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Here it is on youtube. I watched it back in the day too, but never made the move. Its neat to see them then and now. I believe everyone else on the documentary has died or left the Bush since then.
I watched this as an adolescent. It "ruined" my life. Ever since then any time my mind would wonder it would be of living simply.
I read Heimo's book a few years ago. Great read. Especially after spending some time in the fox valley you really get to appreciate his view as a young man.
There's a young couple in the show that I really enjoy watching as well
Watching "Braving Alaska" sure brought back some memories. Cold winters, Trapline Chatter and running into Heimo and Bob Harte and others that have chosen the remote Trapping life style, here in Fairbanks in the spring.
Jwood, again thank you for sharing these videos. I could watch those videos at night over regular t.v. any day. I really enjoy watching Heimo and Edna. I would love to go hang out with them and help them hunt and trap. That would be awesome. Thanks again.
I believe it was filmed in 1992. I don't know any of them personally and have never been to AK (yet), but.... Heimo and Edna are still there. Susan Hayden lives (i think) in Fairbanks and drives a truck, she was in a few episodes of The Last Alaskans with her brother Daniel, who is a bush pilot, revisiting their old cabin. Their parents have both passed away. Randy Brown is a fisheries biologist in Fairbanks, they moved there shortly after the show was filmed. I don't know what ever happened to Errol Wilson and is wife. A google search turns up similar names in Vermont, but I have no idea.
Dan O'Neill wrote a book "A Land Gone Lonesome" about the folks who settled up and down the Yukon in the Eagle area beginning around the 1970s, and were pushed out by the feds after ANILCA. That would be the folks shown in the wedding picture Errol shared in the show. It's a nice followup to John McPhee's book "Coming into the Country", when the folks were actually still living there. Some excellent reading for those interested in that lifestyle.
I found it interesting that Heimo mentioned that the country started downhill when people started farming. Or something to that effect. Rabbits would be really rare if we still depended on hunting and gathering for survival. But he's right, the overpopulation has got us in a lot of trubble.
I lived in Errol Wilson's cabin off and on from 1997-2006, and I used to have his address, I wrote him many times and he never wrote back. He left that cabin in 1996. The cabin is 85 miles from Eagle, the NPS ran me off and stole everything I owned and made the cabin a public use cabin.
I lived in Errol Wilson's cabin off and on from 1997-2006, and I used to have his address, I wrote him many times and he never wrote back. He left that cabin in 1996. The cabin is 85 miles from Eagle, the NPS ran me off and stole everything I owned and made the cabin a public use cabin.
During the D-2 lands fight in Wash DC, I assisted a Wall Street Journal reporter visit there with Errol. Trying to get the story of the trapping lifestyle into the public eye before the vote! I think it was about 1978.
I trap downriver from Washinton creek. The cabin roof fell in a few years back due to Park service not maintaining the cabin which no doubt was on purpose so they could get rid of yet another cabin that trappers might use. To my knowledge we are the last ones trapping within the preserve and the Park service has certainly made it a headache over the years.
Re: The Last Alaskans
[Re: Thurman]
#7469248 01/22/2206:09 PM01/22/2206:09 PM
Way back in third grade we watched a movie called Braving Alaska, Heimo's section in it made me determined to move to Alaska one day. It was quite the thing to say growing up in Suburbia NY. Well Ive been here for 10 years now and am still thankful Ms. Snappe showed us that movie. Wonder if its available any where?
I trap downriver from Washinton creek. The cabin roof fell in a few years back due to Park service not maintaining the cabin which no doubt was on purpose so they could get rid of yet another cabin that trappers might use. To my knowledge we are the last ones trapping within the preserve and the Park service has certainly made it a headache over the years.
That's great to hear, glad to know someone is still at it in there trapping.