I was reading the survival Blog and the ratings of various states and since in a different forum I've become embroiled in a discussion , indeed an arguement with some folks who have some rather fanciful notions as regards the Far North in general I though I'd vent here.
Prior to going up there * READ AND HEED* what Rawles has to say about Alaska , he's exactly spot on , and speaking as someone with fairly extensive experience in the state and in 'living bush' I wish to the High Heavens some of these hopeless romantics would GET A FREAKING CLUE.
You need to have quite extensive survival skills for Alaska to be a viable option , you need to be willing to pack everything in on the hoof if it comes to it , you need to plan ahead for any and all eventualities , and I'll bloody damn well GAURANTEE that there wil be something you forget.
Think about something as simple as firewood , you don't just bring an axe and a maul and splitting wedges , you'd best bring a backup for EACH of those , along with a couple of spare handles for each , and you'd best have the skills to MAKE one should you go through those spares.
Lanterns , calculate how much fuel you'll need.........now DOUBLE it , figure out how many spare mantles you need for each lantern.......now DOUBLE it.
This goes for most anything that's a necessity.
And keep something in mind , run out of matches and have no fire source........you die. Cut yourself in what would be a minor way in civilisation , have it get infected.........you may well DIE , fall and break an ankle or leg............you can die , get sick and have no medical supplies.........you may DIE , fall through the ice in 30 below , get wet and have no dry clothing to get into.........you will DIE.
It's not a movie , it's not 'Survivorman' where Les what's his face has folks waiting to pull his fat out of the fire should he really get in over his head.
Yes it's a beautiful and pristine environment , yes there's enough fish and game if you can harvest them. But that beautiful environment is a very harsh mistress that can turn insanely vicious on you with the slightest of mistakes.
I can remember going into a market in GlenAllen once just after spring thaw and standing in front of the produce display of apples and eating three or four right off the stack , after a winter of Bannock , fry bread , beans rice and dried/smoked ( sometimes fresh) meat and fish I'd have killed someone who tried to keep me from answering the siren call of those round fresh delectably red apples.
You'll go in shaved ,with a haircut etc. six months later you will have long since quit shaving , your hair will be past your collar , you may well have not spoken to anyone but your dog(s) ( if you brought 'em with you) in so long that you've forgotten how to carry on a conversation , television will look like something foreign , you'll sit and read every back issue of magazines and newspapers that you can voraciously consume ,using an excess amount of toilet paper will be a luxurious indugence , you'll stand under that hot shower for an hour just letting that water run , you'll go into a restaurant and order not one but TWO whole Cobb Salads ,eat enough Mexican or Chinese to kill a horse , beef and pork and chicken will taste strange and exotic. You'll eat a half dozen eggs and a dozen pieces of bacon and a sitting , you'll luxuriate in warm air from that heater in the hotel and flip the light switch dozens of times marveling at the bright and instant light.
And then you'll at the end of a couple of weeks be sick of the insane amount of people , the traffic ,the smell of exhaust , the noise....................and you'll go back out.
That is if you TRULY have the affinity for it , if not you'll make track for the lower 48 on the first thing smoking.
