'Survivorman' Fan Dies in Canadian Wilderness

Canadian man and survivalist fan found dead of hypothermia

Yesterday, Canadian police recovered the body of Richard Code, a 41-year-old Ontario man who likely succumbed to hypothermia in the boreal forest wilderness of that province. He was found with little gear, and family members say most of this survival enthusiast's skills were gleaned from books and shows like Survivorman.

Code was found in a marshy, snowed-in area with a multi-tool, axe, matches, lighter, an emergency blanket, fishing gear, compass, survival book, maps, and money, but no formal tents or shelter. He left a note with his landlord detailing his return time and GPS coordinates. On Monday, when he missed his return time, his landlady contacted the police.

He had attempted many 'survival trips' in the past, but none successfully in the winter, and family members often worried about his lack of training and warned him of the dangers. Survivorman host Les Stroud, whose show often stresses the discomfort and dangers of real wilderness survival, sought to reinforce that idea.

“You need that time in the bush and there is no replacement,” Stroud said, speaking to the Star before Code’s body was located. “I wouldn’t attempt to solo until I’d done at least half a dozen or 10 courses . . . in the bush with people that knew what they were doing.”

—Ted Alvarez

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READERS COMMENTS

Well I know from doing it myself I went on a 3 day hike forgot the map at home so me and my buddy went on anyways trailhead had a map posted but it no good if it not on you person but there a couple of trail the branch in to the trail we're on. Well the trail was grown up a lot so we varied off trail on to a 77 mile trail that we didn't know we had walk about 20 something mile until we found out what has happen bc we new the first parking area should be close so we had to back track and we only pack for four day we got scared but made it out together so it better to be with someone and alway pack for the worst and wish on the best.
Posted: Aug 27, 2011 Ricky carroll

I'm from Toronto but did not no Mr. code. I've spent a great deal of my 40 years camping in Ontario and i hate it when people romanticize the wilds. Nature, is beautiful but fickle, it does not care if you live or die.

Sadly a few easy trips can lead you to believe your books have taught you enough. But until you have experienced how bad things can actually get you need to carry the items that will keep you alive. There is no margin for error in an Ontario winter.

In response to The anonymous post that thinks Survivor Man is fake, you are wrong. I have friends that work on the crew for that show and from the time they drop Les into the bush until they pick him up, he's alone. He does all his camera and audio work himself and the only reason he doesn't eat is because he doesn't find or catch any food.
Posted: Mar 26, 2010 PrimevilKneivel

I worked with richard code 11 years ago when he lived out of his car in a toronto park. I found him to be a great guy who played fantastic guitar and had a wicked sense of humor. I never knew he was into the survivor stuff but in hindsight it makes sense. He had his entire wardrobe and personal supplies staked out in that car and he's been livibg in it for months, even though he had a job and could have rented somewhere. I lost track of richard over the years but I wish I hadn't. I have army experience in survival and I could have pleaded with him to get more training. Yet I have to admire what he tried to do. I joined the army to test my mettle so I believe that was what richard was doing too. My heart goes out to richard's family and to richard too.
Posted: Mar 17, 2010 gord kolle

I am confused about actual location of this event.

1) "Richard had been picked up in Aurora and dropped off at a truck stop near Bradford."
Bradford is a city between Toronto and Lake Simcoe.
According to http://www.comparecellular.com/coverage-maps/ all Canadia cell phone providers (I mean both Rogers and Bell) should have pretty good coverage in this area.

At the same time this area is raher populated and I do not see a lot of good places for wilderness trips:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bradford,+CA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.684144,56.337891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bradford,+Simcoe+County,+Ontario,+Canada&ll=44.152159,-79.551315&spn=0.126368,0.22007&t=h&z=12

Bradford is not Muskoka.
It's easy to hitchhike from Aurora to Bradford.
So I assume that Bradford was just a place to hitch a ride to Parry Sound.

