Wilderness Squatters Drop Out of Society for Four Years

Angered Over Bush's Second Term, Couple Disappears from Society Until Next Election

[Carol] We didn't keep this a secret from our immediate families, but told no one else. Our families were loyal to this request. They begged us to reconsider, but nothing could change our minds. After the 2004 election was over, our families knew we would be leaving. They wanted to keep in touch with us, so they bought us a GPS, satellite-based communication equipment, and radio that all ran on rechargeable batteries which we kept going with a solar-powered battery charger they gave us.

[Interviewer] Did you actually take four years' worth of food with you into the wilderness?

[Carol] To be honest, we didn't need to bring four years' worth of food, because we did grow quite a bit of food. We built a greenhouse for growing fruits and vegetables longer than the outdoor growing season would allow. Also, we carried as much dried food as possible, such as fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, rice, grains, and beans such as pintos, navy, black eyed peas, and other types of dried beans. My parents gave us a book of edible wild plants and how to prepare them. We used that book daily.

[Bill] We were close enough to a water source that we were able to fish.

[Interviewer] I'd like to hear more about this greenhouse later, but first I would like to ask you where you lived during the four years you were in the wilderness, and how did you select a particular spot?

[Bill] We wanted to be as far away from civilization as possible, yet be close to a source of water and live in a climate that would allow us to grow food at least part of the year. We looked for a vast wilderness that had no access to roads. We managed to find a location in Montana accessible only by rafting down a river then hiking about 30 miles through mountain passes. It was a full 3-day hike with heavy gear, maybe 2 days with a light pack. We knew we had found our "home" when we hiked over one particular crest and stumbled upon a beautiful meadow and stream nestled between the mountains. We both felt that survival and even building a homestead in this location was definitely possible.

[Interviewer] How is it that for four years no one investigated smoke that would have resulted from cooking or heating?

[Carol] We were so far away from civilization that smoke in our area may have gone undetected with no problems. But just to be on the safe side, we never built a fire out in the open, but always under heavy fir tree covering which dissipates smoke fairly well. We built our cabin under forest cover so that it could not be seen from the air.

[Interviewer] What kind of supplies and tools did you carry with you, and how did you haul them 30 miles through mountain passes?