Our Alaska log cabin dream

Blessed · March 23, 2021, 02:32:37 PM

Hello all. Just came across this site. My beautiful wife n me got married bought some land n built a family 40 years ago. We're now planning our retirement home, hopefully building this year. Been working on a remote cabin for a few years. Lots of work but worth the trip.
Restarting our rabbitry again so that's been fun. Beautiful wife planting seeds. We e have our 4 year old grandson with us. Sooooo great. He rides his snogo daily. Training his Chesapeake Bay Retriever to hunt moose antlers. Getting a load of freight to haul to cabin but want to redeck the trailer first. Need to get the snocat started up , need to slim down. We have lots of snow n moose.
Just a bit about us.

ChugiakTinkerer · March 24, 2021, 09:06:47 AM

Welcome to the forum!

Depending upon where you're located you may have a borough that will want to ensure that you build in compliance with residential code. If you pay property taxes on it then you'll likely need a building permit.

It's great to see photos of your adventure. You can't upload pictures to the forum directly, you have to first put them on an image hosting site. You then link to the image in your forum posts. There is information on how to do that in this thread: https://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=15096.0

Welcome aboard!

March 24, 2021, 10:51:24 AM

Sounds like the good life alright!

Blessed · March 25, 2021, 09:43:14 AM

Thanks C T. I was wondering how to do pictures. Unfortunately for me I'm better at building cabins than using the internet. We'll figure it out though.

Blessed · March 26, 2021, 10:34:20 AM

Hello all. TC, I'm in the Mat Su. No building codes per say. But when I'm building our house i have a building inspector sign off of construction. Easier to sell if the bank has that. I'm the kind of guy where it's right or wrong. I like doing things the right way, first. Cabins remote made from logs.
We lost our last house in a forest fire and I had to build the house we're in now pretty much off the top of our head. Have house one day next day nothing. But we make it fine.
I'm also the kind of guy who likes to do their own work. And homeschooling our kids allowed us to learn lots together. Our kids are both confident in their skills. Daughter works as a truck driver/welder. Currently working in the arctic. Son is finishing up building his own home.
Building our cabin has really been a driver in my life. The thoughts of hanging with the family n enjoying our time. Spent a lot of time hauling freight behind a snogo. Thinking about those moments. Took 4-5 years to get everything there. Much better than I could imagine. Heck doesn't everyone look forward to snogos breaking or getting stuck miles from nowhere sound fun ?
I've had to look my beautiful wife in the eye n say, well baby looks like you're going to have to stay here while I go get parts or help. Several times. In the middle of nowhere, with lots of company that could be kinda dangerous. Brown, black bears moose n such. But the kazillion or so itty bitty bugs are the worst. Tough Alaskan chick !
Although I have to admit. One of the best things in life for me is when I get dropped off on a remote lake 2 miles from the cabin, to spend some time by myself there. Watching that plane take off n knowing that if I screw up it's on me to figure out. And spending a month or two by myself. Although I always enjoy family, especially my beautiful wife.
Now if I could catch up on my body repairing itself I could get out there. Have to admit that it was fun wearing those body parts out. Remembering moments like when I slipped n took a hard fall. While showing our daughter one of the most beautiful places I've seen in AK on the side of a mountain. Still hurts but that's cool.
Gotta get ready to make warm chocolate milk for the grandson, like every morning. Might even get some ice fishing gear primed up.
Most blessed man in the world

April 02, 2021, 09:47:16 AM

Hello all. I was pumped up thinking about hauling some freight out. Our daughter gets home from 3 weeks in the arctic. After a day she noticed no taste or smell n got tested. Positive.
Me, beautiful wife n grandson test negative. But I have to quarantine.
This becomes an issue because I have to get my years supply of gasoline out. We have to fly in during the non frozen months n our pilot gets a bit jittery about flying gasoline. And I have to cross some snow bridges before they melt. And freighting heavy loads in sticky snow is kinda no go.
Hey CT. How long is your snow going to last ?
Remote cabins come with issues, that's ok. But didn't see this one coming.
We'll git er done though.

