# Alone in the Wilderness



## jatoxico (Nov 26, 2011)

Dick Proenneke's Alone in the Wilderness was on this AM. What an amazing documentary and amazing guy. If you have never seen it this guy lived alone in Alaska for >30 yrs starting with not much more than some hand tools and a stove. He built his cabin and supplied most of his needs with his own wits and skill. All the while he documented his progress and the local wildlife with a 16mm camera.
He lived alone at his cabin at Twin Lakes until he 82. It is a remarkable complilation of film and worth a look if you have a chance. Now I'm inspired to find some place to hike and be "alone" today. Maybe Fire Island Nat Seashore.


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## aussiedog3 (Nov 26, 2011)

I watch it every time it's on.  Wife thinks I'm crazy.
When he make the door, hinges and bear proof lock out of wood, I almost fall out of my chair.
What talent!


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## btuser (Nov 26, 2011)

I used to get lost in the woods as a kid, on purpose.  By the time I was 14 my parents stopped calling the police and just accepted I would come home when I felt like it, or it would get too cold.  I started my own cabin when I was 11 but underestimated the amount of work (it took too long, and my mom found out I was using an axe)  I tried making an axe out of stone but couldn't get it to mate to the handle.  So I went back to a lean-to I dug into the side of the river.


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## jatoxico (Nov 26, 2011)

I couldn't count the number of tree forts, tunnels and other hangouts I built in the woods. Never gave a thought to dragging scrap lumber near the top of a 50' maple.


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## Ncountry (Nov 26, 2011)

My brother and I used to build countless forts when we were kids.Dad was a carpenter,so we had an endless supply of nails and tools..(not supposed to use half the tools we did).I still run across hammers and handsaws  while in the woods from 30 years agur best one was a 6 story(4'story,we were short) we built off the end of the barn.see what happens when you leave two kids home alone.. Mom made us tear it down.she didn't figure it was up to code.lol...


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## fishingpol (Nov 26, 2011)

I have the DVD and book. The book has been read many times over.  Youtube has a few videos of the Twin Lakes and float plane trips to Dicks' cabin.  It give you a perspective of what it is like in the area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPpCLYrr2BE&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL8FE0EBE1439F0DD6


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## pen (Nov 26, 2011)

I remember when this first aired 5 or 6 years ago.  It's one of the few "movies" I could sit down and watch year after year.  

My favorite line of his, which I often hear in my conscience is 





> "Too many men work on parts of things. Doing a job to completion satisfies me."



pen


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## raybonz (Nov 26, 2011)

I was hooked when I saw the show on PBS years ago.. I immediately bought the book and I also have the 500 page PDF which the national park service published.. Dick Proenneke is on my short list for people that I look up to..

Ray


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## North of 60 (Nov 26, 2011)

I moved up here due to that show.  Now its in my backyard but I have got all of the amenities.


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## jatoxico (Nov 26, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

> *I moved up here due to that show*.  Now its in my backyard but I have got all of the amenities.



Really? Is that true? Interesting.

It's an inspiring and fascinating story of what one man can do. I can't kid myself that I have his skills but even if I did I don't think I could do it the way he did.

Very happy in alone the woods, I don't get enough of that but it's nice to have someone to come home to though.


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## fishingpol (Nov 27, 2011)

I don't know.  I recall that he said his cabin was a warm 45 degrees inside or something like that.  He was a better man than me.


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## Badfish740 (Nov 27, 2011)

I have it on the DVR and it gets erased under penalty of death!  More than his skill one of the things that strikes me about Proenneke is his physical stamina.  Imagine what it takes to hand saw an 8' pine log longways into planks!  I'm in reasonable physical shape and like to swing the Fiskars now and then but the shape that Proenneke must have been in to build that cabin AND hunt for/gather food would put me to shame!


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## jatoxico (Nov 27, 2011)

Badfish740 said:
			
		

> I have it on the DVR and it gets erased under penalty of death!  More than his skill one of the things that strikes me about Proenneke is his physical stamina.  *Imagine what it takes to hand saw an 8' pine log longways into planks!*  I'm in reasonable physical shape and like to swing the Fiskars now and then but the shape that Proenneke must have been in to build that cabin AND hunt for/gather food would put me to shame!