2) There are many Bear Lakes and Horn Lakes in Ontario.
I found the only place where Bear Lake is near Horn Lake:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Parry+Sound,+ON&sll=47.813155,-80.068359&sspn=14.409393,28.168945&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Parry+Sound,+Parry+Sound+District,+Ontario&ll=45.413153,-79.594059&spn=0.061819,0.110035&t=h&z=13

This is a more remote location, and according to http://www.comparecellular.com/coverage-maps/ there is a chance that cell phone actually may not work there.

It should be "relatively easy" to hitchhike from Bradford to Parry Sound and then to Bear Lake.
However this place is still within about a mile from a highway. I do not understand what could have happened that prevented Richard from hiking out. I feel that hiking a mile even after an extensive snowfall should be doable.
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 Yury

Les stroud also has a support team for emergencies and a sat. Phone so he can get ahold of them if need be.blaming this sort of thing on a tv show is just silly.
Posted: Mar 11, 2010 Pat

Anonymous: You're confusing Survivorman with Man Vs. Wild. Les Stroud's Survivorman contains a lot of solid advice, and Stroud filmed it all himself on remote 6-day epics where he was really hungry, and really struggling. Unfortunately, all Survivorman shows now are re-runs because Stroud understandably got tired of being miserable all the time. Man Vs. Wild, hosted by Bear Grylls, is another story. Scenarios are totally set up, much of the advice is absurd, and the show 'came clean' about their video crews and hotel nights only after You Tubers busted them by showing the show's actual settings and panning away to highways and luxury resorts.
Posted: Mar 08, 2010 Stefan

I enjoy Survivorman and to a lesser degree Man v. Wild. I think these shows are entertaining and more often that admire the hosts' creativity I scoff at their folly. What they are demonstrating are techniques for surviving if you have to, not purposefully going out into the woods unprepared and trying to survive. People need to take responsibility for their own actions and not blame the influence of TV shows for their own bad decisions. What happened to Mr. Code is sad and a tragedy, but entirely his own fault.
Posted: Mar 08, 2010 Brian

Survivor man is really fake, and shows no skills for surviving in a jungle, what i thinks is he is always there in touch of his crew.
As he is eats nothing in the show, just by eating four ants a human cannot survive for the whole day. he is just sitting idle and doing nothing , even not finding something to eat which is the base requirement for survival.
SURVIVORMAN is fake, AND NOBODY SHOULD COPY HIM....

Posted: Mar 08, 2010 Anonymous

I think these pop survival TV shows and books should shoulder their fare share of the blame for incidents like this. There are a lot of impressionable, naive people out there and these shows trade on the idea that anyone can skip all that boring learning and experience and just go off and be a survival hero. No amount of disclaimers will prevent some folk form thinking that "if some TV guy can do it I can too" not realising that the TV guy and the crew are probably staying in a 4 star hotel when filming is finished. It won't end until we take this fantasy DIY survival rubbish off air and off the shelves.
Posted: Mar 07, 2010 Mark Carter, NT Aus.

I do not believe a cell phone would have done him any good. I live in Wyoming and not long after I leave the city limits my cell phone is little more than a calculator. I can only imagine that the reception problem would be even worse in rural Canada. Only a satellite phone or hiking beacon with satellite gps would have saved him.
Posted: Mar 07, 2010 mike driggers

It was stupid of him to copy without training. RIP
Posted: Mar 05, 2010 jojo

It goes to show you that anyone, not just kids, that watch these shows will try to mimic what they see on t.v. It is entertainment. I feel bad for the family. Its sad that these discretions won't stop curious adults.
Posted: Mar 05, 2010 Matt D

He did let his landlord know where and when he was to come back. The problem was he did not have a back up plan for such a trip, a cell phone just in case he was in actual danger could have saved his life.
Posted: Mar 05, 2010 jonabyte

Les is correct, i have been on several overnight and week long trips in the wilderness alone, but i had the survival training thru the military. unless you are in an actual emergency while in the woods you should never try this alone unless you have had the proper training, and ALWAYS LET SOMEONE KNOW WHER YOU ARE AND WHEN YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO RETURN.
Posted: Mar 04, 2010 Terry Pery