Growing up on a 60-acre game farm, I spent many hours outside wondering if I would ever experience deep adventures found in tales such as Kon-Tiki, Endurance, Annapurna, Book of the Eskimos, and Out of This World—Lowell Thomas, Sr. and Jr.’s story of their trip from India to Lhasa in 1949. I often asked myself, what allows some to survive the harshest of conditions in a variety of remote environments—whether as an explorer or just engaged in every day survival? Why do some live and others perish?

We’ll screen several contrasting documentaries – from Shackleton’s Antarctic epic to a year in a small village in the Siberian Taiga with hunter/trappers. From 13-year-old Mongolian girl Aisholpan becoming the first female eagle huntress to Mardi Murie’s Arctic Dance – the story of her establishing the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. This is the fourth time I have offered this course, so be surprised with some new presentations. The content of each—along with selected readings—will provide the basis for us to examine both the environmental and human challenges in which odds are overcome by extraordinary fitness of mind and body, and to discuss what commonalities and differences we find in these very different people.

Participants will be asked to identify one or two of THEIR favorite examples.