The idea of living a remote lifestyle in the woods is appealing to most of us outdoors folk. We get a small taste of it each time we’re out there hunting, fishing or hiking, and wonder what it would be like to be ‘out there’ full time.
The reasons we give to ourselves and others about why we never pursued that wilderness dream are varied – too busy, need a job to pay the bills, family to take care of – but perhaps the most common is age. We don’t get any younger, and there’s a point at which time catches up with the body, and you can no longer do the things you once did.
But how old is too old to live alone in the woods? There’s no one answer, but you might be surprised by what’s possible. Dick Proenneke didn’t start his wilderness journey until after his fiftieth birthday, and he kept at it for 30 years.
Flown in to a remote part of Alaska with a load of supplies in the spring of 1968, Proenneke built a 12’x16’ log cabin from scratch on a site he’d scouted the year before, using only hand tools. Dick was a skilled craftsman, and the cabin was a beautifully done work of art. The structure was to become his full time home. Other than the occasional bush plane delivery of supplies and food staples, Proenneke lived off the land, hunting, fishing, berry picking and gardening. He also spent a great deal of time simply exploring and enjoying the natural beauty around him.
The most important aspect of Dick Proenneke’s journey, at least for us, is that he documented it all through countless hours of video recordings, photographs and a detailed daily journal. Through painstaking and tedious work, he left a record that the rest of the world could enjoy.
One Man’s Wilderness, first published in 1973 by Sam Keith, a friend of Dick’s, is a compilation of Proenneke’s writings from his first year in the bush. It’s become an incredibly popular book and has been republished multiple times.
In addition to the book, Proenneke’s extensive collection of film clips from his experiences was turned into a movie, “Alone in the Wilderness”. The film became an ever popular feature on PBS for years, captivating millions of people with the beauty of the area and the incredible craftmanship in cabin building.
Dick Proenneke’s experience, shared through the book and movie, can teach us a lot. The biggest takeaway for me, though, was that it’s never too late to get out there. Even after age 50, the journey might just be getting started.
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