I'm thinking of going to live in the woods....

I'm thinking a lot about going to go live in the woods like a hermit. I've been working on this idea on and off for several years. But I didn't have all the issues figured out, like where exactly to go, where to live, how to go about it etc etc. Plus there was other things stopping me. But starting this summer I won't have anymore major obligations holding me back.

Now I'm finally at a point where I'm pretty close, so I'm thinking of trying this. And I'm going to try it later on this summer for a bit. So what it will be is living both in my car, as well as in remote backwoods camps. There's just endless endless woods and scenic places in western canada and the coast. Like it's unbelievable. Besides the amazon rain forests there isn't a lot of places in the world like this.

I think for many years I didn't think much of it because you always take for granted the things you grow up near or around. So what happened is a friend moved out to this one area. After visiting a few times I started thinking it would be a great place to live. Then gradually I figured out how I could live out there without having to rent or buy a place.

So my plan involves both living in my car, as well as living at deep backwoods camp sites. I'd generally camp within cel phone access so I could still get online whenever I want. Then what I was gonna do was if it got too cold in the winter I'd just come back to stay with my relatives, or go down to someplace like coasta rica, or else rent a room somewhere until spring. I have met one friend out there so far now too so perhaps stay with them from time to time. Typically though the really cold weather in some parts only lasts 3 months. (the dangerous cold I'm talking).

So my typical day would go something like this... I'd be say for example camped out deep in the backwoods, either by the coast or in the interior. So I'd wake up and start boil some water to make coffee. If I could get internet maybe logon to check on business/work. Then on a nice day maybe go swimming in the lake and sunbathing on the beach. Or if I'm at the coast maybe go fishing or beach combing for food. Or on a cloudy day just stay in my shelter and either do some work, chores, go online, or do some hobbies.

But there would be endless options for outdoorsy stuff like: biking, kayaking, hiking, bushcraft, hunting, fishing, trapping, surfing, swimming, golf, boating, and the list goes on and on really. Also other perks like fresh air, fresh food, spring water, stargazing, campfires, wild animals, nature, beautiful scenary, etc etc. I'd like to stay within some cel phone range which would help in terms of meeting people in the area, and things like that. But ya the point is it would be sort of a more robust rich rewarding lifestyle. Sort of like a Canadian version of a backwoods hillbilly / hermit. Plus I'd just have my car generally close enough so I could go explore some other areas whenever I want.

But I figure I want to maybe try this. Like life is so short. And if I hate it or I try it and I get bored of it, I could always go back to the city, or live in a town somewhere. On the extreme, I'd do this full time. Or as a bare minimum just go do this for maybe the warmest months of the year so like 3 to 5 months of summer. Then maybe spend the winters inbetween staying at relatives places and taking cheap vacations to tropical destinations to kill off the winter, maybe even drive down to the southern states from time to time.

So anyway here's a few short videos of the places and what they look like. I've visited some of these areas and they're really nice. The thing about it is there's just endless lakes, mountains, forests, beaches, coastline. Plus the interior area with endless lakes. I think it would be kind of a intesting adventure.

----> Let me know what you think of this idea okay??? Is it a good idea and what advice can you offer for doing this???

Don't forget to pack your Winnebago.

a reply to: lavatrance

Best of luck!

I spent much of my childhood in a very remote location. Video games? No, we would go out and practice our survival skills. Hunting, shelters, trapping, water collection methods, etc. It was pretty unique compared to how my friends at school spent their free time, but it was great.

There is nothing quite like being truly self reliant, almost like life was meant to be done that way.

Just do it., you know you want to so just do it.

Life is all about taking chances and exploring what is on offer. If you don't do it you will always regret it.

Go on jump off the cliff, do it !!
a reply to: lavatrance

You seem to be willing to walk away from it all...but not at the same time.

So, I assume you'll still work for money? How else will you fuel your car? Or are you retired and have savings to live off? Do you intend of living off the land? How experienced are you in hunting, trapping, fishing, foraging?

Why not just build a camp or cabin...on land you own?

Are you going to be nomadic or squat on crown land?

Do you own a gun or a bow and know how to use it? The fact that you brought up "wild animals" under your list of perks makes me wonder if you are aware of brown and grizzly bears in that region...let alone wolf's and big cats.

There is a big difference between camping and roughing it.

All the power to you, just consider all aspects of your decision before you act on it.

Maybe read "Into The Wild" for some perspective, if you haven't read it already.

You have a romantic notion about living alone in the wild. You will need other people and a way to communicate with them. If you're unprepared for summer in Canada, then winter is way out of the question. I'd suggest getting a job as a forest ranger after taking some official classes or getting lessons from someone who could prepare you for a ranger's job. Then you could live close to nature out in the woods learning and applying skills and get paid for it too.

On a positive note I think it's a great idea and you should definitely try it. You sound as if you've got yourself in just the right frame of mind for it.

Have you thought of how much diversion/amusement you might need? Observing nature is a wonderful thing and I'm sure someone who's used to living outdoors could find plenty of work to do all day too. But what experience have you had? You might want to pause and think how much of the entertainment you're used to won't be available to you.

