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The Atchley family used to live a busy life in the city before they moved to a cabin deep in the Alaskan wilderness. After going off the grid, David and Romey raised their children in seclusion, living off the land and avoiding the go, go, go of the city. But the reason why they moved is the most shocking part of their lifestyle...
Life on the Nowitna River
The Atchleys are the only people who live anywhere along the 250-mile stretch of the Nowitna River. There are no commercial or residential areas near the deep wilderness where the family resides. However, this life of isolation is one the Atchleys always longed for...
Living Out Their Dream
“Growing up I was really interested in living off the land,” Romey said in 2018. “I had this desire to have space around me and really think about life.” Although they discovered that the Alaskan wilderness was the perfect place to do so, not everyone in the family felt the same...
Two Growing Sons
David and Romey have two sons, Zack and Sky. Despite their parents' love of the wilderness, they didn't crave the same isolation. Zack moved to Fairbanks, Alaska at just 17 years old, but 16-year-old Sky stayed behind...
A Difference in Views
Despite Zack's longing for society and normalcy, David never felt that way. “I never considered myself as isolated. I knew we were remote, but for me, it was about having the quiet and hearing my own mind without the noise of the town,” David said. However, the solitude wasn't for everyone, and it drove a rift right through the family...
100 Miles From the Nearest Town
Though David doesn't necessarily consider their lifestyle "isolated," the nearest town of Ruby, Alaska is 100 miles away. It only has about 160 residents, which is astoundingly small. Even if they wanted to, their options for socialization are incredibly slim.
Only a Few Visitors
The Atchleys have lived in the Alaskan wilderness for nearly two decades, and during the entire time, they've only ever had a handful of visitors. One of those was photographer Ed Gold, who documented their unique way of life for BBC...
Correcting Stereotypes
For anyone who has seen "The Revenant," the image of Leonardo DiCaprio with a massive beard and a fur cape made of bear hide is probably the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the Alaskan wilderness. The Atchleys wanted to break that narrative so people understood that their life is nothing like the dangerous situations depicted in the media...
Once-A-Year Grocery Haul
Once every year, the Atchleys head into town and stock up on a year's worth of supplies. "We buy everything for a year and we buy all the supplies," David said. It takes several trips to barge all the materials down to Ruby, but once it arrives, the family is stocked for the year.
Following His Parents' Footsteps
While Zack did not desire to live off the land, Sky felt just the opposite. He had no plans to leave the quiet life of solitude. He was completely content with being homeschooled and living in nature...
Modernizing Isolation
Sky did admit that living with his parents can sometimes cramp his style, but thankfully David did give in and install the Internet in the cabin in 2017. That allowed the family to have some sense of normalcy and connection to society. But that's as far as they'll go...
A Close Relationship
“When you live this close to each other in the middle of the woods and you’ve been here for a long time, they’re not just your parents. They are your best friends because you’re all alone with them,” Sky said. It would be hard to live in solitude with people you don't get along with...
Not a "Normal" Teen
Sky's bond with David and Romey is something no other teenager could understand. He's happier in the wilderness than he could be anywhere else, he said. However, Sky spends about one week out of the year total in contact with kids his own age, which can be hard for him...
An Old Soul
Living without any other kids his own age forced Sky to grow up pretty fast. “Growing up with my parents, sometimes kids seem a little childish,” Sky admitted about observing his peers. His parents said their son has an "old soul."
Difficulty Relating to Society
“They care about things that aren’t that important sometimes,” Sky continued. Sky and his family lived a life that most people couldn't comprehend. He had a hard time relating to his peers...
Every Day Tasks
The Atchleys are firm on the fact that they don't fit "The Revenant" stereotype. However, they do hunt for meat on the land. Their diet includes black bears, wolves, rabbits, ducks, and beavers...
Hunter-Gatherers
The Atchley's also scavenge the Alaskan forest for lingonberries and rosehips for homemade jam. “I’m not very fond of the food in town,” Sky said. Romey's cooking really does top the mainstream food of McDonald's...
Superior Taste
“When [Sky] gets to town and wants a sandwich, for someone to hand him white bread, it doesn’t seem like bread to him after eating homemade wholewheat,” explained Romey. Sky believed he had "superior tastebuds." But that just came from eating hearty homemade meals every day...
A Cost-Effective Lifestyle
Living off the land and using only solar power cost the family just $12,000 per year. Life without the materialistic things that a suburb or city has to offer saved the family a ton of money. David is the breadwinner, earning money by selling tanned hides, building log cabins, or working in a nearby goldmine...
Medical Attention
When it comes to cases of medical urgency, the Atchleys rely on various books about medicine and first aid kits they have on hand. Overall, they know how to deal with nearly any minor medical issue. But in cases of a real emergency, David said they have had to call a light aircraft for help...
Not Fixating on Fear
“It’s pretty intense out here in general. But you learn how to put it in the back of your mind and only deal with what’s happening instead of the fears of what could happen,” David said. While he was at first talking about health-related issues, he also explained that the family has dealt with emotional hardships...
Healthy Relationships
“When you’re isolated like this with each other, your relationship is everything,” David explained. “During the decades of living out here you spend a lot of time working on your relationship because in isolation you truly create your own reality.” The family has learned to always keep their emotions in check...
Always Choosing Positivity
“When you have the ability to make your wife slump or make her smile, what are you going to choose? That makes the rules for us,” David continued. “We’re all just trying to get along and we all love each other.” Most people could take a lesson from the Atchleys' positive view of mental health...
Other Minimilistic Lifestyles
The physical, mental, and emotional challenges living in isolation brings on a family are likely too difficult for the average person to handle. Another family, the Ruizes, also knows how to make the most of living in the middle of the wilderness similarly to the Atchleys...
California Living
When Zac and Katie Ruiz got married, they lived in a quaint apartment in California. They loved the Golden State, the warmth, and the hubbub of the city. However, California living comes with a price...
Making a Plan
While Katie was pregnant, the couple moved back to her hometown in New Mexico so they could stay with her parents and save money. After staying for about a year, Katie's mom told them some surprising news...
A Welcomed Inheritance
Kate had inherited an acre of land, unbeknownst to her. The couple's second baby was on the way and they were overjoyed by the news. Money was tight, but now they had a way to start a new, more affordable life...
Paycheck to Paycheck
Zac and Katie were thrilled with their new property. They were excited to start building a new home and stop living the exhaustive paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle. However, they knew where they were going to live, but not exactly what they were going to live in...
A Unique Home
Katie had an idea to build the affordable home of their dreams. They discussed several other options but most of them would drain the bank account. Thankfully, Katie's idea was genius...
A New Level of Glamping
The Ruiz family decided they'd live in a tent. After breaking ground in an old camper, they started to plan their transition into tent living. It's not as cringe-worthy as you think...
Tiny Homes Everywhere Were Jealous
Kate turned a custom-built wooden tent into the tiny home of their dreams. It had all the amenities of a normal home with the benefits of being close to the outdoors. Sometimes simple living brings the most joy.