During a year-long expedition beyond the Arctic Circle into the endless taiga, he will be forced to build himself a log cabin, hunt and fish. His only means of transport are legs, horses, a canoe and a dog sled. On top of that – for a noble cause he decided to do it, with a few exceptions, in a traditional and historical style, avoiding artificial materials, electronics and mechanics – just as it was done in the old days. Practically all the equipment taken on the expedition will come from his workshop. This will not be a historical reconstruction, but an expedition into himself and the wilderness in the spirit of the old trappers.
But before that happens, the team consisting of Tomasz Paterski and his two companions has to prepare for it. “A Year in a Trapper’s Hut” is a complex project taking place in several countries and on two continents. The project opens up space for new experiences which will be necessary to survive for a year tens of kilometers away from civilisation. Traditional carpentry, watercraft, working in a sled dog kennel, tracking and fishing are just a few of the themes that make up the multi-stage project “A Year in a Trapper’s Hut”. The finale of this grand adventure will take place on the full-blooded terrain of northern Canada, where the history of real trappers still lives on.
PARTICIPANTS OF THE EXPEDITION

Wydra

Thomas Paterski

Nanook
CHALLENGE
Leaving civilization, equipped with eighteenth-century weapons, he will set off in early spring into the abyssal wilderness. As if that were not enough, for a noble cause he has decided to do it – with minor exceptions – in a traditional style, trying to avoid artificial materials, modern solutions, electronics and mechanics. In order to get as close as possible to the equipment used before 1900. So we are preparing not so much a typical historical reconstruction, but rather an expedition into ourselves and the wilderness combined with its elements – in the spirit of the old trappers.
Tomasz and Nanook, accompanied by their horses, will have dozens, if not hundreds, of kilometers to cover; with no marked roads or trails, using old-fashioned methods of navigation. They will thus cross rapids and rivers, ascend steep mountainsides, and sleep under a traditional tarp tent, all in terrain controlled by bears and wolves. Once they reach their final destination, they will set up their small trapper camp. It is there that they will build a log cabin and try to spend the whole year in the wilderness, leading a harsh
as well as the simple life of a trapper – just like the old days. For the first few months, content to live under a tarp and the smell of a campfire, they will begin the challenge of building a log cabin using only locally available material. Dry, towering spruce trees will serve as the building material after being felled with an axe, saying goodbye to the bark removed with a classic hand barker. The sawn logs will be brought to the construction site not by “force of things” but by horses, where they will be assembled into a new whole with chisels, circular saws, hand augers and other classical carpentry tools.
To make the hut itself, our adventurous delegates will have only six months. They must make it in time for the inexorable arrival of the harsh winter, which will cover the abyssal wilderness with white down. While building their own wooden shelter from the icy cold and deadly inhabitants of the wilderness, they will have to gather fuel supplies for the six-month winter that heralds temperatures below ‑40* C. To make matters worse, they will be forced to venture into the surrounding countryside, under the pressure of nagging hunger motivating them to search for signs of game and new hunting grounds.
Once the first snows have fallen, Tomasz will go on horseback on another long, even more dangerous, winter journey. This time in the direction of civilization, to put the horses down there for a well-deserved rest, while replacing them with a pack of dogs and a sleigh. Taking with him only the basic equipment, he will set off on the return journey in a dog sled with Nanook at the helm across the frozen river, where shooting ranges, thin and fragile ice, and moreover, packs of hungry wolves and dangerous moose await.
Once they reach the hut, they will be able to officially open the trapper season. Tom, assisted by his dog sled, will navigate his trails and try to survive the harsh winter. This will be possible through hunting, setting traps and fishing. There will also be contemplation of the unique beauty of the aurora borealis and snow-capped mountain peaks. Using a dog sled, as well as a toboggan and snowshoes, he will also constantly replenish the rapidly disappearing supply of fuel. His daily ritual will also include casting lead bullets for weapons, chopping wood, binding hunted animals, fetching water, and repairing his ever-wearing equipment.
In early spring, when the snows begin to let up and the sun at its zenith is hosted much longer than in winter during the polar night, they will once again head for civilization. This time, however, in order to put the dogs down for the hard, starving summer season. He will return to the cabin this time via hydrofoil, looking down on the incredible terrain from above but, sure enough, without a sense of superiority. After the pilot picks up his surplus belongings, Thomas will pack his basic luggage into the Otter and he and Nanook will set off for the civilized world. Once the goal of surviving a year in the Canadian taiga has been achieved and they reach the city, Tomasz, Nanook and Otter will dot the i’s and end the expedition – and the conclusion of the Year in a Trapper’s Hut project.
