Moving into the high mountains ?

Traveler,

This is a must-read for your new adventure.

The story of Sylvan Ambrose Hart.

51Grsb26DKL._SX336_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


You can also read quite a bit about him online.

Good luck!
 

Question for Gary.....have you had moments where you have thought of moving back to the city or will you stay where you are till the end of your days? Do you have a wife, if so, could she manage without you should you go first.

Question for Traveler....what happens to the dog, you will bond and if you go first then would it join a wolf pack?

Lots to consider.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Traveler,

This is a must-read for your new adventure.The story of Sylvan
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Thank you. I'm always looking for a good read.


Mizzkitt said:
Question for Traveler....what happens to the dog, you will bond and if you go first then would it join a wolf pack? Lots to consider.
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Oh, there is no question the dog and I would bond. As to want would happen to him if I go first, I don't know. It's possible I suppose that a female malamute might be allowed into the pack but very, very unlikely. A male malamute would be instantly killed by a wolf pack.
You know, of course, that where I'm headed is only a short distance from Yellowstone Natl Park and there are many different wolf packs there. Not all of them stay put. Males, especially, are driven out of a pack occasionally and they then go wandering looking for a female.
 

Traveler....I don't want to rain on your parade and it will be an interesting read should you decide to pursue this adventure.

I found out after the fact that it is not the life for all of us and I was one of the "us" and my summer place does have most of the modern conveniences, but I cannot deal with the isolation most of the time nor the lack of internet. I need the outside world. I am likely putting it up for sale this year after spending less than 3 months there last year....wanna buy cheap :D
 
Mizzkitt said:
Traveler....I don't want to rain on your parade and it will be an interesting read should you decide to pursue this adventure.

I found out after the fact that it is not the life for all of us and I was one of the "us" and my summer place does have most of the modern conveniences, but I cannot deal with the isolation most of the time nor the lack of internet. I need the outside world. I am likely putting it up for sale this year after spending less than 3 months there last year....wanna buy cheap :D
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Your summer place is in Ontario ?
 
Keesha said:
Yes I have done primitive camping. I’ve been on many interior camping trips that have lasted weeks. Some have been with a canoe and some without. I’ve portaged with a canoe for miles at a time up and down small mountainous terrain. We brought our German Shepherd dog and I made her a back pack so she could carry her own food.
We have run into bears, wolves, coyotes, and other wildlife. I’ve fished and cooked my own food quite sufficiently.
I’m excellent at building a fire and have plenty of outdoor skills to survive.
I can cut down trees better than your average man could as well as saw and chop it. In fact I’m great at chopping wood. You’d be surprised what this woman can do.
Im not ‘just’ a pretty face. :)

There are more and more people opting for this type of lifestyle and end up loving it. Even Tiny Homes are increasing in popularity.
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Excellent! Then you know, full well, that it is very hard work to live a life where you must be intimately aware of your surroundings at all times, and maintain an environment where your safety is assured. With that in mind, I find it quite odd that you would encourage a seventy-two year old man to take on such a life and do it in complete isolation!
 
This thread is almost starting to feel like troll work: Perhaps the op is simply trying to keep it going by putting forth more and more of his "plans" that he may know will never actually be put into action. With that in mind, I'm dropping out of it. To the op: If you actually go off and try to live the life you have detailed, here, I wish you the best. Make sure your will is up to date and secure with a probate attorney.
 
treeguy64 said:
This thread is almost starting to feel like troll work: Perhaps the op is simply trying to keep it going by putting forth more and more of his "plans" that he may know will never actually be put into action. With that in mind, I'm dropping out of it. To the op: If you actually go off and try to live the life you have detailed, here, I wish you the best. Make sure your will is up to date and secure with a probate attorney.
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Could be, we all have little dreams and fantasies that help us cope with our day to day life.

What harm can it do either way?

Nothing wrong with gathering information and mulling over an idea before you actually stick a toe in the water.
 
Mizzkitt said:
Question for Gary.....have you had moments where you have thought of moving back to the city or will you stay where you are till the end of your days? Do you have a wife, if so, could she manage without you should you go first.

Question for Traveler....what happens to the dog, you will bond and if you go first then would it join a wolf pack?

