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Tom Wilderness Walker

I'm Tom Walker, I walk in the wilderness with a big backpack on my back.

These are things to bring on a hiking trip, make sure you don't forget anything.

I have used all kinds of camp stoves in my years of hiking 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 backpacking or have battery powered fan, completely unacceptable in my mind. The Trailstove has no moving parts what so ever, it simply cannot malfunction.		CAMPING STOVE
Bring a fish net even if you don't plan to use it, especially if you are going somewhere where there are very few other people who can help you out if you get stuck.		FISHING NET
We all hate mosquitoes and wish they were all dead, at least we can keep them at a distance.		BUG PROTECTION
A lot of people don't bring a camp saw when they go hiking, but they really should. It comes in very handy in an emergency to make a shelter or to cut some wood for a fire.		SAW
If you don't have a piece of steel wire you might regret it. You can fix a lot of stuff if you have some.		STEELWIRE
To filter water to make it drinkable, available in most outdoors stores. It's more of a convenience to have a water filter than a necessity since you can boil water with your Trailstove and pot.		WATER FILTER

HOW TO MAKE AN IGLOO

PICK A SPOT  
You should build your igloo on a level surface where the snow is at least 3 feet deep. There should be enough hard snow for your igloo, if the surface snow is powdery there's probably hard packed snow a bit deeper. Large bumps on the surface of the snow it usually means that there is a large object below the snow such as a boulder or a large stomp, they can get in the way so it's better to pick as flat a spot as possible. Don't make your igloo bigger than it needs to be. Mark out in the snow where you plan to have the wall of your igloo.

CUT BLOCKS
Cut out blocks from the area which will be the inside of the igloo. The lower blocks should be about 1 foot thick, 3 feet long and 1.5 feet high, the higher blocks should be about 6 inches thick, 2 feet long, and 1 foot high. If you size the blocks as I have said above you will need approximately the following number of blocks:

Sleeping 1 person, 6 feet inner diameter: 30 blocks
Sleeping 2 people, 7 feet inner diameter: 40 blocks
Sleeping 3-4 people, 9 feet inner diameter: 60 blocks

Don't worry if you think you'll have trouble fitting, once the igloo is finished you can carve out a bit of space for your feet from the inner wall.
The hole resulting from your cutting will be the floor in the igloo so you want a sleeping area for each person as high up as possible, a general purpose area that should be a bit lower to allow for mobility, and a deep entrance hole that extends outside of the igloo. The entrance hole should be as narrow as possible while still allowing you to get in and out without too much discomfort. The deep entrance hole will absorb the cold air and release it to the outside while the warm air will rise and stay trapped inside the dome.

BUILD A SPIRAL CIRCLE
Place your largest and widest blocks in a circle around the hole where you have been cutting out your blocks, the blocks should be tilted in towards the center. Start with the block that goes on top of the entrance hole, the whole entrance hole must be traversed by one single block with plenty of support on both sides. Cut the blocks so they form a spiral, make sure that the block covering the entrance hole is the largest block.

BUILD WALL
Add blocks to the wall until you only have a small opening in the roof. Before you get to the point that it's hard to get in and out of the dome move any blocks not yet used to the inside of the dome so you can put them all up in one sweep from the inside.

TOP PIECE
When all the blocks are in place cut the final top piece to the right size. If you can wiggle it out from the inside and lower it down into position that's great, but if your hole is very circular this won't be possible, you'll have to put the block on top of the dome from the outside and then lower it down from the inside.
 
FINISHING
Fill any cracks with snow.
Make a little doorway over the entrance to keep snow out.
You have to make at least one air hole in the roof to ensure proper ventilation. Without good ventilation you could run out of oxygen, very dangerous.
Smoothen the inside of the dome to prevent water dripping. 
Your igloo is now ready to be lived in, check your air hole periodically to make sure it's not blocked. If you've done everything right you will be quite comfortable.

Prince William Forest Park

Triangle, VA

Located in Prince William County, Virginia, Prince William Forest Park is the largest natural area in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region at over 17,000 acres. It was created in August 1933 as the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area, one of 46 recreational demonstration projects in 24 states.

Today, the park has one of the few remaining Piedmont forest ecosystems and protects the Quantico Creek watershed. It is a sanctuary for native plants and animals. The park offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including wildlife viewing, solitude, hiking on 37 miles of trails, and 11 bicycle paths. Several camping options, including family and group tent and rustic cabin camping, backcountry camping, and a full-service, concessionaire-operated RV campground are also available.

The park’s cultural resources are also varied. They include the remnants of Joplin and Hickory Ridge, two small communities existing prior to the park’s establishment. Many residents of Hickory Ridge worked in the nearby Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine (1889-1920). The once-polluted site of the mine, now the destination of a popular park trail, was reclaimed in 1995. Most visible today are the facilities, roads, and lakes built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the late 1930s. Cabin camps built by the CCC were used by the U.S. Army’s Office of Strategic Services for training spies and radio operators from 1942 to 1945.

