• Alone in the Fortress of the Bears

  • 70 Days Surviving Wilderness Alaska: Foraging, Fishing, Hunting
  • By: Bruce Nelson
  • Narrated by: Bruce L. "Buck" Nelson
  • Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (115 ratings)

Prime member exclusive:
pick 2 free titles with trial.
Pick 1 title (2 titles for Prime members) from our collection of bestsellers and new releases.
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
Your Premium Plus plan will continue for $14.95 a month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.
Alone in the Fortress of the Bears  By  cover art

Alone in the Fortress of the Bears

By: Bruce Nelson
Narrated by: Bruce L. "Buck" Nelson
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.35

Buy for $17.35

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

On the last day of June, my bush pilot left me alone and without food in a wilderness rain forest of Southeast Alaska. He would return in September. 

For the next 10 weeks my survival would depend on foraging, hunting, and fishing on an island I would share with 1,600 brown bears. 

This is my story of hunger and solitude, salmon fishing and stormy seas, torrential rains and mountain sunsets, giant halibut and deer hunting, campfires and killer whales.

©2015 Bruce L. "Buck" Nelson (P)2019 Bruce L. "Buck" Nelson

What listeners say about Alone in the Fortress of the Bears

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    78
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    64
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    80
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

day after day

I got to day 30 when I realized every day it was the same, I'm wet, I'm cold, I'm eating berries, I'm catching fish, I see a bear. I simply thought I just can't listen to the same thing over and over.

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fishing Narrative at Best

So much time spent on describing just fishing and the authors narration was too fast paced.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very satisfying listen

I loved the narration by the author. He is very matter of fact but then has a funny bone. I may have been affected by pandemic brain (everything is a problem with no good solution in sight) but I really liked the simplicity of the entire adventure: need food, clothing and shelter. This needs attention, that works well, that not so much...try a different way. It was fun to learn along with the author as he encountered problems of everyday life in a wilderness. I didn’t want this book to end.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

Would love to do something like this sometime. Well written and read. Greatly recommended for the adventure lovers.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved it. exciting and immersive.

if you love adventure and nature, this book will bring you joy and a lot of daydreaming about your own adventures.

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very detailed… like you are there with him.

So interesting to hear the details of each day and learn what it takes from such a simple, humble and easy to listen to author. You will feel like a friend of his by the time the book is over.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved his Alaska adventure!

While driving home from our cabin in Soldotna we enjoyed listening to your adventures. Great book!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome adventure book

I love this book Bruce Nelson narration brings you right there with him in this adventure. I have read the book several times and listen to the audiobook several times. Amazing. Definitely a good read.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Super adventure

Great book, loved the detail and thoughtful observations. A very descriptive writer that does and excellent job of capturing a sense of place.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Late Night

Inspiring me to get out and live away from the news of today. Spent my time recovering from surgery immersed in the wilderness of wild bay.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for A. J. Lenehan
  • A. J. Lenehan
  • 08-10-19

A most interesting man

I came to know the author through the DVD of his float and hunt through Alaska. He lives the life many of us hope we did.
This is a great adventure too. The only criticism is I felt throughout the book he read too fast, like he was in a hurry. This was in contrast to how I wanted to relive his adventure, at the slower pace which solo travel brings.
You’ll be glad you bought this though.

1 person found this helpful

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Heather
  • Heather
  • 09-07-22

So good I listened to it twice back to back.

Loved this adventure. Buck is so lucky & talented. Lived it vicariously. Thanks Buck.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 08-13-22

great adventure

i absolutely loved this book. i found myself lost in his adventure. i loved how he explained every aspect of his day as it helped me really throw my self into the story and as a man that grew up in the bush, hunting, fishing and camping out it was a great escape from my day to day life. ive listened to this book 3 times now. please keep the adventures coming mate.

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 03-28-22

Yawn

I ended up returning this book. There are only so many times you can listen to someone checking crab pots and cooking fish. Very boring.

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 06-27-20

Boring

The title suggests an exciting story however it mostly involves canning food and eating. Couldn’t listen to the whole novel.... yawn