At play where the midnight sun holds court
Building a Home Part 1: Background and Framing As summer transitioned into fall, the rains continued. I tried to cover the site as best as I could, but plenty of water managed to pour down from the tarps and onto the floor inside. I would need dry weather to begin work on the roof and … Read more
One idea from native peoples across the world that has stuck with me over the years, having read a number of anthropological works, is knowing your environment and how it functions. They are familiar with all aspects of their world and how everything interacts, ranging from the tools they use to the things they interact … Read more
In 1967 at the age of 51, Dick Proenneke decided to leave the industrialized world behind and take to the wilderness, with the aim to test himself in the harsh environment of Alaska. After scouring the state to find an ideal location for a home, he settled on a plot on Twin Lakes, in what … Read more
In the 1960s, oil was discovered in seemingly endless quantities in Alaska. The state had it made and perhaps there were many that thought that this would be the end of any energy worries for the state. Yet, somehow the opposite occurred. Far from freeing Alaska from its dependency on fuel sources, oil strengthened the … Read more
In August, Alana and I participated in the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic. I for the second time and Alana for her first. It was the first time in all of these events that I set out to go with someone else. The experience would be and was far different than when I first participated in … Read more
During the summer of 2019, our forestry work regularly brought us over the vast mountain ranges of Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park. Based in Glenallen, we regularly worked field plots north of the mountains near the border. This brought about long helicopter rides, flying over volcanic mountains, across large drainages and past dozens and dozens of … Read more
For the past 3 summers, my friend Asa flew out of Port Alsworth for Lake Clark Air. During his first summer there in 2019, he invited me out to spend a few days exploring the area. This offer was like a dream come true and I eagerly accepted it, having been inspired to begin my … Read more
The practice and principles made so much sense. Why doesn’t everyone do this? Why plant ornamentals when you can plant things that give you food?…
Alana and I spent the weekend at a house in Delta Junction, celebrating our friends’ wedding. We decided to take advantage of being in the area and check out another ADFG cabin nearby. Snow fell throughout the weekend, making it hard to distinguish the road from the shoulder in the flat light as we made … Read more
There are very few fixed costs in hunting, making it a pursuit that is possible to undertake at a very low cost. The perception can be that it is a very high cost activity. One may think they need to have a rifle, with all kinds of specialized clothing and gear as well as the … Read more