Alaska Calling

Interesting. Looking foreward to the dogsledding peices.

 

The chicken coop roof opens to give access. The woman is my former wife. We divorced in 2005. She was a big part of building the homestead, so I thought is only right that I show her contribution. These days she has her own backwoods home.

 

I watched Obama speak about the problems that are coming not only to America, but to the whole world if this economic crises can not be adverted. He seems to think the only way we can solve this problem is for all of the leaders to work together. I take this to mean we are not going to solve the problems. Perhaps it is a really good time to try living in the wilderness for a while.

Moving to the homestead here in Alaska is a big commitment. A person can not do it after going broke. However, the wilderness lifestyle must be something a person desires, or they will fail. I don't think someone just looking for an easy place to ride out the coming bad economic trend would be happy or successful living in the wilderness. Once at the homestead, there are very little cash expenses, but getting there is not cheap.

I can educate people on how to make life easier in the woods, but that does not mean life will be easy. It just means that it's easier than if one had to figure everything out alone. Think of it like swimming. Going alone is like jumping into the deep end of the pool. Yes, you have a good chance of treading water long enough to get back to the side of the pool, but it's a lot easier to have someone teach you in the shallow end of the pool first. Coming to the homestead is like the shallow-end with an instructor because there is little chance of starving, and there is as much instruction as needed. Swimming is not physically easier in the shallow end of the pool, but there is not as much panic involved. A teacher can save months of "dog paddling" while trying to learn the proper strokes. In the wilderness, it is a great advantage to not be struggling in a "sink or swim" situation. A frightening wilderness experience can cause people to struggle their way back to shore (town), and swear off trying a second plunge.

Now for something completely different. I have gotten lots of request for video of dog sledding. Here's a short video I made when I worked as a guide and lived on a glacier during the summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr9pdh1I8N8

I expect to return to the homestead in a few weeks. I hope to have a list of people that are interested in coming to the homestead. Hopefully my internet connection will work at the cabin, but if not, I will not be on these forums for several months - Return to town for supplies in June.

 

One of the important things to understand before building a log cabin is the insulating properties of logs. Wood has an R-Value of about 1 per inch. That is to say, if a piece of wood is 4 inches thick, then the rating is R4. Most modern homes have walls rated at R19 or higher, so how does this translate to log wall construction?

Suppose a log has an average diameter of 10 inches. If the round log were placed in a wall, The R Value would be about R6. This is because at the center, the log is R10, but where it touches the adjacent log, the R Value is 0. A small amount of insulation value is gained because of the outward curve of the log. The log can be cut to fit in a way that increases the R value considerable.

Two-sided logs have a flat surface cut on the top and bottom so that a lap is formed at the junction of the logs. The cuts are made so that the log is a uniform thickness of either 6" or 8". This makes the cabin much faster to build too! Cutting the logs at a uniform thickness simplifies notching the corners and allows logs of less than full wall length to be fitted. With logs that start off at 10" thick, two sided logs can give about R8 ~ R10 depending on the shape of the individual log. The problem with this method is only one side of the wall can be flush. With logs having many different thicknesses, a smooth wall can only be made by lining-up either the inside or the outside of the logs. If the inside is flush then it is easy to build shelves and such inside the cabin, but the outside wall will have exposed flat areas which will collect water - rot the logs or run inside the cabin. Smooth outside is great for keeping out the weather, but makes it hard to build on the inside wall.

Three sided logs are a compromise. They are cut so that the log is uniform size with 1 log face left in place for the outside face. The R Value only a little less than 2 sided logs, but there is no problem with lining-up a wall that is straight on both the inside and outside. Logs cut this way are also much lighter which makes construction very fast.

The third most common way logs are fitted is scribe fit. This is where the logs are carved, usually with a chainsaw and chisel, to fit exact shape of the log it is next to on the wall. The R Value is determined by the way the logs are fitted. When done correctly, This method makes a very weather tight fit that does not require much maintenance after the cabin is finished. Scribe fitting logs is a high-skill endeavor.

