# Thinking of buying land to put down a yurt



## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

So the girlfriend and I are seriously considering selling our house in the midwest, moving to a cheap crappy apartment or shared house somewhere in SLC and buying up small plots in\near the backcountry zones out west near commercial ski\mountain bike areas so we can builds some cheap seasonal yurts which we'll upgrade over time.

Requirements 
1. Short car drive(say 20-45 minutes or less) to world class ski area(s), basic shopping , restaurants\bars ect.

2. Direct(from yurt) access to local easy(low angle pow tree\runs) backcountry terrain via splitboard and intermediate\expert terrain access via snowmobile.

3. Yurt would have be be mostly road accessible , I'd pay someone local to keep plowed all winter.

4. No _immediate _plans to have running water\electricity in yurts , just solid waste tank and stored(elevated) clean cleaning\drinking water and solar stored low voltage power.

Just some crazy ideas by a guy nearing his 40th birthday trying to ward odd mid life crisis and do something meaningful. 

Once I have the land(s) I'll be looking for investors to fund yurt construction :-D


We want these to target the budget backcountry rider(or hunter , fisherman, photographer, family whatever) and we'll have local budget guides, chef's and outfitters so people can make it as DIY or done for them as much as they like.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

Years ago brother-in-law and his wife were considering this option in Durango area. They found that generally road accessible properties fell into ranchland category which instantly raised their price tag. Also found that putting in septic and water tanks and their maintenance/replenishment was not that cheap either. I remember they've looked at a fair number of potential land parcels, although don't remember their exact cost-benefit calculations. They eventually scrapped the idea altogether.

I'm not saying this to dissuade you from it, just relaying the experience of people I know and the potential pitfalls they found. It happened about 15 years ago too, things might have changed since then.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

I've thought of something similar... well, buying cheap land near good mountains, and putting log cabins on them. Wood fire and maybe baseboard heat to keep the pipes from freezing, etc.

I found that there's NOTHING around the Calgary area.

In BC, if it's within a 30 minute drive to a hill, it's $200,000+. You can find land for $50k but it'll be 45+ min from a hill (Elkford area).

It's funny, because the Alpine club of Canada has several hiking huts located in PRIME territory! It's cheap/free to stay in them so I'm not claiming a conspiracy, it just sucks that some are allowed, while others are not. :embarrased1:


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Noreaster said:


> Years ago brother-in-law and his wife were considering this option in Durango area. They found that generally road accessible properties fell into ranchland category which instantly raised their price tag. Also found that putting in septic and water tanks and their maintenance/replenishment was not that cheap either. I remember they've looked at a fair number of potential land parcels, although don't remember their exact cost-benefit calculations. They eventually scrapped the idea altogether.
> 
> I'm not saying this to dissuade you from it, just relaying the experience of people I know and the potential pitfalls they found. It happened about 15 years ago too, things might have changed since then.


Understood, were not trying to make a TON of money here more like something to help supplement our normal income that we also enjoy doing and we'd most likely(eventually) always be living in one of these yurt anyways so that would reduce out monthly income requirements.

Just trying to find SOMETHING semi meaningful to do with the rest of our lives and were both sick and tired of the city suburbs and fighting to "keep up with the jonses"

There's GOT to be an alternative


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## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

poutanen said:


> I've thought of something similar... well, buying cheap land near good mountains, and putting log cabins on them. Wood fire and maybe baseboard heat to keep the pipes from freezing, etc.
> 
> I found that there's NOTHING around the Calgary area.
> 
> ...


Yes some of these areas would have to be off the beaten path but I can think of a few areas in Utah I can still get $20K plots of land that are super close to good ski areas and right in the middle of kick ass backcountry zones.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

Buy a 3 Unit rental property where you live.

1. This (3) unit qualifies as your personal home.
2. Live in one unit. 
2. Pay Mortgage off easy 5-7 years
3. Then do it again with another property.
4. Next buy your resort property.:embarrased1:

I've done this a number of times. :hairy:


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Not sure if it helps, but I've stayed with threesistersbackcountry a few times in their yurts and love it. The two owners are super chill and book up a year in advance every year. They play all summer, chop wood all fall and ride/guide all winter. Sounds like the good life.

However the rent from the forest service and take the yurts down for the summer every year.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

hikeswithdogs said:


> Yes some of these areas would have to be off the beaten path but I can think of a few areas in Utah I can still get $20K plots of land that are super close to good ski areas and right in the middle of kick ass backcountry zones.


If I could find this kind of deal anywhere within a 4-5 hour drive of my house, I would. Buy the land, put a basic cabin on it (there are kits up here for $20-$40k depending on how big, or could build from scratch).

My dad did this in the 70's with our cottage in Ontario. Paid $2,000 for the land in the early 70's (probably equivalent to $15k today), build the cottage by hand, now it's worth $200,000... and we've had the enjoyment of it over the years.

I WILL build a mountain cabin one day, so I guess I'm saying I agree with your plans!


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

hikeswithdogs said:


> I can think of a few areas in Utah I can still get $20K plots of land that are super close to good ski areas and right in the middle of kick ass backcountry zones.


Oh, there are parcels like that and maybe even cheaper, don't get me wrong. It's just that most of them lie either surrounded by other private land or they are so far away from a semi-accessible land that by the time you got the needed permits, cut the road and brought the tanks in you've paid so much you might have been better off just getting a cabin on an already developed land. At least that's what in-laws found.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Do it for yourself, but dont think people will actually give you money to "invest" in building the yurts cause they will let you down.


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## SnowBirdBlue (Oct 20, 2015)

Buy a yurt. It is way easier and way more durable.

I got mine from WeatherPort and I highly recommend theirs.


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

is buying a snowcat out of the question? it'll eliminate some of your requirements and would be much more efficient when hauling people up a mountain.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

You don't have to buy land you just get a permit to run a business and rent space from the forest service on an existing camp ground for the winter. Put up yurts in the early fall, cut your firewood and porter people in on sleds. 6 people to a yurt, two yurts, $30-$40 a night per person. $360-$420 a night when fully booked. No need for a cook. Avy classes twice a year. Guide groups around the terrain. Voila. Your rich.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Holy crap...how did I not see this post until now? We own a 20' yurt in the woods in Connecticut. It's late, but I'll post some pics tomorrow. It's been up for almost 15 years now. We never take it down in winter. We heat with a 100# propane ventless heater -- it's rated for 1000sqf, but we're only about 320sqf. Even on the coldest days we can show up, crank up the heater, and it's warm within 5-10 minutes. We have running water, but shut it off in winter. Not worth the agro of frozen pipes. We just bring in water with us. We don't use it that much in winter other than a apre snowboard place, but we hang out there all summer. I built a huge deck around it, structure is on old steel motor home frames. Solid as a rock. I LOVE LOVE LOVE our yurt. Big-ass skylight keeps us well lit in the day. Solar panels provide light and small electrics at night. We've insulated it, have combination of laminate hardwood and carpet for floors. I built a kitchen and storage area inside. I could totally live there...but the winters get a bit tough. Oh, and the best thing...the town it's in considers it a temporary structure (remember, it's been up for 15 years) so there is no property tax. We have a small bit of land, pay a lease for access to it.

PM me, or wait until tomorrow when I have time to fish through my pictures and I'll show you our set-up. Really...I'd live there year-round if I could.


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