Wilderness Seasons: Life and Adventure in Canada's North

by Ian Wilson, Sally Wilson

The inspiring account of a year in remote wilderness, far from settlements and roads. The authors share their experiences, from the challenge of building a handhewn log cabin to the excitement of encountering a moose at six feet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Outdoors, Travel

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1987

About the author

Author of historical and religious books. He was born in Clapham, south London, but now lives in Brisbane, Australia, with his wife, Judith and their two sons, Adrian and Noel.

Wilson is most well known for his research on the Shroud of Turin.

Reviews

[Peter Foltin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quintessentially Canadian book about surviving the elements, although far lighter in tone and weight than found in the old Canadian style of fiction. (And I am not complaining!)

An easy-to-read story of a young couple who love camping and the outdoors and decided to spend fourteen months in an remote corner of northern BC. It has lots of nice anecdotes about surviving in the North and interacting with all sorts of creatures.

A wonderful read, highly recommend!

[Kristen Lesperance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic story. My father lent me this book and I immediately was captivated by their story. I would love to experience something like this. a must read for anyone who loves the outdoors.

[Audrey E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ian and Sally Wilson came to my elementary school shortly after this book came out. I was captivated. I've reread this book more than any other (don't think that says much). What an adventure they went on! Not sure if I'd want to do the same thing, but definitely made me whistful for an off-the-grid adventure.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent read. It's a good recounting of their journey preparing and spending a year in the northern BC wilderness. If the topic is of interest to you, you will probably enjoy this book.

[Lisa Kearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Ian and Sally are a young married couple who dreamed of leaving civilization and living in a cabin in the wilderness. It took them a year to gather the money and supplies needed, but eventually they made it to a lake in Northern British Columbia, Canada.

The book is written from the journals they kept during their 14 month adventure. I was totally drawn into their lives as they described building a cabin and a food cache, the wildlife they lived among, the changing of the seasons, canoeing on the lake, the sounds and smells of the wilderness, and the aurora borealis at night.

I just purchased their other two books (Arctic Adventures, and Wilderness Journey: Reliving the Adventures of Canada's Voyageurs) because I want to travel and explore with them.

[Jeremy Charles-Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, I'm surprised how few reviews there are of this book. It was an epic adventure, and told in a relatable and lovely way. I assumed it was a classic everyone knows while reading, so needless to say, I highly recommend it.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting subject but I did not particularly enjoy the writing. A nice summary of a 14 month stint, homesteading in northern BC.