View Full Version : Alone in the wilderness
Has anyone seen the video or read the book "Alone in the Wilderness". Itīs about a man that lived alone in a small cabin in the wilderness for over 20 years. Looks ivery interesting, for more info http://www.dickproenneke.com
Looks interesting mate.
I have some of the Mors Kochanski videos now - very good and very interesting.
RovingArcher
06-09-2004, 20:13
A local public TV station broadcasted the video as part of their annual fund raising event and gave copies of it for the $100.00 donation.
I enjoyed watching and recording it. It really is an excellent autobiography filmed as it happened.
jamesdevine
07-09-2004, 11:14
It does look interesting it's a pity there is no email address on the site. :roll:
James
A friend loaned me the DVD and it is a good one. Some very clever and interesting wood working as he builds his cabin....spruce root door hinges spring to mind, and many other things from his first years in the woods.
I have not seen the book but I have heard it covers a bit more ground than the video.
The book title is "One Man's Wilderness".
wow, this is dragging up an old thread.....I watched this viedo this evening and was totally amazed by it.
What a way of life...nit sure I could stand being on my own for 35 years but wow......
If you can get hold of the film then watch it.
:D
monkey_pork
01-02-2006, 22:47
wow, this is dragging up an old thread.....I watched this viedo this evening and was totally amazed by it.
What a way of life...nit sure I could stand being on my own for 35 years but wow......
If you can get hold of the film then watch it.
:D
I'd agree entirely - if you get the chance, have a look at this film. It's completely captivating, the story is a simple enough one, but there is definately something about it that pulls you in.
I was quite affected by the life-affirming nature of this film, I have to say.
I'm glad this thread has resurfaced too, it deserves to.
wow, this is dragging up an old thread.....I watched this viedo this evening and was totally amazed by it.
What a way of life...nit sure I could stand being on my own for 35 years but wow......
If you can get hold of the film then watch it.
:D
how much did it cost you to get it to this country? i would love to see it, it sounds great!
redcollective
02-02-2006, 08:16
KCTS television in Seattle take orders, according to 'Bob' from Bob Swerer Productions.
http://www.kcts.org/
There is a link to the video in their online shop.
The book is good too, it touches on his background and of course things not covered on the documentary/video.
how much did it cost you to get it to this country? i would love to see it, it sounds great!
I was fortunate enough to have been given it by a friend.
I'd agree entirely - if you get the chance, have a look at this film. It's completely captivating, the story is a simple enough one, but there is definately something about it that pulls you in.
I was quite affected by the life-affirming nature of this film, I have to say.
I totally know what you mean mate...I felt the same way after watching it. Felt very inspired after watching it.
bambodoggy
02-02-2006, 21:05
Andy, any chance I can borrow this film when I see you next week mate? I'll look after it obviously.
Cheers,
Bam. :D
Abbe Osram
02-02-2006, 21:32
Andy, any chance I can borrow this film when I see you next week mate? I'll look after it obviously.
Cheers,
Bam. :D
Bam check you pm mail box, I want to write to you but the mailbox is full mate
cheers
Abbe
Bam...As Abbe said your BCUK inbox is full - check ya email mate. Course you can have a copy.
I think i got mine from the same friend as Abbe got his :D :D :D ;) :rolleyes:
bothyman
02-02-2006, 21:45
So where did you get it from?? wouldn't mind a copy myself
MickT
bambodoggy
02-02-2006, 22:08
Thanks Guys...I've cleaned my inbox out now :)
I can recommend both the video and the book. My suggestion is to watch the video first, and then read the book. The book contains a lot more detail (obviously) about his life plus that it goes past the first year.
Definately a inspirational thing =)
They can be ordered online at several places. I bought the book through amazon and i think the dvd can be ordered there aswell.
pierre girard
20-02-2006, 04:32
Has anyone seen the video or read the book "Alone in the Wilderness". Itīs about a man that lived alone in a small cabin in the wilderness for over 20 years. Looks ivery interesting, for more info http://www.dickproenneke.com
Saw it on the educational channel. Great show. Dripping with envy.
As some one else mentioned - great woodworking!
The only thing I thought was a little "out there" was having a fireplace as his main heat source. He said it would heat the place up to about 40 degrees F in the winter. A bit nippy to my way of thinking.
PG
Well either his temperatures are wrong or his cabin had very ineffective insulation.
I dont see how a fire can only produce enough heat to only get the room temperature to 4degsC even if it is -stupid degsC outside.
Ok so i've never camped or even lived in temperatures that low....but it certainly seems an unlikely temperature to me.
Abbe Osram
20-02-2006, 08:36
It might be possible, that he only got it up to 4 degrees celsius.
The fireplace I believe will not give him much warmth. As far as I remember he didnt build a floor into the cabin, I dont know why but he had an gravel ground.
He was cutting the trees the first year and build the cabin the second year.
