Skip Channel4 main Navigation
The Series – Sierra Nevada
Bear drops into a high altitude lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, where 200 tourists are lost, injured or die every year.
First, he decides to head west towards the coast and away from the Nevada Desert. He's almost immediately forced to scale a huge cliff and risk a 350-foot drop from treacherous, slippery rocks.
Using Native American techniques, he builds a raft for a quick way of following the river to lower ground. But dangerous rapids soon loom on the horizon and Bear is forced to abandon the raft.
As the sun sets and the temperature drops, he makes a simple shelter under a tree and lights a fire. The trees also provide pine needle tea in the morning; while a water snake makes a good breakfast, once you've bitten the head off.
Bear tries his hand at capturing a wild horse using a lasso made from willow branches. He gets close but the horse gives him the slip at the last moment.
He builds a Native American shelter called a wickiup and makes a 'throwing stick' from heavy cedar to hunt for rabbits. Spit-cooked rabbit makes a good meal, but risks attracting black bears. Thankfully none turn up and Bear is able to concentrate on more homely pleasures, like making a toothbrush from a bush before settling for the night.
Subscribe to C4 Science homepage
