S03.E05: The Lone Wolf

[tobeannounced]

Can someone explain to me why Fowler is building his shelter 8 stories up? Is it just for the sun?

[MostlyContent]

5 minutes ago, tobeannounced said:

Can someone explain to me why Fowler is building his shelter 8 stories up? Is it just for the sun?

That's the only explanation I've heard so far.  He said it was the only spot on his parcel of land that the sun appeared for a bit each day.   

[seasick]

2 hours ago, Cassiar said:

Did anyone notice Trapper Dan sitting on a black and grey storage bin by the fire?  In another shot, he was sitting by the fire on a wooden plank that he must have put together but to his left was a white plastic crate with firewood.  I just starting watching last season and "I think" I have only seen folks with a huge backpack when they are dropped off.  I remember last season contestants could keep whatever washed-up...  Could that be the container for the camera gear?  The white crate? Just curious...

The intense struggle between mind and body is fascinating and to push oneself to the brink of starvation is quite the game to play.  Some folks have no business being out there and leave quickly.  For others, after shelters are built and routines established, true sustainability is conquered with food.   Food is the game.

Trapper Dan is on the nerves of many and I guess I find his strategy interesting and maybe he will outlast the others.  I find it a bit annoying in his take-down of other folks and their strategy...but I guess that is his psycho-babble talk that sustains, justifies and feeds his focus and ultimate game strategy...keep your eye on the prize mentality.  Energy is a precious commodity in Alone.  It is a very anorexic environment. While others try to build a home for sustainability, or just stay busy, he is very frontal and raw about his journey and tight in his routine.....and it is not very exciting to watch.  I totally dig seeing all of the shelters being built and creative ways to get food...  In the end however, you don't get $$$ or style points for the best shelter, but it will impact game playing, same with energy dispersed, gear selection, routines, etc...time will tell...

   

I agree food is the game. Yes water and fire too but generally once established is not an ongoing issue.  Food is.  As for Dan's energy strategy he acts as though he's trying to conserve his last meal before he arrived there.  Energy is precious but not finite.  He should be talking about his superior strategy and bakery fantasies with a fishing pole in his hand!  If he could stockpile some smoked fish and edible plants he may be able to afford a walk or some comfort or even lower himself to making a primitive game trap.  Shut up and fish Dan! He just sits around waiting for his last meal to digest?

Callie is apparently finding enough food consistently to be able to afford the time for comfort and luxury items.  Food is never a non-issue to the viewer.  If she's doing that well I want to know why and how!  It is 99 % of the game.  Sure she could start boo-hooing about missing her cat if she has one--nicole seemed pretty well fed but she left because of her kids--but food is still huge.  It certainly seems to be making a big difference this season with several of them.

Even though it doesn't define the win I think creating comfort and accomplishing goals is huge out there.  I know for myself even tent camping, that getting a warm, cozy nights sleep, a crackling fire and an edible meal is so satisfying and the fun of it!    I'm sure it means more to some than others but I think after food, the misery and boredom factor are big.  The food isn't that varied and delicious out there to stave off monotony.  You need something to look forward to.  

I'm pretty sure those tubs are from the camera equipment.  But I do look around their camps during incidental shots to see what 'else' they have.  Last season one gal had a plastic parsons table.  They later explained how much trash washed up on VI.  It was actually quite a resource there.  I know I'd be beachcombing and stockpiling all sorts of junk.  But I'm guessing in Patagonia it's so remote plus it's on a lake that they don't get much if any trash wash-up.  But I did notice Callie had what looked like a long metal hook holding her pot.  It could have been wood but it looked like forged iron.  

[seasick]

6 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

You really needed to carefully pay attention to the chryons at the bottom corner of the screen last night, because the editing has been skipping back and forth in time.  At face value, it looks like Fowler didn't get serious about his shelter until he'd been there five weeks, but it was actually something like day 20 or 21 that he started his permanent shelter.

Thanks for that.  It' good to know.  I see they aren't as linear this season as they were last season.  They never went back in time.  It works and is necessary in some cases.  I'll keep my eye on the chyrons now.  

