Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

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GoNorth
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Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby GoNorth » Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:30 pm

bobenns wrote: it really became his own special madness. An obsession so powerful that it destroyed him.


Well, that's not exactly what I meant. I don't mean to judge the guy and would not use words like madness or obsession. What destroyed him or his life was partly just some bad luck. I mean it COULD have gone well (e.g. if only the swollen Tek river hadn't been in his way). But by deciding to step into the wilderness rather badly prepared (I mean intentionally), he consciously got himself into a high-risk situation and had to bear the consequences. No, no, I don't think he wanted to die, not at all, but I believe that his "plan" somehow included the risk and thus the possibility of failure.

bobenns
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Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby bobenns » Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:24 am

GoNorth wrote:
bobenns wrote: it really became his own special madness. An obsession so powerful that it destroyed him.


Well, that's not exactly what I meant. I don't mean to judge the guy and would not use words like madness or obsession. What destroyed him or his life was partly just some bad luck. I mean it COULD have gone well (e.g. if only the swollen Tek river hadn't been in his way). But by deciding to step into the wilderness rather badly prepared (I mean intentionally), he consciously got himself into a high-risk situation and had to bear the consequences. No, no, I don't think he wanted to die, not at all, but I believe that his "plan" somehow included the risk and thus the possibility of failure.


Don't take my use of these words obsession and madness as a judgment or condemnation of Chris. I don't mean it that harshly. I completely sympathize with him. I'm just trying to understand what happened. He wasn't in control after some point out on the Stampede Trail.
When I stop and think about it I always get down to this "why didn't he just find another way out or make a signal fire to attract attention". He was only 20 miles out. He was resourceful. He could have walked out the other side and he did have a road map that showed enough detail for him to figure out the other route to walk out. Personally, if I was injured and too weak to make my own way I would make a fire and then put on a lot of green material, moss etc and make one hell of a cloud of smoke. Smoke will always bring someone to take a look, especially in fire season. I'd have been doing that when I couldn't cross the river.

It seems when he couldn't cross the river that he just gave up trying to leave and went back to trying to live off wild game, but he was already starving and being affected by it. He was so intent on living off the land. Its like he just accepted that his fate was to remain there.That's the obsession and madness right there. He was in a weakened state and his brain didn't function properly. We are talking about a smart guy who started out on this adventure, a very intelligent guy. He found his way out of the canals in Mexico and other little episodes he had. He was strong and athletic in the beginning. Its like he just shut down when he couldn't cross the river. But he was already suffering from malnutrition and some injury. He even wrote in his journal that he was "trapped" in the wild. He didn't believe he could find his way out of his predicament. His mind was affected. This compounded with his rejection of materialism, main stream society and family. In his own mid he had no other choice but to remain at the bus. His fate was sealed then. Many others would have probably died trying to get out rather than stay there and starve.

This obsession he had with the "Wild". He went on and on about it to his friends back in the south, he couldn't wait to get out there and really believed he could just live like a character out of a novel with a rifle and handful of salt. Everyone he told about it tried to temper his ideas with some common sense, but he would have none of it. Even Jim Gallian (who played himself in the movie) gave him the boots because he knew he was so ill equipped and even offered to take him and get outfitted, but Chris insisted that he could handle anything that came up. That pretty much describes an obsession for me. We all have our obsessions from time to time, some of us worse than others, usually a special car, motorbike or a woman perhaps, a particular accomplishment or goal. The obsession prevents us from seeing things realistically that other observers can see. We do things that others see as stupid or crazy in our pursuit.

Some info on the effects of starvation;
"The body temperature begins to fall in the first day of the period of starvation, and continues falling, so that a loss of ten or more degrees below the normal of 98.60 F. may occur.
In extreme cases muscular action is no longer possible; there are vertigo and faintness on raising the head, the voice is lost, and gradually the nervous system succumbs to languor and general prostration; the mind becomes more and more dull, listless, and even idiotic, the victim being unable to describe his condition or express his wants. He may have hallucinations, insomnia, and dreams, in which are often pictured scenes of plenty."
Starvation eventually brings madness.

I don't think he wanted to die, but he seems to have just accepted it as fate when there was still plenty of time to save himself. The last self portrait and the message shows he had completely accepted it. Its so sad, at 24 life is still just beginning.
There is no greater scripture than nature, for nature is life itself.

scooby
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Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby scooby » Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:12 pm

this is my first post here, just watched film a day ago and stumbled across this web site.

i recorded this film ages ago as i like the scenery this part of the world has to offer,i must also admit(being single i wondered if it would be possible for myself to do this some time ago).now when i watched the film i felt it may inspire me to think more about it,by the time i finished watching all i learnt was how not to do it.

even in my daydream when i thought of this myself the list of simply essential items and knowledge you would need is huge unless brought up in this enviroment.i liked the guy and his outlook but really it comes down to the fact he made little preraration made fundamental errors,i mean 1 bag of rice.