I used a bow saw to buck up a decent amount of wood while scrounging from Irene. Hard work and couldn't cut half as straight in 10-12" as he managed over 4-5". I should learn to sharpen up my saws.


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## North of 60 (Nov 27, 2011)

jatoxico said:
			
		

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Yep, really.  Winter camping with a wall tent, stove and raised cot out on the Ice somewhere fishin is a good way to ween yourself off of this site on the weekends. :lol: 
Stepping out of the wall tent in the AM and seeing this........Not much traffic, Just the ring of bells on the fishing rod.

My avatar is pretty much my backyard.
Cheers


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## North of 60 (Nov 27, 2011)

Badfish740 said:
			
		

> I have it on the DVR and it gets erased under penalty of death!  More than his skill one of the things that strikes me about Proenneke is his physical stamina.  Imagine what it takes to hand saw an 8' pine log longways into planks!  I'm in reasonable physical shape and like to swing the Fiskars now and then but the shape that Proenneke must have been in to build that cabin AND hunt for/gather food would put me to shame!



Speaking of avatars, Yours is from a movie with the young Robert Redford correct?  What was the name of that movie?  I would like to see it again.
Thanks.


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## raybonz (Nov 27, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

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Personally I think it's awesome! I too was so inspired by the video I saw years ago but with 5 kids etc. etc. I was simply left to dream about it.. Proenneke lived in unison with nature and did not try to bend it but conformed to it and to me that speaks volumes.. Great man, great story!

Ray


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## jatoxico (Nov 27, 2011)

Nice view N 60. I cruised Alaska. Yeah I know, but we got out as much as possible and it was pretty cool, Glacier Bay, White Horse Pass and a couple sea plane/helicopter excursions. What was at least as great was the week we spent in Vancouver, I loved the whole area.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 28, 2011)

raybonz said:
			
		

> I was hooked when I saw the show on PBS years ago.. I immediately bought the book and I also have the 500 page PDF which the national park service published.. Dick Proenneke is on my short list for people that I look up to..
> 
> Ray



. . . along with Backwoods Savage, right?  

Actually, in truth, I do look up to Dennis . . . for his up-beat attitude and how he has overcome adversity.


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## JustWood (Nov 28, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

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Jeremiah Johnson. Best movie EVER !


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## North of 60 (Nov 28, 2011)

uncontrolabLEE said:
			
		

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Thanks HelpingLEE
 :coolsmile:


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## raybonz (Nov 29, 2011)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

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Yup I do look up to Dennis and respect his knowledge and his upbeat attitude as well.. For that matter I respect a great many people here Jake including you.. It is the collective knowledge, insight and humor that make this site so alive.. 

Ray


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## raybonz (Nov 29, 2011)

uncontrolabLEE said:
			
		

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I bet I have seen it and don't remember the title.. 

Ray


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## Danno77 (Nov 29, 2011)

north of 60 said:
			
		

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Are you talking about Badfish's avatar, with the bearskin and head on the rough looking guy? I though that was from the newer "True Grit"


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## firecracker_77 (Nov 29, 2011)

That sounds like a nice life, albeit a bit lonely.  I would like to envision being so self sufficient, but it would take a very strong person to be a loner to that extreme.  I spend about 70-80 hours a week in my office building for the most part alone with my stove.  That is enough for me.  

To rough it with no modern conveniences is a romantic idea.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 29, 2011)

firecracker_77 said:
			
		

> That sounds like a nice life, albeit a bit lonely.  I would like to envision being so self sufficient, but it would take a very strong person to be a loner to that extreme.  I spend about 70-80 hours a week in my office building for the most part alone with my stove.  That is enough for me.
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> To rough it with no modern conveniences is a romantic idea.



. . . and no access to hearth.com.


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## jatoxico (Nov 29, 2011)

uncontrolabLEE said:
			
		

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Watch your top knot!

Good flick


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## Hogwildz (Nov 29, 2011)

So tempting.
Something to think about....


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## North of 60 (Nov 29, 2011)

Danno77 said:
			
		

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Jerimiah is what I was thinking.  Redford was a young pup in that one.  Maybe Badfish can confirm.  I think LEE picked it up from the picture too though.