[GreyBunny]

Dan is so annoying.  What's worse is that he's not entirely wrong.  Conserving calories and moving slowly and deliberately and limiting unnecessary movement is what one is supposed to do in a survival situation where food is limited. I can understand where thinking about home and loved ones can be a handicap as it might erode resolve in some people; for some it's better to compartmentalize and focus on doing a job, doing what you need to do to survive until the next morning and then wash, rinse, repeat the next day.  But he didn't have to be so obnoxious about it.  I half wanted him to fall into Fowler's boar trap.  Not that I actually want him to get hurt, but a little humility might do him a bit of good.

When Greg said he was hoping he wasn't going to fall in the water, I thought, "Welp, he's going in the drink."  I was pleasantly surprised when he stayed dry and managed to catch a fish.  

I'm loving all of the huts, shelters, and even the sauna being built.  Bamboo is awesome.

[holly4755]

They are supposed to expect heavy snowfall, I thought I heard it somewhere, but so far they seem to have nice weather or we are shown the nice days, that is quite the change from previous years.  I am just concerned because if they have heavy snowfalls, some of those nice stand up cabins they have could lose their roofs. That would be unrecoverable during a snow storm.  supposedly the area gets gales of hurricane level. It just seems that there is a positive to a low home with a very slanted roof in those conditions, But as someone who never slept in a prefab tent and hunkers down in hurricanes, what do I know.  

 

ETA - Fowler is posting in this thread, don't know if I posted this already

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?29029-Alone-Season-3&s=7d4a369994c8f8286482ec7d7b0074f8

Edited January 7, 2017 by holly4755

[Joan Z]

The back and forth clips between Dan and Fowler is not subtle at all, editor! lol. Jeez Dan, good that you have a strategy but no need to talk sh*t about other people. Unfortunately, I got a feeling that he's gonna stay long. Maybe top 4 (hopefully with Fowler, Greg and Callie) as long as he doesn't win that's fine for me. The way he talked about steel trap makes me think that he's a modern trapper so maybe he don't really know how to make primitive traps?!

Man, Dave looks rough in the first clip. He looked 20-30 years older than his age. What a difference between Dave and the lazy survivalist aka Dan. Dan look so clean!

Greg is pretty much this season's David in terms of his motivation. They're doing this show for their daughter. I hope Greg get similar outcome as David last season aka winning. But I also hope for the same thing for Fowler and Callie. On second thought, I think maybe Fowler need the 500k more than Greg and Callie. What does Callie do? She talked about her business in this episode, is she a survival instructor? If she is, then I don't think she would have much problem getting a gig (or even her own show) from what we have seen so far. She's badass. Greg is doing this for his daughter but his daughter is a grown-up so I'm not really worried about that whereas Fowler have two (or one? I don't really remember) kids. I'm worried about him burning so much calories climbing up and down the hill so hopefully he caught a wild boar, that will make a huge difference and advantage for him. 

12 hours ago, tobeannounced said:

Can someone explain to me why Fowler is building his shelter 8 stories up? Is it just for the sun?

Fowler said in a forum that his old shelter is in flood area. 

[riverheightsnancy]

8 hours ago, holly4755 said:

They are supposed to expect heavy snowfall, I thought I heard it somewhere, but so far they seem to have nice weather or we are shown the nice days, that is quite the change from previous years.  I am just concerned because if they have heavy snowfalls, some of those nice stand up cabins they have could lose their roofs. That would be unrecoverable during a snow storm.  supposedly the area gets gales of hurricane level. It just seems that there is a positive to a low home with a very slanted roof in those conditions, But as someone who never slept in a prefab tent and hunkers down in hurricanes, what do I know.  

 

ETA - Fowler is posting in this thread, don't know if I posted this already

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?29029-Alone-Season-3&s=7d4a369994c8f8286482ec7d7b0074f8

Thanks for that! That thread is all kinds of win. Fowler can't spell for shit, it is hilarious (although some people are just bad typers). He loved the Walking Dead up till last season, (I hear what he is saying there), and his first name is Zachary. 

[seasick]

2 hours ago, Joan Z said:

Fowler said in a forum that his old shelter is in flood area. 

Fowler mentioned he thought the lake level could rise a couple of feet during the winter.  (he said this around the time he was building his dock.)      I was a bit confused by this statement because I would think if the water level on the lake was going to have a notable rise, it would be in the spring during the snow melt.  I'm not aware of lake water levels changing that much. I know they can decline during periods of drought, but the area they are in gets a lot of precipitation year round, so I wouldn't think the winter would necessarily bring a big rise in the level.   

Any lake dwellers out there who have experienced what he means?

