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Chuck's Wilderness Water Site

Here's my wilderness site, please read everything carefully before you paddle out in the wilderness.

You must bring the things I have listed below to the wilderness or you might as well stay home.

STEEL WIRE		You can do a lot of repairs with some steel wire.
FIRE TOOL		Bring plenty of lighters and matches. Lighters are very small and light so bringing extra ones in case one doesn't work is a very good idea. Without means to make fire you will freeze to death. You can try to make fire like a caveman by spinning a stick against a piece of wood but that is a skill that takes practice to learn and if you don't already have that skill you'll freeze to death before you have it figured out.
WATER FILTER		I've been using my MSR water filter for years, and even though most paddlers agree that this is the best water filter money can buy it sometimes breaks down just like anything else that has moving parts. For those times it is absolutely necessary to bring a very light weight wood stove with absolutely no moving parts such as the Trailstove and a small pot to boil water in.
FLASH LIGHT		Bring a good flashlight or two and maybe a few tub candles in worst case.
FOOD		Don't get those dehydrated bags of camping food. Just bring plenty of rice. Just eat beef jerky for meat and some carrots for veggies and your all set.
TARP		Bring a small tarp with you to make a shelter from the elements.
STOVE		I have used all kinds of camp stoves in my years of paddling through the wilderness and I can tell you that the best one by far is the Trailstove, not because it's the lightest but because it is a wood stove so you don't need to carry gas. There are some other wood stoves on the market but they are either too heavy for canoeing or have battery powered fan, completely unacceptable in my mind. The Trailstove has no moving parts what so ever, it simply cannot malfunction.

How to make a quick snow shelter

Find a flat sheltered spot for your shelter. Don't go too close to trees or big rocks since blowing snow tends to accumulate around them.
Dig a hole in the snow, about a foot longer than your body and about 3 feet wide, use the snow from the dig to build walls around the hole. Try to get one of the short sides downwind.
Keep digging until the hole is 3 ft from floor to upper edge. Keep in mind that the smaller your shelter is the warmer it will be.
Leave a 1.5x1.5 ft opening in the downwind upper short edge with a connecting corridor, this will be your door.
If you plan to use a stove in the shelter you must also make a vent opening in the side opposite to the door. This opening should be about 6x6 inches.
If possible, try to make a block of hard snow 1.5x1.5x0.5 ft to use as a door block, place this block inside the hole when you're done.

Cover half of the floor on the opposite side of the opening with soft branches to provide extra insulation from the cold snow beneath. This will be your sleeping area, you will later cover the branches with your sleeping pad. If you don't have a sleeping pad with you, make a thicker layer of branches. If it is snowing while you are building your shelter, you can do this step later, after the roof has been put up so you won't get snow on your branches.

Place a number of tree branches over the hole. Keep in mind that these branches may have to carry some heavy snow loads. You can use skis and ski poles for this purpose as well but keep in mind that you won't be able to use them again without ruining the shelter.

Cover the hole with your tarp. Attach edges and corners as well as possible with stakes made from tree branches or string to a nearby tree. Don't rely on weights such as rocks or big chunks of wood, they will start sliding. You want to make sure that there's no way that the tarp will start sagging or slip down through the openings in the ceiling.
Cover the tarp with a layer of snow for insulation. If there is powder snow available try to get a coverage of at least 3 inches. If there is no powder use wet snow or hard snow to make blocks 1.5" thick to form a sheet on top of the tarp, try to rest the blocks on the support poles and not on the tarp. If it is snowing heavily you can let nature take care of this step.

Move in to the shelter. Put your sleeping pad on the branches and sleep with your head away from the door. You can block the door opening to keep warm but you must have at least two small air vents on opposite sides of the shelter to ensure an adequate air supply.

SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
When you're using a stove in the shelter you must open both the door opening and the vent opening. Make sure that the vent opening is kept clear from falling snow on the outside, poke around with a stick periodically if needed.
If you need to urinate during the night, don't go outside in the cold. Just go on the floor inside the shelter. The urine will seep down through the snow, there will be a stained crater left but you can just cover that with some snow.

Assateague Island National Seashore

Berlin, MD

Three agencies administer Assateague, a windswept barrier island that offers many opportunities for seashore recreation and nature study along its thirty-seven miles. Ocean swimming, camping, bayside canoeing, crabbing, clamming, hunting, surf fishing, and off-road vehicle use are all popular.

The famous wild horses roam throughout and share beach to bay habitats with a host of other animals, including over 300 species of birds.

Assateague Island became part of the National Park System in 1965. The park's land and water boundaries encompass over 48,000 acres in the states of Maryland and Virginia.

CONTACTS

Email - christopher_seymour@nps.gov

Write to
7206 National Seashore Lane
Berlin, MD 21811

- or -
PO Box 38
8586 Beach Rd
Chincoteague, VA 23336

Phone
Visitor Information - 410-641-1441
Visitor Information - 757-336-6577

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Maryland District - open year round, 24 hours a day. Barrier Island Visitor Center open 9 am - 5 pm every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Virginia District - January-March: 6 am - 6 pm. April: 6 am - 8 pm. May-September: 5 am - 10 pm. October: 6 am - 8 pm. November-December: 6 am - 6 pm. Visitor centers open 9 am - 4 pm every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Getting There
PLANE - The closest airports are Ocean City Municipal Airport (410-213-2471) and Salisbury-Wicomico County Regional Airport (410-548-4827).