Lots to consider.
Click to expand...

Many many moments

Bought the property in '99

Started building in earnest around '05

My wife wanted to move here back then

I'm more of a realist, and knew in my heart of hearts I wasn't ready, if ever, to contend with the rigors of things
things like no showers
I love a shower
I could, in fact, spend most my waking hours in the shower
When we'd camp here, clearing areas to live, and especially when building,
the second and especially third day of a long weekend, all I thought of was getting home and getting into the shower


Sometimes, right after getting here (250 mi trip thru the mountains with a trailer load of building materials and tools), I wanted to turn right around.
The mosquitos were incessant, thick, aggressive.
I thought Guangzhou had mosquitos, and they do, just not near as blood thirsty as these.

Also, after traveling thru what seemed just snow here and there thru the Cascades and into the flats, the snow seemed not too bad.
Until we got to our place
Three or more feet of the stuff
Had to hike in from where folks quit plowing
With supplies on toboggans
Only to get to the cabin to find the board of OSB I'd so brilliantly propped against the cabin door to prevent drifting snow, was frozen solid into the ground
Good thing I had an axe....in the cabin....and a chain saw....in the cabin
My lady was undaunted
She climbed over downed trees, thru the snow, hauling everything, a smile on her face.
The next morning, after an evening of fitful frostbite prevention, sipping hot coffee, watching her doggedly burrow a path to a place to poop, I formed diplomatic ways in my mind of how I'd break it to her, we were going back home that morning.

The first few years, my wife, my lovely Lady was the inspiration, the instigator.

Now?
I'm going out feet first.

At present, I'm considering the what if's, mostly what if she becomes alone here, and creating little things (that are huge) in regard to day to day living.
Still, she would do well, no matter.
She scrimps more than even I do, and would be extremely content being snowed in for the winter, sipping pine needle soup near the fire with kerosene lanterns, or even candles, reading a book for entertainment.
Me? not so much.
That's why we have this;
okHz9V4.jpg



That's how I'm posting now

But, hey, I'm getting ahead of myself, and this ain't even my thread
 
treeguy64 said:
Excellent! Then you know, full well, that it is very hard work to live a life where you must be intimately aware of your surroundings at all times, and maintain an environment where your safety is assured. With that in mind, I find it quite odd that you would encourage a seventy-two year old man to take on such a life and do it in complete isolation!
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Traveler seems like a big boy who wears big boy pants. Do I think this is a ‘perfect’ plan as is.
No! Of course not but I doubt that he has written his total plan out.
Complete isolation with no connection to the outside world, ever, probably isn’t a good idea.
Not being close enough to medical care probably isn’t a good idea either. There are prescription drugs to consider or if he seriously injures himself. How would he purchase his food and get it to his cabin.
There is an entire list of things that need to be considered.

So NO the plan definitely needs tweaking. Perhaps he could live closer to civilization and still have all the joys of living in the wilderness. I’d also consider doing a LOT of research before even considering something like this. Building his own place at 72 on his own is very dangerous.

There are many things he needs to seriously consider.
What I support is the fact that he wants to get out of the fast paced city life and settle for a simplified version of living.

His vision of living isolated in the woods and my vision of living isolated in the woods most likely are worlds apart.
My idea of this type of living would be closer to what Don M wrote. That’s sensible remote living BUT I also believe that traveler is an intelligent man and will eventually know where he needs to tweak his general idea.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Could be, we all have little dreams and fantasies that help us cope with our day to day life.

What harm can it do either way?

Nothing wrong with gathering information and mulling over an idea before you actually stick a toe in the water.
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Exactly. There’s nothing wrong with it and even if he never plans on doing this, who cares? It is a fun topic to discuss even if it never happens. Btw.... this wasn’t ‘my’ idea.
********
Troll work?
Perhaps just genuine excitement. Is that so bad? It is a discussion forum after all and we are all adults here.
 
On other forums I read where others have considered the same thing...

My thought always is...if they truly want to go off grid ? Why would they be on the forum talking about it ? And if they actually did go off grid...how long would they last without contact?

We all get annoyed with people & the news, etc. But being absolutely alone & isolated is a whole different thing.
 
rgp said:
On other forums I read where others have considered the same thing...