The logs also provide a heat reserve. When a log wall is heated, that heat will be released back into the room slowly as the inside air cools. Without this action, many cabins would get very cold at night when the wood stove has been shut-down.

 

Chinking is required on all designs except scribe-fit. Scribe fit logs should not have any gap between them ie. no place to put the chinking.

The R Value can be affected greatly by the type of chinking used. In the old days, mud or cement were the primary chinking materials. However, the insulation value can be increased greatly by using expanding foam or fiberglass between the logs. There are several products made for sealing the outside of the seams. Expanding foam has a R Value of R5 per inch. This means that the average insulation value for a log wall can be raised considerably by using such products.

When I was in the planning stages of my cabin, an oldtimer recommended using round logs spaced 4 inches apart. I thought he was nuts to suggest building a very loosely fitted cabin. Now I know that the insulation value of round logs widely spaced, but filled with expanding foam is much higher than carefully fitted logs. Building would have gone much faster too. The expanding foam can be shielded on the outside by placing saplings over the gaps (logs about 5" ~ 6" in diameter placed length-wise between the wall logs) Such a wall can have the R Value boosted to R 19 or higher. The next cabin I build will have either 3-sided logs or loose fitted round logs.

 

Putting a roof on your log cabin requires suiting your needs to your budget and ability. Heat rises, so the construction of the roof plays a big part in keeping the inside warm as well as dry.

Traditional log cabins had a sod roof. This is vegetation dug from the surrounding area placed on a log support structure and usually at least a foot thick. This is a living roof, that is to say, the vegetation is live plants that continue to grow after being placed on the roof. The underlying structure must be very strong to support this type of roof because the plants contain a large amount of water, and because the roof is not very steep, the winter snow does not slide off. A liner of some sort must be placed between the wooden roof structure and the wet sod to prevent rot, and to keep water from dripping inside the cabin. It the old days, the liner was made of felt (tar paper). This has slowly been replaced by the use of plastic sheeting (visqueen) or or tarps. Because the sod protects the roof from sun and the elements, the sheeting will last many years.

Next, we look at shingle roofs. With this design, insulation must be added under the roofing.

The next traditional choice is wood shingles. I will say this very clearly. DON'T USE WOOD SHINGLES ON YOUR CABIN! I know they look really nice, but wood shingles have burned down many cabins, and caused death or devastation to countless families. Using wood shingles is like covering your cabin with kindling, and just waiting for somebody to strike a match. Once again, don't use wood shingles unless the cabin has no heater or cookstove inside, there is no chance of a fire outside, and no one will ever as much as strike a match within 100 yards of the cabin. So, a person in the desert, that doesn't smoke, doesn't run a generator, has no friends, and only eats raw foods might consider using wood shingles, but everyone else should avoid their use. (note: wood shingles can be treated to make them less flammable, but they still can burn)

This brings us to Composition shingles. I think a "comp" roof can be a good choice for many cabins, but putting them on is can be complicated if the roof has more than just two straight sides. Comp shingles will burn, but are available with a high fire protection rating, but be sure to check the label. If your cabin is in a remote location, fire protection is very important. (I should include roll composition roofing - sometimes called "roll 90" - with comp shingles here because, even though it is not applied the same way - just rolled out rather than assembled, it is made of the same material. Composition shingles last much longer that roll roofing)

Roof materials such as tile are not used here in Alaska - Or I should say, I have never seen them used.

This leaves metal roofing. For a remote cabin this should be your first choice. It's easy to put on, sheds the snow, and helps protect the cabin from fire. Plus, metal roofing is not very heavy should you need to transport it over a long distance. It is not the cheapest roof, but I think the fire protection and long-life span make it very cost effective.

