Welcome

Welcome to The Gulchers Guide. This book is for people who want to build and live in free, hidden communities.

The term "Gulch" comes from Galt's Gulch, the hidden community of freedom seekers in Ayn Rand's famous novel, Atlas Shrugged. While that particular type of community is beyond the means of most of us ­ and beyond the technology available to any of us ­ it has long served as an inspiration for those who hope to live in privacy and freedom.

More people than ever now see a need for some type of secure, low-profile life. Most of us also want to share that life with fellow freedom lovers. Even we who are inclined to be lone wolves understand that communities or support networks of some sort can aid our survival, especially in the "interesting times" to come. But where to begin? How to do it?

We won't mislead you; a true Gulch of the type Rand envisioned isn't likely to be seen on this planet. If any community ever even comes close you can bet only billionaires be able to live in it. They'll also have to rely more on money than on secrecy for their security, since the armies of electricians, plumbers, carpenters, grocers, doctors and truckers trooping in and out will be a dead giveaway to their presence. There is no perfect Gulch, and generally the less money you have, the less perfect your Gulch is going to be.⁽¹⁾

Having said all that, however, let's get on with the work. Ordinary people can create communities of interest with fellow freedom lovers, and they can take steps to keep these communities relatively invisible to authorities and freelance snoops. In some cases you may have to rely on psychic invisibility ­ blending in ­ more than physical invisibility. In any case, there are as many ways to gulch as there are to live, and this book will give you some idea of how to begin.

Gulching is an alternative form of living, not just a quick fix in event of emergencies. Therefore, there can never be a "Complete Guide to Gulching" any more than there can be a definitive "Guide to Life." In these pages we'll aim to:

1. Lay out the territory of gulching, pointing out areas all gulchers will need to address

2. Discuss some of the options and necessities, both for individual gulchers and gulch organizers

3. Give leads to more information on different topics useful to gulchers, and

4. Encourage you to get going and do it, while at the same time warning about pitfalls you must avoid if you want your Gulch to survive.

We will be speaking as if you, the reader, are organizing and recruiting people for a Gulch project, not just wanting to be a resident of one. However, the material in The Gulchers Guide should be useful to anyone interested in the free & hidden life, including those who want to live on their own, or to live in a Gulch without being responsible for organizing it.

So onward ...and live free.

INTRO TO GULCHING :
WHAT IS GULCHING
RECRUITING MEMBERS
GULCHERS SKILLS INVENTORY
LOCATION

⁰ Although truly poor people can perform amazing feats of hiding in plain sight when they have the will and knowhow.

© 1998 by Mary Lou Seymour and Claire Wolfe. This is a work in progress. You may download it for your own use, but it is not yet for circulation. We welcome any comments, corrections or additions you care to offer.

RETURN TO GULCH INDEX

[INTRO] [WHY GULCH] [RECRUITING] [SKILLS INVENTORY] [LOCATION] [WHAT TO BRING]

[INDEX]