WHERE WOULD YOU GO... to build a remote cabin and live off the land? (Palmer: store, assess)

[Sapperdoc]

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

I see there still way too many McCandless and Treadwells out there....

So aptly named...


Back on topic.... "Fail to plan, plan to fail." Doesn't matter much if you're trying to move to the big city, the Amazon rainforest, or be roomates with Antarctic penguins. If you have a realistic plan, prep for it, execute it religiously, allow for contingencies, and build yourself the proverbial fire exit, well, you'll probably be okay. As has been stated already, if you think a sustenance driven life in a small northern village is all roses and Disney music, I fervently hope you never pass the dreaming stage in your particular plan, in the interests of your personal survival.

[RedJacket]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

This is certainly a classic instance of an editing error, where by the required (see Poe's Law) smiley to indicate it actually is a joke and that the author is not the dumbest person on earth, is missing only due to a simple typo.

The fact is, you have to tell people that it's a clever joke, because it's impossible to distinguish a truly well written joke from abject stupidity (otherwise, it isn't a truly well written joke, eh?). That means some people will be misled, thinking since you are smart that the statement made by you must be true (and you will be responsible for leading, Pied Piper style, a group of mice into foolishness); and that other people, who actually are smart, will likely believe you are abjectly stupid.

Write literally. Don't even trust a smiley to get the point across. Label your jokes as a joke. Because the alternative is that smart people will think you aren't, and dumb people will believe what you said.

And of course, in this case I'll leave it up to the reader to determine which part of the above is a joke... [symbol deleted]

I haven't had a talking down like that since Sister Eileen. Of course, she also has a yardstick at her disposal.

Gotcha Floyd. Gotcha.

[FloridaKash]

I think the issue here is that many of those coming from the lower 48 have a very different perspective of Remote is compared to Alaskans. I think many of those from the lower 48 and Hawaii would view Petersville or Ninilchik as remote.

You can grow a garden and hunt/fish to subsidize your food. You will not live off of it exclusively.

For those that may thing you can live exclusively off the land you have to understand it is impossible to do these days. If it was possible, those that live in the villages would not pay $9/gallon for milk or $5 for a loaf of bread.

If you want 'remote' there are lots of little communities that have tiny general stores within the community and regular grocery stores several hours away. These types of towns will likely provide you with much of the "remoteness" you desire.

All of those coming to Alaska need to give up on the thoughts if building a cabin in the middle of the woods 20 miles away from your nearest neighbor. If that's what you want.... work your way to that point after living in a small community first.

[bortstc37]

Originally Posted by FloridaKash

You can grow a garden and hunt/fish to subsidize your food. You will not live off of it exclusively.

For those that may thing you can live exclusively off the land you have to understand it is impossible to do these days. If it was possible, those that live in the villages would not pay $9/gallon for milk or $5 for a loaf of bread.

i disagree. it's certainly possible. it's only that people today don't have the knowledge or drive to do such a thing. we're lazy.

[Marty Van Diest]

Yes, it is possible to live entirely off the land. But it is very difficult. The main reason that interior Alaska was so sparsely populated in the old days is because starvation kept the population down. Of course disease introduced by Europeans further decimated the population after contact, but it was not very high pre-contact.

The successful Indians in interior Alaska were very smart and very tough. I helped an 80 year old man set a fish trap once in -10 degree weather. He was showing me how to hold the upright poles in place by taking a handful of snow, dipping it in the water and then packing it around the pole until it froze in place...with his bare hands. He caught a lot of grayling in that trap...

Coastal areas further south are much easier places to live off the land...or the sea.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by FloridaKash

I think the issue here is that many of those coming from the lower 48 have a very different perspective of Remote is compared to Alaskans. I think many of those from the lower 48 and Hawaii would view Petersville or Ninilchik as remote.

You can grow a garden and hunt/fish to subsidize your food. You will not live off of it exclusively.

For those that may thing you can live exclusively off the land you have to understand it is impossible to do these days. If it was possible, those that live in the villages would not pay $9/gallon for milk or $5 for a loaf of bread.

If you want 'remote' there are lots of little communities that have tiny general stores within the community and regular grocery stores several hours away. These types of towns will likely provide you with much of the "remoteness" you desire.

All of those coming to Alaska need to give up on the thoughts if building a cabin in the middle of the woods 20 miles away from your nearest neighbor. If that's what you want.... work your way to that point after living in a small community first.

