American Redoubt the Place to Be for Preppers
People who choose to prepare for an uncertain future by stocking up on survival food, water purifiers, solar-powered generators and more – folks like you and me – are scattered all over the country. And we always will be.
But we’re also seeing a trend as more and more people who refer to themselves as preppers are moving to an area being called the “American Redoubt.” This territory in the Pacific Northwest includes parts of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington and Oregon.
They stockpile food, water and ammunition. They grow their own vegetables in gardens. They plant fruit and nut trees. They eat fish they catch from their boats.
They melt lead to make their own bullets. They invest in gold and silver. They own hand-cranked radios and solar-powered washing machines.
They generate much of their own electricity with solar panels and wind turbines. They enjoy a simple life in a safe place with few government regulations and fewer gun control laws.
They love the fact that they can breathe clean air, have access to plenty of water, grow their crops in fertile soil and fish in clear streams. And of course, they’re thrilled that they aren’t living in or near polluted, crime-ridden cities.
Many Americans consider these preppers crazy and dangerous. The reality is that it’s a lot crazier and more dangerous to live in notoriously liberal urban areas that it is to reside in the “American Redoubt.”
This is a trend worth watching. Who knows, maybe we’ll all end up there someday.
I live in what you all refer to as the redoubt – have all my life and I for one do not appreciate a mass email going out showing who we are, where we are and how we are trying to live. We have enough problems with Elitist Californians moving here trying to ruin our pristine lands and lifestyle with their every effort to Californianize it as they did the Western Oregon and Washington region. It IS a hard life here and we like it that way – we don’t need the traffic, the increased cost of living and the extremely rude jerks that are now here because people incorrectly believe this is “Preppers Pardise”. THIS IS OUR HOME! Tennessee, West Virginia and Arkansas would be better suited for the majority of people.
We’ve lived in the Redoubt area for nearly 25 years, escaping CA where we were both born, raised and left behind all our family. At the time we just wanted to get away from the chaos for a little slower pace. We had not considered potential widespread crisis as reason for the move. We had been raised with self-sustainable ways and that continued in our new home. In recent years we have seen a flood of people moving here. Most remain no more prepared than before. So don’t think you can move to avoid the results when TSHTF. You won’t get away from it here because we will have our own Zombie’s (the unprepared). Educate yourselves, become as self sustainable as possible, plan, prepare, save, reuse, chose your friends wisely, protect yourselves and be safe. It’s not going to be pretty when all that you are used to is no longer.
I live in California and I’m quite ashamed of this place I’m an ordained minister I Minister through the written word and through my songs where every other word is about Jesus or God and what he’s done for me I’m looking for a place that is secure and safe it’s just me and my young son 23 we camp and fish and prep and do all that we can I cannot stand people who can loot go somewhere and leave their trash on the ground it’s sick and to me remember that commercial about the old Indian guy walking and seeing that trash that’s how I feel like that man there I do have American Indian In Me and my grandfather was Italian I was born in California but grew up and Detroit Michigan Pontiac area fishing camping all of that I’m a very respectful man and so is my son we would never want to intrude on anybody’s privacy I’m tired of the way this country is being run I would like to be with people that think like myself like you guys believe me the last thing I would want to do is cause any trouble anywhere I go I don’t want anybody to even know I exist that’s how quiet I want to be I want to fish and hunt camp and live as free as I can I’ve been stocking up getting solar power food that last for 25 years have a daughter and a granddaughter that live in Oregon or a grandson lives in Huracan and some family other than that most of them have died off I do not want to come there and cause any type of trouble cert I would love to be welcomed with open arms as I would anyone seeking the goodness of people I follow the rules of God Live and Let Live I believe in sowing and reaping there’s no escaping It Whatever A Man shows also shall he reap I just want to be somewhere where it’s peaceful I live in a small town which only had about 1,500 people when I was born now there’s 30 something thousand they got every kind of stupid fast food place there is it makes me sick to my stomach to think all these people moving into this town they drive like maniacs I hardly ever drive unless I have to I go to the doctor once a month and go get groceries that’s it I’m looking for a quiet place to settle down and get in with people that think like I do want to survive because something big is coming to this world and I don’t want any part of it except to Escapist please understand me please that’s about all I can think of right now other than I’m a very giving person I’ve always given more than I have received I’ve had so many operations operations open heart surgery thank you very much thank you very much for your time
wish i could relocate too. im almost 70 and my family were always preppers. im not financially able to make any changes for myself. you who are younger and have the ability, go for it. best to all.