My thought always is...if they truly want to go off grid ? Why would they be on the forum talking about it ? And if they actually did go off grid...how long would they last without contact?

We all get annoyed with people & the news, etc. But being absolutely alone & isolated is a whole different thing.
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No truer words
with the exception of bantering it about on pertinent sites
Lotsa info out there one does not necessarily consider
saves time, money, even lives
 
Traveler, I agree with Keesha, your most ideal and practical plan would be something like DonM's. If you buy 20-40 acres and situate your house in the middle of it, you won't have to see a soul unless you have to or want to. And still be close to conveniences and groceries and medical help and be ''in the grid'' when you need it. And I don't know why people call living off the grid the simple life, it sounds like a lot of hard and dirty work to me. And you also need to care what will happen to that beloved Malamute you intend to buy should you die first. Anyway, good luck at whatever you end up doing. Start reading the ''survivalist'' websites and blogs to get a real life idea of what it's like to live out in the wildernes.
 
rgp said:
On other forums I read where others have considered the same thing...

My thought always is...if they truly want to go off grid ? Why would they be on the forum talking about it ? And if they actually did go off grid...how long would they last without contact?

We all get annoyed with people & the news, etc. But being absolutely alone & isolated is a whole different thing.
Click to expand...

LOL, I see some logic in your post.

I think that being connected to the internet or having cell service is today's version of having a CB or HAM radio on steroids.

So much information, help and so many products available online that can ease the transition and help sustain a little bubble of light in the wilderness!
 
Traveler--some people are buying RVs of one sort or another and traveling while living off the grid. The good part about that is, if you don't like where you are you can hook up and leave. There are tons of BLM and other land for free "boondock" camping. Something else to consider. :D (Plus RVs come with all the comforts of home; just load up solar panels and have TV and a hot shower.)
 
"Heavily wooded" is where houses get burned down when there is a forest fire.

Will this plan work 12 years from now when you are my age? It would not work for me.

I find I tend to have more and more things on the "needs fixing list" and less energy to do them.
 
Manatee said:
"Heavily wooded" is where houses get burned down when there is a forest fire.

Will this plan work 12 years from now when you are my age? It would not work for me.

I find I tend to have more and more things on the "needs fixing list" and less energy to do them.
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I understand what yer sayin', and it makes complete sense.

But, as for me, I'd much rather spend one year in 'heavily wooded' than twelve years in town.

My back yard;

Ervn3j2.jpg


to each
his own
 
Someone up thread mentioned not being able to take a hot shower in the wilderness. Not true. It may surprise people to know that I have a solar shower. It's really quite simple. Just a simple, large, strong, 5 gallon black plastic bag with a hose and showerhead. Fill it with ice cold mountain water and set it on the ground in the sun. Within 4 hours the water is actually scalding hot. Then just hang it from a tree branch and strip down naked, in all of natures glory, and revel in my oneness with nature's creation. .


rgp said:
On other forums I read where others have considered the same thing...

My thought always is...if they truly want to go off grid ? Why would they be on the forum talking about it ? And if they actually did go off grid...how long would they last without contact?

We all get annoyed with people & the news, etc. But being absolutely alone & isolated is a whole different thing.
Click to expand...

Why would I be on a forum and talking about it ? What a strange question. Is there some reason why I should not talk about it ?

But being absolutely alone and isolated is a whole different thing. ? Different from what ? Different from being so profoundly deaf that I can not understand a word anyone is saying ? (Except for a man with a VERY deep voice) Weeks, even months go by when I don't say a single word to another living soul. You want to talk about isolated ? I could give you lessons about isolation.

PVC said:
Traveler, If you buy 20-40 acres and situate your house in the middle of it, you won't have to see a soul unless you have to or want to. And still be close to conveniences and groceries and medical help and be ''in the grid'' when you need it. And I don't know why people call living off the grid the simple life, it sounds like a lot of hard and dirty work to me. And you also need to care what will happen to that beloved Malamute you intend to buy should you die first. Anyway, good luck at whatever you end up doing. Start reading the ''survivalist'' websites and blogs to get a real life idea of what it's like to live out in the wildernes.
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Hard work ? Yes, but I've never been afraid of hard work. Dirty ? Never ! Living in the midst of a stinking city is MY idea of "dirty".