CONTACTS

Email - Marian_Lynch@nps.gov

Fax- 703-221-4322

Write to
18100 Park Headquarters Road
Triangle, VA 22172

Phone
Headquarters - 703-221-4706
Visitor Information - 703-221-7181

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Daily, dawn to dusk. Campers staying at Oak Ridge Campground and the cabin camps have access 24 hours.

Getting There
PLANE - The park is served by Washington's Dulles International, and Reagan National airports.

CAR - I-95, 32 miles south of Washington, D.C. at Triangle, Virginia (exit 150). The park entrance is less than 1/4 mile on the right hand side of route 619 west.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express rail service is available in nearby Quantico, Virginia. Greyhound bus service is available in Triangle, Virginia.

Weather & Climate
Summers can be hot and humid, with sudden thunderstorms possible. Winters can be cold with variable precipitation, with some snow possible. Spring and fall are generally comfortable with precipitation possible.

Accessibility
The visitor center, visitor center bathroom, the bathroom with shower facilities at Oak Ridge Campground (B-loop), the bathroom at Turkey Run Ridge Campground, and numerous buildings at Cabin Camp 1 are handicapped accessible.

Getting Around
All park facilities, hiking trails, biking paths, picnicing and camping can be accessed from the park Scenic Drive, a nine mile paved loop road. The only exceptions are the Chopawomsic backcountry area and Cabin Camps 1, 2, 4, and 5 (permits required).

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
CYCLIST/WALK-IN ANNUAL PASS
$20.00 for Annual

CYCLIST/WALK-IN ENTRANCE FEE
$3.00 for 3 Days

VEHICLE ANNUAL PASS
$20.00 for Annual

VEHICLE ENTRANCE FEE
$5.00 for 3 Days

CAMPING

Chopawamsic Backcountry
March 1 - October 15
Hike in backcountry camping sites available under a first come, first served permit. The permit is available at the visitor center and is free of charge. Chopawamsic Backcountry offers a very private opportunity for backcountry solitude and camping in a detached unit of the park.

Oak Ridge Campground
Open All Year
Oak Ridge Campground provides tent and RV (32' limit) camping for six persons or less per site. Campsites are wooded and provide a table and fire grill, showers and flush toilets, a parking space and room for tents or small recreational vehicles. Campers select sites on a first come, first serve basis. Sites are $10.00 a night and self-registration.
For More Information on this campground please call 703-221-7181

Travel Trailer Village
Open All Year
Travel Trailer Village is a private, concessionaire operated full-service recreational vehicle campground located on the north side of the park. Sites provide full hookups, hot showers, dump station, pool, laundry, playground and picnic tables. Information and reservations can be obtained by calling 703/221-2474.
For More Information on this campground please call 703-221-2474

Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground
Open All Year
Turkey Run Ridge Campground is exclusively for group tent camping. Providing picnic tables, grills, parking and tent space, the sites are designed so parties of seven persons or more may camp in close proximity. Reservations are required. Sites are $40.00 a night.
For More Information on this campground please call 703-221-7181

LODGING

Cabin Camping
Five Cabin Camps built in the 1930s can accommodate up to 200 persons and are used extensively by clubs, groups, and reunions. Cabin camps provide an outdoor experience with sleeping and cooking facilities available in a rustic setting. For more information and reservations call 703/221-5843. Individual cabin camp rentals are available May thru October.
For More Information on this lodging please call 703-221-5843

Individual Cabins
May to the middle of October
Cabin Rental -The individual cabins are rustic forest retreats constructed in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Each cabin is furnished with twin size cots, ceiling fans and overhead lighting. Grills and picnic tables are located outside each cabin. The bathhouse, restrooms, hot showers and telephones are centrally located. Applications/Reservation – Reservations for individual, family and small group cabin rental in Camp 3 are accepted on a first come, first served basis, beginning in March. (Applicants must be 18 years or older to apply.) For more information please call Prince William Forest Park at (703) 221-5843.
For More Information on this lodging please call 703-221-5843

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
PRINCE WILLIAM FOREST PARK VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 8:30 to 5:00
Phone - 703-221-7181
Location - The visitor center can be reached by the park's main entrance found off of Joplin Road/Highway 619. Highway 619 can be reached by exiting Interstate 95 at exit 150 and going west about 1/4 mile. The visitor center is about 1/2 miles after the park entrance.
Closures - New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Special Programs - Please see ranger programs.
Exhibits - The visitor center contains exhibits detailing the history of the area both before and after becoming a national park. Also, videos of the park, its wildlife and cultural history are shown upon request. A park orientation video is also shown upon request.
Available Facilities - Exhibits, restrooms, videos, and a cooperating association bookstore.

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