Silence surrounded them from everywhere; it pressed on them so that they felt it almost tangibly. It crushed their brains as the masses of deep water press on the body of a diver. It crushed them with the weight of its infinite vastness and irreversible judgments. It broke into the deepest recesses of their minds, squeezing out of them, like the sap of the vine, all the illusory raptures and emotions along with their inflated self-concept, until they finally understood that they were wretched and small, that they were dust and ashes, which, with a bit of cleverness and a pinch of wisdom, sneaked through the vastness of the conflicting blind elements and forces of nature.
PLAN
1st STAGE – formalities
Obtaining necessary permits and establishing partnerships with local institutions. And also establishing cooperation with other entities.
2st STAGE – preparation
At this stage we focus on training, coaching and acquiring new skills necessary for the duration of the expedition. This is also where we test the equipment.
3st STAGE – production
Introduction of changes in equipment and production of additional elements of equipment. Applying logos of sponsors and partners on the equipment.
4st STAGE – cargo
Customs clearance and posting of equipment for shipment. This is followed by collection of the shipment by the liaison in Canada.
5st STAGE – expedition
Departure of the participants to the expedition site and picking up the equipment from the liaison. Renting horses and then setting off on the expedition.
To the next stage:
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PREPARATIONS
“A Year in the Trapper’s Cabin” is a multi-stage project taking place in several countries and on two continents. The second stage is pure science as well as verification and consolidation of the knowledge acquired so far. These will be necessary in order to survive for a year in a self-built trapper’s hut, tens of kilometers from civilisation. Classical carpentry, watercraft, working in a sled dog kennel, tracking and fishing, as well as traditional camping are just a few topics that make up one large organism.
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Carpentry
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Trappings
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Horse Riding
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Sled Dog Riding
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Watercraft
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Camping skills
PREPARATORY VIDEO
Archival series of adventure films showing the behind-the-scenes preparations for the expedition. Undoubtedly – it will offer a full range of impressions like rafting down the swift Yukon River. From showing the process of building a log cabin, through life in the cabin on a daily basis. You will also see what it looks like to work in a sled dog kennel. Of course, there will be topics on tracking and hunting – as well as the all-important topic of water sports, such as canoeing and operating a motorboat on the river.
OFFER FOR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Proposals for the promotion of companies and institutions during the expedition entitled “A Year in a Trapper’s Cabin” include:
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including the company/institution name in the name of the expedition and using that name “(company name) Year at the Trapper’s Cabin”;
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placing the company’s name and logo among the sponsors of the expedition’s pre-trip promotional video;
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placing the company’s name and logo among the sponsors of the post-expedition film;
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placing the name and logo of the company/institution on the home page of www.lesnerzemioslo.com;
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placing the name and logo of the company/institution and text about the sponsor on the subpage “A year in a Trapper’s Cabin” of www.lesnerzemioslo.com;
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placing the company’s name and logo on the left and right side of the canoe used during the expedition;
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Placing the company’s/institution’s name and logo on the front part of the tent used during the expedition;
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Placing the company’s/institution’s name and logo on the clothing used during the expedition;
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taking a specified number of photographs with the company’s promotional materials in Canada during the expedition;
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presenting the name and logo of the company/institution in articles from the expedition on www.lesnerzemioslo.com and on the Facebook profile;
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Presentation of the company’s name and logo in media reports and interviews (Internet, radio and television);
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Presentation of the company’s/institution’s name and logo in photo shows from the expedition;
direct reports (by phone, Internet) from the expedition; -
participation in promotional and marketing actions of the company/institution;
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participation in events, programmes and broadcasts related to travels;
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multimedia presentations as part of promotional activities or other company’s/institution’s expedition(s). In both cases presentations can be limited to a particular expedition/travel or be of an overview nature and cover a longer period of time (several expeditions/travels);
Of course we remain flexible and ready to cooperate in the fields proposed by you. Feel free to contact us.