[SRTouch]

I agree with the posters who have been saying Dan has a valid point about being slow and deliberate to conserve energy. The problem isn't the whole idea that he needs to conserve strength and energy, which is a valid survival concept. Heck, as we've all seen, this isn't just physical, there's also a lot of mental. So, while there may be no benefit from a purely physical survival point of view, Callie's mental boost from making clothes hangers and her windchimes may give a major mental boost which more than offsets the physical cost. The problem with Dan is that he continually tells us that's THE way to do it, and any other way is WRONG and SILLY. That said, it could be what we're seeing is just his way to keep motivated, pumping himself up and him airing unfiltered thoughts. A lot of stuff that goes through your mind in a competitive situation would sound pretty bad if you just blurt it out. I imagine it wouldn't be hard to start talking to the camera after days and weeks alone, forgetting that eventually a whole lot of people will be listening in and judging you by your comments. I mean, I hope that's what's going on, otherwise he's just an a**hole?

As far as the differing style on air. Hands down, as I may have said in the past, Dan is boring. He may end up winning, but Alan's job doing the occasional narrating and interview is safe.

Edited January 7, 2017 by SRTouch
Wording changed

[SRTouch]

10 hours ago, GreyBunny said:

When Greg said he was hoping he wasn't going to fall in the water, I thought, "Welp, he's going in the drink."  I was pleasantly surprised when he stayed dry and managed to catch a fish.  

Sadly, still plenty of opportunity for a soaking, and I can't help but notice that the previews talk about someone suffering hypothermia.

10 hours ago, GreyBunny said:

I'm loving all of the huts, shelters, and even the sauna being built.  Bamboo is awesome.

ITA awesome shelters, a lot do mainly to bamboo.

[cooksdelight]

15 hours ago, MostlyContent said:

That's the only explanation I've heard so far.  He said it was the only spot on his parcel of land that the sun appeared for a bit each day.   

The sun, and he was getting wet at night due to runoff. I keep banging my head about him not building a raft to get across to the sunny area he's been whining about. The time and energy, materials, that he's used to build his little fence and beginning of his shelter... he could have had a raft in the water, moved to a sunny shore, and probably catching more fish. His thought process is mind-boggling.

[SRTouch]

9 hours ago, holly4755 said:

ETA - Fowler is posting in this thread, don't know if I posted this already

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?29029-Alone-Season-3&s=7d4a369994c8f8286482ec7d7b0074f8

Yeah, worth following the above forum to a link Fowler gave his local paper  http://www.penbaypilot.com/article/alone-week-5-zach-versus-dan/80692 

In the article they talk about a wood water bottle he crafted, along with pictures - just in case anyone had any doubts about just how crafty he is. I I him take a swig out of a bottle and wondered where he got it, now I know... he carved the thing. We also see the rabbit he carved for his daughter again.

[SRTouch]

13 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

The sun, and he was getting wet at night due to runoff. I keep banging my head about him not building a raft to get across to the sunny area he's been whining about. The time and energy, materials, that he's used to build his little fence and beginning of his shelter... he could have had a raft in the water, moved to a sunny shore, and probably catching more fish. His thought process is mind-boggling.

Yep, mind-boggling. Especially if he follows through with hauling enough stones up that hill to complete his stone hearth. Then I learn, while constructing his hilltop retreat, he was suffering from thirst, and ended up carving a water bottle so he could take a drink without coming down from the mountain. Hmmm, wonder if a tarp water catchment system, älä  Sam from season 1, would make any sense.

[riverheightsnancy]

The one thing I noted is how close these guys are to each other compared to VI. Some are a mere 3 miles. If one walks 1.5 miles towards each other, they meet. That is fairly close. I can walk three miles easily. Perhaps Fowler can't go across because he might be too close to someone else? Maybe he will address that issue. It is more than obvious that he has the skills to make a boat. I suspect there is another reason that he cannot go far out in one. 

ETA: Zach (Fowler) states that he reads everything on the internet about the show. So, maybe he is reading our thread? If so, maybe we can get a little interview at the end of it all. I remember how Cooksdelight was going to interview Alan until that hit the shits, but anyway, maybe Zach would do it? And his wood water bottle is very cool. 

Edited January 7, 2017 by riverheightsnancy

[holly4755]

wouldn't have been easier to make a water bottle out of bamboo? I seem to remember people on naked and afraid doing that, and using them for cooking water as well. These people have to watch more than one channel, heh. 

