Finally got around to seeing this, and then ordered the DVD. Richard Proenneke was an amazing man. Additionally, you can visit his home in Alaska since it is protected and part of a National Park. There is a companion book, as well. Highly recommend the DVD.

Read his journaling....good stuff.

I wonder how many times he replaced those hinge pins? Wax...soap, maybe...fat not with the grizzes. The total door, hinges and latch, are total relaxation for me. Have a couple of DVD's, Dick is the man! My nine year old gave them to me a few years ago for a present...we love 'em as they are timeless and never grow old.

I watched the video last week and found the entire thing terribly humbling. The guy is amazingly talented.

I love that old movie!  I see it about ever 2 yrs on the public channel.  1 tough hombre'.  But he must have been alone with his demons.  he sure lived life!

I too am always impressed by the handtools.

On the OTHER hand, this program is NOT to be confused with a similarly titled documentary out there entitled "Alone in the Wild" (see: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) ).

You should check out this program if you get the chance; it's entertaining for very different reasons.  This British character, Ed Wardle - who has previously climbed Mt. Everest & trekked to the North Pole - attempts to do a 3 month long Les Stroud/Bear Grylls thing in the Yukon.   He does take in minimal supplies & shelter as well as some weapons.  The Yukon wilderness challenge nearly crushes this guy... which is what I think makes it so interesting.   Wardle's bear paranoia & his issues with solitude  & hunger clearly get the better of him & you slowly (& not so slowly, at times) watch the guy come unglued.

Whereas Richard Proenneke, SurvivorMan, & Man vs. Wild all document competence & relative success in the wild, THIS program really shows one man's vulnerability as you watch him self-destruct & succumb to Nature.   At first, I found myself chiding this dude (from my comfortable sofa with a bag of pretzels & a beer in hand) because he spent so much time crying about his plight.  By the time it was over, I found myself wondering if I could ever hope to do any better.

I post this note about "Alone in the Wild" in this thread because of its strong contrast with & similar title to the program this thread is about.  I encourage those of you who enjoyed the other documentary (& especially Les & Bear) to watch this OTHER perspective on wilderness.  If there is enough interest, we can separate the posts & start another thread.

Watch it if you get the chance!

Jimbo  

Ranger,

I think you've hit it on the head!  I've seen this notion at play in many workplaces, too.  Idle, non-focused, non-productive minds are frequently the most disruptive, unhappy people.  Set a goal, keep at it, measure progress & Life seems to run so much smoother.

Great observation, Dan!

Jimbo   

His story is pretty amazing. To be that isolated and dependent on only yourself is something that really is unheard of today. I wonder how many of us could/would do it for that long.

Just watched Alone in the Wild. Jimbo, you are correct; the dude becomes unglued.

That porcupine he prepared looked gruesome. And, why the hell didn't he fish all the time if he was so friggin' hungry?

The guy may be a good filmmaker; as a survivalist he sucks.