Yesterday we flew from Anchorage across Cook’s Inlet to Port Alsworth, which is within the Lake Clark National Park. It was a gorgeous day and we FINALLY got to see Denali from the plane!
Yesterday’s snowstorm left a glistening layer of snow on the summit of Denali – a truly majestic sight even though it was through the plane window.
Right after we landed (on a gravel runway) in Port Alsworth we boarded a float plane for a short hop to a very special place – Dick Proenneke’s cabin on Twin Lakes. For those unfamiliar with Dick, I’ve included a YouTube link to show how he single handedly built his cabin from trees that he manually cut with a hand saw and without the use of power tools.
https://youtu.be/iYJKd0rkKss He also made everything he needed by reusing every scrap of wood or metal – tables, chairs, tools, etc.
He completed the cabin in 11 weeks, which is an unbelievable feat given that he worked alone and only used hand tools – if you watch the video, you’ll see what I mean. Also, there is a great book about him called “One Man’s Wilderness.”
We were met by Ranger Molly Pittman who spent all the time we wanted showing us artifacts and filling in knowledge gaps.
Before going further, I need to note that Dick is a distant cousin of Vernon’s through marriage on the Iowa side of the family. While we were at the cabin, two couples from Iowa arrived. We quickly learned that they knew all about Dick’s wilderness story, and his Iowa origins. After sharing Vernon’s familial connection to Dick, they told us they knew about Vernon’s Iowa cousins and their relation to Dick. Talk about serendipity!
In many ways, Dick Proenneke was a Twentieth Century version of Henry David Thoreau. Like Thoreau, Proenneke inspired by example. He lived a full life in balance with nature. Proenneke had a reverence for the natural world. In his cabin is a small plaque that he inscribed, “ Is it proper that the wilderness and its creatures should suffer because we came.”
The cabin is situated about forty miles north of Port Alsworth near the glacially fed Twin Lakes, one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen.
After our tour of the cabin, we hiked up to Teetering Rock, one of Dick’s favorite places to bring his guests. Our guide, Jared, demonstrated how the massive rock, which stands on a slab rock base, teeters back and forth when pushed downward without ever rolling off its minuscule perch.
After a brown bag lunch on the beach, we boarded the float plane for a return flight to the lodge for a lovely dinner with the other lodge guests. It was a truly magical day.
I’m so happy you made it to the cabin. And that it was a beautiful day there.
Your adventure is very epic! Thank you very much for sharing! The details and photos are terrific!
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