Also, how much do you enjoy your own company? Your interactions with other people might be a bit few and far between. Me, I can be happy communing with squirrels but not everyone is like that

Anyway, don't wander off to far from base camp without enough food and water and maybe a small first aid kit.

Keep your arms and legs covered, even on hot days, because you never know when you'll come across nettles, brambles or poison ivy.

And, most important - a good pair of comfortable boots and clean socks.

a reply to: lavatrance

Can I come?

a reply to: lavatrance

Without the advantages of hot and cold running water, drains, sewers, electricity, shops close by etc. you'll find there's a lot more work in just keeping yourself clean, fed and sheltered. Don't expect a lot of free time until you've learned how to cope with the basics of life. It will take time to learn.

There will probably come a point when suddenly it clicks from being camping to living. When you mentally adjust to the new way. For me it took about three months. If you're feeling it isn't working maybe give it a few weeks longer and see if you relax into it more.

a reply to: lavatrance

This is my dream too, it's just not as simple as you make it out to be. Not unless you are financially independent and don't have to work no more. You still need money. You can't get everything you need out of the forest. Especially if it is just you and you are not part of a community.

Also, a lot of people that tried, realised that the solitude they were looking for was more than they could handle.

Having said that, go for it, just don't burn all of your bridges.

Being a "hermit"...with a cell phone and a car...but only when it's warm. Then, when it gets chilly (or skeery), go crash at somebody else's pad for a while.

I'm sorry, but this sounds more like being a vagrant or a squatter than it does a hermit.

I'm sure this isn't your intent, but I've also had to deal with the crap some of these so called 'free spirits' leave behind. They use all the available resources, trash the area, produce mountains of human waste and garbage, and when the going gets the least bit unpleasant they move on leaving others to deal with their "deep woods campsites".

How will you deal with waste (human and other)? What will you do with garbage? Burn it, or just go throw it in someone else's dumpster for them to deal with (and pay for)? How will you eat? Are you planning on becoming the top predator, or will it be take-out?

I'm all for adventure, but to me 'adventure' doesn't involve things like cell phones and cars to move on with, it doesn't involve all the comfy trappings of modern life sans the responsibilities.

Again, I'm sure this isn't your intent, but many times it is the reality of scenarios such as these. There's a saying...Leave no trace. Will you?

Remember...

"History"...is what we leave behind.

a reply to: Sparkymedic

BTW...you do know "brown" and Grizzly bears are the same bear, right?

You know the only difference between a brown bear and a grizzly bear?

Answer: Fifty miles.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Your previous thread.

You mentioned having just purchased a hybrid car. Good luck with that in the woods.

Secondly camping out for awhile in the woods is one thing, living in them another. You AREN'T going to have time to goof off on your phone while earning a living in the woods. Living in the woods is hard work and time consuming.

Mistakes will kill you.

Have you ever dug a latrine before?
Both squatting ( long term camping) and building latrines are illegal on Crown Lands.
www.canada.com...

Homelessness in the Okanagan is already a problem. Apparently people up there aren't nice about it either.

I'm guessing you are romanticizing this when in fact you really need to have skills, tools and much more to pull this off without it going sideways. You also won't be the only one out there in the woods. By your own description in the OP you'd be nothing more than a target.

You think you're Richard Proenneke but you're more likely Christopher McCandless. Plus, if you get drunk and pass out in the woods, you end up at the bottom of the food chain.

originally posted by: kosmicjack
Plus, if you get drunk and pass out in the woods, you end up at the bottom of the food chain.

I heard that Sasquatches prefer their food pickled

a reply to: berenike

See? Well there you go. Bad idea OP....

a reply to: lavatrance

Plus I'd just have my car generally close enough so I could go explore some other areas whenever I want.

If its that remote, don't count on cell coverage or gas stations…?

You don't sound like an outdoor type. Adventure is cool. If you aren't an experienced, practiced 'woodsman' however, and you are going alone, you are asking for trouble.

So many people end up as statistics trying that. The best thong to do is start small and build slow. You have an 'urban' life right now? Go on vacation, explore an area, bring someone, learn the ropes, first.

Once you become accomplished ad practiced at basic survival skills, find an area you like and become intimately familiar with it, then you can venture farther and farther each time, extending your reach away from civilization, before ever just heading out…

If you are smart, have a decent car, some income

Better to try now than endlessly dream about it, biggest issue sounds like finding friends

Just do it, if you find it to hard you sound young enough to bounce back

I have always had this fantasy. It looks and seems great in your head but when the realities of it come out, it is much harder than one would seem. Since you are living in the car also it wont be total isolation so that is a plus I guess.

I see shows like "Alone" and these people are experts yet also fold pretty quickly. They are limited in what they can bring though. Learn all you can first, do trial runs, keep a firearm if laws allow. At the very least it will be a big experience. Just give yourself an out just in case you change your mind. Best of luck!


iTruthSeeker

a reply to: iTruthSeeker

I see shows like "Alone" and these people are experts yet also fold pretty quickly.

I been watching that. Interesting how many notions of survival fold the first time a super predator growls outside your flimsy shelter.

Some of those contestants pushed the panic button so quickly…