As to lakes and water level, I know that around here lakes are drained  in the late fall and fill up again in winter, I guess it could also depend on how much snowfall there is, also if it is indeed closed, the freezing of the lake would raise it's height as ice has more volume than water.

[SRTouch]

48 minutes ago, holly4755 said:

wouldn't have been easier to make a water bottle out of bamboo? I seem to remember people on naked and afraid doing that, and using them for cooking water as well. These people have to watch more than one channel, heh. 

 

I thought that when I first saw the picture of his bottle. It does seem it would be easier, my only possible answer is that his bamboo, at least what we've seen, is all very slender. I still wonder if several skinny bamboo sections wouldn't have been a lot easier than his wooden canteen, which didn't appear to be able to hold much volume either. I think the real point was that he got as much from the process of creating the wood canteen as he did from drinking from it. I see more than a little resemblance between his creating things and Jose. Both don't just want functionability, they want to create a piece of art. Difference is Jose allowed himself to get lost in the art - I just hope Fowler's insistence on his hilltop hut proves more practical in the long run.

Edited January 7, 2017 by SRTouch
Wording/spelling

[dgpolo]

2 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

Thanks for that! That thread is all kinds of win. Fowler can't spell for shit, it is hilarious (although some people are just bad typers).

Didn't he say he has dyslexia? When he was building his shelter he said something about not minding that he had it as long as he kept his ability to build.

[riverheightsnancy]

54 minutes ago, dgpolo said:

Didn't he say he has dyslexia? When he was building his shelter he said something about not minding that he had it as long as he kept his ability to build.

Good point. I must have missed that or forgotten. That might make sense. His spelling is bad on there, so perhaps that is the reason (not judging, just found it humorous). It is like he is typing and hitting a adjacent keys at the same time. 

[seasick]

3 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

The one thing I noted is how close these guys are to each other compared to VI. Some are a mere 3 miles. If one walks 1.5 miles towards each other, they meet. That is fairly close. I can walk three miles easily. Perhaps Fowler can't go across because he might be too close to someone else? Maybe he will address that issue. It is more than obvious that he has the skills to make a boat. I suspect there is another reason that he cannot go far out in one. 

I thought of that too.  Either he or someone from last season apparently said they were limited  digitally?  I think to mean their GPS would alert when they were too far 'out of bounds'.   I'll bet he asked to do it since sunlight means so much to him.  I'm sure I would have.     

4 hours ago, SRTouch said:

I agree with the posters who have been saying Dan has a valid point about being slow and deliberate to conserve energy. The problem isn't the whole idea that he needs to conserve strength and energy, which is a valid survival concept. Heck, as we've all seen, this isn't just physical, there's also a lot of mental. So, while there may be no benefit from a purely physical survival point of view, Callie's mental boost from making clothes hangers and her windchimes may give a major mental boost which more than offsets the physical cost. The problem with Dan is that he continually tells us that's THE way to do it, and any other way is WRONG and SILLY. That said, it could be what we're seeing is just his way to keep motivated, pumping himself up and him airing unfiltered thoughts. A lot of stuff that goes through your mind in a competitive situation would sound pretty bad if you just blurt it out. I imagine it wouldn't be hard to start talking to the camera after days and weeks alone, forgetting that eventually a whole lot of people will be listening in and judging you by your comments. I mean, I hope that's what's going on, otherwise he's just an a**hole?

As far as the differing style on air. Hands down, as I may have said in the past, Dan is boring. He may end up winning, but Alan's job doing the occasional narrating and interview is safe.

My new theory on Dan's griping about others' energy-waste techniques is that he watched the other seasons and spent it yelling at the tv ( like most of us do about things)   about Justin's walk up the mountain,  Mike's crazy builds,  Jose's boat coma,  any attempts at cabin building and anything else that wasn't totally necessary to expend energy on.    

But now that he's here himself,  he's bored to tears but there's no going back.!  So he spends his time reminding himself that he thought they were dumb things and not to give in to it.    If they start getting snow and sleet and it stays that nasty I think he's going to be sorry that he didn't doll up his shelter at the very least. 

An interesting statement that Fowler made about this last episode.   He said they had nicknamed  it 'Dan vs Fowler" (in that article I think)  and so he tried to get Dan to stand across from him in boxing stances but he wouldn't do it.  I wonder if that's sour grapes coming from Dan?   And Dan you can put that 50 something number of days you had out of your mind, because this group is going to be there for awhile.  Anyone care to speculate yet?   