CAR - There are two entrances to Assateague Island National Seashore. Assateague's north entrance is at the end of Route 611, eight miles south of Ocean City, MD. The south entrance is at the end of Route 175, two miles from Chincoteague, VA. There is no vehicle access between the two entrances on Assateague Island. Vehicles must return to the mainland to access either the north or south entrance.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - No public transportation available.

Weather & Climate
Summers are generally hot and humid. Mosquitos and ticks are abundant from spring through autumn. Insect repellent and/or protective clothing is recommended. Rarely snows in the winter but often a damp cold. Sturdy hiking shoes recommended for long walks in the sand and hard sole water shoes for wading in bay waters.

Accessibility
All visitor centers, most nature trails, bathhouses and wayside exhibits are accessible. The seashore has established two accessible campsites which may be reserved. Beach wheelchairs with balloon tires are available for use on the oceanside beaches in Maryland and Virginia.

Getting Around
In Maryland, four miles of paved roads include an adjacent bike path. 'Life of Assateague' self-guided trails interpret three different barrier island habitats. In Virginia, five miles of paved roads include a bike path and fifteen miles of trails wind through refuge marshes and forests, including a path to the Assateague lighthouse. Hikers can enjoy miles of beaches on both the Maryland and Virginia sides of the island.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
INDIVIDUAL - MARYLAND - FOOT/BICYCLE
$2.00 for 7 Days

VEHICLE - MARYLAND
$15.00 for Annual

VEHICLE - MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA
$5.00 for 7 Days

VEHICLE - VIRGINIA
$15.00 for Annual
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Annual Pass

VEHICLE - VIRGINIA
$15.00 for Annual
USFWS Migratory Waterfowl Duck Stamp.

Special Use Permits
OFF-ROAD VEHICLE
$60.00 for Annual

CAMPING

Assateague Island National Seashore
Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-365-CAMP
Open All Year
Visitors to the Maryland district of Assateague Island may enjoy a variety of camping opportunities. The National Park Service provides year round camping in oceanside and bayside campgrounds. These campgrounds are first-come, first-served from October 16 through April 14 ($12.00/night). Reservations are recommended April 15 through October 15 ($16.00/night). For backcountry camping enthusiasts, two oceanside and four bayside sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis for visitors who wish to backpack or paddle the island. A $5 backcountry permit is required and is only issued during business hours. There is no camping in the Virginia District of Assateague Island. National Seashore camping information may be mailed upon request. Obtain a detailed brochure by calling (410) 641-3030.
For More Information on this campground please call 1-410-641-3030

FACILITIES

Ranger Stations
SINEPUXENT DISTRICT RANGER STATION/CAMPGROUND OFFICE
Open All Year
Phone - (410) 641-3030
Location - Located in the Maryland District of Assateague Island on east side of Bayberry Drive, after the entrance station.
Available Facilities - Offers campground information and registration, backcountry camping permits, hunting information and off-road vehicle permits.

Visitor Centers
BARRIER ISLAND
Open All Year 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Phone - (410) 641-1441
Location - The Barrier Island Visitor Center is located in the Maryland District of Assateague Island on the southern side of Route 611, before the Verrazzano Bridge entrance into the park.
Closures - Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
Special Programs - Regularly scheduled park activities are available seasonally. Education programs for schools are given throughout the year. Information is available upon request.
Exhibits - The Barrier Island Visitor Center features beachcombing exhibits, educational brochures, nature films, a marine aquarium and touch tank.
Available Facilities - A cooperating association bookstore, lost and found, emergency services and restrooms are available.

CHINCOTEAGUE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Open All Year 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Phone - (757) 336-6122
Location - The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located in the Virginia District of Assateague Island, on the north side of Beach Road, just after the entrance station.
Closures - The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is closed on New Year's and Christmas days.
Special Programs - Regularly scheduled refuge activities are available seasonally. Education programs for schools are given in the spring. Information is available upon request.
Exhibits - The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center features, educational exhibits and brochures, and nature films.
Available Facilities - A cooperating association bookstore, lost and found, emergency services and restrooms are available.

TOMS COVE
Open All Year
Winter 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Summer 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Spring & Fall 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Phone - 1-757-336-6577
Location - The Toms Cove Visitor Center is located on the south side of Beach Road, prior to the beach parking areas.
Closures - Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
Special Programs - Regularly scheduled park activities are available seasonally. Education programs for schools are given spring and fall. Information is available upon request.
Exhibits - The Toms Cove Visitor Center features beachcombing exhibits, educational brochures, a marine aquarium and touch tank.
Available Facilities - A bookstore, lost and found, emergency services and permits (overnight fishing, off-road vehicle, campfire) are available.

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