One Man's Wilderness

[Mr. Sandman]

I read the book a few years back while being stranded in an Airport out west, I really liked it and gave it to my son to read, he also loved it.

Recently, I saw a show on TV about this very guy #^&#^&#^&#^& Proenneke who packed it up and moved (at age 51) into the back woods of Alaska. He lived there for something like 35 years. (Died in 2003) The book was fasinating, but after seeing the show I pick up the DVD's and it is really something. This guy did it all. If you ever thought about leaving the real world and moving to chilly paradise this is a must see.

There is a web site out there easily found pitching all the videos but if you get to see what he was able to do it is impressive. The log home he made was amazing with what he had.

Have you guys read this book?

[ProfessorM]

yup, a great story.

[justplugit]

Thanks for the tip, Sandman.

Sounds like some of the Jack London books that i read as a kid like "Call of the Wild."

I can still pcture some of the scenes he described in my mind's eye ,even after all these years.

[Nebe]

sounds like 'into the wild' with a happier ending.

[Mr. Sandman]

Yeah that sounds like the guy. He was a man who pretty much did everything with is hands. He made a lot of tools to build his home. He had a saw and a hammer, a few bits and basic hand tools and went to town building a cabin in the twin lakes area of Alaska. He filmed and wrote about his adventures and wildlife.

Watching him make the hinges for the front door and door lock to keep the bears out was something else. (Also the fireplace) All summer he ate fish. He said the fishing is good all the time (when it wasn't frozen over ). He would go down and catch grayling, lake trout and sometimes a salmon within a very short period and walk back, dig up some some potato's and cook up a nourishing hot meal. He did have supplies flown in from time to time but would go for months without seeing another person.

It looks like the mosquitoes are insane out there.

35 years, alone out there, never hurt himself and never got sick, not even a cold.

[Bronko]

I saw it, I couldn't stop watching it. It was a truly amazing story. I think it was called "Into the Wilderness." I can't believe this guy would spend winters up there by himself. The solitude would have been enough to drive me insane, but he seemed to cherish it. He was an amazing craftsman as well. Well worth watching.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Karl F

was this the same guy that Channel 2 aired the old documentary about last winter?
sounds like him..he shot film of building the camp, it was old jumpy 8mm fare, but great to watch.

That was "Alone in the Wilderness"....I always bring this guy up when the Scouts are Pissin and Moanin about a campout

Actually we are doing a Wilderness Survival campout in May and I want to show the Kids this video....Once again to keep the Pissin and Moanin down to a minimum

http://www.aloneinthewilderness.com/

[Mr. Sandman]

That's the guy. good link . A review of the book is here:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/12/29/064326.php

[FishermanTim]

It's amazing to think that this guy, at age 51, left the "civilized world" for 35 years, and finally decided to leave when the "50 below winters were getting to be hard to take". How many of us had complained even once about 20 above?
What really makes this even more astounding was that he made almost everything from scratch. hand made log cabin, doors, chairs, door hinges, bowls and spoon. The segment building the cabin, with the exactness of the notches, the choice of logs, even the manufacturing of the hand tools he used were awe inspiring.
constructing a cold box below the frost line was ingenious, as was recycling old metal containers into kitchen storage utensils.
I first saw the show a few years back, and ever since I have kept my eyes out looking for any rebroadcast on the PBS stations.
I picked up the DVD last month for my brother, who fell in love with the show the first time he saw it.
I could watch it over and over again.

[Mr. Sandman]

We are talking about taking the kids to Alaska for a vacation in the next couple years and I would like to will make a side trip to twin lakes to see this place first hand. The cabin is now part of the National Park system. Getting there will be a bitch though.

[tynan19]

Saw a couple videos of him a few weeks ago. Amazing story. Watching him build the cabin was incredible. The best part is he never got sick in those 20 + years. Fascinating stuff watching him build the hinges out of that stump.

[ProfessorM]

Awesome craftsman. Hard to get sick when you have no contact with the outside, germ infested, world as I sit here sick as a dog thanks to my lovely wife.

[Slipknot]

I've seen that show on PBS about 3 times, AWESOME!
I loved it and called my dad to watch it. That guy was amazing. Sandman, go if at all possible, take a plane in and check it out, the kids will love that part of your trip I'm sure. I'd go if I could and bring a trout rod.
He certainly had a real appreciation of nature.

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

Awesome craftsman. Hard to get sick when you have no contact with the outside, germ infested, world as I sit here sick as a dog thanks to my lovely wife.

oh crap, nevermind the PM then Paul
feel better soon, get some soup

[ProfessorM]

I am pretty sure after he decide to move back to the lower 48 he had an open invitation to stay there whenever he wanted after it became a landmark or park or whatever they made it. He being so old by then I don't think he ever went back. I can't imagine sawing planks from felled trees with a hand saw. Oh the blisters.

[Swimmer]

I saw it on Discovery I think. Great show, an incredible human being to have made what he did with barely nothing.

[buckman]

Great story, watch it every year it comes on. The guy makes it look too easy.