I think all is good until the snows and ice.  Then-- it's a new game.  I'm going to say 80 days.

[SRTouch]

30 minutes ago, seasick said:

I think all is good until the snows and ice.  Then-- it's a new game.  I'm going to say 80 days.

I think that's it. If the weather stayed the same as it's been, I think most could stick it out a long time. Not everyone, but most could continue. Dave is already making hungry noises. Greg not good not bad, still determined. Problem is his shelter doesn't look like a place to weather a blowing snowstorm. Megan - who knows, last we saw she had a poor shelter and we haven't seen her lately. Not sure about Carleigh, she seems fragile on the one hand, but seems to be doing ok (assuming she's eating - I don't recall her eating). Dan - again, who knows, we haven't seen much of his preparation for cold, snow, wind, but you have to admit, as someone said, he and Callie look like weekend car campers. Callie, like I said, looks like she has been camping for a couple days instead of in the boonies going on two months. Fowler, he da man right now, just hope he's not killing himself with hard work. If I had to pick right now, my top pick would be Callie. She has a great shelter, like I imagine Fowler will have if he finishes his, but when the weather hits she won't have to go up and down a mountain to get to the beach. Then what do I know, I spent half of last season saying f*ing Larry and starving Dave would be the next to tap.

[Trampolina]

I got a blood draw a couple weeks ago and the lady doing it mentioned she was from Lopez Island.  I mentioned that someone from there was on Alone and apparently she is friends with Callie, which wasn't too surprising since that community is tiny.  She said Callie is exactly the same on the show as she is in real life but she's afraid to watch because she doesn't want to see her mauled by a Puma...

[Canada]

I still really like Callie, but that sauna... what's the point?  If you're already filthy dirty, why would you want to be sweaty on top of that?  Seems like a huge waste of time and supplies to me.  I'm sure that tarp could have gone to a better use.  I get she wants entertainment but I'm sure she could have done something better than a sauna.  (I guess I should add that I'm very biased because I hate saunas!!)

Fowler also disappointed me this week.  The shelter is a good idea but what a huge waste of time building it so far up.  Not too smart.  I'm guessing he'll be out soon, if he carries on like that.

Dan = dick.  Hope he doesn't win.

Was Carleigh sleeping outside?  What happened to her shelter?  I know the roof caved in, but I would imagine that she rebuilt that.

Greg = pretty great.  He and Callie are top picks for me right now.

Dave = I really thought he would be medically tapped out this week, as he was looking pretty bad.  But if he's got a food source now, then he could last much longer.

Megan = no show this week.  Guess her legs didn't need shaving.

[LeighAnne]

Quote

Was Carleigh sleeping outside?  What happened to her shelter?  I know the roof caved in, but I would imagine that she rebuilt that.

At the beginning of the Carleigh section she said she wanted to sleep at least one night on the beach under the stars (before winter hits), which is why we saw her outside for her section.  She did rebuild her house; it has a tarp roof now (or a hardwood/bamboo roof with a tarp on top).

[riverheightsnancy]

44 minutes ago, Canada said:

I still really like Callie, but that sauna... what's the point?  If you're already filthy dirty, why would you want to be sweaty on top of that?  Seems like a huge waste of time and supplies to me.  I'm sure that tarp could have gone to a better use.  I get she wants entertainment but I'm sure she could have done something better than a sauna.  (I guess I should add that I'm very biased because I hate saunas!!)

Fowler also disappointed me this week.  The shelter is a good idea but what a huge waste of time building it so far up.  Not too smart.  I'm guessing he'll be out soon, if he carries on like that.

Dan = dick.  Hope he doesn't win.

Was Carleigh sleeping outside?  What happened to her shelter?  I know the roof caved in, but I would imagine that she rebuilt that.

Greg = pretty great.  He and Callie are top picks for me right now.

Dave = I really thought he would be medically tapped out this week, as he was looking pretty bad.  But if he's got a food source now, then he could last much longer.

Megan = no show this week.  Guess her legs didn't need shaving.

Pretty sure that Callie was the leg shaver. 

[Joan Z]

17 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

The sun, and he was getting wet at night due to runoff. I keep banging my head about him not building a raft to get across to the sunny area he's been whining about. The time and energy, materials, that he's used to build his little fence and beginning of his shelter... he could have had a raft in the water, moved to a sunny shore, and probably catching more fish. His thought process is mind-boggling.

