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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Stealth Cabin?



Ever get tempted to build a little cabin far off in the woods where nobody can find it? I know I've been. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that it's almost impossible. There are more people wandering around the woods than one would think. Odds are pretty good that hikers or hunters could come across your little cabin. They will tell their buddies about it.

Years ago I thought I found the perfect spot. It was miles from any road or trail. My idea was to build a small cabin hidden in a dense stand of spruce trees. The spruce trees were on a slight rise of land surrounded by dense swamp. Hunting wasn't very good around there and it was hard to get to. I thought someone would have to be extremely lost to stumble across a stealth cabin in those woods.

You know what happened? A few years later a logging company put a road though that swamp all the way to the stand of spruce trees. Everything was logged flat. So much for that idea.

For a while back in the 70s a number of survivalists would bury all the components to a small prefab cabin. The idea what that if everything went south they could hike out into the woods and set up a cabin in a few days. I wonder how many little cabin kits are rotting in the ground across the country?
It doesn't sound like a horrible idea -unless you live in an area that gets 8 feet of snow. That might be a problem.

One guy I know built a tent platform on a mountain without any official hiking trails. The platform got his tent off the cold wet ground. Nearby he hid a cache of tools and some food in a bear proof container. It was pretty minimalistic, but made long term tent camping a lot more comfortable.

Another guy I know had an old army wall tent set up in the woods. He had a couple of old salvaged woodstoves for heat. The tent lasted a few years before it rotted away. No one bother it, but there really wasn't anything of value to steal there either.

I've come to the conclusion that a stealth cabin would most likely get found sooner or later. If someone's still tempted to try it, I'd suggest going pretty low budget. Don't have anything worth stealing. Your money might be better spent on good camping equipment. That way you can bring your shelter with you and move it as needed.

-Sixbears

14 comments:

  1. want stealth?

    carry one of those small collapsable three person nylon tents and set up as needed

    pick one of a drab color. and for heat, hot heated rocks placed on a flat slab of stone or thick wood works well

    move about location whenever you please to...

    Wildflower

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    1. I own two very good backpacking tents. One is a dull grey color. The other is a faded green. Good sleeping bags make all the difference in the world as far as warmth goes -along with a good groundpad.

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  2. I want to build a 'concrete igloo', which is constructed of stacked earth sand bags in the shape of an igloo (obviously). Outside is stuccoed for sun protection. If you want more knowledge, check out Hesperia Foundation, somewhere in California. Nothing big, two or three of these clustered somewhere.

    I think why structures get discovered is that they are linear shapes. Not many surfaces like that in Nature - round is extremely normal. Hills, trees, bushes cast rounded shadows. So domes to me is the way to go.

    My brother built an elevated sleep platform. Think of a 8' x 8' shed on 5' stilts (snake / bug measure) with tarp covered sides and top. Bed springs (just the metal) provide a base for laying down his foam pad - its like a bed - Really!

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    1. Rounded shaped would definitely blend in much better.

      Your brother's place sounds pretty good. Minimal, yet does the job.

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  3. Another thought of stealth cabin project - most of us have seen pictures of pickup body bed campers installed on low boy flat trailers (Redneck Hunting Cabin). I think the idea has some merit. The top of walk in cabin is low enough to be hauled in way in there, and the platform keeps the cabin floor out of the mud and dirt. Install a water barrel or two (gravity feed tower), a screened porch and a bar-b-que pit / chiminea, you have a pretty comfortable camp for not a whole lot of money.

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    1. I've seen something like that way off in the backwoods of the local National Forest. He was there for a few months but left before the snow.

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  4. Good topic. I'm toying with building a micro cabin on my acreage for the adult son or my parents. Step dad really, mom's welcome in the house. Small 200-400 sq. ft. cabins have a lot of merit and you can have everything you need to be comfortable.

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    1. Helps that you can build on your own land. Much more secure.

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  5. I think my ideal future home would be small, on wheels and pulled by a mule or a horse.
    I'd paint the horse green of course so couldn't be seen on the field... wouldn't want to upset the authorities...

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    1. You could survive the end of the oil age with such a rig -in style and comfort.

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  6. I am still how amazed how long that hermit got away with his stealth setup that you mentioned in a post recently.

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    1. It was unusual. He was extra cautious: no fires, only moved at night, camp had a small footprint, and could not be seen from the air.

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