In episode 295 of The Strenuous Life Podcast I talk with Frank Wolf who exemplifies endurance, determination and perseverance.
His first major expedition 25 years ago was an epic 8,000 kilometer paddle across Canada in a single season and he hasn’t slowed down since. Whether it’s cycling 2,000 km on the frozen Yukon River in winter or paddling the entire coast of British Columbia he’s constantly out there and pushing himself, exemplifying the strenuous life.
I really enjoyed our conversation and he had some amazing tips for getting out into the deep wilderness on the cheap. I guess you could call him a wilderness travel hacker who is willing to share his secrets!
00:53 – Travelling in the arctic during Covid-19
06:06 – Bad experiences travelling with people
17:09 – How Frank chooses and tests potential companions for trips
23:45 – How Frank pays for his trips and his lifestyle
30:43 – Losing weight on a trip
38:12 – Inuit documentary
40:30 – Hunting and fishing while travelling
42:11 – How does Frank’s body hold up in these trips
46:43 – Why Frank wants to do these trips
50:54 – Advice for people who want to do a wilderness expedition
The Frank Wolf Episode in Video Format
The Frank Wolf Episode on The Strenuous Life Podcast
1) I’ve also released this on my podcast (The Strenuous Life Podcast) as episode 295 which you can listen to on all podcast players, including the following popular platforms and apps…
2) If you don’t have a preferred podcast player you can can listen on the Grapplearts BJJ Master App which you can download for free for iPhone and iPad in the Apple App Store here or for Android devices in the Google Play Store here.
3) Or you can stream the audio right here without leaving the page by clicking play below…
Cheers!
Stephan Kesting
If You Want More Of This…
A Difficult Adventure in the Far North
You can order my new book “Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic” on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indigo/Chapters, or your local bookstore!
It was an incredibly difficult journey, but I think it turned into a pretty good book!
Check out Frank’s Site
Visit fwolf.ca to find out more about Frank and also check out Lines on a Map – his excellent book of stories from his adventures!
Check Out These Other Episodes
If you enjoy the outdoor oriented conversations then check out some of the other adventurers I’ve chatted with on my podcast including…
Will Gadd
Will Gadd is an extreme athlete, perhaps best known for ice climbing Niagara Falls in the winter. But he’s also pioneered many novel routes, including Helmcken Falls, icebergs in the ocean, and underground river tunnels in the Greenland ice.
In this chat we talked about those first ascents, but also touched on mindset, dealing with risk and unknowns, handling close calls, the 25 people he’s known who have died in the mountains, fear of loss vs hope of gain, and how to execute on audacious goals.
Click here for my conversation with Will Gadd.
Les ‘Survivorman’ Stroud
Les Stroud, better known as ‘survivorman’, has produced many survival-themed shows for The Discovery Channel, The Science Channel, The Outdoor Life Network, and YTV. In these shows he usually goes out into very challenging wilderness situations and tries to survive using only the materials at hand and minimal equipment.
Join us as we deal about dealing with hunger, thirst, heat, cold, animals and terrible conditions; it’s gritty, difficult and very, very real.
Click here for the Les ‘Survivorman’ Stroud conversation.
Adam Shoalts
Adam Shoalts, author of “Alone Against the North” and “Beyond the Trees” is a professional adventurer and explorer. He has completed a 4,000 km solo trip across the Canadian Arctic, explored unknown rivers in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, and is a fellow in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
I was thrilled to have him on my podcast, and I hope you enjoy his tales of adventure as much as I did!
Click here for my conversation with Adam Shoalts.
Stephan’s Dispatches from the Arctic
In 2019 I completed a solo canoe trip from Missinipe, Saskatchewan, to Arviat, Nunavut. This journey took me up and down four different rivers and across two of Canada’s largest lakes.
This link here takes you to my written dispatches from the field as well as to a series of shorter podcasts I recorded while en route.