ChugiakTinkerer · April 05, 2021, 07:36:41 PM

Quote from: Blessed on April 02, 2021, 09:47:16 AM
Hello all. I was pumped up thinking about hauling some freight out. Our daughter gets home from 3 weeks in the arctic. After a day she noticed no taste or smell n got tested. Positive.
Me, beautiful wife n grandson test negative. But I have to quarantine.
This becomes an issue because I have to get my years supply of gasoline out. We have to fly in during the non frozen months n our pilot gets a bit jittery about flying gasoline. And I have to cross some snow bridges before they melt. And freighting heavy loads in sticky snow is kinda no go.
Hey CT. How long is your snow going to last ?
Remote cabins come with issues, that's ok. But didn't see this one coming.
We'll git er done though.

I feel your pain. I'm still waiting on a delivery from SBS, should have it next week. I think we have two good weeks and after that the trails will be hit and miss. We have a ten mile trip one way. The local snowmachine club has groomers that are available. I hook one up to my SkiDoo and run the trail just around sunset. Let it get a good hard freeze overnight and haul the heavy freight first thing in the morning. Works great in my situation.

Blessed · April 06, 2021, 11:41:52 AM

Yeah. I'd love to have a trail packed in. But haven't been out there for a bit. And want to get a fuel load out so thousand plus load. I'll drop the sled n make a trail when the main trail heads off. Kinda concerned about sugar snow under the crust. And having to stop in the woods to cut a tree across the trail. There is a pond we have to cross that can eat you up. The beavers dam up the outlet n the water flows out on to the ponds so all of a sudden you're in overflow.
If you're not freighting a thousand pounds it can be ok, Peg it. Hopefully ok. But you're usually on the throttle anyways so when you do get stuck you're out there man.
After we make it to the cabin i can go back the next morning after things set up a bit. It's all good eh

Blessed · April 15, 2021, 11:41:27 AM

Hello all. Me, our daughter n her guy got a load of freight out. I was concerned about the snow. It was 5-8' deep so you had to stay on it n pay attention. But the sun was out n everything went great. I didn't want to push our luck n only took out gasoline. Near 80 gallons. I had a 15 gallon jug crack on me n lost a couple gallons. It all stayed in the sled so I was able to contain it.
The cabin is in great shape. It's been a while since I've been out there so always worried about trees falling or bears n such. I have most of the trees that could hurt the cabin down but you never know. Last year we had a 7.4 earthquake. And had a few trees that got tipped. Several near the cabin from 10-30 degrees all the same direction. All healthy trees, 2 birch 1 spruce. Who would have thought that. Also lots of snow. Poor ol woodshed really good stressed with a 2x4 roof almost flat. But it's looking good. I did get lumber freighted out last winter to do some work on it but it was hunting season n didn't get done. You'll have that.
We headed towards the lake we use in the non frozen months to check on the 6 wheeler. But snow conditions were not great so risk management kicked in and we turned around. My buddy that i was hunting with had some problems so wheeler was needed to get him to the lake. Long story short. I hope the bears don't eat all the tires and I'm pretty sure the seat will be ripped up. It's gone both ways in the past. I did freight out extra tires last year.
Funny story. I fly out for the first time of the spring. I had left a 4 wheeler at the lake for the winter. The tarps torn off seat foam everywhere to pick up, only one tire bit through though. Nice it was a front one. I keep an air compressor n plug kit n valve stems in all my rides . I spend a week or so at the cabin n then go to pick up my beautiful wife at the lake. When I get out into the open from the woods everything looks blurry. I'm thinking my eyes are screwing up. Then realized I was sitting on my wheeler running. And the vibrations were making my vision blurry because I was riding on the seat pan and no cushion. Fortunately my beautiful wife had a replacement seat on the plane out.
I'll get some pictures up when I can get some help.