He s having good success. His friend carries his bag of clams. Both are smiling. A man and what looks like his son and grandson stop at the creek to wash off their clams - using the resources the land provides. The land seems to promise life, but only if you work hard, give all you have, grow to be all you can, to become part of something vast.
Folks seem to grow further into their humanity, or judging from some stories, sometimes out of it.
But, as Rowan said, no-one is untouched by it. Alaska seems to be all about life. Wildlife, tenacious plant-life, and a land that is for sure alive. Walk a little bit beyond the backyard and you are into wilderness. Yet, any disturbance takes a long time to repair.