I don't remember too many details, but here's what I do remember:
- I'm pretty sure this was in the 90's but who knows?
- The world was degrading, both environmentally & in the violence of people
- A group of people decided to escape from the rest of the world & they hiked into (I think) the Canadian wilderness, determined to live in harmony with nature
- At least one of the group was not a very good person & every time he did something harmful to nature, nature would strike back (a giant bird attacked them, his wife was killed & other things)
- They settle near a river way out in the wilderness & at there's some mention of Indians from the past & how they learned to live in peace with the animals & land around them.
- At some point, the guy whose wife was attacked by the giant bird was killed
- When the group finally settled somewhere, they built log cabins
- They were only able to take a limited amount of resources/packs with them when they started out

It is NOT The Crystal Drop by Monica Hughes.