Moving into the high mountains ?

Traveler

Traveler

Senior Member
Location
San Diego County
Lately I have been considering moving into the high mountains. I'm thinking about having a few acres of heavily timbered land and hopefully on a mountain stream.

I think I am still strong enough to build my own place IF I take it nice and slow. At my age, I don't need much space. 800 square feet should be enough.

I'd be living "off-the grid" so I'd need to be totally self sufficient. Maybe a big furry dog for company and a wood burning stove sounds like heaven to me.

I find that I have less and less tolerance for living in the inner-city. Too many people for one thing; I absolutely hate crowds and having to wait on line for every little thing is frustrating and stressful.

I know I'm pretty old to be doing this but there are definite advantages. I long for the quiet of the forest. And I surely do miss fishing. The thought of being miles away from the nearest human has a strong appeal.

To be sure there are also disadvantages. If I fell and hurt myself I'd be way out of cell phone range so getting any help would present a problem. But the same thing could happen to me in my apt.

Anyway at age 72, I have nothing to lose.

Have not yet made up my mind yet but one last challenge has an appeal. It would be like going back to the 1950's when things made sense.

God, how I hate the 21st century.
 

I give you a lot of credit for considering doing this - I know my own woodland isolation score is pretty low.

Yes, it would be nice, but there are just a ton of possible drawbacks. Ask Gary - he could tell you stories ...

What about just finding some small town somewhere, where there is still food/medical within a reasonable distance? You'd have the best of all worlds then, I'd think.
 
The whole idea is to get as far away from people as possible. Where people are, crime and noise follows.
 

I would rent a mountain cabin/trailer and try the primitive life that you envision for a year before I set any bridges on fire.

I like the notion of that life but I have no illusions about the work involved and my own laziness, I would quickly tire of primitive living.

Good luck!
 
Aunt Bea said:
I would rent a mountain cabin/trailer and try the primitive life that you envision for a year before I set any bridges on fire.

I like the notion of that life but I have no illusions about the work involved and my own laziness, I would quickly tire of primitive living.

Good luck!
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Primitive sounds great to me. Like the old song says, "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose."
 
Traveler, I too hated the big city, but found when I moved to a small town I was not keen on that either. Any time you need something, and you will always need something you have to drive a long ways to get it.

I suppose as long as you are happy with your own company you can be happy anywhere, whether isolated in your log cabin or isolating yourself amongst people by keeping to yourself.
 
You bring up a good point Aunt Bea, isolated living can mean no phone line but you will be able to get satellite at that comes from the sky. No phone line can mean no internet.....ask me how I know.
 
Mizzkitt said:
You bring up a good point Aunt Bea, isolated living can mean no phone line but you will be able to get satellite at that comes from the sky. No phone line can mean no internet.....ask me how I know.
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Satellites require electricity. Where I am concerning going , there would be none.
 
I'm way to much of a "people person" to live in isolation. I like talking, but then again, most folks on this forum already know that.:) BUT, both of us prefer living in a much small population that what's here. Obviously, small population means much less traffic and crime. I like going to a café, seeing folks I know and saying "Good Morning". Due to the size of the population here and amount of crime (in certain areas here), people here just plainly don't talk to anyone. The only people that say "Good Morning" is a waitress at a restaurant here.

But, neither of us would want to live away from civilization. We both need a medical facility decently close, as well as grocery stores and other stores. About the time we'd hear a wolf or coyote howl, we be scared to dickens.
 
Traveler said:
Satellites require electricity. Where I am concerning going , there would be none.
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sooooo then how you going to visit us here? Maybe a library with internet access.

Bought a seasonal trailer last year that I was ready to sell the next day when I found out there was no internet. As far as my phone I can only get a signal if I stand in back of the trailer holding one foot in the air and the phone upwards acting as my own antennae. Trouble is that I have to do this standing in the middle of the road and some nut is always yelling at me to get off the road you idiot. Sheesh, some people think they own the road.

Either that or I have to walk down to where they dump the garbage .....neither are good choices. Being isolated is no picnic I tell you when there is an emergency.
 
It's not all it's cracked up to be. Isolated without another person close enough to help in case of emergency is a poor choice. I know a few homesteaders in Montana, they raise a lot of their own food but have cars/trucks and reasonably close access to town, have solar and on grid power, they use efficient heat sources (it gets -30 a lot of days), and a good well. In most more rural states you only have to go a few miles out to find the solitude you desire.
 
Back in the day, after the military and bouncing around overseas for several years, I could have been very content moving to a remote area and more or less living off the land so to speak but the woman that has been letting me hang around with her for the past 42 + years wasn't agreeable so that ended that idea.

When we finally did hang up our Sansonite and American Tourister's I even tried to sweet talk her into a place out in the country on about 20 or so acres but that was also a no go so we've always lived in town.

Luckily I've always been able to satisfy my craving for the outdoors and remoteness somewhat through my camping, hunting and fishing trips which for the most part I've always done alone.

I swear, if that woman gets more than five miles away from a mall or Wally World she starts having withdrawal like symptoms. :D
 
Frankly at advance age...I think it's a bad idea. If a person had established life of that style, in their younger years..That's one thing, but to up and do it now ? I'm not so sure.

None of my business, just voicing opinion....If you decide to go ? I wish ya the best of luck & life.
 