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## SnapCracklePop (Jan 1, 2012)

Well, shoot, I didn't see these posts back in November.

Are you foks aware that there is "Alone in the Wilderness, Part 2"? It aired on my PBS station this year, and I've got it on DVR. Someone found a lot of film in storage in the home of Dick's brother, and they edited it for this segment, narrated by the same guy (the producer, whose name I can't recall). In part 2, brother "Jake" gets an old Piper Cub and reconditions it, then flies it from California to Alaska to visit Dick. The two of them fly all around the area, landing on unnamed lakes and camping/fishing. What a life.

I wondered about the food cache on stilts that you sometimes see in Part 1, and then you don't. Part 2 shows him building it. 

I went through a phase as a kid after reading Jim (?) Kjelgaard's book, "Snow Dog," when I thought I wanted to go homesteading in Canada and be a trapper. I wrote to government agencies in the provinces and got information on homesteading. What I learned pretty much discouraged any such project...

Oh, well, one can live the life vicariously thru these films.

Nancy


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## Dix (Jan 1, 2012)

I missed this, too.

Didn't a group of cub scouts or something get Jeremiahs body moved?


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## kenny chaos (Jan 1, 2012)

Used to love Jeremiah Johnson.
I got out of the service, found me a wife, moved back to NY and needed something to do.
I borrowed some traps and put out a line.  The first day I had a sprung trap with two toes in it.
Word flies in these small towns and immediately,  I couldn't go anywhere without hearing someone
call, "Kenny Two Toes."
Thus began my next adventure.
Keep your back to the wind-
Kenny


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## Regency139 (Jan 1, 2012)

I've never heard of this documentary until I read this thread.  I found the full documentary on YouTube and spent the last hour watching it.  What a great experience that must have been.


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## Panhandler (Jan 1, 2012)

PopCrackleSnap said:
			
		

> Well, shoot, I didn't see these posts back in November.
> 
> Are you foks aware that there is "Alone in the Wilderness, Part 2"? It aired on my PBS station this year, and I've got it on DVR. Someone found a lot of film in storage in the home of Dick's brother, and they edited it for this segment, narrated by the same guy (the producer, whose name I can't recall). In part 2, brother "Jake" gets an old Piper Cub and reconditions it, then flies it from California to Alaska to visit Dick. The two of them fly all around the area, landing on unnamed lakes and camping/fishing. What a life.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3NRdZ8J24Q


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## SlyFerret (Jan 1, 2012)

Oh, wow!  I have never heard about this guy before!

I just bought the unabriged audio book on audible.com, and added the 4DVD + book set to my wish list on amazon.com so I can order them later.

-SF


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## wetwood (Jan 2, 2012)

Got lucky when I did a search on my satellite DVR. Alone in the wilderness Part 1 & 2 are going to be aired on the PBS station in Wichita tomorrow night, Jan 3rd starting at 7 P.M. central time. Got the receiver set to record them both.


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## jharkin (Jan 3, 2012)

I saw that for the first time last year... and of late Ive been reading a book on timber framing (wanting to better understand how my house was built).

Between the two... now when I drive around and see logs in somebodies driveway rather than want to cut it up for firewood I feel this urge to buy a broadaxe and start hewing beams!


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## SlyFerret (Jan 13, 2012)

So, I'll be finishing this book this weekend.

Do any of you guys have any suggestions for other books like this one?  Fiction or nonfiction?

-SF


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## Regency139 (Jan 13, 2012)

SlyFerret said:
			
		

> So, I'll be finishing this book this weekend.
> 
> Do any of you guys have any suggestions for other books like this one?  Fiction or nonfiction?
> 
> -SF



I've been reading "The Final Frontiersman" on my ipad and it's an excellent read so far.  In fact the main character was on the tv show Flying Wild Alaska.  He gets flown back to his cabin by bush plane and shows Jim Tweto, the pilot and owner of ERA Alaska, his setup.


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## Regency139 (Jan 13, 2012)

Here is a link to the clip.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U97HMRz-xg

There are other youtube videos about Heimo Korth that I just found and haven't watched yet.


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## SlyFerret (Jan 13, 2012)

Thanks for the tip!  Just ordered the paperback on Amazon.

