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Thread: Living In The Remote Wilderness. . . .

  1. #1

    Default Living In The Remote Wilderness. . . .

    Living in the remote wilderness is not harder, it is a mindset. You have to have a true desire to want to live that way or you will fail. . .PERIOD!! Most people of today are too soft both mentally and physically to make it.

    It becomes a lifestyle that makes you feel good. It's a lifestyle that is conducive to keeping you healthy and fit. You sleep peacefully and soundly at night. . .don't need a sleeping pill. Don't have credit cards to worry about. A mortgage to worry about paying off. Being in debt up to your eyeballs, etc.

    You can live alone and survive without a problem, I've done it for many years. But, the key to living a solitary (away from society) lifestyle, whether by yourself or with another person or family, must be undertaken in steps.

    You can't expect to go from Chicago to the mountains of Alaska in a years time. You have to start small and work your way up to full-blown, full-time "Grizzly Adams" type of living.

    1.) If you live in a big city or metropolitan/suburban area, you have to move to a rural "farmland" area. Live in a house that uses only firewood for heating & cooking. Practice cutting firewood (enough to heat the house for the winter & cooking). It will take some time to figure out how much you will actually need.

    2.) Finding a house with no indoor water or don't use the plumbing and learning to haul water from a well to use for bathing, cooking, washing clothes, etc

    3.) Learn to use oil lamps for lighting. NO grid or generator lighting. And learn to render animal fat to make your own lamp oil.

    4.) Learn to grow a garden, harvest the crops, can or dry the fruits and veggies for storage.

    5.) Mend your own clothing, or even how to make your own clothes.

    6.) Learn a craft that you can make money for supplies. Making jewelry, or leather-crafting, or rustic furniture, or canning things like: preserves, salsas, apple butter, sliced fruit, etc.

    7.) If you're not a hunter, learn to hunt. If you are a hunter, learn to gut and butcher the meat. Learn how to salt, or smoke, or dry the meat for storage.

    These are just a few of the of the beginning basics to get started on the path to being just like Grizzly Adams.

    I've been in the woods my entire life. I am very comfortable and adept living out here, but before I took the big plunge I, too, tested the waters before jumping in head first.

    I lived in the country, on a farm for 5 years, all the while teaching survival. Next I lived in a cave for two summers and one winter, in WY. During these seven years I was planning and preparing for the big leap into solitude.

    Two years before I moved full time I lived for a year in AK. 80 miles from the nearest town, in an old trappers cabin.

    It took me 8 years of planning and progressive remote living before taking the plunge. Now I live 240 miles from the nearest town and only go into town twice a year for supplies, and once every other year to visit family for the holidays.

    I schedule my trips to town during the times when the trade & swap shows are taking place. I sell the things that I've canned and the furniture I make throughout the winter. I live off $2500 - $3000 per year.

    So, there you have it. Nativedude's beginning steps to living like Grizzly Adams, Sourdough, and Me!
    Everything I have posted is pure fantasy. I have not done any of the things that I have claimed to have done in my posts. I actually live in Detroit.


  2. #2
    Neo-Numptie DOGMAN's Avatar
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    Wow, thats pretty impressive. I have all the skills you list down pat, except the no bills part. I make about 30 times (thats net, not gross) what you do, and still have debts.

    For me, living simply is pretty damned complicated. I need some free land! I live wild, just not free. Good work Native Dude!

  3. #3
    Senior Member nell67's Avatar
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    Awesome post ND!
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Nice post Native Dude.
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    Hall Monitor Pal334's Avatar
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    This is a good informative post. I do not agree though with your statement:Most people of today are too soft both mentally and physically to make it.
    THere are alot of folks that may not be suited to the solitude that you have chosen, just as for example they may not be suited to be a fireman. But I would think that a person with desire, who follows the guidelines for preparation like those you have shared could certainly have a better idea how they would fare before making the plunge.

    Again, thank you for the food for thought
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    ND, Nice Post.......

  7. #7

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    very interesting! I'd like to hear more about your day to day living. You know! Are there roads? Do you have a vehicle? what if it breaks down? Is it possible to get a girl back in there every blue moon or what? How do you have internet access? Electricity? Gas?

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    RWC, Nativedude has made a lot of excellent posts including the answers to many of your questions. You might scan through some of his threads. Really good stuff!
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  9. #9
    Realist
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    Really interesting post. Like RWC1969 I'm curious about your solutions to electrical needs and internet access in such a remote location. I really enjoy being unplugged but also appreciate some of the things that being connected also provide.

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    Senior Member doug1980's Avatar
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    Great thread. Very good advice.
    Alaska to Florida, for how long, who knows...

  11. #11

    Default I'd like to hear more about your day to day living. . . .

    Thanks everybody for the kind acknowledgments, much appreciation!

    As for answers to the questions. . . .

    1.) No roads. Fly-in or canoe/portage only. I have 2 freighter canoes, 1 - 18' & 1 - 21' for hauling supplies and getting back and forth.

    2.) If you can find a girl willing to go that far (*snicker*)

    3.) No electricity. All lighting courtesy of oil lamps and homemade lamp oil.

