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Knowledge From the Outdoors

George Robinson here, check out my site. Plenty of outdoors info here, enough to go around.

The following stuff is good to have with you in the backcountry.

CAMP STOVE
What would backpacking be without the "Trailstove" wood stove? I'll tell you, you would have to carry fuel in your backpack, what a nightmare that would be. You would have to worry about running out of fuel, or about your gas canister catching fire.

TENT
If the weather is not very nice where you are going you should bring a tent, a cheap one will do just fine. If you're thinking about doing some heavy duty mountaineering you may want to take a look at more expensive tents but if you're just setting it up by the trail there's no need for that.

WATER FILTER
There are plenty of water filters on the market, get one that fits your budget. The expensive ones are better but it's not a big deal since it's not a survival item. If you have a light weight wood powered camp stove such as the Trailstove and a small cooking pot you can disinfect any quantity of water to drink.

POT
To boil water to keep you warm and to cook rice to eat. If your pot has a lid it will heat water more efficiently.

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.

Jean Lafitte National Historic Park & Preserve

New Orleans, LA

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve was established to preserve for present and future generations signifcant examples of the rich and cultural resources of Louisiana's Mississippi Delta region. The park seeks to illustrate the influence of environment and history on the development of a unique regional culture.

The park consists of six physically separate sites and a Park Headquarters located in southeastern Louisiana. The sites in Lafayette, Thibodaux, and Eunice interpret the Acadian cultures of the area. The Barataria Preserve (in Marrero) interprets the natural and cultural history of the uplands, swamps, and marshlands of the region. Six miles southeast of New Orleans is the Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery, site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans and the final resting place for soldiers from the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, and Vietnam. At 419 Decatur Street in the historic French Quarter is the park's visitor center for New Orleans. This center interprets the history of New Orleans and the diverse cultures of Louisiana's Mississippi Delta region. The Park Headquartesr is located in New Orleans.

CONTACTS

Email - JELA_Superintendent@nps.gov

Fax- 504-589-3851

Write to
365 Canal Street
Suite 2400
New Orleans, LA 70130-1142

- or -
419 Rue Decatur
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone
Headquarters Recorded Message - (504)589-3882
Visitor Information - (504)589-2133

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Acadian Cultural Center, open daily from 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, open Sunday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, Open Monday 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. French Quarter Visitor Center, daily 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.; closed December 25 and Mardi Gras.

Getting There
PLANE - Major airlines serve New Orleans. Limited commuter airline service is available to Lafayette, Lousiana.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Barataria Preserve, public bus transportation is available at 10 a.m. from downtown New Orleans to the Barataria Preserve. All buses are ADA accessible. Call 504-589-2330 ext. 10 for schedule and fares.

Weather & Climate
Summers are generally hot and humid with occasional rain. Winters are mild. Sunscreen is recommended for outdoor activities and insect repellent for natural areas.

Accessibility
All public buses to Barataria Preserve are ADA accessible.

Getting Around
Personal vehicle, taxi, and limited bus service in New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
ACADIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Open daily, except Christmas Day. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone - (337)232-0789
Location - 501 Fischer Road, Lafayette, Louisiana.
Closures - Christmas Day.
Special Programs - The Cajun Way: Echoes of Acadia, a 40-minute film; shown hourly from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Exhibits - Interprets cultural resources related to the Acadian people, who were relocated from Nova Scotia, Canada, to the Misssissippi Delta region during 1765-1785, as well as other cultures of the region. Provides a variety of ways to interact with and understand traditional and contemporary Acadian culture, plus other peoples of the area.

BARATARIA PRESERVE
Open daily, except Christmas Day. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Phone - (504)-589-2330
Location - On the West Bank from New Orleans near Marrero on LA Highway 45. Public bus transportation is available daily at 10 a.m. from downtown New Orleans to the Barataria Preserve. Phone (504)589-2330 ext. 10 for schedule and fares.
Closures - Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Call to make reservations for the following: Saturday and Sunday morning canoe treks on February 2 and 16; March 2,9, and 30; April 13 and 20; May 11 and 18. Birdwatching walks on February 23, March 16, April 6, and May 4. Moonlight canoe treks on February 26, March 28 and 29, April 26, and May 25. The park movie:"Jambalaya: A Delta Almanac" is shown daily 9:00 a.m.-4 p.m. Also available for viewing: "Swamp Critters" and "Wings over the Wetlands." Group tours by reservation.
Exhibits - Visitor Center exhibits highlight the natural history and lifeways of the area.

CHALMETTE BATTLEFIELD AND NATIONAL CEMETERY
Open daily, except Christmas Day. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone - (504)-281-0510
Location - 8606 St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette.
Closures - Closed Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Battle of New Orleans Talks: daily, 11:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Group Tours by reservations.
Exhibits - Exhibits depict the Battle of New Orleans, a decisive American victory over the British at the end of the War of 1812.
Available Facilities - Tour road, visitor center,and the Malus-Beauregard House(c. 1833). Adajacent to the Battlefield is the Chalmette National Cemetery.

FRENCH QUARTER VISITOR CENTER
Open daily except for Christmas Day and Mardi Gras. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone - (504)-589-2133
Location - 419 Decatur Street in the French Quarter.
Closures - Closed Christmas and Mardi Gras.
Special Programs - Walking Tour: 9:30 a.m. History of New Orleans Tour: 25 person limit, first-come, first-served. Passes, limited to one per person, must be picked up in person on day of the tour. Talk: 45 minute talk presented each day at 3:00 p.m. Ranger's choice.
Exhibits - Exhibits depict the history and cultural diversity of Louisiana's Mississippi Delta region.

PRAIRIE ACADIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Open Sunday through Friday. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Open Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Phone - (337)262-6862
Location - 250 West Park Avenue,Eunice, Louisiana.
Closures - Closed Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Every Saturday, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Liberty Theatre Performance: A live radio broadcast of Cajun music, stories, anecdotes,etc. in "Cajun French'.
Exhibits - Depicts the heritage of the Prairie Acadians, shaped by the region's lush grasslands, ideal for raising crops and grazing cattle. Artifacts, exhibits, and live demonstrations portray aspects of this unique culture.

WETLANDS ACADIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Open Tuesday through Thursday. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Open Friday through Sunday. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Open Monday. 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Phone - (985)-448-1375
Location - 314 St. Mary Street, Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Closures - Closed Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Talks: Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Ranger's Choice. Music Programs: Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Cajun Jam Session: Viens Passe', Un Bon Temps!(Come and have a Good Time!) Films: Various assortment available upon request.
Exhibits - Artifacts and exhibits depict a variety of cultures linked closely with the rich swamps, marshes, and coastal waters of this region.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

CAMP STOVE What would backpacking be without the "Trailstove" wood stove? I'll tell you, you would have to carry fuel in your backpack, what a nightmare that would be. You would have to worry about running out of fuel, or about your gas canister catching fire.
TENT If the weather is not very nice where you are going you should bring a tent, a cheap one will do just fine. If you're thinking about doing some heavy duty mountaineering you may want to take a look at more expensive tents but if you're just setting it up by the trail there's no need for that.
WATER FILTER There are plenty of water filters on the market, get one that fits your budget. The expensive ones are better but it's not a big deal since it's not a survival item. If you have a light weight wood powered camp stove such as the Trailstove and a small cooking pot you can disinfect any quantity of water to drink.
POT To boil water to keep you warm and to cook rice to eat. If your pot has a lid it will heat water more efficiently.