Dick Proenneke attempted something of which many men and young boys dream. Dick dropped into the Alaskan wilderness and survived using his own bare hands, his well-maintained tools, his amazing skill, imagination and cunning.
In 1968, Proenneke tried a “grand experiment” to see if he could not only survive but thrive in this rugged land. While he does hope to do this on his own, and I cannot imagine doing what he was able to do, he has support from Babe, the bush pilot who resupplies his food stuffs and building materials (nails, tarps, garden supplies). Of course, this does not reduce the awe-inspiring work on his part.
There’s no doubt that many bushwhackers and frontiersmen did this same thing without the benefit of delivered goods, but Dick sticks to the law of the land by refusing to hunt out of season, which leaves him reliant on outside support.
This book is a reporting from his daily journal entries about his experience, the challenges he faces and his ability to think through the problem to form a perfect solution.
Should you wish to learn more, a film was made of his adventure in 2004 using his own 8mm footage and narrated using his own words from the journal.
It is an inspiring tale of a man’s desire to prove himself and well worth the read.