    4.) All heating and cooking is done by fire. My fireplace is built to heat my 16x20 cabin, a built in stone bread oven for roasting and baking and a swing arm kettle for cooking stews, soups, beans, etc.

    4.) I do have a satellite cell phone w/3 long life batteries (to keep in touch with family, emergencies, etc.) I have connection to internet through satellite link up.

    5.) I use 3 Brunton portable solar chargers to keep my phone and laptop batts. charged, and I have 2 Optima deep cycle batteries for extra pwr. (if need be.)

    I teach survival and primitive living skills so I have to keep in touch to keep it running, schedule clientele, and keep informed as to their arrival times.
    Last edited by Nativedude; 10-28-2009 at 10:40 PM.
    Everything I have posted is pure fantasy. I have not done any of the things that I have claimed to have done in my posts. I actually live in Detroit.

  12. #12
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I'd love to see some pictures of your homestead and how you have it set up.
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  13. #13

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    Great post.
    I agree,most people today are too soft to make it,including me,
    I belive I have the will and desire, just too darn old and worn out.
    If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself when I was young.
    Still can do it just not as fast or as long.Use my head a lot more now.
    Mischief

  14. #14
    Senior Member Winnie's Avatar
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    A very enlightening post ND. I really do congrtaulate you (and anyone else for that matter) who chooses this lifestyle and makes it work.
    This was something I wanted to do many years ago and was well on the way, then divorce, serious illness and trying to support myself and Winnie jnr got in the way. I still hanker for a simple life but I'm realistic enough to know I'd never make it without a partner to help.
    Recession; A period when you go without something your Grandparents never heard of.

  15. #15

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    my cudos, ND.
    with about $ 200/month living costs, what do you do about reading material?
    subscriptions? 2nd hand books?

  16. #16
    Gadget Master oldsoldier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nativedude View Post
    Thanks everybody for the kind acknowledgments, much appreciation!

    As for answers to the questions. . . .

    1.) No roads. Fly-in or canoe/portage only. I have 2 freighter canoes, 1 - 18' & 1 - 21' for hauling supplies and getting back and forth.

    2.) If you can find a girl willing to go the far (*snicker*)

    3.) No electricity. All lighting courtesy of oil lamps and homemade lamp oil.

    4.) All heating and cooking is done by fire. My fireplace is built to heat my 16x20 cabin, a built in stone bread oven for roasting and baking and a swing arm kettle for cooking stews, soups, beans, etc.

    4.) I do have a satellite cell phone w/3 long life batteries (to keep in touch with family, emergencies, etc.) I have connection to internet through satellite link up.

    5.) I use 3 Brunton portable solar chargers to keep my phone and laptop batts. charged, and I have 2 Optima deep cycle batteries for extra pwr. (if need be.)

    I teach survival and primitive living skills so I have to keep in touch to keep it running, schedule clientele, and keep informed as to their arrival times.
    Man I am SOoooooo JEALOUS
    If by what I have learned over the years, allow me to help one person to start to prepare. If all the mistakes I have made, let me give one person the wisdom that allows them to save their life or the life of a loved one in an emergency. Then I will truly know that all the work I have done will have been worth every minute.

  17. #17

    Question What do you do about reading material. . . .Subscriptions, 2nd hand books? . . . .

    Stony wrote: "my cudos, ND.
    with about $ 200/month living costs, what do you do about reading material?
    subscriptions? 2nd hand books?"
    I was 8 years old when I saw the Rocky Mountains of Colorado on TV. After seeing them, I told my Mom, "That's where I want to live when I grow up!" At age 12 I started to collect books and magazines. I never read them, just collected them for a future date. I was preparing for a life in Colorado (back in the 70's).

    The summer I turned 18 I headed out to Colorado to see the Rockies for myself. While the mountains were beautiful, I was sorely disappointed at the lack of truly remote areas.

    After doing much research, I found three main places I wanted to live. Montana, The Yukon Territory, or Alaska. These were the only places with enough remote wilderness to meet my needs.

    Well, long story short, by the time I was ready to move to AK, I had collected over 325 books and 500 periodicals (magazines). To date, I have read 75 books and 92 magazines. Also, I do pick up a book here and there at swap meets and used magazines from a bush pilot friend of mine when he and his wife come to visit and hunt thrice a year.
    Everything I have posted is pure fantasy. I have not done any of the things that I have claimed to have done in my posts. I actually live in Detroit.

  18. #18

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    thanks for the response Native dude. But, I'm with Winnie. I couldn't make it without a partner. Too much for me to do on a day to day basis and I'd get too lonely. I suppose I could carve a smile on my bowling ball and call it Brunswick, :.)

    I think it's great that you are able to do this. It's always been a dream of mine. Thinkin back, I believe it was "Grizzly Adams" that got me started.

    I've got to ask what if you had appendicitis or something?

  19. #19

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    thank for your answer ND.
    reading material is always a big issue for us (girls & I) when we go to camp.
    we spend about 2 grand on books and periodicals per year. we rather have no bread than have no books.

  20. #20

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    This is an Excellent post!!! If I didn't have a family I would try and do what you have done.

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