The Story Behind This Simple Cabin In Alaska Is One You Won’t Forget
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Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” This is a saying that Richard Louis Proenneke would undoubtedly live by. At the age of 49, he retired to live the next thirty years of his life in the quiet solitude of the vast Alaskan wilderness learning what it is to be self-reliant and self-sufficient in this one-of-a-kind cabin in Alaska.
Today, his handmade cabin is a landmark for both naturalists and adventurers alike who seek a self-sustainable lifestyle in the peaceful confines of the wilderness. These photos will take you back in time as you learn more about the construction of Proenneke’s one-of-a-kind cabin and his life in the Alaskan wilderness.
Richard Proenneke planned and hand-crafted his wilderness cabin in Lake Clark National Park when he retired at the age of 49. While staying at a friend's cabin on the upper lake, he had time to search for the perfect place to build his cabin and begin its construction in one of the most unique places in Alaska.
Proenneke was a skilled craftsman who spent two years in the Navy practicing his trade. He carefully constructed his cabin to withstand the elements. From a gravel foundation drug up from the lake's bottom to the carefully chosen trees to fall for the log walls, Proenneke knew exactly what needed to be done to build a home for himself in the woods. That this cabin is still standing is testament to that.
Not only did he construct his own cabin but he also designed and created his own tools. There was nothing that Proenneke missed. He even buried his fruit and other perishables below the frost line to preserve them for longer periods. This was a man who did his research before striking out into the Alaskan wilderness.
Richard hunted, fished, and grew the food he needed to survive. All other supplies he needed were delivered by plane from his friend and bush pilot, Leon Reid "Babe" Alsworth.
During the thirty years he spent in solitude, Proenneke journaled and recorded the day-to-day happenings in his life. He documented using a 6mm movie camera.
His film documentation became exceptionally helpful for the Park Service as he provided them with video of sensitive landscapes in the area. He also reported poachers.
After Proenneke's death, Richard Louis Proenneke's cabin was given to the parks service and not until 2007 was it finally included in the National Register of Historic Places.
Proenneke spent the final thirty years of his life, from the age of 49-82, in complete harmony with mother nature. His legacy was left behind and embodied by his self-constructed cabin which still stands today, as one of the most famous historic places in Alaska.
Have you heard of Proenneke’s Cabin before? What do you think of this one-of-a-kind cabin in Alaska? Have you ever seen it before? Let us know in the comments below!
Casea Peterson grew up archery hunting, fishing, and camping throughout the Pacific Northwest. Motivated by her love for the outdoors she moved to Alaska to attend school and to spend time exploring the last frontier. If she doesn’t have a pen in hand or her nose in a book, she can be found out on a lake or up in the woods around a fire with friends.