I was reading that the wood should season a bit longer. It was suggested that on should fell the trees in winter the first year, build the cabin with the roof the second and let the snow on the roof press down the wood together. Windows and doorframe should be build the third year. I dont know, I am not a carpenter but as much as I could see he didnt use any kind of insulation, and in a place like Alaska with minus 50 degrees celsius I believe plus 4 felt quite warm to him.
Then we have to remember that the guy was from another generation, we are too weak for such stuff. He managed too to live there alone for 30 years.
In the pictures I can see that he too had a stove in the cabin, acctually he should get it up to plus 20. A simple tent with a spruceground and a stove gets you up to plus 20. Its a bit odd that he didnt get it warmer. Hmmm ???
cheers
Abbe
Abbe...I was about to say "Thanks for clarifying that"..but then you threw that last bit in LOL
Abbe Osram
20-02-2006, 09:29
Abbe...I was about to say "Thanks for clarifying that"..but then you threw that last bit in LOL
LOL that was only to test if you read my "entire" lengthy reply. LOL
I really dont know why he didnt get it warmer.
cheers
Abbe
pierre girard
22-02-2006, 02:23
Well either his temperatures are wrong or his cabin had very ineffective insulation.
I dont see how a fire can only produce enough heat to only get the room temperature to 4degsC even if it is -stupid degsC outside.
Ok so i've never camped or even lived in temperatures that low....but it certainly seems an unlikely temperature to me.
It is quite possible. Wood only insulates 1 R per inch. At the juncture of each log that is only about two inches or 2 R. The roof, where most heat escapes, is only about 1 R. My home is insulated to 36 R in the walls and 40 R in the roof, and is not particularly heat efficient.
General knowledge in our area says you don't use an old fashioned fireplace (such as is depicted in the film) at under 40 degrees F - as a fireplace is totally inefficient at temps colder than that (more heat escapes than is replaced by burning). Any heat from such a fireplace is simply radiant heat - same as you would get from a fire outside. It doesn't do much for warming your cabin.
We have a cabin up in the woods that is no more efficient than the one in the film. We do have a large barrel stove which keeps it liveable - when the stove is going. We never take our boots off in winter though. We always fight over who has to get up first in winter - as it is a cold proposition getting the stove lit. There is always ice in the water bucket.
PG
pierre girard
22-02-2006, 02:31
I was reading that the wood should season a bit longer. It was suggested that on should fell the trees in winter the first year, build the cabin with the roof the second and let the snow on the roof press down the wood together. Windows and doorframe should be build the third year. I dont know, I am not a carpenter but as much as I could see he didnt use any kind of insulation, and in a place like Alaska with minus 50 degrees celsius I believe plus 4 felt quite warm to him.
cheers
Abbe
There are differences of opinion on this. I've built three log cabins and one log house, and I've built them all of green logs. One reason for this is the ease of working the wood - another is, your log ends - beyond your notch - won't split off - as sometimes happens with seasoned logs. A third reason is - green logs settle as they dry and make for a tighter dwelling - especially if you use a chinkless method - as I do.
There are a number of things you can do with door frames and window frames to deal with the shrinkage - a little too involved to go into in this space.
In the log house I built, about eight months after the owners moved in, they were awakened in the middle of the night by a huge "Thump!" The logs had all settled and the house was much tighter after that.
PG
As Andy knows i have seen this film and it is very insperational, a wonderful way to live.
I will get the book to read next.
I just wonder if living with temperaturs like that whether you would want to rise the temperature in the cabin any more than you would need to, a 40° difference between indoor and out is quite a lot, if you heated the house to +20° you would be looking at 60°+ difference between in and out. That would be a very large shock to the system when moving between the two.
This guy lived by the seasons and acclimetised to the changing weather.
Abbe Osram
22-02-2006, 13:53
As Andy knows i have seen this film and it is very insperational, a wonderful way to live.
I will get the book to read next.
I just wonder if living with temperaturs like that whether you would want to rise the temperature in the cabin any more than you would need to, a 40° difference between indoor and out is quite a lot, if you heated the house to +20° you would be looking at 60°+ difference between in and out. That would be a very large shock to the system when moving between the two.
This guy lived by the seasons and acclimetised to the changing weather.
yes, but its is quite hard to life 7 month in ice and snow having only 4 plus, never really stretching out or getting your boots off. I would at least build a sauna so one could get naked and heat the cold bones a good deal. ;-))
It would be too harsh way of living for my taste.
cheers
Abbe
I once sayed in afriends cottage in the heart of the Lake district fells. As remote a farm house as you can get here. The building had had no care and attention since the 50s. Our New years day was spent huddled in front of the fire. The temp never rose above 0C.
I wouldn't have eanted to spend my life like it. I did however start to get used to it and it even fell warm after a days climbing.
I would to buy that house, Its still untouched by time.