Ok, I updated the images and added the taxi (Yellow) and Helen's car (White) to the map.  You may have to refresh your browser to see them, I did.  In doing so I realized that I got my directions reversed and have people driving on the wrong side of the highway.  Ugh.  The problem with running a realistic game is so easy to make a mistake in the details.  My apologies for the screw-up, but I've already spent hours on the map.  I'm just going to handwave that little oops.<br/><br/>I'm not sure the original shelter won't work.  They can at least get two of the cars up onto the roadway and the bridge fairly easily.  They can drive them across at the roughly level zone (maybe with a little bit of earth moving) then up the embankment to the roadway.  There is a wood post and metal guardrail but removing a section shouldn't be too difficult.<br/><br/>Getting the van up onto the roadway will be more of a challenge, but it shouldn't be insurmountable.  They've got five healthy adults and two working cars.  The hardest part is they're going to have fell some trees.  They'll probably want to do that anyway.  Most animals don't climb, but bears, possums and squirrels might.  They'll probably have to create some kind of axe or saw.<br/><br/>Now, looking at your shelters.  I'm not convinced the lean-to shelter is any better than sleeping in the van.  I don't see that it is large enough to accomodate a fire and it is probably less weather proof.  It seems like a lot of effort to go to end up with something that is still inadquate.  The big plus is that it gets them out of the woods.<br/><br/>Any of the houses you posted would work for an intermediate house.  I'd also like to add the sod house to the list:<br/><br/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sod_house (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sod_house)<br/><br/>That's another primitive housing type they could build.  Long term, they probably want to go brick - if they stay.  I know people lived in houses like that, but I don't know that our 2011 AD crowd will be satisfied in such home.  One thing they'll have in abundance is clay.  Red clay is the most common strata just below the topsoil and they'll easily find some along the riverbanks.  They'll need an intermediate home.  It would take weeks of hard work to make a brick home - if they make one.<br/><br/>A brick home would be a major investment, but it would be predator and weather secure.  The downside is the time spent building it.  Time that might be better spent gathering food for winter or migrating.  The bridge is a very good place to settle, but they could just abandon it, head south for warmer climate and milder winter.  It is a point worth considering.<br/><br/>Criptika might have some ideas about bricks and homes.  Creating stuff from natural materials particularly pottery is one of her character's strengths.  Although I haven't seen her online in a couple of days.