Today On the Dogwatch it is a tremendous pleasure to be able to talk with John Branson, who was a longtime friend of Richard “Dick” Proenneke, and the one who edited and published his journals over five volumes. John lives in Alaska just a five-minute walk from the Lake Clark visitor center for the National Park Service. The region is known for its incredible natural beauty, and as the home of Dick Proenneke, a man who moved to Alaska and eventually decided to build a cabin by hand and live by himself in the wilderness there.

In our conversation, we talk about how John met Proenneke, who Proenneke was as a person, and how he became known. We also hear stories of what it was like to be on the trail with Proenneke, his self discipline and dedication to his journals, and what we might learn from him.

A passage from Proenneke’s journal can help frame the scene. On July 10, 1978, Proenneke wrote:

“We left our gear on his beach and went scouting for raft logs close to where we hoped to cross. Luck was with us, a good blow down tree and a few dead ones still standing. I would chop out some raft logs while John got supper. The blow down still some what green and heavy. I doubted it would carry much load. I dropped a good solid dead one to go with it. By the time he called “soups on” I had the logs ready for the beach. A good meal…”

From: Branson, John, More Readings from One Man’s Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1974-1980. US Dept. of Interior.