Dick Proenneke was 51 when he walked into Twin Lakes, Alaska, with hand tools and built himself a cabin. Filmed the whole thing on his own and stayed almost thirty years.

I've watched the documentary it's a great one

Truly amazing

@PatWolf I'm not sure what the name was I watched it on PBS

The shows were slightly misleading. Not to take away from what a great feat that was, but he had visited the area many times to scout it. During summers he built the cabin and went back home to Michigan during the winter for the first few years. Regular supply runs and visitors.

You can stream all the videos here: This dude is the manliest of manliest.

We visited Dicks cabin last year while visiting Lake Clark.

@noquarter I walked there too.

Wyoming PBS used to show this every year during their their fund raising drive. I've seen it many times and it never gets old.

The guy was half beaver. Most fascinating show I ever watched.

I used to watch his videos on PBS in the middle of the night, when I couldn’t sleep. Loved them and it always helped me to relax enough to sleep.

His reasons according to him: One fateful day at his job as a truck mechanic he was working under a truck and some dirt or rust fell in his eyes for the thousandth time….he had finally had enough….he quit his job and moved to Alaska to live off the land.

@907Honest Just went to his cabin a few weeks ago.

Fueled my oldest son's desire to move to Alaska. Which he did .

How did he film it himself?

Camera

Old footage of nature (older film) has such a different vibe. HD is special, obviously. But old film nature documentaries and stuff (along with the style, editing, etc) always hit different.

Just acquired his book, looking forward to reading it. 👍

Dick was a huge inspiration to me…

He didn’t walk in lol. He stayed in his friends cabin while he built his and Babe Alsworth flew in groceries regularly.

cut the music. alone in the wilderness has its own perfect soundtrack performed by nature.

I worked with a guy from Alaska that lived near his cabin site. "Near" in Alaska terms, anyway.

I get the same urge as LOTR to re-watch this yearly

OG influencer.

Proenneke could hike in to Alaskan wilderness alone . Make a homestead . Appreciate every nuance of nature with mentality of the happy warrior . But I can’t help but think that women scared him more than hungry grizzles, rutting moose, or Arctic storms. Total respect for the man

I have watched the documentary so many times

This is how I want to live. Away from everyone.

I watched 5 mins of the documentary when it aired on PBS 15 years ago and I immediately ordered the DVD. It's just fantastic.

This was a great video documentary. We lent it to someone, you reminded me we never got it back!

I've watched the doc so many times! Really amazing!

I've read his books and seen the videos. He was a sensational guy. Could make anything with a supply of wood and a few simple hand tools.

I wonder how many times he was abducted by aliens.

To date, he is the only man who ever experienced a little GODDAMNED PEACE AND QUIET. 😆

I started watching this documentary on PBS, and became mesmerized by its simplicity and message of man and nature at its purest form. It reminded me of Thoreau and Walden pond.

I have scene this documentary. What an Amazing man. So awesome that he took his 8 mm and documented his entire experience. Is a PBS docudrama. If you can it is really Cool. 😎

I bought this on DVD from PBS in the early 00's. It's still kicking around somewhere. It's definitely worth the watch.

Thank You For Posting This. I Was Unaware Of Mr. Proenneke Until Today. What An Incredible Human Being. WOW.

Inside Dicks cabin with the desk where he sat and wrote is daily log.

This was his wood shed, storage shed and of course, his outhouse.