Our Baker s Peak adventure started in September of 1998 when Bob Dickey, the previous owner of tract #85, signed on the dotted line and 35.

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Gregory Townsend
5 years ago
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1 This is the view from our porch cabin at Baker s Peak. The picture was taken in May (2001 as I recall). With all due respect to the late John Denver, this is almost heaven.! 1

2 Our Baker s Peak adventure started in September of 1998 when Bob Dickey, the previous owner of tract #85, signed on the dotted line and 35.7 acres of meadows, aspens, chokecherry and serviceberry became ours. We also got an ancient cabin (shack) that had been built by Bob s brother Don who actually lived there over several winters.! 2

3 It looked (and still looks) like something out of a documentary on Appalachia. There isn t a right angle to be found anywhere. The porch uprights (aspen logs, bark and all) are duplicated within the walls of the structure, which are composed of 5/16 plywood with no insulation.! 3

4 This is how it looked after we shoveled out the bird s nests, mouse nests and other debris. We actually stayed here one hunting season. The wood stove found a new home in our new cabin, built a few years later. This spot, however, was not our choice for our new cabin. That would find a home across the meadow and up the hill from the well house. (One of the attractions of this property is a deep, productive well on the mountain: 300+ feet deep with good quality, steady water.)! 4

Up on this hill, where you see the travel trailer sitting under the tin snow shed, is where we would build. When you see the views, you will understand our choice.

5 Up on this hill, where you see the travel trailer sitting under the tin snow shed, is where we would build. When you see the views, you will understand our choice. However, first the trailer and shed had to go. We made arrangements with one of our Baker s Peak neighbors to take the trailer in trade for some of his labor when we built our new cabin.! 5

6 Here it sits, just before being towed to the other side of the mountain.! 6

7 And here sits the snow shed, just before we pulled it down. This is one of the many kindnesses shown us by the late Dudley Towery. He came over with his, ahem, "classic" Chevy and pulled the shed down. We had a hell of a time getting it apart. Bob Dickey apparently never met a nail he didn't like.! 7

8 And here is the site with the trailer and shed gone and the holes dug for the foundation piers. We mixed concrete in a portable mixer and poured it by hand to create fifteen 12 diameter piers that are a minimum of 4 feet below grade and contain 3-4 rebar rods driven another 2-4 feet below that. That s a lot of cement! The old Bronco belonged to Bob Gilbert, another neighbor who was very generous with his advice and helped us construct the cabin. He was paid for his work but he was always ready with a beer or with spare hardware to save us a trip to Samuelson's in Craig.! 8

9 ! Over the two weeks either side of the Jul 4 th holiday, 2001, a cabin did rise. The walls are 2x6, the floor 7/16 tongue-in-groove OSB. The end walls were built in one piece and raised as a unit for added strength.! 9

10 Early the second week, it starts to look a little like a cabin.! 10

11 This is in early September when we got back up to finish the porches and roofing.! 11

12 The view from up the hill, still in September 2001.! 12

13 This is, I think, the following autumn.! 13

And here is the lower level interior looking toward the north-facing porch (the one seen on the previous page). The bathroom has a flush toilet, sink/vanity, and shower.

14 And here is the lower level interior looking toward the north-facing porch (the one seen on the previous page). The bathroom has a flush toilet, sink/vanity, and shower. Hot water is provided by a tankless, pilotless, water heater (the flow of water spins an impeller which sparks the propane burner to life.) We have a 1000 gallon cistern buried uphill from the cabin which we fill from the well periodically. This requires running a gasoline generator to power the well pump. We have six solar panels with about 42 amps of charge capacity and twelve Surrette solar batteries. This runs the lights and outlets via a Magnum inverter. There is also a DC pump that transfers water from the cistern to a pressure tank, which provides plenty of water pressure for the sinks, toilet and shower. We filter the water on the way into the cistern and a second time when the water is pumped into the pressure tank. Note that none of the included pictures of the cabin show the solar panels since the pictures pre-date installation of the solar power system. The electrical system is robust and is capable of running most power tools and appliances.! 14

15 Here is the kitchen. There is a 250-gallon propane tank to serve the range, space heater, and refrigerators. (Primary heat source is the wood stove but it sure is nice on a cold winter morning during hunting season to get up and twist a knob to heat up the main level while the wood stove is catching.)! 15

16 This is the view back toward the south-facing porch. The bathroom is to the right behind the wood stove. On the left you can see the steps to the upper level, which has a vaulted ceiling with a 2-foot knee wall for what is essentially a second story. The cabin dimensions are 24 x24. Between the two levels this provides 1152 sf of finished space. I don t have current pictures of the upstairs. It is simply one big open area. The floor is the base OSB floor panels with some carpet laid over it. On the next page you can see the garage. This is a 20 x24 Pioneer steel building. It is built on an extra thick foundation of high strength concrete designed for the extreme climate. The building has two skylights so it stays relatively bright even when the doors are closed. These pictures were taken before I installed the garage door. Note that the slab extends beyond the back of the garage to provide exterior storage for firewood and a flat outdoor surface to work on.! 16

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19 The next page has pictures of views from the cabin. The first is from the north-facing porch looking almost due north at Baker s Peak. The second is a view WSW looking down toward Dinosaur National Monument. You can see 3 states from our porch: Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.! 19

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21 We also get some awesome sunsets from our porch.! 21

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23 This is the view in mid September from halfway up the road to the top of Baker s Peak. Mother Nature does nice work.! 23

24 This is a view from the top of Baker s Peak, also in mid September.! 24

25 As you can see, this is a very special place. There is abundant wildlife. We have sat on our porch and seen mule deer, elk, porcupine, mink, foxes, rabbits, coyotes, and the list goes on. There are two breeding pair of sandhill cranes that nest on the peak and frequent our meadows and ponds to feed themselves and their chicks. We have seen mountain lions and bears. In the spring the wildflowers defy belief in their profusion and colors. There are dozens of bird species, including the bluebirds and martins that nest in the houses we provide. The next page shows a winter view of the pond along the road just a little way up the road from our place. The second photo is a summer view from the peak. Two seasons, two personalities, one beautiful place.! 25

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