You definitely can survive without buildings but its one of the toughest challenges you'll face. Timing and positioning are absolutely critical here - first craft a snow shelter which takes 12 sticks and 2 cloth pieces, giving you basic protection with a 2-hour build time. The shelter placement matters a lot since you need natural windbreaks and nearby resource spawns.

For reliable warmth management, maintain at least 3 separate fire locations spaced about 50 meters apart, each needing 15-20 pieces of wood to sustain through a night cycle. Cave entrances are your safest spots, especially when paired with a fire pit just inside the mouth where wind protection hits maximum. Fishing huts work too but watch the temperature thresholds since they drop fast after sunset.

The real challenge comes down to inventory cycling - you'll need to rotate between gathering spots every 2-3 game hours, keeping your body temperature above -5°c while collecting resources. Bearskin coat crafting becomes essential, requiring a successful bear hunt plus 8 cured pelts and about 3 hours real-time to complete. Once you've got the coat, staying mobile between fire locations gets more manageable but you still need to watch your condition meter carefully, especially during blizzards when visibility drops below 5 meters.