I'm reminded of all the times I was out in the wilderness with friends, family, and on my own when viewing this video. Like others, I first saw this (the first in a series) on Public Broadcasting, and it reminded me of all of the times I watched or encountered animals out in national and state parks.Richard Proeneke's wood working and carpentry skills are superb, and his masonry skills and total outdoor knowledge allow him to create artifacts necessary for survival with support from the outside world.It is a magnetic production in spite of its primitive quality. The relatively primitive 16mm footage gathered by Proeneke's Bolex camera acts as a window to look at how mankind in the 1950s looked at nature's expanse in the North American continent. It is in fact the view of the first European pioneers, Indians, and even Paleo- Native Americans. You are looking at Alaska's wilderness in the raw.We see how Proeneke carves out his niche in Alaska after suffering an accident on the job that almost cost him his eyesight. But we are strictly focused on his experience. We don't get to see too many of his interpretations of wild life groups; i.e. flocks of birds or herds or packs of animals and so forth. He touches on certain animals, but his priority is survival, and even though he does keep track of animals for his own personal curiosity, we are not privy to those records.I was drawn to this piece because it reminded me of all the times I was out under the stars and among the rocks, trees, grass and mountains, with a running source of fresh water splashing over rocks. It reminds one of a simpler time, and of a place where you don't have to worry about keeping up with the Joneses, nor satisfying the misses, nor impressing anyone else with anything.What is more impressive is that Richard Proeneke, with his simple living, was not sick a single day. Fresh fish, biscuits, berries, and whatever else he could scrounge up (mostly; he did import some food supplies) served as his "fuel".One is led to wonder what if he had been a more contemplative man. Would he had been as patient and productive, or would the tasks of survival, even with his knowledge, have overwhelmed him? One wonders.Definitely a must watch for the outdoors man in all Americans.

If you've ever thought about giving it all up and setting off into a life in the wilderness, then this is the film you need to see. Even if it has only ever been a flight of fancy, you will love this film. You will admire a master craftsman at work. You will respect his work ethic, and his attention to detail. He is patient and diligent. Dick Proenneke takes you on an amazing journey as he carves out a new life for himself in the beautiful and unspoiled Alaska of the late 60's. I love to watch a man of skill work and I have watched this film time and time again. Each winter, when it's too cold and too snowy, and I'm not planning to go anywhere, I make a cup of cocoa, wrap up warm, and I watch Dick go to work, carving out his dream. It's amazing to watch a man build something with just what nature provides and a few hand tools. No machines, no electricity, no help. I would love to live a simple life, out away from everything, but not alone. If you admire the pioneer spirit, then you owe it to yourself to watch this man show you what it it takes to make a home with just your two hands. I don't think they make them like him anymore. If they do, I hope I find one.

I watched this documentary during a PBS fund raising drive and I was instantly pulled into this remarkable story of natural beauty, individual strength and intimidating isolation. Proeneke's homespun narration is amusingly engaging ("...it was time to go fishing...for I was fish hungry...tomorrow is Sunday...I will go someplace"). The incredible physical challenge of building a shelter virtually from scratch with hand tools forces one to think about the modern conveniences we take for granted. For example, Dick hand sawed every board for his cabin...that means each plank 5 feet in length required him to saw through 5 feet of solid wood 8-10 inches thick, a feat he modestly describes as "...15 minutes of sawing and I had myself a nice board...". I wondered throughout this film how many of the construction challenges I would not be able to surmount because of the physical stamina required in the hand work. The construction of the cabin fireplace from lake stone and sand is nothing short of remarkable keeping Dick's cabin a "balmy 40 degrees" in the dead of an Alaskan winter.I found myself often asking why would someone want to do this? What part of modern society was so unappealing to him that he would want total isolation? Perhaps it was a combination of disgust for the rat race and Alaska's raw beauty that drew him to this remote place of natural wonder but I'm certain most of us would find the challenges he faced overwhelming regardless of the million dollar view from his cabin. A great documentary.

As I was ill with the flu in 2004 I was scanning the channels and came upon the local PBS station. The scene was a man building his cabin.I watched the film in awe. The detail that went into making the cabin and its furnishings was amazing.At the end of the film I waited for the credits and wrote down the title. Later I researched it on the net and eventually ordered it from Bill Schwearing Productions.I have shared this movie with many of my like minded emergency preparedness friends. Everyone who sees this movie is affected for the better.I am convinced that if everyone could understand Dick's basic core values that the world would be a better place. "...too many people work on parts of things, I like to see a job through to completion, that suits me." This is an excellent movie that deserves a place in every DVD collection.