Backwoodsman Guide to Shelters

Build a variety of shelters from natural materials while taking a nostalgic look at some of The Backwoodsman Magazine’s timeless articles.

As a young child, Charlie Richie Jr. used to watch his father build tepees, debris shelters, and various forms of lean-tos—and fall in love with the Old Ways of Living. In 1980, Charlie Sr. was inspired to create The Backwoodsman Magazine, with a mission to preserve and share timeless outdoor skills that will forever be relevant.

In The Backwoodsman Guide to Shelters, Charlie Jr. collects 25 of the magazine’s best shelter-related articles from the 1980s and 1990s, written by seasoned craftspeople. The selections often feature how-to plans and instructions—complete with illustrations—and they focus on building shelters with only natural materials, plus some that reuse existing materials.

A testament to human ingenuity and the enduring importance of traditional craftsmanship in an increasingly technological world, this book ensures that critical survival techniques and “the art of making” remain accessible to future generations. It offers personal empowerment, creativity, and deep environmental engagement.

If you’re an avid outdoorsperson who might find yourself in an overnight survival situation, this is an essential book. If you’ve always been interested in how Indigenous peoples constructed shelters or if you can’t walk past a pile of lumber—or even leaves—without imagining a fort- or cabin-build, you’ll love this rugged collection of shelter articles for beginners and hands-on adventurers.

Inside you’ll find:

• 25 of The Backwoodsman Magazine’s best shelter-related articles
• Instructions for building emergency, temporary, and permanent shelters
• Technical illustrations that aid in understanding each step-by-step process