“There are no rules in survival, only guiding principles. Many principles are well-founded and time-tested, but don’t let them impose limits on what you could be capable of if your life were on the line.”
Source: Thrive: Long-Term Wilderness Survival Guide; Skills, Tips, and Gear for Living on the Land
“Give up and die.
Emergency scenarios from around the globe are rich with examples supporting this painfully simple statement.
The following sacred words, borrowed from Desert Rat Dave Ganci, are vital to the survivor: attitude, adaptation, and awareness.”
Source: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
“In my wilderness, I am humbled.”
“Anyone living alone has to get things down to a system--know where things are and what the next move is going to be. Chores are easier if forethought is given to them and they are looked upon as little pleasures to perform instead of inconveniences that steal time and try the patience.”
Source: One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
“I guess part of a man's root system has to be nourished by contacts with family and old friends.”
Source: One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
“Why men come into this big clean country and leave it littered the way they do, I will never know. They claim to love the great outdoors but they don't have respect for it. Beer cans, bottles, and cartons were scattered all over the place. Look at the sharp edges of the mountains in the crisp, clean air, listen to the creek pouring water you can drink over the stones. Then look around and see all this junk. It's enough to turn a man's stomach.”
Source: One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
“Somehow I never seem to tire of just standing and looking down the lake or up at the mountains in the evening even if it is cold. If this is the way folks feel inside a church, I can understand why they go.”
Source: One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
“Wind is building up and whitecaps toss on the dark green water. After six and a half months of ice, the lake is nearly free and the mountain peaks can look at themselves in the mirror again.”
Source: One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
“A place for everything; everything in its place. Whoever said that knew what he was talking about.”
Source: One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
“After a supper of navy beans, I sat on my threshold and gazed off toward the volcanic mountains. I had been close to them today. The Chilikadrotna River showed me the beautiful fish and I returned them to her. I thought of the sights I had seen. The price was physical toll. Money does little good back here. It could not buy the fit feeling that surged through my arms and shoulders. It could not buy the feeling of accomplishment. I had been my own tour guide, and my own power had been my transportation. This great big country was my playground, and I could afford the price it demanded.”
Source: First Wilderness: My Quest in the Territory of Alaska