Into the wild

Brothers aim to take on wilderness, tedium and black flies in Algonquin

THE MUSKOKAN - There’s a lot that can go wrong when you’re camping in the wilds of Algonquin Park.
From bears to equipment failures to brutal rainstorms, the list of potential problems while spending time in the park is endless.
Alexander and Aaron Savatti aren’t worried about any of that. The brothers started a 25-day journey through Algonquin on May 15 and their extensive experience with the backcountry and close to 45 kilograms in supplies meant they had only one real concern about the trip: tedium.
“To say I’m not nervous would be a lie,” said Aaron, 22 as they kicked off the journey. “I’ve never done a trip like this before. We did a trip last year earlier in the season so I’m not too worried about the weather. I am worried about seeing how the length will take its toll on our bodies and minds.”
Despite many years of camping, this will be the longest trip the two have taken together. Over 25 days they will be crossing the provincial park, which is roughly the size of Jamaica, and dealing with all the challenges that entails.
“To be good at this you have to be able to improvise and adapt to situations. I think being able to do that and having the confidence to do that is better than to know how to start a fire or pack a canoe,” Aaron said.
The journey, which started out as just something to do for fun, has evolved into something bigger.
The Savattis will be filming throughout the journey to generate pilot footage for a show they plan to pitch to television networks called Backcountry Brothers. They see it as a travel show which will document the two of them as they go across Canada visiting small towns and highlighting the nation’s backcountry.
Aaron says the show would also feature useful tips for people planning their own camping trips.
“Here’s a really good campfire quinoa recipe or here’s a great way to set up a tarp,” Aaron said. “That will be mixed in with personal stories and experiences and also just some things that are fun to watch. People like to watch people suffer so to see us sweating and screaming and crying or drowning in black flies - I’d watch it.”
The two Savattis have a good dynamic, and they promise the show would be rich in brotherly antics.
The trip is being sponsored by Algonquin Outfitters and Johnson Outdoors who were able to provide television contacts which the brothers’ hope will help further their broadcast goals.
Alexander, 19, said if they were to go forward with the show it’s unlikely footage from this trip would be used for the first episode. However, the trip will give them something real to show anyone who may be interested.
“It’s something we have that’s concrete and we can go from there and talk to the people in the television industry. We can show them and say here’s what we look like and where we are on film. Here’s what we can shoot and here’s how we shoot and how we trip,” Alexander said.
Despite the length and additional pressure that comes from shooting the journey for a potential show, both brothers are confident they have the requisite experience to handle this kind of a trip
As guides for Camp Northland B’Nai Brith in Haliburton, the brothers have spent countless summer nights sleeping in a tent. In their position as camp guides the brothers lead groups of young people on trips into the wilderness.
“I figure if I can go with groups of seven kids that are 13 years old and little girls who have no idea what they’re doing and have those trips go without problems, I’m sure the two people who lead the trips should be relatively OK,” said Alexander.
To help with the journey the brothers are equipped with some hi-tech gadgets, including a solar panel charging station, to keep their equipment powered.
Randy Mitson of Algonquin Outfitters was on hand when the brothers kicked off their journey to wish them well and to ensure they had a complete understanding of all the equipment they would be using.
“I used to be a canoe guide here and I’m jealous but I guarantee you there are going to be some days I won’t be envious because, as you can see, it’s black fly season,” said Mitson.
“It’s the bugs that are going to drive these guys to the brink of insanity.”
The journey will wrap up on June 7 but until then you can keep track of Alexander and Aaron’s turmoil and triumphs by following them on their Twitter account, backcountrykin, or through their Facebook at www.facebook.com/backcountrybrothers.

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