My choice would be somewhat further south. The
Winters on the “redoubt” can be damnably cold
And good preppers need to minimize energy needs
or spend much of their time chopping wood or trying to store large amounts of solar/wind energy.
If memory serves me, isn’t that an area where all this prepper activity is a mite geologically unstable, sitting on a huge, active pressure dome of underground volcanic activity?
Yes, the Yellowstone Caldera is expanding. I live in the middle of the American Redoubt and I am much more worried about other things than the caldera blowing, like EMP attack, nuclear strikes, Muslim invasions, and zombie Americans. Keep prepping. It’s not going to end well no matter what happens. Give yourself a chance to survive. It’s never a waste of money because you can use your prepping supplies anytime. A little pocket silver doesn’t hurt either when the banks go belly up.
To Mathew Van Cam, hope I got your name right. Check out Simple Pump. They make a system that will go alongside your existing piping etc. When elect. goes out you can still pump by hand. I too am on a well.
The powers that be may concentrate their efforts in “rooting out” those people in that area to get rid of large numbers of self-sufficient, free-thinking types. For that reason alone I’d be worried about moving somewhere that is so well known as “prepper paradise”.
Might be better off keeping low key somewhere not so well known. Just my $0.02 worth.
Your thoughts are mine, along with the fact that the left is moving to the cities in those areas, and they are already beginning to rule the state governments. Once that happens, you’re in a situation like Illinois was a few decades ago, where the majority of the state was conservative, but the city of Chicago ruled the roost, and made the laws. Seattle and Oregon are already out of the question and getting worse every day. Montana Wyoming and Idaho cities are also showing signs of being overrun by left coast evacuees bring their leftist ideals with them.
No, I’ll stick to a conservative state that is likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
More Curious than trying to start a debate. Since Preppers and Survivalists tend to be private and don’t announce themselves, how does someone detect: “a trend as more and more people who refer to themselves as preppers are moving to an area being called the “American Redoubt.” Are the “they” just assuming something? No citation is provided in this “article”. Is there an increase of population? Can any other competing hypothesis give a plausible explanation? Such as an increase in the last few years in the oil and gas industry. Alberta Canada, just north of Montana is rich with these reserves. Or is this all speculation and conjecture to keep advertisers happy?
This geographical area being discussed – The American Redoubt – is VERY well known in various survival/prepping-oriented publications. I’ve heard and read about it for years. That, and Area 51, are two of the best known “secrets”. The fact that the area is rich in natural resources, a long driving distance from anything, etc. are all touted as advantages of living there. Indeed, BUT there are also sites of strategic interest such as missile silos that would likely be nuked if the US got into THAT kind of conflict. Read Joel Skousen’s book “Strategic Relocation” for more insights.
Well, I have also been preparing myself too. I have dehydrated food, water purifier, portable and gas generators, Wood stove, no address (out in the woods for my retreat) and a senior citizen. Capable of growing my own vegetables, doing composting now to in order to get accustomed living without the grid. Really think I am doing fine and pretty much prepared. Still have some major insulating to do this year for my retreat, but I will get it done. watch the amount of wattage I use, and check each appliance so I know what I can or cannot use. Lots of solar lighting too that I can trade off when there is no sun.
Not only would you need food and other things that most do no think about….a huge first aide kit, toiletries, toothpaste, soaps, etc. To survive, you had better have a few guns and ammunition because if the SHTF, there will be the unprepared (takers) and they will be coming after what you have which means that you will have to defend yourself and your family because you can bet that they will be armed and dangerous.
Duane-
Just because Teump is in office is no reason to let your guard down. Those who oppose him will do anything to make him look bad- try to collapse the economy, start a civil war, etc.
It is just as much a time to be… vigilant as it was a year ago- maybe more so.
Amen! Things are likely MORE dangerous now than before, given the very reasons you cited.
What is a Prepper, really? Is it a person that thinks like a Cub Scout or Boy Scout, “Always Be Prepared”. Is it a “Scotsman” pinching his pennies to save a buck or a throw back to the “Great Depression” by re-purposing items to fill a need or want?
I can tell you that it isn’t a crazy trying to show you how he has prepared to survive the up and coming pandemic, whatever it may be. People really believe what they see or hear from the TV. Thus the power of the news media.
