Dick Proenneke
Reflections on a man in his wilderness
by Alan & Laurel Bennett, 2016
In 1968, at the age of fifty-two, Richard (Dick) Proenneke
constructed a log cabin on the edge of a remote wilderness lake in southwest
Alaska and lived there alone for thirty years. This story became widely known
in 1973 when author Sam Keith
published the book One Man’s Wilderness-an Alaskan Odyssey, based on Proenneke's journals and photography.
Thousands have been inspired by Dick’s lifestyle, craftsmanship, and
wilderness skills, but few know much of the man himself. Park rangers and
volunteers serving as interpretive guides at his cabin today are often asked by
visitors: “What was Dick really like when he was living here?” That question
can be answered by the bush pilots, fishing and hunting guides, local friends,
and past and present National Park Service staff who knew and interacted with him
over the thirty years that he lived at Twin Lakes. Reflections on a man in his wilderness is a lively collection
of memories, experiences, and stories by those who knew Dick during the years
he lived at Twin Lakes in what is now Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. It’s
a fitting tribute to Dick on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth.
Alan and Laurel Bennett knew Dick Proenneke from their time
working as wildlife biologists at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve during 1991-1997. During those years they delivered
Dicks mail, accompanied him on hikes, chopped his firewood, ate his sourdough biscuits,
and kept him company. After retiring
from the Park Service they served as volunteer guides at his cabin for six years.
During those summers, from 2008 to 2014, they found that many visitors asked
them a variation of the same question: “What was Dick really like?” It actually wasn’t all that hard to answer: Although
he lived by himself, Proenneke interacted with many people — pilots, hunters,
fishermen, neighbors, park rangers — and as his legendary status grew, more and
more visitors traveled to the far reaches of the park to meet him. Everyone, it
seemed, had a story about him, and the Bennett’s decided to collect some of
them before it was too late. In October 2016, they published “Dick Proenneke:
Reflections on a Man in His Wilderness,” a compilation of essays written by (or
drawn from interviews with) his friends and admirers.
Copies can be obtained by emailing prairiehillfarm@gmail.com
$15.00 + $4.00 shipping
on May 2, 2017
A great and entertaing read.
on August 22, 2017
What I loved about this book was that after reading all his published journals, and watching all of his videos countless times, it gives a unique perspective on Proenneke. While no one can know everything about someone you have never met, the compilations that I have read or watched have gone a long way in doing just that. Finally, you get to "meet: the folks that you have read about in his journals. It is beyond cool or awesome.
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