Envision an expert survivalist, and think about what that individual looks like. It's likely that your vision included a burly bearded “mountain man”, or perhaps a younger guy with a clean-cut military look. While many survivalists fit that general description, it's important to remember that this stereotype is not always the case, and that we shouldn't judge any book by its cover.

For example, take Survival Lilly. This Austrian YouTuber has posted dozens of survival videos on topics ranging from eating grubs to making an urban get-home bag. And, unlike the stereotype, this expert survivalist is a young woman.

In the YouTube video below, Lilly shows off her survival skills by creating a impressively sophisticated lean-to shelter. It starts out pretty straightforward, with some logs leaned against a pair of trees, and cross-beams lashed in place horizontally. She then adds a tarp for waterproofing, and some smaller branches to hold it in place.

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It doesn't stop there, though—Lilly goes on to build a sleeping platform, fire pit, shelves, a fence, hinged gate, and even a lawn chair. All of this is done with simple materials, like a hacksaw, axe, nails, and twine. Even the gate hinges could easily be scavenged from an abandoned building or shed.

Needless to say, this shelter is designed for long-term survival, or else it wouldn't be worth expending so much time and materials. However, it's definitely a pretty cool setup. The fence will keep predators at bay, the central fire pit will radiate heat to the sleeping platform, and there's plenty of storage space for supplies. And yes, it's built by a girl who is clearly a talented survivalist—that's encouraging to see, and we hope it inspires other young women to try learning survival techniques.

What do you think of this shelter design? Add a comment below and let us know how you'd change the shelter, or if you'd leave it exactly as-is.

If you liked this video, check out the Survival Lilly channel on YouTube and consider subscribing. She has quite a few other videos on a wide range of useful topics.

Written by Patrick McCarthy