Brooke and Dave Whipple

Season 4

Brooke Whipple
Age: 45
Fox, AK / Reed City, MI
Outdoor Educator

Brooke聽Whipple聽has聽been聽passionate聽about the聽outdoors聽since聽she聽was a聽kid.聽She聽grew up in rural聽Michigan hunting, fishing, and trapping while dreaming of moving to a place with聽mountains and unspoiled wilderness. Her first job out of high school was in Yellowstone National Park, which led her to becoming a ski bum in Colorado, and then a聽wildland firefighter in Montana. After that, she ventured off to Alaska with a backpack and $200 to her name.

Along the way,聽Brooke聽completed a bachelor’s聽degree in Outdoor/Adventure Recreation Management and聽has聽worked as an outdoor educator, guide, and聽recreation director.聽She聽is an author, filmmaker, picker, and award-winning baker. In 2010, she won the Alaska State Blueberry Pie Championship.

She聽is currently a public speaker and teaches outdoor education to youth in schools. In the summer she can be found at her fresh-squeezed lemonade stand at the Tanana Valley Farmer’s Market in Fairbanks, Alaska. Brooke and Dave will聽be leaving behind their two children, who will never be far from their hearts.

Dave Whipple
Age: 40
Fox, AK / Reed City, MI
Builder

Dave grew up in rural Michigan, and has spent most of his adult life in Alaska. Along with Brooke, his wife of 18 years, Dave has built three homesteads in interior Alaska. Carving out a place to call home from raw land has been a way of life, and Dave can make the claim of being one of the few true modern day homesteaders. Whether at the family’s remote fish camp, or cutting logs for their next cabin project, Dave, Brooke, and their two children have lived a life far removed from the normal nine to five. With solid “hands on” skills and real-world聽grit, Dave has traded modern comfort for the satisfaction of doing life the 鈥渙ld school鈥� way.

Dave is more likely to talk about the聽philosophy of living than about聽bushcraft skills. In the summer聽he can be found in Fairbanks, Alaska working as a freelance cement finisher, and聽a part-time guitar dealer. He and his family have spent the last few winters in Michigan where they reconnect with their extended family, buy and sell antiques, and occasionally deliver a public speaking gig. A lifelong musician Dave also plays guitar and sings in his 3 piece rock聽band, The Atomic Honkies.

Here聽are聽the ten items Brooke and Dave聽selected to bring on their survival journey to聽Vancouver Island: