I usually end up watching that documentary every few years because I find it extremely relaxing. Highly recommended.

You might be interested to know that there's more than one documentary. 4 in total!

Just as a quick link for people interested:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke

He also wrote books. The first One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey isn't bad either.

If you enjoyed that, you might also enjoy Dmitry Vasyukov's "Happy People" documentary about the people living in the Siberian taiga. It's on youtube [1].

1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbhPIK-oBvA&list=PLcHbZZPce_...

Worth noting that it was actually co-written and directed by Dmitry Vasyukov and Werner Herzog and narrated by Werner Herzog. It's not that I care much about who gets the credit, but I suspect there are people out there (such as myself) who will be much more likely to watch it if they know Herzog is involved. :)

I stumbled across this documentary on PBS years ago and couldn't stop watching it. Something about the old production quality and narrative was an enjoyable departure from the tension building in most modern documentaries.

As mentioned by another poster, try watching Primitive Technology[1] on Youtube. Very similar feel.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAL3JXZSzSm8AlZyD3nQdBA

A shame that guy / channel doesn't have more videos, and/or there's a lot of repetition in it. I like it though.

Part of it's charm, I think. He's out there, all by himself, doing these things with nothing more than department store cargo shorts, a webcam, and his own two hands and what he built with it.

The repetition is a reflection of what primitive life had to really be like.

Used to be good, but too many copycats has saturated the aurora of the primitive technologist.

That makes no sense. We're not talking about a commodity that's for sale and thus, loses its market value as the market becomes saturated by Chinese knock-offs and look-a-likes. It's more than just a show for the mindless consumption of viewers on social media. Primitive Technology videos came from his own personal interest and love for the art of craftsmanship itself, thus, his videos have not lost any of their value, as his motives and drive were never commercial to begin with.

It's your option to eat fast-food, but in no way does that devaluate high end cuisine.

edit: typo

I think it's worth pointing out that he did not live 30 consecutive years alone in Alaska - he did stay the first winter, and maybe a couple other winters here and there, but by and large he returned to the lower 48 each winter and stayed with friends and relatives[0]

0. http://richardproenneke.com/faqs

Let me also add "The consolations of the forest" by Sylvain Tesson, who lived alone on the shores of Lake Baykal for about a year. A well-written book about an interesting story.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jun/01/consolations-f...

I love this documentary, I watch it at least twice a year.

You may be interested in this one as well then.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1874815/

It's about a guy that walked the entire length of the Amazon river. Took 2 1/2 years.

That would be Ed Stafford https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Stafford . He has many TV series where he survives starting with nothing (other than camera gear) and some other shows. Probably the most entertaining, down-to-earth and genuine survivalists on tv.

A bit overly dramatic if you ask me though.

A teacher had us watch this in college. It's amazing.