In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com
In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com
I'm Bill, this is my wilderness page with info on paddling and canoeing.
Every time you go canoeing you need to bring these things.
| TARP | A tarp has so many uses, it won't save your life on every trip but it will make things easier on every trip. | |
| FLASH LIGHT | What ever type of lamp you bring make sure it's very dependable. You don't need one that shines very far, you need it mostly around the camp site to find things in the dark. | |
| SLEEPING PAD | You need to isolate your body from the cold ground. | |
| LIGHTWEIGHT STOVE | No need to dwell
on the topic of camp stoves, get a Trailstove and all your camp
stove worries are over for good. The Trailstove burns wood instead of compressed gas like most camp stoves these days. | |
| RUBBING ALCOHOL | There are two main reasons to bring alcohol, disinfecting wounds and starting fires. Don't waste alcohol to start a fire unless it's an emergency though, you don't need anything you don't find in the woods to make a fire if you do it right. | |
| MULTI PURPOSE TOOL | I got my first Swiss army knife when I was 8, I've had one in my pocket ever since. When I go paddling I also bring a Leatherman tool for the more heavy duty tasks. | |
| CAMP SAW | Camping saw or camping axe, that is the question. Saws are light, axes are heavy but faster and easier to use. If you go alone, just bring a saw to save weight, but if you are in a group it's good if one person brings an axe. |
DEADFALL TRAP
This type of trap is very effective but it will kill the animal that gets caught in the trap, so if you decide not to eat it you killed an animal for nothing. Only make a deadfall trap in an emergency.
You need the following things: A heavy log, a round rock, a sturdy stick about 1 to 2 feet long, a thinner stiff stick about a foot long.
Lift one end of the log up and support it with the sturdy stick. The sturdy stick in turn should be standing on top of the round rock. One end of the smaller stiff stick is placed between the rock and the sturdy stick, the other end should be suspended in the air right under the log, the stiff stick should be roughly horizontal.
Carefully place the bait on the stiff stick.
To make the trap
more stable and more difficult to trigger you can cut the part of the stiff bait
stick flat where it rests between the rock and the sturdy stick. You can also
cut the bottom of the sturdy stick flat, it all depends on what size animal you
are trying to kill.
Sitka, AK
Alaska's oldest federally designated park was established in 1910 to commemorate the 1804 Battle of Sitka. All that remains of this last major conflict between Europeans and Alaska Natives is the site of the Tlingit Fort and battlefield, located within this scenic 113 acre park in a temperate rain forest.
Southeast Alaska totem poles and a temperate rain forest setting combine to provide spectacular scenery along the park's coastal trail. The trail circles back along Indian River to the visitor center. Another loop trail continues across the Indian River footbridge past the Memorial to the Russian Midshipmen who died in the Battle of Sitka.
The park's story continues at the Russian Bishop's House, one of three surviving examples of Russian colonial architecture in North America. This original 1843 log structure conveys the legacy of Russian America through exhibits, refurbished Bishop's living quarters and lavish icons in the Chapel of the Annunciation.
CONTACTS
Email - SITK_Administration@nps.gov
Fax- 907-747-5938
Write to
National Park Service
106 Metlakatla
Street
Sitka, AK 99835
Phone
Headquarters - 907-747-6281
TRAVEL BASICS
Operating Hours,
Seasons
Mid-May through September 30: The visitor center is open
daily, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Russian Bishop's House is open daily,
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is a $3.00 user fee.
October through Mid-May: The Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Russian Bishop's House is open by appointment only. Tours are regularly scheduled on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and Friday at 2:00 p.m.
Getting There
PLANE - Sitka is located on Baranof Island on
Alaska's southeastern panhandle. Sitka can be reached only by air or sea.
Commercial airlines fly directly from Seattle, Juneau and Anchorage. The
Park is located at the south end of Lincoln Street, approximately
one-fourth mile from downtown Sitka.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Sitka is also a port of call for ferries on the Alaska Marine Highway System.
Weather & Climate
Sitka experiences a temperate marine
climate, characterized by heavy precipitation and a small temperature
range between seasons. Most of the 96.6 inches average annual
precipitation in Sitka occurs as rain. Summer temperatures range from high
50's to high 60's F. Winter is rainy and snowy with temperatures from the
high teens to the 40's F. Rain gear and layered clothing are recommended
year-round.
Accessibility
The park visitor center is wheelchair
accessible and a wheelchair is available for public use. The gravel-based,
wood chip-covered trails in the park are accessible with many types of
wheelchairs.
The historic Russian Bishop's House is not wheelchair accessible. An audiovisual presentation is available to those unable to tour the house.
Getting Around
The Visitor Center and Russian Bishop's House
are located on Lincoln Street about a ten minute walk apart in this
essentially urban park.
FEES/PERMITS
Activity Fee
INDIVIDUAL
**
$3.00 for Day
Interpretive fee for tours and exhibits in
the Russian Bishop's House. **No fee for children under 12 years old
Local Passport
FAMILY PASS
$10.00 for Annual
An annual family pass for tours and exhibits in the Russian Bishop's
House.
FACILITIES
Museums
RUSSIAN
BISHOP'S HOUSE
Phone - 907-747-6281
Location - Located
near Sitka's central business district at 501 Lincoln
Street.
Closures - Closed through winter except by appointments
which are scheduled for Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. or Fridays at 2:30
p.m.
Special Programs - Special programs are scheduled
throughout the summer. Additional information can be found in our expanded
web pages or by contacting the park.
Exhibits - The Russian
Bishop's House is one of four buildings remaining from the Russian
colonial period in North America. The historic structure is registered as
a National Historic Landmark. Exhibits on the Russian American Company,
Russian history and Orthodoxy are displayed on the lower level. Park
rangers lead visitors on a tour of the second floor through the
beautifully restored bishop's residence and chapel. Two historic
buildings, the Priests' Quarters and the Old School, are located on
site.
Visitor Centers
MAIN VISITOR CENTER & SOUTHEAST
INDIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Phone - 907-747-6281
Location -
The Park is located at the south end of Lincoln Street, approximately
one- fourth mile from downtown Sitka.
Special Programs -
Tlingit artists demonstrate their skills in the Southeast Indian
Cultural Center. In the summer months, Ranger-led walks on the flora,
fauna, history and anthropology of the park, and the community of Sitka
are featured. A variety of children's programs are also offered during the
summer. The bookstore is open daily from May through
September.
Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service