that said,i dont think he wanted to die, he knew it was probable.i think(limited knowledge of him etc)he wanted to go back as he felt he had overcome this challenge,only for mother nature to prove him wrong.i think he would be dejected by this then accepted his fate.

i also think anyone who has issues about killing is in the wrong game when hunting is such a large part of survival living.also i cant understand putting your parents through this(its what stopped me walking away then)just to carry out your dream,if you care so little about them why worry about their opinion when your free from them.also why not have a map or explore up down river to look for a crossing.in the end he paid the ultimate price,but i bet this much,he lived saw and expierienced more in those mounths than most of us will in a life time.

as for the other discussion on this thread imsure if i were a local i would get annoyed by outsiders with zero preparation and planning turn up,get in trouble.i also bet it is the same locals who risk their "red necks"to save them as well.

cool pictures by the way what a way to live.i live in england so the idea of open spaces are just that,an idea.like i said at some time i daydreamed about this subject long ago but kept stumbling at the how do you get hunting rifle and ammo.i guess a skilled person could use a bow or traps and snares,but from the little hunting i have done in england snaring is far from simple.i gave up after that if you cant keep the pesky bears from your pic a nic basket whats the point.i am assuming bears are appear to be a problem up there.

great site sad story.

timetraveler
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Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby timetraveler » Sun Dec 05, 2010 1:15 pm

What I am interpretting from the information given about the actual location of the bus is that the bus is only seven miles away from a well travelled road by the park rangers. I think what needs to happen here is that one Summer, a project needs to be started to get a passable pathway in the park boundaries. Maps will have to be fixed along the pathway. Now, if this location of the bus is outside of public lands, then private parties would have to be brought in to negotiate. If the location is outside of the park boundaries, but inside public lands, then something will have to be done to make sure people navigating in and out of the location are safe and welcome. But, as in all facets of government intervention, the experience would change from that point forward. One thing that would happen is that the bus would be off limits. Going inside the bus would be something of the past. Tit for Tat. You make the location accessible, they will come. It's going to happen folks. Time is the crude tool that will take it's toll on this adventure. Travel there when you can. Looks like Springtime is the right time. Not as much bugs, etc. OOT.

erikhalfacre
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Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby erikhalfacre » Sun Feb 13, 2011 1:20 am

I have actually had the opportunity to talk with Claire (the woman who drown's) mother. Her idea, and I think that it's a good one, is to simply construct some kind of bridge or cable trolley over the river. To add to that, there was already such a trolley at one point. It would seem to me that any permitting issues could be largely skirted by "repairing" that trolley, even if it means an entire rebuild. It already exists so it wouldn't be NEW construction.

From what I was able to gather, Claire was experienced in the wilderness and had spent a lot of time mountaineering in the alps, being from Switzerland. I won't try to defend her method of crossing but I will say that she doesn't sound like someone who headed out half cocked and clueless; she was a an experienced outdoors-woman who made a mistake in a situation she wasn't familiar enough with. The goal should be to keep such a thing from ever happening again through education and through improving access. A cable bridge would still keep access somewhat restricted because motorized traffic would still have to ford the river. It seems like the ideal solution to me.
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Jedidiah
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Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby Jedidiah » Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:40 am

erikhalfacre wrote:I have actually had the opportunity to talk with Claire (the woman who drown's) mother. Her idea, and I think that it's a good one, is to simply construct some kind of bridge or cable trolley over the river. To add to that, there was already such a trolley at one point. It would seem to me that any permitting issues could be largely skirted by "repairing" that trolley, even if it means an entire rebuild. It already exists so it wouldn't be NEW construction.


The problem is that local hunters in the area cut the previous cable trolly. So what's stopping them from cutting this one? They don't want anyone hunting the moose in the area or scaring them off to begin with. Ever wonder why Denali National Park completely surrounds the stampede trail? Local hunters lobbied to keep the area as a hunting ground. It's even classified as Alaska State Conservation land so no one can build on it. I think it's a truely great idea but all the hard work will be destroyed come the next September Moose season.

erikhalfacre
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Re: Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika.

Postby erikhalfacre » Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:54 am

You make a good point I hadn't really considered.

Still, the first cable remained up for a long time before 'hunters cut it down.' I'm also wondering where that came from because I had heard before that it was hunters too, but who would admit to that? Either way though, I can't imagine the cable itslef would cost much to replace. The expensive part would be the having the basket built.
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Subbotaisows
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Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:28 pm

Woman dies trying to cross the Teklanika

Postby Subbotaisows » Sun Jul 30, 2017 5:28 pm

What is the best country to find a traditional woman who rejects feminism wants to be taken care of by a man? It is russia, lithuania, turkey? Does anyone know?


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