They were given limited access to the area. They can only move within few miles and they're tracked by GPS. If I remember correctly, Fowler said, if they bump into each other by accident, they must call the crew right away

 

8 hours ago, Canada said:

I still really like Callie, but that sauna... what's the point?  If you're already filthy dirty, why would you want to be sweaty on top of that?  Seems like a huge waste of time and supplies to me.  I'm sure that tarp could have gone to a better use.  I get she wants entertainment but I'm sure she could have done something better than a sauna.  (I guess I should add that I'm very biased because I hate saunas!!)

I'm pretty sure the tarp she used for the sauna is not fixed. She just put rocks over the tarp so it doesn't move around. so the tarp (for sauna) is easily removed. I think after she's done with the sauna, she put the tarp back to where it was.

  

8 hours ago, riverheightsnancy said:

Pretty sure that Callie was the leg shaver. 

It was megan

[Kelda Feegle]

I like Callie and her relaxed way of staying long-term but I really, really hate her use of the royal 'we' in all of her TH's!

[cooksdelight]

10 hours ago, Canada said:

 

I still really like Callie, but that sauna... what's the point?  If you're already filthy dirty, why would you want to be sweaty on top of that?  Seems like a huge waste of time and supplies to me.  I'm sure that tarp could have gone to a better use.  I get she wants entertainment but I'm sure she could have done something better than a sauna.  (I guess I should add that I'm very biased because I hate saunas!!

 

The tarp she used was over her woodpile, which she's moved most of that into her "house." The sauna can be a great way to clean your body when your only other option is the frigid cold lake. And as pointed out, it's temporary, and can be moved back to the woodpile if she wants. I also hate the "we" she uses when saying she has this or that. 

[seasick]

11 hours ago, Canada said:

still really like Callie, but that sauna... what's the point?  If you're already filthy dirty, why would you want to be sweaty on top of that?  Seems like a huge waste of time and supplies to me

"saunas" are actually steam rooms as we would know them.  They are the common way to bathe in the arctic.  There was a community 'sauna" in every eskimo village when I lived there.  I'm guessing because as much as it was a tradition, it was because indoor plumbing was rare.  The women had a time to go, and so did the men.  It was a bonding as well.   I never got a chance to do the community sauna as we had indoor plumbing,  but I did do one with a couple (the woman) who lived out on the tundra "off the grid". with no plumbing.  They lived in a cabin made from sod and wood..   (they were so far from the 'grid' it wasn't funny).  It was a beautiful relaxing way to  bathe.  We had small buckets of water heated on the rocks to pour over our heads. We sat in the dark steamy 'room" , chatted and relaxed,  It was a great experience..  I didn't conjure up the spirits of my ancestors or discover soul secrets, but it was definitely rejuvenating for the spirits.

[riverheightsnancy]

3 hours ago, Joan Z said:

They were given limited access to the area. They can only move within few miles and they're tracked by GPS. If I remember correctly, Fowler said, if they bump into each other by accident, they must call the crew right away

 

I'm pretty sure the tarp she used for the sauna is not fixed. She just put rocks over the tarp so it doesn't move around. so the tarp (for sauna) is easily removed. I think after she's done with the sauna, she put the tarp back to where it was.

  

It was megan

Whoa, I totally have those two confused then! lol. I need to pay attention to the ladies more closely. I think it is because they have not shown Megan enough and I thought it was Callie when I looked up quickly from my computer. 

59 minutes ago, seasick said:

"saunas" are actually steam rooms as we would know them.  They are the common way to bathe in the arctic.  There was a community 'sauna" in every eskimo village when I lived there.  I'm guessing because as much as it was a tradition, it was because indoor plumbing was rare.  The women had a time to go, and so did the men.  It was a bonding as well.   I never got a chance to do the community sauna as we had indoor plumbing,  but I did do one with a couple (the woman) who lived out on the tundra "off the grid". with no plumbing.  They lived in a cabin made from sod and wood..   (they were so far from the 'grid' it wasn't funny).  It was a beautiful relaxing way to  bathe.  We had small buckets of water heated on the rocks to pour over our heads. We sat in the dark steamy 'room" , chatted and relaxed,  It was a great experience..  I didn't conjure up the spirits of my ancestors or discover soul secrets, but it was definitely rejuvenating for the spirits.

