it can be just enough to stave off hypothermia in a life or death situation. This is not exclusive to snow shelters but thought I’d mention it nonetheless. 

Edited April 25, 2024 by KingFuzz
Typo

[conanjaguar]

@KingFuzz

You can also pull off this trick with a lantern if you're really desperate. According to the wiki it gives a +3C warmth bonus.

[KingFuzz]

18 hours ago, conanjaguar said:

@KingFuzz

You can also pull off this trick with a lantern if you're really desperate. According to the wiki it gives a +3C warmth bonus.

Oh nice! I had no idea. Thank you!