"Alone in the Wilderness" (Fairbanks, Valdez: job, house, title)

[DareToDream]

Hubby and I are watching a PBS show with the above title about Richard Proenneke. I believe they said he moved to Alaska in his mid-50s and stayed in the cabin he built until his 80s. Did anyone know this man? Does anyone know of the documentary? Hubby and I are sooo impressed with what he did!

[rvrcitym57]

Check this website:

Alone in the Wilderness, DVD and VHS available, the story of Dick Proenneke

[DareToDream]

Thank you for that link!

[Lillietta]

I saw that! I liked it very much and found it extraordinary. I believe he came from Iowa originally. I couldn't get over the fact that in winter he walked miles and miles to visit his closest neighbor, not to mention how he built everything by himself - alone!

[Marty Van Diest]

There must be an new Richard Proenneke craze these days. I haven't seen any of the new shows but I did watch the original fims back in the late 60s early 70s when I was in high school.

He came to our school because the Alsworths were going to school there. I thought it was pretty cool then...but that was definetely a different era.

On the other hand, there are plenty of places in Alaska where you can still do the same thing. I know of one man looking for a caretaker out on a remote cabin site. It is very rustic and all by itself. It would take someone like Proenneke to survive.

[stiffnecked]

I think the Pronneke story is awesome. Apparently walking many miles to a job site in Alaska was a common practice. It takes a while to read but the hardships these guys endured to get to where they worked was incredible. Yet they came back.

Trails And Tailings

[RayinAK]

I watched that documentary, and it was quite good. he was a pretty tough guy, We have had quite a lot of similar characters coming to Alaska through the years. For example, sometime in the early 1900's a guy called Frank Glaser came to Alaska. He arrived at Valdez, Alaska, and like quite a lot of people back then, hiked to Fairbanks.

The book tittle "Alaska's Wolf Man" is the story about Frank Glaser from the time he arrived to Alaska, to his death years later. Frank, owned the Black Rapids Road House before the Richardson Highway was built, Back then the road, if one can call it so, was a trail. His story is really amazing.

[DareToDream]

Thank you all for your replies -This man and those like him are a "special breed." I was so impressed by his "independence" and ability to do what he did, his understanding of "nature" and his ability to live in "sync" with it. We currently live in northern NH and I see some of the "independent" and the "survivalist nature" in some up here, as well and to me, it's just plain awesome and worthy of great respect!

[DannyL]

I've read his book, it's a good read. It's one of those books that you can read more than once, enjoy it, and get more out of it.

Rat-race-burnout in the lower 48 seems to be an epidemic now, and his story seems to be the way to escape it. I have nothing against anyone wishing to escape it, but it's a shame probably 80% of those who try it his way would end up dead.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by DannyL

I've read his book, it's a good read. It's one of those books that you can read more than once, enjoy it, and get more out of it.

Rat-race-burnout in the lower 48 seems to be an epidemic now, and his story seems to be the way to escape it. I have nothing against anyone wishing to escape it, but it's a shame probably 80% of those who try it his way would end up dead.

Did you read "Alaska's Wolf Man"? It's a real good book.

I agree with you about people coming to Alaska dreaming about the wilderness and such, later to be found starved to death, frozen, or something. Alaska is as follows: you soon realize that's not different that what you had before, hate it, or love it. In other words, your attitude about life is what carries you through it, not your surroundings.
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By the way, folks, I apologize for all the errors on my previous post. I typed it right after drinking a large cup of red wine