It also allows for the use of snow to melt in the sauna too, if a person cannot get down to the lake or if the lake is frozen over. 

[raven]

Some fun editing going on.  Dan "why would I climb that mountain" Cut to Fowler, climbing 8 stories.   Fowler "I carved this bunny for my daughter"  Dan "what am I going to do, carve a Santa Claus"  LOL.    I don't have any real issues with Dan's less is more attitude (and I did laugh when he was doing a mocking "I'm out here for my feelings" bit), but I can't get past the use of steel traps; those things are cruel.   So Dan go home next and I would be fine with that.

I think Fowler mentioned the snow; it would make sense to build a stronger shelter higher up then, I would think - not just for the sun, but the snow would accumulate more at the lower level.  I like that he is planning. 

Lots of builders in this group - Greg with his raft, Callie, Fowler.    I did fall for Callie's fake tap-out, until she said she was calling the President.   She has a great set-up, love her shelter with hangars and shelves.

WRT the distance, I think on VI it was mentioned that there were too many natural obstacles for any of the contestants to actually run into each other, I guess that isn't the case in Patagonia.  I do like having the bamboo as an option but yeah, too bad for Dave about the mice and hantavirus.  At least he seemed  to stop talking about it and caught a fish, though yeesh, that was gross, sucking up the bloody roe.  I know he was hungry and don't blame him but ew.

[AZChristian]

6 minutes ago, raven said:

. . . yeesh, that was gross, sucking up the bloody roe.  I know he was hungry and don't blame him but ew.

I, on the other hand, was jealous that he had all that caviar to himself.

[humbleopinion]

Dan is bad TV.

Release the pumas and boars upon his camp.

He doubles down by mocking the others who have captured our affections.

Don't be work shaming our faves, conserve more calories by shutting up.

[raven]

I think Dan is being edited to fail, even this episode's opening quote "Fortune favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself".

[cooksdelight]

5 minutes ago, raven said:

I think Dan is being edited to fail, even this episode's opening quote "Fortune favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself".

I thought that about Larry last season, too. What do I know? :)

[raven]

Excellent point cooksdelight :D 

They can only edit around what is actually said but (I just watched this morning, so it's fresh in my mind) we see Callie talking about building things and needing to keep her mind active and Dan again talking about what a waste of time it is do anything not absolutely necessary (paraphrasing). 

I felt like saying, OK!!!  I get the point!!  Ha.

[Dawn16]

5 hours ago, Kelda Feegle said:

I like Callie and her relaxed way of staying long-term but I really, really hate her use of the royal 'we' in all of her TH's!

I'm cutting her some slack on using "we."  She seems like less of a natural introvert than some of the others.  Speaking as if there are multiple people present, or the viewers are right there with her, may help her cope with the extreme aloneness. 

[Liberty]

Really interesting to see how the camera becomes a dear friend to the participants.

[lidarose9]

14 hours ago, raven said:

I think Fowler mentioned the snow; it would make sense to build a stronger shelter higher up then, I would think - not just for the sun, but the snow would accumulate more at the lower level.

Is this true? that snow accumulates more further down the mountainside?

My recollection is that Fowler wanted a clear, level spot for his "permanent" campsite that was up away from the water so no danger of flood and no widowmakers overheard - and that is how far up he had to go to find an ideal spot. He's thinking long-term, so to him it's an investment. (I don't remember him selecting this site because it had sunlight; that would be really dumb cuz the angle of the sun will change while he's there.)

About using the bamboo for water, it looks like Patagonia has the real skinny kind of bamboo. The people on N&A who use bamboo for water have the great big fat bamboo. The skinny kind would not hold much water, BUT if you were industrious and creative and not afraid of a little work, you could tie up thirty of the little narrow ones into a bundle, cut them 2' long, seal off the bottoms, and then rig it up like a backpack to transport water.

Edited January 9, 2017 by lidarose9

[derriere]

I'm still enjoying the mix of personalities and not rooting for anyone to fail. That said, Fowler's punji stake pit looks like it would be a slow, cruel end for a critter and I'd prefer him to have success elsewhere.

[cooksdelight]

I don't think the snow accumulates more further down, but once it melts it will certainly create a lot of water down below. Ask anyone in northern California right now.

I think Fowler's need to be up higher was mostly dictated by his need to see the sun.