This will be the first printed book I've read in a long time!  For years now I've been listening to unabridged audio books while I commute 80 miles a day to work.  Now that I'm working from home, I'll give a real book a shot again.  Might be a nice change!

-SF


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## raybonz (Jan 13, 2012)

SlyFerret said:
			
		

> So, I'll be finishing this book this weekend.
> 
> Do any of you guys have any suggestions for other books like this one?  Fiction or nonfiction?
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> -SF



A true story that I heard was awesome called "The Ledge".. Has to do with mountain climbing on Mt. Ranier.. I have it here and is my next read..

Ray


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## raybonz (Jan 13, 2012)

SlyFerret said:
			
		

> So, I'll be finishing this book this weekend.
> 
> Do any of you guys have any suggestions for other books like this one?  Fiction or nonfiction?
> 
> -SF



I have the 500 page PDF published by the Alaska NPS of the sequel to what you read but too big to send to you..

Ray


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## fishingpol (Jan 14, 2012)

I've read "Endurance".  It is the story of Ernest Shackleton's voyage on the Antartic seas.  A true story of desolate times and how they survived.  A pretty good read.  

It was my vote for the unofficial name of the Progress Hybrid.     :smirk:


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## wetwood (Jan 14, 2012)

Watched part 1 and 2 twice so far. What an amazing life Proenneke lived. 

The second book MORE READINGS FROM ONE MAN"S WILDERNESS can be downloaded free from the national park service website. There is a link to it at the bottom of the Richard Proenneke Wikipedia page. That page is an interesting read in it's self.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke


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## raybonz (Jan 14, 2012)

wetwood said:
			
		

> Watched part 1 and 2 twice so far. What an amazing life Proenneke lived.
> 
> The second book MORE READINGS FROM ONE MAN"S WILDERNESS can be downloaded free from the national park service website. There is a link to it at the bottom of the Richard Proenneke Wikipedia page. That page is an interesting read in it's self.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke



That's the book I was referring to.. It's a 500 page PDF diary very lightly edited only to make it easier to read because Proenneke was not happy with how his words were changed in the 1st book.. I own the 1st book in printed form as well.. 

Ray


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## SlyFerret (Jan 14, 2012)

Nice, thanks!

I can read the PDF on my tablet.  Too bad there isn't an audio book of that one!

-SF


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## jeromehdmc (Jan 14, 2012)

Fishingpol, if you liked Endurance look  for the book Shackleton's Forgotten Men.  My wife is a total Antarctica freak...but only the heroic age which has to do with Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen, etc.  Most people don't know about Shackleton's other men (on the opposite side of the continent) and the outrageous stuff they went through bec Shackleton's experience was so extraordinary, their stuff was lost in the telling.  I've heard her tell a bunch of people about that book.  It's pretty great I hear.


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## fishingpol (Jan 15, 2012)

Will do Jerome, thanks.  Great books for cold winter nights.


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## SlyFerret (Jan 15, 2012)

Thats right!

I love reading a winter survival story while I warm myself by the fire.

-SF


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## semipro (Jan 15, 2012)

"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean George is very similar, although a kids book.
Its about a young teen that runs away from home and lives off the land in the Catskills.  
Its still fun to read as an adult.


It looks like the whole "Alone in the Wilderness" series is available on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/swererbob/videos


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## Burn-1 (Aug 25, 2012)

Probably shouldnt' have appended an old thread but if you liked Alone in the Wilderness, I watched a great film last night called 'Happy People - A Year in the Taiga' sort of Alone in the Wilderness, Derzu Uzala and Dead River Rough Cut mixed together about a Siberian village and trapping outpost and the sable trappers who live in remote tributaries of the Yenisei River. Well worth the watch.


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## nate379 (Aug 25, 2012)

I don't really have to explain this to any of the guys from around here, but outside of the "big" cities in this state, it's pretty much a self sufficient setting.  I know several people still on the road system that don't have power outside of a generator.

Shoot, when I first moved in my house in 08 I only had power and gas from the grid.  No cable, phone, mail route, etc.


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## hilly (Aug 28, 2012)

I love in that Taiga movie how the trapper drives his snow mobile 150 km for New Years and the dog runs the entire distance!


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