Northern Wilderness

by Ray Mears

Examining extreme environments, this fascinating look at the frozen north includes explorations from the vast Boreal Forest with its rich animal life to the Hudson Bay fur trade and trappers who traded with the hat manufacturers of England. The guide follows the paths of the great early northern explorers, Samuel Hearn and David Thompson, who survived through their knowledge of what is now called bushcraft, as they trekked across the tundra and the Rocky Mountains. The ways of the Inuit are explored, including how they combat snow blindness and build shelter. This book is rich in bushcraft, as the unique survival techniques of the Native Canadians and the Inuit are explained, as are the ways the prospectors in the gold rush used bushcraft skills to survive.

Genres: Nonfiction, Survival, History

220 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Clinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, maybe because we just finished a cross-Canada tour and this helped fill in so many of the great pieces of history. I really enjoy how Ray Mears states his favourite explorers etc.. but then goes into just enough detail to share WHY.. their history.. their accomplishments and their challenges. It was like ongoing cole notes on great Canadian history, bushcraft, and exploring...

[goodreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yup. Ray is as Ray does. Survival stories of the men who shaped Canada with survival tips thrown in and lots of talk of beaver! Could do with a bit more Ray though, at times it seems to run out of steam when listing names and dates. Worth a read though, big print, could be done in an hour or so.

Quality toilet reading right here!

[V+V MERCURII · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ray Mears telling true adventure stories about people surviving the Canadian northern wilderness. Some remarkable people have lived there.

Many of the histories are very interesting, and if you've enjoyed other books by Ray, like I have, then you're going to like this one too.

Still, sometimes it sounds like a by-product of a tv series rather than a real book.

[Bart Verdeyen (cafeaulivre on Youtube) · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inspirational quest for the madmen and heroes who sought and fought the wilderness and thencold. It reads like an afventure novel, more than a historical book and I felt like a seven-year boy again, following in their footsteps.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a well written fascinating book that I read in a day.."unputdownable"