The winter of 1913-1914 placed a heavy toll on the strikers and their families. The tents offered little defense from the harsh conditions. Capt. Philip Van Cise of the Colorado National Guard's Company K stated that the winter helped to ease the tension of the strike as blizzards and the cold kept people indoors. Many of the strikers constructed cellars or "caves" under their tents to increase the level of protection from the outside environment.