We arose early, hopeful for another day of adventuring, and were greeted by another beautiful sunrise as we gazed across the Cook Inlet from our amazing AirBnB near Homer, Alaska. I had checked the aviation weather sites and was certain that the high winds were going to scrub our flight for the day. Imagine my surprise when Northwind Aviation called to say we should head on over for our flight to Lake Clark National Park!
Once there (and after our “last chance” visits to the restroom), we embarked on a different float plane from yesterday, this time a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, piloted by Jason (no offense, Bettles, but this Beaver was way nicer than the one we flew to Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Valley National Parks!). I sat in the co-pilot seat as Jason expertly navigated us toward Lake Clark National Park, one of America’s least visited of the 63 national parks. Our flight took us over the Cook Inlet, past Mount Redoubt (an active volcano), and over breathtaking Alaskan landscapes including glaciers, tundra, lakes, rivers, and forests.
Our destination for the day was Twin Lakes, the home of the legendary Proenneke Cabin. As chronicled in the book, One Man’s Wilderness, Dick Proenneke built his cabin by hand using primarily natural materials (take a look at those wooden hinges!) in 1968. This remarkable man lived off the grid for 22 years, meticulously documenting his experience through film and journals.
As we landed on Twin Lakes and taxied toward the beach, we saw a park ranger scurrying around to prepare for our arrival. Jason beached the Beaver right in front of Dick’s cabin and it was there that we were introduced to Ranger Cissy who welcomed us and gave us a personal tour and detailed explanation of the site, including Proenneke’s life and the cabin’s significance. She even had a passport stamp for Donna’s book!
After Ranger Cissy’s detailed explanation of the site and of Dick’s life, we explored a bit further, including picking and eating wild berries, and using the “restroom” which consisted primarily of a hole, an oil drum, a toilet seat, and a wood privacy wall (I am still kicking myself that I didn’t take any photos, but stay tuned for our YouTube channel’s Lake Clark episode!). Meghan and Matt also found their way down to some of the other historic cabins along Twin Lakes.
Our exploration of the area complete, we all piled back into the plane for our return journey, this time with Matt as first officer. We took a different route this time, threading our way through Lake Clark Pass at just 1,500 feet which provided unparalleled views of Alaska’s raw beauty, albeit with some turbulence that had us tightening our seatbelts! Every valley held a new glacier to behold. It was absolutely breathtaking!
This visit highlighted the vast, untouched wilderness protected by the National Park system. With only 18,000 visitors in 2023 (compared to Yosemite’s 4 million), Lake Clark offers a rare, intimate encounter with nature’s grandeur. Next time, however, we will ask Jason to stop in at Port Allsworth on Lake Clark itself. We hear they offer a mean burger and milkshake.
Our day at Lake Clark was a stark contrast to our bear-filled Katmai adventure, yet equally memorable. It’s experiences like these that make you appreciate the diverse wonders our national parks preserve.
As we flew back to Homer, we couldn’t help but reflect on Dick Proenneke’s incredible journey. While we’re not ready to build our own cabin and live off the grid, we certainly gained a new perspective on the allure of Alaska’s wilderness.
In the end, our Lake Clark adventure proved that sometimes, the best experiences are the ones you have to float a little out of your comfort zone to reach.
Discover more from The Adventures of Al Denty
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