And why would you assume I don't care about the dog? Besides what is the alternative ? No dog for simple companionship ?

C'est Moi said:
Traveler--some people are buying RVs of one sort or another and traveling while living off the grid. The good part about that is, if you don't like where you are you can hook up and leave. There are tons of BLM and other land for free "boondock" camping. Something else to consider. :D (Plus RVs come with all the comforts of home; just load up solar panels and have TV and a hot shower.)
Click to expand...


RVing ? Been there done that. In 1992 I purchased new 30 ft RV with all the trimmings. It was some fun, at first, but I found that getting a combined 50 feet of RV and tow vehicle into the deep woods, and up a fire trail, is extremely difficult. And THEN finding a place to turn around can be a hopeless situation. Mostly I ended up staying at over-priced RV parks $35/night where I was crammed up against my neighbors, cheek to jowl. Yuck !

My sense of joy comes from being totally immersed in nature, from being in a place where the closest human is 25 miles away. Just me, the animals, the tall trees gently swaying in the wind, and an ice cold mountain stream crashing down the mountain.

I don't know if this is going to make sense to anyone, but when I am deep in the dark green forest, I feel part of the natural world. It is humbling and I feel a very small part of something infinitely grander than human "society". It's not that I like people less, it's that love nature more.

Will I actually do it ? All I know for sure is that I really want to do it. However, kind, compassionate people, like Sea Breeze, have give me pause.
 
Traveler = "And why would you assume I don't care about the dog? Besides what is the alternative ? No dog for simple companionship ?"

I never said you would not care about the dog. From what you've said I can tell you love dogs, especially wolf-types like Malamutes (one of my favorites). I made my comment because you said previously that a dog would be killed by wolves instead of assimilating him into the pack. If you die and he's out in the wilderness, he will come to no good end, through no choice of his own = you brought him there. If you want to take the chance of dying alone without available help, that is your choice and prerogative, but why make the dog pay for your choice? And by the time that dog is old enough to die (about 15) you will be about 88 or so, I doubt you would be able to live such a primitive life past 85. Anyway, I'm just thinking of the dog you will be imposing your lifestyle on. He will be the innocent without a choice.
 
PVC, GIVE ME A FREAKIN' BREAK ! You're making me crazy. Animals don't get a "choice" about anything. They are animals NOT people. When I buy the Malamute, does he have a "choice" in my decision to buy him ?

In any event all we can to is love and care for our pets to the best of our abilities. And in the case of the Malamute he would being living a dogs dream come true. For the 1st few weeks he would not be allowed to roan free at will. When I believe he knows where he lives, and has marked his turf, I will allow him to wander around and take care of his doggy desires. Believe me when I say that dogs know exactly where the good food is, and they will always return to the food.

If I stay in the city, alone in my apartment, and I have a pet, and I then drop dead in my tracks, the pet would also die LONG BEFORE anyone found my rotting corpse. So, according to YOU, I should not have any pet.

(shakes head and throws up hands in surrender).

Signed, "too old to own a pet."
 
Traveler said:
Someone up thread mentioned not being able to take a hot shower in the wilderness. Not true. It may surprise people to know that I have a solar shower. It's really quite simple. Just a simple, large, strong, 5 gallon black plastic bag with a hose and showerhead. Fill it with ice cold mountain water and set it on the ground in the sun. Within 4 hours the water is actually scalding hot. Then just hang it from a tree branch and strip down naked, in all of natures glory, and revel in my oneness with nature's creation. .
.
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This is where the ignore feature is not good for the OP
We had one
They are in the overall realm of pathetic
Doubt Travy has one, or has tried the one he has

'just hang it from a tree branch';
5 gallons of water is around 42 lbs

just hanging a bulky sloshy 'scalding hot' 42 lb bag of water
.....from a tree branch.... would be quite the adventure

Would a friend of Travy please PM him on this?
Not to caution him, but to request he makes an instructional video

Oh, and suggest stripping down naked first
it'll go viral on youtube
 

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