Very Good Survivalist Article About His First Experiences in AK
 

This is very long, so I'm just posting part. Quite an interesting read, tho.

Letter Re: Grub and Gear--Lessons Learned from an Alaskan Trapper

http://www.survivalblog.com/2009/09/...arlessons.html

James,

Going through some old gear last month, I found my food supply lists and notes from 1976-79. I thought the old list might be of interest and the lessons I learned during the first three years in the remote Alaska bush may be helpful to a few of your readers. I do not recommend Alaska for a TEOTWAWKI retreat but the lessons I learned the hard way may be helpful to any one in a cold climate.

I grew up in California listing to stories from my grandfather about Alaska and the Yukon. When I graduated from high school my grandfather gave me his remote trapping cabin in Alaska. At 18 I had a lot to learn and discovered many things the hard way. I was lucky to survive the first year.

When I got to Alaska I met my Grandfather�s old trapping partner. He told me that the cabin was fully stocked with everything including food. Enough food and supplies for at least one winter. When I started asking him questions on how to trap he told me �sonny I have not got the time to teach you and since you don�t have to build the cabin you will have time to figure it out. He added half under his breath� providing you do not fall through the ice or freeze to death. He also said something to the effect that if he had not owed my grandfather a favor he would never give his � of the cabin to a long haired hippy kid from California. I had to promise the old Sourdough that I would have all of his traps flown back to town at the end of the trapping season or buy the traps from him.

My first winter was a disaster.

Before this the longest I had been in the wilderness was a 23 day Outward Bound survival class that I attended the year before and I had never spent a winter in a cold environment.

To get to the trapping cabin it was at least a two week walk from the end of closest dirt road or a 1:20 hour flight in a bush plane. The cheapest way to fly to the cabin was in a Piper PA-18 Super Cub on tundra tires. The pilot told me he could carry 1 passenger and 200 lbs of supplies or a total of 400 pounds of supplies and no passenger.

When the pilot dropped me off he told me �If I am in the area I will check on you� He did not have any charters that way so he did not check on me that winter..................

http://www.survivalblog.com/2009/09/...arlessons.html

Re: Very Good Survivalist Article About His First Experiences in AK
 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA I was a bull cook for a track gang on the ARR in the 70s and made styrofoam seats for our outhouse the same way. How in gods earth those stupid gandy dancers used those cold wood seats for 50 years before I got there, the devil knows.

Re: Very Good Survivalist Article About His First Experiences in AK
 

" that which does not kill you, makes you stronger "


lessons learned from that first winter, will be remembered for a lifetime

Re: Very Good Survivalist Article About His First Experiences in AK
 

It would seem that he learned a thing or two the second winter as well.