Boy Saved Thanks to Bear Grylls, Les Stroud
By Wyatt Earp | January 6, 2011
There’s a reason why I watch Man Vs. Wild and Survivorman; and it’s not just so I can see Bear Grylls hot chiseled body. (Um, not that there’s anything wrong with that.) It’s because both shows offer terrific information on how to survive when you’re stranded in the wilderness. Jake Denham knows that firsthand.
A teenager who found himself stranded on a US mountain for nine hours at -17C says he survived because of skills he learned from British adventurer Bear Grylls.
Jake Denham, 14, was skiing with his family in Oregon when he lost one of his skis and become separated from them. As he tried to walk down the mountain he lost his way, leading to a nine-hour ordeal where he had to cope with night-time temperatures falling dramatically.
But as the mercury dropped, the resourceful Jake recalled episodes of former SAS soldier Grylls’ reality programmes about how to stay alive. Jake built a snow cave to shelter in as darkness fell but then decided to try another technique of following ski trails down the mountain.
The teenager said the knowledge came from watching two of his favorite programmes; Man vs. Wild and Survivorman. (H/T – RT)
Way to go, Jake! Say what you want about the Discovery Channel, but you won’t find people learning these essential skills by watching American Idol.
Topics: Coolness! | 15 Comments »
January 6th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Hmm. He should have just voted the snow off the island!
January 6th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Proof – Wow, it would be that easy? I’ll remember that if we get snow tomorrow like we’re supposed to.
January 6th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
I learned how to make a hammock out of rope and coconut cream pie from watching Gilligan’s Island.
January 6th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Wyatt, I’ve learned from TV that there is no problem so great that it cannot be solved in 60 minutes (44 with commercials) or less.
January 6th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
[...] It saved this kids life! [...]
January 6th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
Who says TV is a waste of time?
January 6th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
Wyatt, I hate to burst your/their bubbles… But Grylls is NOT well liked by any of the SAS folks, they consider him a fake and a poseur… Also, the Brits have caught on to him as can be seen here.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-470155/How-Bear-Grylls-Born-Survivor-roughed–hotels.html
Suffice to say, LOTS of his stuff is faked/preplanned/prebuilt. Survivorman, on the other hand, IS a single guy, alone against the elements.
January 6th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Mrs. Crankipants – They could make all of those things, but not a boat to get off the island. Hmm . . .
Proof – Our victims think real life is like that. “What, you couldn’t find the guy who robbed me in an hour???”
Rick – Well, Lifetime is . . .
Old NFO – I know. Randal reminds me all the time. I like Bear because he eats crap I wouldn’t even touch and he gives good advice, even if he fakes much of it. I love Survivorman, but he stopped making episodes because the ordeals were too tough. Can’t blame him. His Amazon adventure was awesome. He was actually being followed by a jaguar. Good stuff!
January 7th, 2011 at 12:03 am
I’m glad that Mr. Grylls’ acts are carefully plotted out. What they ask of him is NOT ok.
Les Stroud is a tenth degree black belt of survival.
From BOTH of them I learned a LOT.
* how to use a rope anchored with a stick
* how to push down SHARP grass forward
* decapitation is best before eating
* the Solar Still!!!!
* WaterWiggliesWidowmakers!
* 12 ways to start a fire.
* tie seat belts together to make a rope to get out of a stuck car.
I LOVE those guys and I THANK THEM – very sincerely!
January 7th, 2011 at 9:15 am
Wyatt:
I also like SURVIVING DISASTER with Cade Courtly (on Spike).
January 7th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Dawnling – And that’s what’s most important: that people learn the techniques in case they ever need them.
Bob G – I haven’t seen it, but I heard it was pretty good.
January 7th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
I’ve watched them all. I can’t decide which Bear Grylls stunt was grossest — drinking his pee after carrying it around in a snakeskin in the freakin’ broiling desert all day, or giving himself an enema with nasty goop he took out of a puddle on some remote island with a gazillion birds crapping everywhere. His show may be fake, preplanned, etc. but he does some whacked out stuff.
Les Stroud’s show is teh awesome, though.
January 7th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Jim – I remember the snakeskin episode. Fantastic in its awesomeness. Survivorman is terrific, because he looks like a regular guy. He makes you think you can do those things.
January 10th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Thank you for that picture, made my blog-post-catch-up-day really worthwhile.
January 10th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Sally Anne – Glad I could help!