One-Pole Parachute Tepee

You need a 14-gore section (normally) of canopy, stakes, a stout center pole, and inner core and needle to construct this tepee. You cut the suspension lines except for 40- to 45-centimeter lengths at the canopy's lower lateral band.

To make this tepee (Figure 5-5) —

• Select a shelter site and scribe a circle about 4 meters in diameter on the ground.

• Stake the parachute material to the ground using the lines remaining at the lower lateral band.

• After deciding where to place the shelter door, emplace a stake and tie the first line (from the lower lateral band) securely to it.

• Stretch the parachute material taut to the next line, emplace a stake on the scribed line, and tie the line to it.

• Continue the staking process until you have tied all the lines.

• Loosely attach the top of the parachute material to the center pole with a suspension line you previously cut and, through trial and error, determine the point at which the parachute material will be pulled tight once the center pole is upright.

• Then securely attach the material to the pole.

• Using a suspension line (or inner core), sew the end gores together leaving 1 or 1.2 meters for a door.

No-Pole Parachute Tepee

You use the same materials, except for the center pole, as for the one-pole parachute tepee.

To make this tepee (Figure 5-6) —

• Tie a line to the top of parachute material with a previously cut suspension line.

• Throw the line over a tree limb, and tie it to the tree trunk.

• Starting at the opposite side from the door, emplace a stake on the scribed 3.5- to 4.3-meter circle.

• Tie the first line on the lower lateral band.

• Continue emplacing the stakes and tying the lines to them.

• After staking down the material, unfasten the line tied to the tree trunk, tighten the tepee material by pulling on this line, and tie it securely to the tree trunk.

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