[SRTouch]

3 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I don't think the snow accumulates more further down, but once it melts it will certainly create a lot of water down below. Ask anyone in northern California right now.

I think Fowler's need to be up higher was mostly dictated by his need to see the sun.

I was just reading an article where Fowler discusses why he couldn't move across the lake, but needed to move back from the shore. http://www.penbaypilot.com/article/alone-week-3-things-start-get-serious-zach/80302 What it amounts to is that the rules wouldn't let him move across the lake, and he only had about 15 feet of low lieing, flood prone shore before the steep hill. Said he had about 6-10 square miles inside his allowable space, but only a quarter mile of it on the lake, and all of that consisted of that narrow strip.

Also, I'm not sure if it's accurate, but I posted a link under the Alone in the Media topic. It claims to be where they're all sited

http://www.pbase.com/jimthode/image/164740596/original

Edited January 9, 2017 by SRTouch
Wording changed

[holly4755]

or it could have been the place with fewer widow makers (dangling branches). I know I have one tree in my yard I won't walk under until I get it trimmed in the spring. Right now, it is in the back of my yard and no one should be walking there . 

[Canada]

Fowler really did get a crappy spot to live, didn't he?

[SRTouch]

7 minutes ago, Canada said:

Fowler really did get a crappy spot to live, didn't he?

In some ways, yeah. I guess all along we've been told there are pros and cons to each site. I suppose a definite plus is he appears to have plenty of bamboo. Another plus, at least so far he says he was catching about a fish a day, while some folks talk about no fish in days and even weeks.

Edited January 9, 2017 by SRTouch
Added

[HurricaneVal]

One thing I've noticed more this season than in the past is that each person is carrying that bag slung over their shoulder everywhere they go this season.  I presume their emergency locator and Satphone are in there.  I don't recall that before, maybe it is because they did have that medical emergency last season that everyone was issued the standard bag with the requirement that they have it either on their body, or within reach at all times.  Maybe before they were only required to have their emergency contact equipment near them, in whatever way they preferred, but the producers re-thought that and made a harder requirement this season--especially if they were going walkabout.

 

There were a couple of times last season where I was a bit concerned, you know, when Fucking Larry had his temper tantrum with the axe on one of his expeditions, and when the other guy (can't remember his name) climbed his hill on that significantly numbered day in honor of the number of veteran suicides each day.  Either of them--or anyone who had made a boat really--could have tumbled and stuff shoved in their pockets, or sitting in a backpack where they last set it down would be out of reach, and the producers wouldn't have a clue until they came on one of their battery replacement/welfare check visits to find camp abandoned.

[holly4755]

I think they had a bag before, but could be wrong, I think they carry it more because they are living so vertically this year, everyone has a small beach and then a steep hill for the most part. 

[SRTouch]

42 minutes ago, holly4755 said:

I think they had a bag before, but could be wrong, I think they carry it more because they are living so vertically this year, everyone has a small beach and then a steep hill for the most part. 

Yeah, your post reminds of something I've thought of a couple times now, but never got around to writing about. Fowler felt the need to up and move uphill because of the threat of the lake level rising - yet Greg is right there on the lakeshore? Then when I look at the map I posted earlier of supposed locations, I notice Greg off on a much smaller lake of his own. Hmmm, sure would be nice to really know where they're at. I wonder how close the show runners watch social media, sniggering at our guessimates. Does Greg know his lake level doesn't vary like the bigger lake, if he is, in fact, even on a different lake. And (the plot thickens) if he knows he's alone on a small lake, is that why he felt he could make a raft and go fishing on that stream? Ah, being a armchair, Monday morning quarterback is so much fun!

correction to idle speculation: actually, if the map is accurate, Greg isn't totally alone on his own lake, he would be sharing his lake with Dan

Edited January 9, 2017 by SRTouch
Correction

[humbleopinion]

The crossbody bag= Alone's version of Life Alert

"I've fallen and I can't get Up!" or "Help, there is a puma/boar chewing on me."

Makes sense to require them to wear it at all times since there are no producer eyeballs on them if they step off a ledge or fall into the cold lake even with their life jacket on.

Wonder if there is a tracking device in the bag so producers can detect from their distance camp if the individual participants are moving about.

Dan is firmly fixed in one spot so no need for him to wear the bag.

[holly4755]

new preview for next episode - kind of depressing a bit more than what was shown at the end of this episode. 

history channel preview for episode 6