Originally published March 13, 2015 · Updated by The Homestead Guru Editor on November 12, 2026.
Richard “Dick” Proenneke’s cabin is a remarkable record of patient craftsmanship. Working with simple hand tools, including tools he made or adapted, he built a home at Upper Twin Lake in Alaska.
The National Park Service’s history describes his arrival in 1967, the timber he prepared that summer and construction in 1968. The cabin became his wilderness home over the following thirty years.
This archive clip comes from Alone in the Wilderness, shared on the swererbob YouTube channel. It is a look at a skilled craftsperson’s work, not a complete plan for building a cabin or permission to build on public land.
For more photographs and details, explore the NPS cabin history.