Been there, done that in the mountains of Idaho. We did have electric at our cabin but 28 miles one way to the store or doctor. In the winter you were lucky to get out on the feeder road to the highway, God help you then if you got hurt. No neighbors to help ya, wood burner was great but the take a source of wood, lot's during winter. We were at 8000 ft so it really got cold, -30 at the maximum.
 
I, too, have grown to hate the big city. From Chicago, now Austin, last forty years. I am looking at Cody, WY., but total isolation is not what I seek, and, at 72, I think it's a very bad way to go, for the op, unless he's perfectly fine with passing away, unnoticed, in his isolation, at any given time. That actually appeals to me, on a few levels, but I still have an inner voice telling me to stick to a more urban area, for now. Another thing: The op mentioned escaping crime. Some of the most ghastly killings have occurred to folks living out in the middle of nowhere, so he better rethink that angle. When you're alone, you're all alone, and those who seek out those in isolation know that even with a sizable armory, the isolated soon are vulnerable in their isolation.
 
Traveler said:
Lately I have been considering moving into the high mountains. I'm thinking about having a few acres of heavily timbered land and hopefully on a mountain stream.
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I hear ya...although, I don't know about moving to such a remote location. 15 years ago, we abandoned the crime, noise, and hassles of the big city, and moved to the country. We have 40 acres of heavy forestland, and a nice little town about 3 miles away, with the essentials....and a good health clinic 10 miles away. I think this move has been good for our health...both physical and mental, and I hope we can stay here for many more years. About the only downside is the nearest hospital is 50 miles away, and as we age, we may have to move to a larger town if we can no longer maintain this place, and health needs dictate. We have great services for communications...fibre optic for TV, phone and Internet...so we stay "connected" to the world, but only as "observers". The kids/grandkids are all within an hours drive, so that helps. We have great neighbors...about 20 families on 700+ acres...close enough to be a "community", but plenty of "space" between. The local police reports usually consist of an occasional DUI arrest, and a couple of nuisance barking dogs up in town.

Getting out of the city is a Plus....IMO...but there are many places to find some solitude without being isolated.
 
I'm reminded of Dick Proenneke and his "Alone in the Wilderness" documentary, where he moved into the Alaskan wilderness at age 51.

But then, he moved back to California when he was 82. :eek:

 
If I lived in San Diego and my soul needed a little solitude, I'd drive east 100 miles or so and enjoy the area around Anza Borrego Desert State Park. No tall green mountains or big trees but interesting and beautiful scenery. Mini badlands, desert flowers, glorious hiking trails and few people. There are quirky little towns like upscale Borrego Springs to very un-upscale Salton City and neither are crowded. Isolated but with facilities if you need them. Look at Google maps.

The park web site says there is still free primitive camping but since you are hearing impaired, that might be iffy. And it's SoCal so weather is warm but there is usually low humidity so comfortable.

It's definitely not wilderness, tall mountains and big trees but you can certainly find solitude there.
 
The place I'm thinking about is in the general vicinity of Lolo Pass National Forest. I have driven though that area a few times and I was impressed with the majestic grandeur. Wow, talk about isolated. I recall seeing a sign on the side of the road that says, "Next gas, 108 miles"

That whole area is covered with many different National Forests and Indian reservations, but there are some areas still in private hands. And, oh yeah, the fishing is fantastic. Plenty of wild critters, also. Bear, wolves, badger, deer , elk, bald eagles .

There are places up there that have not changed one tiny bit since the dawn of time.

I may get a rude awakening but I suspect that the Nez Perce Indians could steer me in the right direction. Lots of thinking and planning yet to do but it sounds like heaven to me. Self sufficient man in the wilderness.
 
Why not? I think it’s a FABULOUS idea and is something I’ve thought of doing also.
City living sucks. It’s poluted! It’s busy! It’s loud! It’s hectic! It’s frustrating.
Building your own 800 square foot cabin is the best thing I’ve heard you say so far.
This would be great for your mind, body and spirit. You’d get a chance to feel like part of nature and your heart will thank you.
A big furry dog is perfect. A nice wood stove. Chopping your own wood. Picking berries. Swimming. Hiking.

I think as we age our life should get simplier. We should be where we want to live doing what we want to do. If this is what sings to your heart I say go for it.
 
Keesha said:
Building your own 800 square foot cabin is the best thing I’ve heard you say so far.

I think as we age our life should get simplier. We should be where we want to live doing what we want to do. If this is what sings to your heart I say go for it.
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800sf is HUGE in regard to cabin bulding
so is 660sf, and 400sf
 
LOLO Pass area is beautiful, and definitely a wilderness area. Are you looking at the Idaho or the Montana side of the mountains ?
It definitely gets a whole lot of snow and very cold in the winter time, especially high up in the pass. I think that they close the pass sometimes in the winter, over highway 12. I have worked in Pierce and Weippe during the winter, and the snow was very deep, and that is not even all of the way up the pass.
I lived without power and water up in the north Idaho mountains, and it is something that I would not even want to try doing now at 73 years old.
I was in my mid-50’s when I did it, and not far from a small town, and it was still hard.
Unless you are just going out there to die (and I hope that you are not doing that, Traveler), then I think that it is a better plan to at least live on the outskirts of a small town, where you can get medical help if you need it, as well as to get supplies.
Usually, you can find a rental fairly reasonable in remoter areas; so you would not have to live in town unless you wanted to, but you could still be close enough to go when you do need something.
 

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