It is not impossible to live off the land, just very difficult and requires a great deal of work. One has to give up the luxuries of buying and consuming foods from around the globe and be content with only that which is available. If that means living for weeks on moose/caribou jerky and hardtack because there is no other food available, then that is what you have to do.

Most people are not willing to give up those luxuries, or have never experienced life without the benefits society has to offer and they take them for granted (like indoor plumbing).

For those wondering if they have the skill and knowledge to make it without the benefits of what society has to offer, I recommend they rent a remote cabin for a few weeks and find out. There are lots of privately owned cabins that charters will rent out spread all over Alaska.

It will give people a taste of what life without indoor plumbing, electricity, and central heating is like. I think it might give them more appreciation for the luxuries they already have and have been taking for granted.

If they want to make it more challenging, only take one week's worth of food for a two week stay. Obtain the last week's worth of food from the land. Although, I would highly recommend becoming very familiar with the local flora and fauna before attempting this.

If they can't make it a week hunting and gathering their food, particularly with a shelter already being provided, then they certainly can't cut it in the bush living off the land for longer periods.

[dnc19694339]

the unabombers acre of land in montana is actually for sale for like $60K. haha

They took apart his cabin though and brought it to the FBI headquarters for investiagation, so all that is left is the land.

I read that just recently somewhere on the web.

[bongo]

Originally Posted by LorriM357

I will be a newbie soon. I will be moving to AK, though not sure yet on what area. I come from NC and VA and getting away and living off the land for me is getting away from the people who think the world should be all about money, parents who are doped up allowing their children to do as they please and "just don't bother me" mentalities. Living off the land is having a garden and being as self sufficient as I can be, notsomuch the lean to hut/squatting idea, just growing a garden, raising my children where there seems to be more "olden ways" of life more so, than living where i am now. There's almost no room to grow a garden inside the house or out. I have read a lot of these alaska forums and have been doing some major research on moving my 3 children and I with our 2 dogs to somewhere, AK and this is the first forum where there has been so much bad mouthing. Sounds more like here (NC), I guess the -48 mentality really is creeping in up there. So....where do the bad mouthers that are on here live? I don't want to move there. Thanks. I understand that alot of people coming from the -48 bring problems and their way of life from where they come from. I won't be bringing any problems but will be bringing my way of life for a while because it's all i know, but my intention is to be open and to replace it with the ways of where i move to, hence the reason i am moving there. Moving to a smaller city with fewer people means i can get away from the drug addicts and dealers on the corner soliciting and cat calling me and my children. That is "my" idea of getting away from it all. And to do it where it's cold, where they do things on the value system instead of the monetary system just seals the deal for me. I love the wind, the cold, snow and the beautiful scenery. I have wanted to live in alaska since i was 20. Sometime ago.

Lori, I don't think it is so much "badmouthing" as Alaskan realism which you could encounter any place across our state. This is not -48 mentality creeping up but hard core AK realism, IMHO. Real Alaskans will tell you how it is & not mince words. Alaska is a tough place for, as you said, "living off the land." With the short growing season it's a tough place to garden for even minimal self-sufficiency.

The number one piece of advise I would give is have a job lined up ahead of time. With a job offer, Alaska is much more manageable. Then one can deal with shoveling snow, plugging in vehicles, getting correct tires for vehicles, driving on black ice, getting subzero clothing for all the kids, keeping dogs in at night, learning to live among bears,moose or even wolves, etc.

What is your line of work and perhaps we can point you to some communities for job opportunities?

[tigre79]

Originally Posted by Rance

Back when I was in gradeschool in Sterling and Soldotna...we had actual classes that taught survival in the woods. We'd have to go out and build shelters, fires, snare rabbits, perform first aid etc. This occured from fall to spring so conditions changed with the seasons. One of the best classes I ever had and I wish they still did it to this day.

The high school here has a similar class for marine environments. They learn to survive being thrown overboard, making shelter on the beach, finding food, etc.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by tigre79

The high school here has a similar class for marine environments. They learn to survive being thrown overboard, making shelter on the beach, finding food, etc.

There are also private companies that certify EMT-Ws or Wilderness First Responders, such as Wilderness Medical Associates. This typically requires a commitment of more than 50 hours of wilderness medical training in addition to the traditional EMT-B certification.