Alaska Man Goes Into the Wild

Charles Baird intends to live like an Alaskan pioneer of 100 years ago

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By Bill McAllister
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Story Created: May 3, 2012 at 7:42 PM AKDT

Story Updated: May 4, 2012 at 8:23 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - You might think you've heard this story before.

A man sells most everything he owns and goes into the wild in Alaska, but this time the man is well-prepared. And he plans to document his adventure and see it televised afterward.

Charles Baird intends to live like an Alaskan pioneer of 100 years ago.

But as a filmmaker and photographer, he wants to document it with all the digital video technology and social media tools of the 21st century.

"So we'll be sending out Facebook updates to our Alaskan pioneer fan site, so people can track what's going on throughout the year."

On May 27, Baird intends to sail to tiny, unpopulated Latouche island at the western entrance to Prince William Sound and live there alone for at least 365 days.

When it's all over he hopes to sell his video footage for a television show.

"It's kind of very unusual reality TV, you might call it, but it's not staged, it's not acting. It's real. What happens, happens."

Baird, an engineer, is leaving his job at BP on May 15 and a few days later will get his first look at the land he purchased on the island.

On his next trip there he'll go with cameras, laptop computers, some preserved foods, vitamins, a couple of guns and some rudimentary tools, and will begin building a cabin and gathering firewood for the winter.

He said he'll hunt rabbits, squirrels, beavers, porcupines and waterfowl, and take a kayak out to go shrimping, while catching rainwater to drink.

Baird said he's a Christopher McCandless who's going into the wild prepared or a Timothy Treadwell who doesn't plan to be eaten by bears. But he says whatever happens, he won't regret it.

"Regardless of how it goes down, I intend for them to use the footage. Regardless of how it plays out. Yeah, no regrets right now. I'm comfortable with the way things go, regardless."

Baird’s friend and frequent photographic subject, Bella Coley, said his low-key demeanor masks serious ambition.

"He's kind of fulfilling that secret desire that almost every man on earth has – to survive the most epic adventure of one's life and live to tell the legacy."

He also will be incommunicado – a living time capsule.

"I won't know who the president is for four or five months there. I won't know what's going on in politics or entertainment or, I don't know, there may be new people born, die. And it'll be kind of fun to get back and see my family and learn what happened."

And then perhaps the world will learn what happened to him.

Dorene Lorenz, another friend of Baird's, said he tasked her last night with finding a dog to accompany him during his year on the island.

Baird said he has consulted with psychologists about maintaining his mental health in isolation.
 

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Big Dan said on Thursday, May 3 at 8:14 PM

Sounds kind of cool I wouldn't mind trying that if I was 20 years younger. At this point in my life, the mind would be willing, but the body is arguing against it. If given a bit of time and a few power tools, I might be able to pull it off, no dog though. Would be tempted to eat it if times got to tough, and as to pulling shrimp pots from a kayak, they will be looking for his body real soon, it is scary enough sometimes pulling them from a good sized boat.

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Scottywoodz said on Thursday, May 3 at 8:36 PM

I hear if you bring a Wilson Basketball it will become a wonderful companion in isolation and doesn't require feeding. You can talk to it and name it Wilson.

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Wolverine Lake Chalet said on Thursday, May 3 at 8:41 PM

NO kids for 365 days........let me think.......

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BobD said on Thursday, May 3 at 9:09 PM

Yep , that's the way they did it 100 years ago alright..

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daveinthebush said on Friday, May 4 at 9:20 AM

Three out of animals he wants to hunt don't live there.

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Bear dog for you. said on Thursday, May 10 at 3:43 PM

When it comes to dogs that will work bear or moose safely, there is a breeder in Soldatna. Bearunoff Kennels 36625 Ansel Drive Soldotna, Alaska 99669 (907) 262-1330 Email: susiebraden@gmail.com

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