Hamilton Tinker Family: The Cabin Project

The site

The dream.

The site with approximate boundaries.

In July we started looking for a small chunk of land in mountains near Lander somewhere. I've always wanted to build a cabin, and I figured now might be a good time to start. We found an interesting lot for sale on top of Homestead park, near Fairfield Hill, over looking Sinks Canyon. We hiked up there one weekend with the kiddos to look it over. I ride my mountain bike by it regularly. I didn't realize it was for sale.

The kids approved.

After haggling with the owners and realtors (yes we sent them this picture) we got the price down where we could afford it. It took another couple of months to complete all the paperworks and whatever they do... we finally closed on it the weekend after Labor Day... in September. Now we could start working.

The road into the place, back in July.

The road, in Sept after a trip or two onto it.

We chose this site for the cabin (you can see corner flags).

We already have the logs for 16 x 24' cabin. We bought them from Steve Faeber (Louis Lake Lodge). He also agreed to work with us to help build the whole thing. He's been awesome to work with!

First things, first- we level a spot for an outhouse, and dug the pit for the tank (a 50 gallon trash can). We quickly learned that most of the digging on our property gets done with a pick axe. Lot's of limestone gravel stuff. Excvators and heavy equipment do fine with it, but shovels, by hand... not so much- you have to pick your way through everything!

After the outhouse, we chopped a foundation/ pad for the Teepee. Took a whole weekend to chop out the outhouse and teepee pad.

My dad gave me our old teepee. We used it for rendezvousing when I was growing up. It was over 20 years old. Kind of on it's last legs in many respects. We figured we'd set it up, see how long it would last. I figured it'd give us some good information/ experience with the weather/ winds in the area. Plus, it'd make a good place to stay while I was hunting.

Hauling the poles up. We just bundled them in carpet scraps and tied them to the top of the truck. Seemed to work good.

The tripod goes up.

The rest of the poles.

Yup. Shad still remembers how to set up teepee. Was engrained in him at a yound age!

Helps to have good help too.

The crew. Notice the outhouse in the background too!

Interior- complete with stove.

View s a plenty!

Our first night in the lodge.

After a day of cutting wood- the monkies were tuckered.

The rising moon.

Sunrise

Sunset.

Snow-- opening weekend of Elks season!

The foundation.

In mid-September Precision dirt works came up with a back-hoe and did a great job of excavating a flat spot (one we had marked out earlier). Then Steve came up and framed up things for the footing. Not long after that a cement truck came and filled them up. The truck was able to drive right up to it. Steve was worried they wouldn't be able to drive down the road into the place (too steep). In which case he had plans to shuttle the cement to and from the truck on a skid-loader. The fact that the driver got the truck in there made things much, much easier.

The footing.

Side view

Front view.

After the footing was poored- we could start on the foundation. Steve used these styromfoam block thingers. Seemed to work well.

Looking down at the foundation in progress.

They go together like legos- kind of.

All snapped together- ready for more cement now.

Lookin' good.

I took Seamus up to watch them poor the foundation. I was suprised to see a pump truck there.

The pump truck made things pretty easy though.

Seamus had fun watching from the outhouse porch.

Just grab the hose, aim it and shoot in the forms. I went around behind and tamped it all- while other leveled. It took some work- but not near the work it would have if we'd had to use a skid-loader.

October 18th- foundation is poored-- pretty much done.

Seamus and I put our hand prints in it- wrote Tally and mom's names.

Aside from a little more dirt work, the foundation is done now. The log kit is down here in Lander. We'll use this winter to complete the it (loft/ porch ect)- peel them, cut doors, windows etc. Hopefully next spring, we'll have everything ready to up. We'll muster all hands we can and try to get as much of it up all at once. Should be great fun!

Just before we poored the foundation, very high winds came up (a once in 20 years wind storm)... it leveled the teepee.

Basically the strings attached to the stakes broke and the wind got under it, and tipped it over.

Had I staked it down better on windward side- used a different system, it'd probably be up still.

Oh well. Learned some stuff. We'd like to get a heavier, more all-season lodge anyway-- maybe a little different style too. We'll definitely get another Teepee. The spot will work for our camper for now though. We'll see how it does up there all winter.

The culprit- stretching the thin cotton string over the rocks wasn't a good idea. At the wind blew the strings vibrated against the rock- eventually cutting them.

Progess this Spring (March 2013)...

The logs are almost all fitted. It's all been done down here in Lander, on a site next to the Museum of the American West (MAW).

The view from the inside.

Seamus is excited. Still need to peel many of the logs.

The dream coming to life (a little)...

East side

North side

South side

West side

Progress since May 28th, 2013...

Really beautiful up there in the spring!

The end of May we got up there and painted the foundation so it didn't stick out so much.

Kids loved painting!

A week later Steve, Scott and Seamus and I got up there and put the floor in- all in one day!

Seamus was good help.

Ready for logs.

A few days later we put the ol' Dodge to work hauling logs. It was a pull, but the dodge came through- got em' up there!

Added a few layers even, that day. Went pretty fast really.

The first few layers.

Great start! Got us excited!

The dodge pulls through with the last load logs.

The kids hang out while we unload logs.

They think it's good!

A week later, Seamus and I head up for a few days to skid some local logs out for the porch and roof beams (we were short those). Lucky for us the Forest Service just mowed down a tremendous amount of logs last year, right next door- for fire break purposes. They gave me permission to use some for our place.

We gave the ol' Dodge another work out... all day!

Seamus spotted and directed for me.

Weehoo!! Hold on! Had to wind it up a bit to get up the hill.

Long day for Seamus.

The next day the Dodge rested while we worked ourselves over peeling logs.

Seamus did his best.

I think he liked this job better though!

Wednesday and Thursday this week we made some more good progress. We have most of the logs stacked now. Just a few more layers and we're ready for the roof!