The National Park Service officially opened the Richard Proenneke cabin for the summer season last week, welcoming the first visitors of the year to one of Alaska’s most iconic and remote historic sites.
A group of military veterans joined park rangers in a ceremonial raising of the American flag beside the hand-built log structure on the shores of Upper Twin Lake, marking the start of the 2025 season.
The cabin, in the heart of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, is open for self-guided tours daily from 10 am. to 4 pm through the summer. Park rangers are on site to offer historical context and answer questions about the life and legacy of Richard Proenneke, the man who constructed the cabin and lived there alone for nearly three decades before he died of a stroke at age 86 on April 20, 2003.
Dick Proenneke was a Navy veteran, naturalist, and master craftsman who became a symbol of self-reliance and wilderness stewardship. In 1968, at age 51, he arrived at Twin Lakes with the goal of living simply and more closely with nature. Over the course of that first summer, he built the now-famous log cabin, using only hand tools and local materials. He documented his efforts in detailed journals and 16mm film, which later formed the basis for the PBS documentary Alone in the Wilderness.
Proenneke, born in Iowa in 1916 and never married, lived in the cabin year-round, recording daily weather patterns, wildlife behavior, and natural changes in the landscape. He left his cabin in 1999, and spent the last four years of his life living with a brother in California but his detailed writings and films became important cultural and ecological records, and his lifestyle has inspired many others.
The cabin was designated a National Historic Site in 2007, and it remains a testament to craftsmanship, endurance, and harmony with nature. Visitors to the site can view Proenneke’s tools, furnishings, and original construction features, all preserved just as he left them.
Lake Clark National Park is accessible only by boat or small aircraft, and the journey to Upper Twin Lake is a pilgrimage for many seeking to walk in Proenneke’s footsteps.
This year, the presence of military veterans during the opening added a layer of reflection and honor to the occasion, underscoring the enduring respect for Proenneke’s life of service, solitude, and stewardship.
For more information about visiting the Richard Proenneke cabin or planning a trip to Lake Clark National Park, visitors can contact the National Park Service or visit nps.gov/lacl.
Proenneke was a level 1K Alaskan.
Many years ago I was offered a front seat in a C-185 to the Twin Lakes and Proenneke’s cabin. This was around the time that the cabin was designated as a National Historical Site, when there was no padlock on the front (and only) door and no ranger in attendance. The pilot and I were the only souls on the lakes, and the feeling of seclusion at Proenneke’s small cabin was palpable. Richard remains a heroic fellow Alaskan, and I told him so in the cabin’s journal.
Growing up out of Alaska and reading One Man’s Wilderness with much interest, I was so happy to see movies were made (and preserved.) His craftsmanship is so neat.
From his comments regarding the variable weather exhibited in the waves of the lake, I always thought he was escaping a failed marriage. Thanks for answering that.
Thank you editors for the varied, interesting content.
I’m surprised NPS allowed an American flag.
There’s one at every single NPS building. Stop trying to find things to be upset about.
As June is Pride month, let’s remember how dashing Dick was in his work clothes, and pay a visit to Donut King in Wasilla, to enjoy the piano played by one of his girlfriends (she keeps his memory alive there).
June is not “pride” month. It is a month for marriages and brides. And graduations.
“pride” is over. And thank God.
That’s a lovely thought. Reminds me of another one of Alaska’s great adventurers/outdoorsmen, and a blessed heterosexual, Robert Hale, or “Papa Pilgrim”, patriarch of such a large family. He would certainly agree.
It’s not real wilderness if there is a National Park Service employee there. My guess is that an adventurer like Proenekke would have never gone to a place where some nit noid federal employee was on hand to answer questions and enforce ridiculous rules like no hunting in the park. How much does it cost to post someone out there? Sounds like a good target for DOGE.
You’re alone GM
An amazing man. The book “One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey” is a great read.