Our Cabin Build and Off Grid Experience

[Gary O']

We moved here the very next day after I retired…

I plan on this thread to be quite lengthy
Mainly, my thought is to use this as a secondary place to park my jottings and thoughts in regard to our cabin build and the actual move to the cabin, off grid.
It’ll be another book one day
But I’m in no rush
Comments, questions are encouraged

Anyway
We bought our land back in ‘99
The first few years we’d sneak away (250 mi south) when we could, and gently clear the land in places for our cabins, utility buildings and places for our vehicles
We tried getting there in winter, but found snowshoeing in four feet of snow a bit more arduous than we cared to experience more than once

I cannot create a design on paper
The angles so vivid in my mind do not readily transfer from brain to nib
So
I build scale models to prove structural, practical and esthetic thoughts
We’ve maintained one rigid rule, and what has become our religion, to not use huge equipment or other folk’s help in preparing our place
Here’s some pics of the model and actual build;

Here’s some pics of our progress (feel free to ask questions);

 

[pirate_girl]

We have a member here by the name of bannedjoe.
You and he will get along just fine.
😉

 

[m1west]

How many sq. ft. I also have an off grid property with a cabin, I call it the work cabin. I started off in the open forum and then went to the camp life section with mine. I bought it in 2018, cabin and water were there but the cabin was rough. I have since made the porch part of the cabin to increase sq footage, put in a small septic, wired the cabin and plumbed it. Then added solar with batteries and inverter. I was doing well on it until we had 2 back to back fires. The first one burned all the out buildings and the water system and holding tank. The second fire didn't reach us but was too smokey to get much done last year except getting the water going again. You are looking good there keep posting

 

[Gary O']

How many sq. ft.

That first cabin was tiny.....too tiny
Did the bump outs
That helped....some
Still too small to live in.
Can't recall the sq footage, but well under 200SF

As this thread travels, I'll talk about our main cabin and other buildings

This is the main cabin;
We lived in it five years




Snows get rather deep there;

That's my Wrangler under there somewhere

 

[Gary O']

I was doing well on it until we had 2 back to back fires

Yeah, always a concern, all summer.

The second fire didn't reach us but was too smokey to get much done

Yup
About two weeks, one summer we could hardly breathe, 24/7

 

[Gary O']

clearing the land included tearing down an old camper a previous owner left
took a couple days
used a sawzall and sledge
quite the workout
keeps the body loose
I recommend it

​

we get considerable snow here
five and a half feet last winter

here's a pic of our second (living) cabin when the snow was still cute

 

[EastTexFrank]

Please keep updating this thread. I find it fascinating. I have no intention of undertaking such a task but I admire those who do and love the details of the build and the difficulties encountered and overcome.

 

[Gary O']

Please keep updating this thread.

No worries.
I plan on it to be quite lengthy.

You might tire of seeing snow, however

I'll try to vary the scenes, but, heh, 9 months of the year looked like this;



Wood was our only source of heat, so, we made sure we had plenty (needs to be cured about a year)

June/July were our chopping/stacking months (weather permitting)

This is what 14 cord looks like;





Gotta get a bit psyched up for it of a morn, but it's a good workout

 

[m1west]

 

[m1west]

This is my place when I first bought it, the porch is now closed in with windows and a bathroom installed in one side. I am in the Diamond mountains off grid 5 miles, above Susanville Ca. Like you, we get plenty of snow. From your profile you are in Oregon somewhere. This year when the snow clears, its new roof time.

 

[Gary O']

Nice

Yes, we're 15 mi from Crater Lake

 

[Gary O']

Someone, on another site, posed the question; ‘What is your definition of a cabin?’

My reply;

For me?

It's more than even Kinkaid could replicate.
It's warmer than the warmest of wood stoves.
It has more charisma than the grandest of orators,
more appeal than the most opulent edifice built.

Yet it's simpler than the simplest of abodes.
...all the while doing its modest magic

Turning a mason jar to a drinking glass,
a tuna can to an ash tray,
a wooden apple box to a cabinet,
a burlap bag to a slip cover,
favorite old clothes to attire of choice,
a stranger to an acquaintance,
an acquaintance to a friend,
a wife to a mistress,

a life....to living.


And for me,

it's now home.




I dabble in poetry

steal pics off the web
add my verbiage

sometimes it comes together

 

[m1west]

You are not to far away from me, as the crow flies. How long have you been living up there? Already upgraded to a new cabin, that took more than a few days. How are you getting in and outing the winter.