Look, the reality is this: the cost of living, (doing business with companies and corporations,) has reached a level of un-affordability that fewer and fewer people can achieve. The rich are getting richer while the middle class is getting poorer and poorer. Technology has changed over the years but the wages have not. They don’t call it making “slave wages” for nothing.
With the change of financial standing in America in 2008 until 2014, most families had to work two or more part time jobs to make ends meet. In fact, a lot of families had to live with a relative or move back in with their parents to make ends meet. The men stayed home while their wives and girlfriends brought home the bacon.
Well I saw the handwriting on the wall in 2007 and I prepared for the economic down turn. My wife thought I was crazy until it became a hard, cold slap in the face. My son and his family, wife and three kids, moved in with us. It was tough going for the next few years. My wife didn’t want her co-workers know that her husband was a Prepper. We can and dehydrate our own excess food. That we had a vegetable garden in our back yard. I converted a well kept backyard into a vegetable garden. We put solar panels on the roof, (Thanks Frank (www.power4patroits.com).) The power company was increasing their rates to the point no one could afford running their air conditioners. I had paid off the house and cars, and we no longer had any credit card debt. We were debt free. If we needed something we saved for it or made due without it. We paid cash for everything.
We started to save and purchase items needed to live a life off the grid and or be self-reliant on ourselves. We live in Southern California. So that means we must be prepared for earthquakes, fire, floods and unbearable heat and riots. So we have geared ourselves to any possible emergency no matter how remote or crazy it may sound. Case in point, we received a tsunami warning and a nuclear reactor failure alert. These are unusual events that are not in the average person wheel house for survival. Yet, I am now prepared.
So, am I a Prepper or a old Boy Scout, “Be Prepared.” There is no shame in being prepared and there is no shame in keeping it to yourself so that you and your family may survive. Let people call you crazy (IF THEY FIND OUT). But don’t go and advertise that you are storing and saving for a rainy day. Be the one that has everything under control and not the person running around town looking for survival items when it is time to “get the hell out of Dodge.” (Have you seen the new broadcasts of stores shelves being clean out?)
Just make it your little secret and tell no one, not even your family unless they have prepared themselves.
I wish I could be there with you all. I have all of this knowledge about things that I worked at years ago in the 70’s….now, I have a 66yr old body that can barely make it to the store some days. BUT, I’m prepped for more than a year and I have a last stand and a backdoor if shit gets real bad. You need to think about your backdoor.
I call it the “What If Scenario.” I ask questions that start off with “What IF …” Then I see where I stand. Am I prepared for this scenario or what do I need to become prepared. When I am prepared will the stuff that I need cover a new and different scenario?
Some people call it plan A, plan B, plan C and so on. What ever you call it, you just can’t be one or two dimensional in your thinking process. You must always have an exit plan to stay safe and survive even if you are not a spring chicken anymore.
He is not infringing on anyone’s rights, leave his alone.
Right now I feel rather foolish for having done some prepping…I haven’t done a lot, but what I’ve done seems like a waste of time and money…Obama is out, and things are looking up! I know nobody gets to read this, as there are no other comments here..so it’s censorship. Why no comments???? uh-huh!!
It is better to be a penny wise rather than a pound foolish. Don’t worry about others or what comments they may make. Just know that you were the first to say something.
We didn’t censor any comments, Duane. You were just the first to comment on this particular post. Some things may be “looking up” with Obama out, but Trump can’t stop the type of natural disasters or terrorist attacks that could knock out the grid and stop the food supply chain. So, never feel foolish for prepping. Someday you could be very grateful that you did it.
Funny, I’m a native Washingtonian, of 54 years. Living about 5-6 miles from the edge of town I think of myself as being too close to a city. But there’s forest all around me, and I have my own garden, trees, and forest critters. I’m working on solar power to run my well pump, would love to have a way to hand pump water though. I wish prepping wasn’t so expensive! I’m disabled, fortunetely there’s family nearby, lots of family… I’m a marksman though, and pretty good at trapping…
Just educate yourself. Ask questions, look on the internet, ie. YouTube, and you may find that there is a better if not cheaper way in doing things. You might even have to reverse engineer a project to get the answers you may need. The sky is the limit.
there are stores that specialise old timey doodads…like hand crake water pipes,pumps..Clappers, I think is the name…
There are several places online that have hand well pumps , some that you can install in the same pipe as a submerged well pump. EZwell.com and Amazon also has them.