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hauptman
06-09-2005, 19:57
Has anyone seen the documentary film "Alone in the Wilderness" about the life of Dick Proenneke who went to live alone in the most remote areas of Alaska for thirty one years. He lived in complete solitude in the middle of no where for thirty one years. He built his own log cabin and endured harsh winters. What is even more amazing is that he filmed much of his journey and kept a highly detailed journal, (by the way has anyone read the book "One Man's Wilderness" a compilation of his journal entries). I t would be amazing to be able to do the same kind of thing! (Definatly a fantasy of mine.) I am sure some of you must feel the same way sometimes. Here is a link to the Dick Proenneke website[www.dickproenneke.com (http://www.dickproennecke.com)].

Spirit Walker
06-09-2005, 22:05
I can certainly see myself living alone in the wilderness. I am by nature a hermit. But that man was incredibly competent as a carpenter and craftsman. I haven't the skills to build myself a cabin. But if someone gave me one . . .
Or I can always live in a tent somewhere. I figure that when I am old and social security has gone bust that's what I'll do - find myself a patch of woods and live in the backcountry.

hauptman
06-10-2005, 05:03
why wait !!! youth is wasted on the young as they say. if i had some money i would do it maybe not for 31 years, but for 5-10 years maybe oh i wonder much it would cost to do this sort of thing?

Jaybird
06-10-2005, 06:25
i've watched the "Wilderness" video (originally film) several times & am totally amazed.

i'd love to do the same thing....but, realistically...even tho' i feel like a "LONER" & a man born "out of my time"...i dont know that i can isolate from society & modern conveniences for years & years on end without human contact.

It's a GREAT video though!

Ender
06-10-2005, 10:08
Yep, even read the book, which is just as wonderful as the documentary but more in depth. Really worth picking up and reading if you haven't already.
Ender

wilconow
06-10-2005, 13:57
i heard on npr yesterday that werner herzog has made a documentary of the guy in alaska who spent like 20 years working with bears and then got killed by one?

capehiker
06-12-2005, 09:16
"Alone In the Wilderness" is a wonderful documentary/ achievment. I've always enjoyed the notion of living off the land since I first read "My Side of the Mountain" many years ago.

I'm just speculating but I wonder how tough it would be to mimic the same adventure with today's environmental laws, taxation and such (not intending to start a argument, just being realistic). Still a great dream, though.

Happypappy
06-12-2005, 19:16
It airs occasionally here on our local pbs station. Everytime I see it I wonder would I be up to the task. Of course, my carpentry skills really suck, so I would need someone else's cabin. heh
Honestly, I often find myself wishing I could.

fiddlehead
06-22-2005, 23:43
If i wanted to, i would be there! We each prioritize our lives, at least until we have children. The same question could be asked about any geographical place in the world. We are where we are because that's where we choose to be.
I know that Alaska really doesn't have 24 hours of darkness in the winter, perhaps it's more like 22 or 23. I'm an outdoor person and although i don't mind night hiking, i prefer the daylight for my outdoor life.
No place is perfect of course. But Thailand comes as close as i've seen. (lots of bugs though)

fiddlehead
06-22-2005, 23:47
Oh yeah, and they (thailand) have elephants instead of Grizzly Bears. And elephants are vegetarians, so i feel much safer in their prescence.

justusryans
06-23-2005, 07:09
Not to get you down, but if anyone ever decides to move to Alaska and live off the land, it can be done. BUT!!! You absolutely better know what you're doing! It is not a joke or forgiving. I lived in Alaska for 9 years. I't seemed to me that regularly hunters would find the remains of some well meaning individual who decided to live with nature. The most famous case was in 1992. Chris McCandless decided to do the very same thing. Broke a leg and starved to death about 10 miles from a road. I think there is a book about it. Not saying it can't be done. I met plenty of people up there who were self sustaining. However do your research, aquire the skills necessary, have a plan and remember the boy scout motto... be prepared!

The Hog
06-23-2005, 07:39
I recommend Dick Proenneke's film. It's a classic. He is/was one tough individual, and he made a very interesting film in the midst of Alaskan hardships. What he did takes a lot of gumption and an incredible amount of (skilled) effort. The first incarnation of his cinematic efforts that I'm aware of was a National Park Service film called, One Man's Alaska. Not sure, but I think this latest film is a repackaging of the earlier effort.

MDSHiker
06-23-2005, 16:23
I've seen it too, and really enjoyed it.

jackiebolen
06-23-2005, 17:29
I have a master plan...finish grad school, go overseas to teach English for a few years, make enough money to pay a big chunk of a downpayment of a house.

Rent out the house, after a few more years working, have it paid off. Then all rent money will go to support me.

Then go find a nice place to live in the forest and spend the rest of my life hiking! Haha...hope it works out...we'll see I guess.

Don't know if I could deal with the 31 years or isolation though.

TakeABreak
06-23-2005, 21:31
Yeah, I saw the film on pbs, although i like being alone for periods of time in the woods, I would prefer to have a female companion along with me. One that also likes to be out in the woods, and that is not afraid to bait her own hook kinda gal.

JoeHiker
06-24-2005, 14:03
The most famous case was in 1992. Chris McCandless decided to do the very same thing. Broke a leg and starved to death about 10 miles from a road. I think there is a book about it.
That's Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer -- the same guy who wrote Into Thin Air about the ill-fated Everest expedition

icemanat95
06-24-2005, 14:50
Be aware that this guy went into the woods knowing pretty much exactly what he was doing, with a full complement of applicable skills including the ability to track, hunt, fish, build the tools he needed, etc.

If you aren't willing to kill a caribou or moose, or bear, dress it out and process the meat, store it up effectively for the winter, etc. you have no business being out there. While he did have some romantic views of nature going in, he appears to have shed many of them while living in it. Real nature doesn't play any favorites, it treats everyone pretty much the same way, you either acquire the ability and the mindset to deal with it, or you don't. And we cannot forget the importance of luck...all it takes is one bad fall and you are in for a slow and very painful death.

Also, this guy did have external support. He had supplies brought into him at relatively regular intervals (wide intervals, but intervals nonetheless) including medicines, staple foods like flour and salt and probably oats and the like, and communicated with his family via mail brought in and out by airplane.

Buckingham
08-25-2005, 18:55
Sounds like heaven to me

dharmabum86
08-26-2005, 13:40
Another book to check out is Woodsman. It's written by Anne LaBastille. After her divorce she moves out into the Adirondacks and builds her own cabin on a lake and lives a very self-sufficient life by herself. I found it very interesting, particularly since it demonstrated how incredibly strong she was as an independent woman. She does NOT however focus on feminism or have the "men suck" syndrome.
I'm recently divorced and would love to move somewhere and live out the dreams I've had of a self sufficient life.
OJ

pathfindervt
08-31-2005, 03:29
Another good book is "three against the wilderness" written by Eric Collier in 1959.

Its the story about him, his wife and son moving into the wilderness of British Columbia. Good Read.

walkin' wally
08-31-2005, 12:01
In reality, is there anyplace to live in the US, Alaska included,
that isn't owned by someone or some big corporation that would not want someone living there in the first place free of charge with no taxes or other financial obligations?
This is not a slam on the above posters just a question on what is really available. Where could one really go? I just have the feeling that everything is locked up by someone or something. (Read Control)
I did not read the book yet.