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My ex-marine buddy has a plot of land in a remote area, and a bug out plan. He says if s*** ever hits the fan, he told me to get to him ASAP. He lives on the other side of the area, which is about a 45 minute trip, but I would imagine if things went south it would be longer. At any rate, he knows how to hunt, and is quite mechanically inclined. He half jokes that he is going to need someone to help him shoot all of his guns, LOL!
Now let me say this. What I lack in experience, I can tell you I have a great sense of direction, and would be very useful in navigating. Maybe it was due to the numerous vacations taken as a kid where we drove everywhere. I found my great aunt and uncles old house in Hollywood, FL by using various other tools on the internet which helped find the address and using that I was able to find it on Street View. In fact, if I wanted to I could right now, without looking at a map, get in the car and drive from north east Ohio, to south Florida to that house, and I hadn't been there since I was 12, and had only been there maybe 3 times in my life. Put it this way, you can stick me in the middle of podunk Ohio and I will find my way home. Now, in Alaska, or somewhere in the west I may have some trouble, as I've never been there before, but when it comes down to it, the sun and the moon both rise in the east and set in the west, and would use them as my guide.
Also, when I was little my one step brother who was a bit older than me used to take me back into the middle of the woods, and then just run off! I didn't panic, and since I knew the area, if I couldn't find him I could ususally backtrack to get back to the edge of the woods where we started, or if not I knew sooner or later I'd hit another road, and go from there. I also know how to move very light on my feet, and can even do so in a woods with a lot of foliage on the ground with barely a stir. Where I live now is a fair amount of woods, so we get to see a lot of wild life. When my son is with me in going to the edge of the woods I'm constantly trying to shush him and tell him he needs to learn how to walk quieter. He is a 11, and you wouldn't believe the noise those little feet of his makes.
Sounds like your buddy has a plan.
I am only about half-way there. I have shelter, a well, and septic, but I am still dependent on the grid for electricity and natural gas. I would have to covert to a wood/biomass gasification boiler to be completely self-sufficient. About 20% to 25% of my food comes from the wild now. If I did not have to work 40+ hours a week, I would have a lot more time to devote to collecting food.
You are mistaken about being able to navigate in Alaska.
First, the sun and moon do not rise in the east and set in the west in Alaska. During the summer, below the Arctic Circle, the sun "rises" in the north-northeast, makes a slow tight circle, and "sets" in the north-northwest. Furthermore, the sun will be up for 20+ hours and does not really "rise" or "sets," but rather goes from twilight to dawn without really getting dark. It will still be light enough to read by at 1:00 AM. Alaska is called "The Land of the Midnight Sun" for a reason.
During the winter you have the exact opposite problem. The sun rises in the south-southeast, sets in the south-southwest, and never rises more than a few degrees above the southern horizon for less than 4 hours.
So attempting to navigate using the sun or moon in Alaska is futile.
GPS' are very good at finding your way back from someplace you have already been, but they suck when trying to find a remote location where you have never been before.
A compass is a useful, but limited, tool, providing you correctly adjust for magnetic north. In Alaska magnetic north can deviate as much as between 16° to 20° from true north, depending on your location. Then there is the problem with the foliage. Under 20+ hours of sunlight during the summer, the undergrowth can grow very rapidly and very thick. Alder, for example, can grow 4 feet in a single summer. So you will not be able to see any landmarks to get a bearing. You would have to take a bearing based upon a tree or bush 20 to 30 feet in front of you, at least until you can get to a clearing.
Even very experienced hikers can easily get lost in Alaska's wilderness.
He does. And his remote land isn't in the state. He did tell me that he would also someday provide me with a handwritten map to that location.
I am only about half-way there. I have shelter, water, and septic, but I am still dependent on the grid for electricity and natural gas. I would have to covert to a wood/biomass gasification boiler to be completely self-sufficient. About 20% to 25% of my food comes from the wild now. If I did not have to work 40+ hours a week, I would have a lot more time to devote to collecting food.
Not even close as of yet. But, where I live there is plenty of wood to burn. I would need to learn how to hunt, as well as have plenty of water on hand. I'm planning on stocking up on a canned goods little by little. I used to work in shipping and receiving back in the day, and had to order for the place so I'm good with inventory, and all.
You are mistaken about being able to navigate in Alaska.
First, the sun and moon do not rise in the east and set in the west in Alaska. During the summer, below the Arctic Circle, the sun "rises" in the north-northeast, makes a slow tight circle, and "sets" in the north-northwest. Furthermore, the sun will be up for 20+ hours and does not really "rise" or "sets," but rather goes from twilight to dawn without really getting dark. It will still be light enough to read by at 1:00 AM. Alaska is called "The Land of the Midnight Sun" for a reason.
During the winter you have the exact opposite problem. The sun rises in the south-southeast, sets in the south-southwest, and never rises more than a few degrees above the southern horizon for less than 4 hours.
So attempting to navigate using the sun or moon in Alaska is futile.
Yeah I figured that part of it into the equation. I was talking more or less here in the lower 48. In the summer the sun rises more toward the northeast, and sets in the northwest, now as we head toward winter it rises more in the southeast and sets in the southwest. So, yes Alaska would be tougher given the more extreme angle that the sun is during your seasons.
GPS' are very good at finding your way back from someplace you have already been, but they suck when trying to find a remote location where you have never been before.
I don't have one. Not now anyway.
A compass is a useful, but limited, tool, providing you correctly adjust for magnetic north. In Alaska magnetic north can deviate as much as between 16° to 20° from true north, depending on your location. Then there is the problem with the foliage. Under 20+ hours of sunlight during the summer, the undergrowth can grow very rapidly and very thick. Alder, for example, can grow 4 feet in a single summer. So you will not be able to see any landmarks to get a bearing. You would have to take a bearing based upon a tree or bush 20 to 30 feet in front of you, at least until you can get to a clearing.
Even very experienced hikers can easily get lost in Alaska's wilderness.
Boy you really wanted to rough it when you decided to move up there, didn't you?
Boy you really wanted to rough it when you decided to move up there, didn't you?
I have hiked and hunted all over the western States, from Minnesota to California for 29 years before moving to Alaska. I also spent almost 3 months in Glacier National Park, Montana, with only what I carried on my back, no resupply. I knew how to camp safely in bear country, and I felt very confident in my outdoor skills. So I figured Alaska would be the ultimate test. I failed.
Nothing I learned in the lower-48 prepared me for the unique challenges of Alaska. I had to relearn just about everything. After 23 years of living in Alaska now, I am still learning.
There is a very good reason why the State of Alaska requires registered Alaskan guides to accompany all out-of-state big game hunters. The Alaskan bush is nothing like you will encounter in the lower-48, and a simple mistake can get you killed.
I was fortunate to realize that I was out of by depth before I made any mistakes. Others have not been as fortunate.
I have hiked and hunted all over the western States, from Minnesota to California for 29 years before moving to Alaska. I also spent almost 3 months in Glacier National Park, Montana, with only what I carried on my back, no resupply. I knew how to camp safely in bear country, and I felt very confident in my outdoor skills. So I figured Alaska would be the ultimate test. I failed.
Nothing I learned in the lower-48 prepared me for the unique challenges of Alaska. I had to relearn just about everything. After 23 years of living in Alaska now, I am still learning.
There is a very good reason why the State of Alaska requires registered Alaskan guides to accompany all out-of-state big game hunters. The Alaskan bush is nothing like you will encounter in the lower-48, and a simple mistake can get you killed.
I was fortunate to realize that I was out of by depth before I made any mistakes. Others have not been as fortunate.
I prefer to take photographs of bears from a safe distance.
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