These roof designs can be either a "cold roof" or "warm roof". This is a reference to building the roof so that there is a gap between the roof sheeting and the insulation. With warm roof design, the sheeting is warmed by heat from inside the cabin, and this can cause problems from ice-dams. This is where heat warms snow on the roof into water that then runs down the roof until it reaches another cold area, then freezing again. Then, this ice forms a dam that then causes water to back-up under the shingles. A cold roof has a gap of about half an inch between the roof sheeting and the insulation. This allows cold air to circulate under the sheeting and helps prevent the snow from melting or forming ice dams. Most "experts" here in Alaska recommended using a cold roof design. The roof should have an insulation value of at least R-20. Heat rises, so if the roof is not correctly insulated, then the rest of the cabin has little chance of being warm.

All of these considerations must be evaluated to insure that a cabin stays warm and dry inside. If the roof leaks, the insulation will get wet - making it almost useless as an insulator - and the water leaks will rot the structure of the cabin.

 

The last few posts I have made are in response to the many PMs. There is still room for a few more people to come to the homestead this summer. Just let me know if you are interested.

 

I would, but I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Unless its less then a days hike to a road.

 

Hmm... Access is by aircraft, walking to the road would take about two months, if you made it....

 

Damn that long? Is it at least accessible my plane or just chopper?

 

Normal summertime transportation is by floatplane. Here's a link to video of the trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWJDm...eature=channel
Personally, if I had to walk out, I'd just wait for winter, then start walking. I think I could make the trip in about 3 or 4 weeks after freeze-up. Summertime it would be a risky venture trying to walk overland because there are some VERY rough rivers to cross - glacier fed 32 degree water that goes through miles of class 5 and 6 rapids.
First you would have to climb a small mountain pass, then it's mostly thigh-deep swamps. The kind where you take a step and have to fight to pull your foot out of the last spot without losing your boot. A friend of mine decided that taking a boat up the river and walking the last 4 miles would be a nice way to get here. He had several pack loads of gear, but thought he could make about two trips a day (He is a very experienced woodsman). His BEST time for making the trip ONE WAY was 15 hours! And that was after he had a path marked. Plus, the bugs in the swamps about ate him alive.

When I say remote location, I'm not kidding. My land is surrounded by millions of acres of wilderness!

 

Seems like a very treacherous place to live. I don't know if I could handle it myself.

 

People that come to the homestead for a short visit will get the adventure of a lifetime. People that come and stay long-term will get a lifetime of adventure. Some of these people will love life in the wilderness, and others will hate it. I think there will be visitors that will stay less than three days before calling the pilot and begging him to take them back to civilization.

Safety is the main reason I am offering people the chance to come to my homestead. A tribe can offer you help if injured, sick or starving. An extra hand is there when you need it while building your cabin. Going off into the Alaska wilderness alone without help or proper experience is the type of action that can result in your dead body in an old school bus.


Supply plane at lake. (click on photo for full size image)

 

I like that reference to Into The Wild. If your still up there in 10 years maybe I'll pay you a visit. I need to mature and explore the modern world a bit before I head into the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. Where exactly is it by the way? My aunt lives in Juno(I think).

 

The homestead is located about 20 miles south of Denali Park - About 90 miles West of Talkeentna. And, I have lived at the homestead for more than 10 years.

 

Wow, how many people are you with most of the time? I couldn't ever live that far from people all by my lonesome.

 

Hmm... Yeah, all alone is not so great. Maybe I should form a tribe... arty:

 

wow i just joined and I found ur thread straight away,very cool,well done.I'd give you a hand with the stack of gear waiting to go up the mountain if I could,I'm sure it would be a hard journey,but imagine the sense of achivement on arriving at your new home.Anyway,sounds great,keep us posted!

 

This is very interesting. If fact the night after reading it I had a dream about it. Something about the woman feeling stuck there.

 

This might be my last post for a while. I'm heading out to the cabin, and it will take some time to set-up my new equipment. Even then, I might not be able to get a strong enough signal to use the internet. Persons wishing to come to the homestead should understand that I will resume contact when possible - hopefully in a few weeks, but perhaps not until June when I return to town for supplies.