The New Cabin
In 2005 we started looking at a few properties for sale in the area. There isn't much available as most of the properties are timber land or part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. In December of 2006 we purchased a five acre parcel near the West end of the Swift Reservoir. We knew immediatly that this was the piece we had been searching for. The road is gated at the main road and winds its way up 1.5 miles through a tree farm. Then through another gate (which gives access to 16, five acre properties) and .75 miles up to the top of the ridge. We are at the very top. To the South of this piece is a beautiful view of Swift Reservoir and to the North is a beautiful view of Mt. Saint Helens. We are often asked how far we are from the Mountian. This answer depends on where you believe the Mountain starts. We are 3.5 miles from the border of the Mount Saint Helens Monument, 4.08 miles from the Climbers Bivouac (this is the farthest point in which you can drive up the south side of the mountain and is just below the timberline), or we are 7.05 miles from the south rim of the crater. Our plan is to build a new cabin and shop on this site. It will be a geodesic dome cabin and shop to match. Our first couple of years have been spent getting all sorts of permitting, clearing our view, drilling our well, and designing our plan. The elevation of our new site is 2800 feet which makes for a short building season. That combined with family stuff will make this project last awhile. But that is OK. We are fully enjoying it! In the summer of 2009 we broke ground. With help from family and friends we've made great progress. The following pages show our project with the last page(s) showing our latest accomplishments.
In 2005 we started looking at a few properties for sale in the area. There isn't much available as most of the properties are timber land or part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. In December of 2006 we purchased a five acre parcel near the West end of the Swift Reservoir. We knew immediatly that this was the piece we had been searching for. The road is gated at the main road and winds its way up 1.5 miles through a tree farm. Then through another gate (which gives access to 16, five acre properties) and .75 miles up to the top of the ridge. We are at the very top. To the South of this piece is a beautiful view of Swift Reservoir and to the North is a beautiful view of Mt. Saint Helens. We are often asked how far we are from the Mountian. This answer depends on where you believe the Mountain starts. We are 3.5 miles from the border of the Mount Saint Helens Monument, 4.08 miles from the Climbers Bivouac (this is the farthest point in which you can drive up the south side of the mountain and is just below the timberline), or we are 7.05 miles from the south rim of the crater. Our plan is to build a new cabin and shop on this site. It will be a geodesic dome cabin and shop to match. Our first couple of years have been spent getting all sorts of permitting, clearing our view, drilling our well, and designing our plan. The elevation of our new site is 2800 feet which makes for a short building season. That combined with family stuff will make this project last awhile. But that is OK. We are fully enjoying it! In the summer of 2009 we broke ground. With help from family and friends we've made great progress. The following pages show our project with the last page(s) showing our latest accomplishments.
Our new spot - picture taken from a hill we call "The Nob".
This picture was taken from across the reservoir.
These are pictures of us developing
our view in July of 2007.
our view in July of 2007.
In July of 2007 we had our well drilled. We went 420 feet and got 3 gallons per minute.
Some days you can drive up through the clouds into sunshine, some days you drive up into the clouds.
During the winters of 2007 and 2008 we had between 8 and 12 feet of snow at our new cabin site. This year it snowed a few inches at a time but never accumulating enough to reach the 1 foot mark.
Our South view - Swift Reservoir.
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New cabin site
7-28-07
7-9-07
6-21-09
9-24-10
7-19-09
10-24-09
11-1-09
12-17-06
12-31-07
12-17-06