My Park Story: Eric Andre

A hiker treks up a mountain entangled in low hanging clouds on an overcast day.

Eric Andre

Through the Clouds

"This image was taken on a wet afternoon in late August just southeast of Dick Proenneke’s cabin. We had set out in hopes of finding Dick’s “Eye of the Needle.” While we were ultimately unsuccessful in locating it- we had an amazing hike with spectacular views. I like this image because I feel it’s very relatable to anyone who has done any hiking in the area. It may not always be warm, dry and sunny like the postcards show, but it is always breathtakingly beautiful."

Meet our "Through My Lens" Staff Favorite Winner

Eric Andre from Wisconsin came to Lake Clark in the fall of 2022 and 2023. After submitting his photo "Through the Clouds" to the 2024 Lake Clark Photo Contest, the photo was loved by our staff and was selected as the staff favorite winner of the photo contest.

Read below to learn more about his experience visiting Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and how he came about taking his winning photo.

Eric Andre gives two thumbs up in approval of the gorgeous scenery.

Eric Andre

What drew you to visiting Lake Clark?

Eric was drawn to visiting Lake Clark after learning so much about Dick Proenneke back home through videos and books. Through this, he was inspired to visit Lake Clark and the Proenneke cabin.

Being able to see in person the cabin and experience being surrounded by where Proenneke lived for so many years was a highlight of his trip.

What was your trip itinerary?

Eric has had the opportunity to visit the park twice. In 2022 he visited in September and was able to visit Port Alsowrth and hike to Tanalian Falls, before heading off to Upper Twin Lakes for a few days. At Upper Twin Lakes he was able to visit the Proenneke cabin, as well as go on several hikes.

In 2023, he visited the last week of August, and returned to the Twin Lakes area. On his second trip, he set out on different hikes each day from the Upper Twin Lake area, going different directions each time. He visited the Proenneke cabin once more, and went on a boat excursion to access more areas of the lake for more opportunities to explore, including checking out the Lower Twin Lakes area.

A sunny day at Upper Twin Lakes.

Eric Andre

Reflecting back on your visit, what do you remember most about your trip?

Visiting the park and seeing the scale of everything stood out to Eric. To be able to look at a map and have all the places you'd want to see and hike not seem so far away, and then being in the park and seeing how big it truly is was memorable.

What inspired you to take your winning photo and how did you choose it to be the image you'd submit?

When the photo was taken, it was a gloomy, not so warm day, and his hiking group was searching for Proenneke's "Eye of the Needle." For a moment, the rest of his hiking group was seperated from Eric. He was amazed by the scale of it all as he looked out to the vast mountain landscape, encapsulated by clouds. Although he had a camera in his bag, he chose to pull out his phone to take the winning image of his newphew making the trek up a staggering, rocky mountain.

Rushing waters cuts its way through the green landscape.

Eric Andre

What advice would you give to future visitors?

Eric's advice to future visitors is to spend as much time as possible. It's crazy to think about how much you can see in the days that you are in the park. There is a lot of effort in planning a trip, but it's worthwhile to spend a lot of time at Lake Clark. There could be weather delays, something Eric experienced on one of his trips, so it's important to be plan ahead and plan for as much time as you can.

A special thank you to Eric Andre for submitting his winning photo and sharing his story through this interview. To read the interviews of our other 2024 Photo Contest winners and see their winning shots, visit our Photo Contest page.

NPS Photo