 

[m1west]

At this time I have no plan to live in mine full time. I have a couple more years on it before I will call it done, although likely will never be done making improvements up there. I am still working and have about 3 more years before I can call it quits. Its a safe bet to say I will spend a lot of time there then, both summer and winter.

 

[Gary O']

How long have you been living up there? Already upgraded to a new cabin, that took more than a few days. How are you getting in and outing the winter.

We lived up there for over five years
We bought a place in town a few months ago, after the last summer of fires

In winter, we snow blowed to the logging road that was maintained
Our Wrangler did the job (50 mi to town) but was a bit cold)



The pickup was a bit inaccessible

 

[m1west]

Those friggin fires were scary, I have no idea why my cabin didn't burn down in the first fire in 2020. It burned completely around the cabin, got 3 out buildings. No one tried to put it out, just let it rip and said they didn't know there was anything up there. Locals said that there haven't been fires up there in 100 years. Lucky me. Part of my long term plan is to build something under ground, in case of lightning strike fire in the middle of the night or something similar.

 

[Gary O']

So, are you up near Crater Lake?

 

[m1west]

Have you had any run ins with the wildlife up there? I get bear tracks at my place bigger than both feet put together.

 

[m1west]

So, are you up near Crater Lake?

100 miles east of Chico ca. 85 miles north of Reno. Closest big lake would be Eagle lake

 

[Gary O']

I'd love to see more pics if you've got 'em.
No worries about going off track on my thread

 

[m1west]

I'd love to see more pics if you've got 'em.
No worries about going off track on my thread

Ok I feel the same on mine, I will begin posting on mine in a few months when the snow melts, work just slowed up enough for a trip sometime this month, and I will post that too.

 

[m1west]

 

[m1west]

The tracked mini van is how I get up there in the winter, the tracked truck I had burned in the fire. This was last year, not much snow.

 

[m1west]

 

[m1west]

This is after I gutted it, wired for 110v and installed the bathroom. Then insulated and added 1/2" plywood to the walls. Now its a big plywood box. After the porch was added, its 830 SQ, ft. This summers plan is a new roof, then flooring with cedar walls.

 

[m1west]

 

[m1west]

This is the power container. There are 2400 watts of solar panels and 25k watt lithium battery bank. 110v runs under ground to the cabin. I installed it right after the first fire in 2020, notice the trees are all blackened. I bet you know why its on stilts.

 

[Gary O']

@m t west
Nicely done.

Yeah, tracked rigs gotta be mighty handy

Almost got me a tracked walk behind blower, and would've if we'd have stayed

Good lookin' neck o the woods

Gotta say, 1000 sf is more house than cabin (IMO)
It's rather sprawling compared to ours

Love it, though

 

[Gary O']

Those friggin fires were scary, I have no idea why my cabin didn't burn down in the first fire in 2020. It burned completely around the cabin, got 3 out buildings. No one tried to put it out, just let it rip and said they didn't know there was anything up there.

Yeah, we had a small blaze about a mile north of our cabin before we moved there.
I was there, finishing up the A frame when the smoke rolled in.
Being near Crater Lake, the belly dumps and choppers were on it.
Took the better part of a day, to control it.
My thoughts ran like......'.well, it was a fun build, in an hour or so, I'll be stepping thru ashes and nails'
The wind shifted, and saved our butts

Ever summer up there was a fire
Some summers worse

Yeah, no living there anymore
Good to visit, hunt, get away

 

[m1west]

@m t west
Nicely done.

Yeah, tracked rigs gotta be mighty handy

Almost got me a tracked walk behind blower, and would've if we'd have stayed

Good lookin' neck o the woods

Gotta say, 1000 sf is more house than cabin (IMO)
It's rather sprawling compared to ours

Love it, though

Right now its just a plywood box, glad I did that 2-1/2 years ago before covid and the crazy lumber prices. It was 630 sq.ft. before the porch add on. It made it a lot bigger with not too much effort. If I had built it from nothing, it likely wouldn't be that big, and more of a traditional log type cabin, although I am re thinking wood after the fire. It was very pretty up there before the fire, similar to your place. Last year it started greening back up. There are a lot of trees that I thought were done, that are coming back. Your turn, tell us about living up there, I would be interested in that.