Dick Proenneke's Cabin on Twin Lakes — Attraction in Alaska

Richard Louis Proenneke (1916-2003), known as Dick, has become an icon of wilderness living in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. Born in Iowa, he worked as a farmhand and rancher before joining the Navy the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After receiving a medical discharge in 1945 (following a bout of rheumatic fever), he again took up ranching. In 1949, he made his first visit to Alaska at the invitation of a friend. He lived and worked in Alaska off and on for years, making his first visit to Twin Lakes in 1962. By 1967, he had begun work on a cabin there. It was completed in 1968.

His was not the first cabin on Twin Lakes, nor was it the biggest. Proenneke's cabin, though, stands out for its remarkable craftsmanship, which reflects his unshakeable wilderness ethic. The cabin was built using only hand tools, many of which Proenneke himself had fashioned. Throughout the thirty years he lived at the cabin, Proenneke created homemade furniture and implements that reflect his woodworking genius.

Dick Proenneke had the foresight to film the construction of his cabin, intending to leave step-by-step instructions for creating a hand-built structure. He also kept detailed journals, recording everything from his daily activities to wildlife sightings and visits from friends and fans.

Proenneke's wilderness ethic was simple: Twin Lakes and the wildlife therein should not suffer for his presence. He reused almost everything, even carefully crafting buckets and storage boxes from used gas cans. This off-the-grid lifestyle resonated with people around the world.

In 1973, Proenneke's friend Sam Keith edited a volume of his journal entries entitled One Man's Wilderness (reissued in 1999). A documentary film, Alone in the Wilderness, was produced in 2003, and is often shown on Public Broadcasting stations. John Branson, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve historian and longtime friend of Proenneke's, edited a new group of journal entries in 2005 which were published as More Readings from One...

Proenneke's father, William Christian Proenneke, served in World War I and later made his living as a well driller. His mother, Laura (née Bonn) was a homemaker. His parents married in late 1909, or early 1910, and had three daughters and three sons: Robert, Helen, Lorene, Richard (Dick), Florence, and Raymond (Jake). The year of Proenneke's birth is often given as 1917, but social security and census records note he was born in Primrose, Harrison Township, Lee County, Iowa, on May 4, 1916. Proenneke enlisted in the United States Navy the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served as a carpenter. He spent close to two years at Pearl Harbor and was later stationed in San Franciscowaiting to join a new ship assignment. After hiking a mountain near San Francisco he contracted rheumatic fever and was hospitalized at Norco Naval Hospital for six months. During his convalescence the war ended and he was given a medical discharge from the Navy in 1945.:xiii According to friend and writer Sam Keith, the illness was very revealing for Proenneke, who decided to devote the rest of his life to the strength and health of his body. Following his discharge from the Navy, Proenneke went to school to become a diesel mechanic. The combination of his high intelligence, adaptability, and strong work ethic turned him into a very skilled mechanic. Though quite adept at his trade, Proenneke yielded to his love of nature and moved to Oregon to work at a sheep ranch. He moved to Shuyak Island, Alaska, in 1950. For several years, he worked as a heavy equipment operator and repairman on the Naval Air Station at Kodiak. Proenneke spent the next several years working throughout Alaska as both a salmon fisherman and diesel mechanic. He worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service at King Salmon on the Alaska Peninsula. His skills as a mechanic were well-known and sought after, and he was able to save...

The full connection with nature, the isolation in the wilderness, and the firm decision to dive into his own soul made Richard Proenneke reach a level of existential consciousness that very few achieve. Although he lived alone for more than 30 years, he lived intensely and connected in a special way with the Divine and the work of God.

An impressive place to visit, full of great beauty and energy. Being able to experience and feel all of this is truly special and a...