Mountain Wilderness Adventure in Alaska

Standing on top of the mountain the vast largely unaltered landscape of southeast Alaska features a gorgeous panoramic view of rugged mountain peaks, thick pine forests and pristine lakes. In the summer months snow still covers the highest mountain peaks while in the lower elevations berry bushes burst with over a dozen different species of delicious wild edible berries. In this video I document a two-day adventure hiking one of many mountains in Baranof Island, Alaska and minimalist camping by an alpine lake near the top at 2700 feet (823 meters) elevation. It was actually a three-day adventure but due to the amount of time it took to hike the rugged terrain and shoot the video I show just one day and overnight experience.

My good friend Ben Dever joined me on this adventure (look him up on YouTube). We brought camping gear in anticipation of cold weather but the days and nights were unusually warm on this excursion. I had intended to build a shelter out of pine branches but due to time constraints I did not build one. I always get so involved in shooting video that I fall behind schedule. At this elevation no large trees grow and I would have had to hike at least 500 feet (150 meters) lower in elevation to find tall pines. However, the night was not too cold (low temperature was probably about 50˚F (10˚C)) and keeping a fire burning all night provided enough heat to lie on the ground and rest next to the fire.

Watch as I show how I make a simple buckskin poncho to keep warm, identify several wild edible berries, jump into the cold lake (about 48˚F (9˚C)), show what I take with me for a protein source, use the knife Ben let me borrow to cut firewood, start a fire using flint, and capture some breathtaking imagery of the pristine landscape.

Follow me on Instagram @zuberchad

Camera: Nikon D7200 and GoPro HERO7 Black
Sound: Zoom H4N
Editing: Final Cut Pro X on MacBook Air
Location: Baranof Island, Alaska, USA

Music credits:

[TrehanCreekOutdoors]

Some of you people wouldn't know a survival video if it slapped you in the face! This was a short three day adventure, never intended to be a three month endurance survival episode so understand it for what it is. It is an example of short term survival with minimal equipment. In an unpredictable alpine situation in mountainous terrain, he made a buckskin poncho for clothing, found, identified, and ate several kinds of wild berries to obtain calories and nutrition, started a fire with a flint, cut firewood with a knife, and bathed nearly naked in a ridiculously cold 48 degree lake.

My friends, as a certified dark water rescue diver who was on a fire department rescue team I have trained in water that cold wearing nothing but a pair of swim trunks as he did. That in and of itself is a challenging feat to pull off. Water that cold takes your breath away in mere seconds. And it is highly dangerous thing to do alone, even if you are trained for cold water and a skilled swimmer or free breathing diver. One needs to be in prime physical condition for attempting swimming in this kind of water. It's a heck of a way to just take a bath, that's for sure!

No he didn't have to fight off a wolf bare handed or contend with an unexpected blizzard. He didn't have to set his own broken arm or hike 30 miles to get back to civilization. Gee whiz, does every survival or bush craft video have to be an epic adventure with drastic situations to prove it is a survival video?

He didn't have to even catch and cook a fish for dinner but I fully believe he is well able to do so, using self made hooks and primitive cordage....or maybe a rock weir....or a woven basket style fish trap. The point is on a short trip such as this there was no need for him to demonstrate every possible survival technique or skill he knew.

Part of the awesomeness of this video, or nearly any Alaska video, is just the ability to roam the countryside and capture stunning videography, which is a challenge in a primitive setting that is nowhere near as easy as he made this look.

I give this video 5 stars! it's magnificent. And I have subscribed and look forward to more.

[btactn]

I love the respect you show to mother nature. As soon as someone disrespects or ignores her warning signs....Those are the ones you never hear from again!
Takes skill what this guy does. Very meticulous in his approach to this wilderness. How he stops to access is good.
But one thing your missing! You need a walking stick in AK! I never leave home, or I find one along my travels into the wilderness. It tells me if danger lies in front of me, acts as a 3rd leg.
It saved my life before and I cannot do without when I'm out there!

[Alberto_City]

Qué bonita aventura bro. Siempre veo tus vídeos, me transmiten mucha tranquilidad

[camilaespinozas.]

Gracias por todo el trabajo que te tomas para mostrarnos estos impresionantes paisajes y enseñarnos sobre la naturaleza 😊

[HEZNAH]

رائع . مذهل . منظر خلاب يأسر القلب . اركان الجمال اجتمعت في هذا المكان . الصمت الذي يسود هنا والهدوء الذي يخيم على الارجاء ، مع صوت رقرقة الماء على سطح البحيرة وصوت خرير الجدول ينساب منها على سفح الجبل مع صوت نسيم الهواء ، وتكسير الحطب وصوت اشتعال النار لتجلب الدفء . كل هذا كانه لحن موسيقى عذب صاغه فنان مبدع مرهف الفؤاد . وقصيدة جميلة كلماتها من جبال يزينها الثلج وقمر يتألق في السماء ونجوم ساطعة تتلألأ في صفحة السماء الساحرة ضؤها كانه الماس يتساقط على صفحة البحيرة الزرقاء . اي لحن عذب على هذه الجبال الجميلة الشاهقة كعذوبة ومذاق التوت البري الجميل .
سبحان الله ..

مقطع مدهش ورائع بحق .. اتمنى لو زرت هذا المكان وعشت مع موسيقى الصمت العذبة وحضنت الطبيعة الفاتنة والجمال الآسر ❤️ ..
👏👏
تمنياتي لك بأوقات سعيدة ..

[esapguing]

U r just in a small pieces of heaven.so peaceful n calm, jst amazing man.keep it up!!

[susanwoodward]

I live in Alaska, but have not seen such beautiful footage of Baranof. Thanks for that.

[giananias]

I just wanna be rich and go to places like these

[saintroblo]

really watched bro eat berries for 2 minutes

[fisherkalastaja]

Unbeliveable sightings, that water, so blue and the air so crisp... Absolutely fantastic, wildlife at it's best!

[alexlurye]

Wow man incredible how many subscribers you have and the vids are awesome. Living the dream great job.

[PesasYPlantas]

Insane footage. Both me and my wife agree Alaska is one place on this earth worth visiting. Thanks for sharing!

[LemoNiceRock-zzwt]

Best evidence that we humanbeings almost destroyed our nature areas...
I mean just seeing that crystal clear water and the vegetation...😍😍😍

[sseessful]

очень душевное видео, побольше бы таких!

[brther]

Poncho Time ! :D
Happy to see an other type of survival trip :)

[eZa]

Never have I seen a lake that clear. Wow

[safridi]

Plz upload 2 videos in one week i cn’ w8🙏🙏🙏

[blackthornknives]

LOVE THIS! Another great adventure and video.

[zentark]

Everything about this is beautiful.
The real question is, though, did you get the squirts from all those berries? You probably have to watch your step every where you go, so as not to make jam. Goodness that was a lot of berries.

[arwensiriustinuvieljoestar]

I really like this videos! They are actually educative and pretty realistic. People gotta understand it’s not necessary for you to cut off an arm to know how to survive in wild conditions.
This is better than any Ted something tv fake shows. Keep going!