The log cabin in sagebrush with the snow-dusted Lost River Range behind it in evening light
In progress

A log cabin on seven private acres at the base of Mt. Borah

Climbing, whitewater, bighorn and ghost towns in every direction from the door — and the tallest peak in Idaho out the front window.

Where this stands today

The cabin isn't finished, and it isn't taking bookings yet. It's built and standing on the property — the covered porch and the interior fit-out are still ahead of us.

Some of the pictures below are renderings, marked as such. They're built from real photographs of the real cabin in its real spot, and they show the design we're working toward. The ones marked as photographs are exactly what's there right now. We'd rather show you both than pretend.

The one thing it won't have is plumbing. No tap and no flush toilet — the bathroom is a private outhouse, and the shower is a simple battery-powered camp rig. There is power and light, and we supply the water for drinking and washing, so you arrive to a cabin that's ready. The plumbing is the only thing you give up, and it's why the place sits where it does, with nothing around it.

Where it came from

Built in Shoshone. Standing in the Lost River Valley.

Fourteen by fourteen, built by Sticks & Stones of Shoshone, Idaho — a family outfit that has been turning Idaho timber into log cabins, rough-cut lumber and firewood for years. It was delivered and set on its spot here, looking straight up at the Lost River Range. The porch and the interior are the part we're working on now.

The log cabin standing in sagebrush under a clear sky, the Lost River Range running across the valley behind it Photo
The cabin as it stands today, looking across to the Lost River Range.
Front three-quarter view of the log cabin showing the deep roof overhang, black door and protruding log ends Photo
That deep overhang on the front is where the porch goes.
Looking out the open cabin door across the deck to the Lost River Range at sunset, with insulation foam still visible above the door frame Photo
The cabin today — set on site, door hung, interior still to come.
The log cabin in sagebrush with the snow-dusted Lost River Range behind it in evening light Rendering
The cabin in its setting, evening light on the range.
The log cabin under snow at sunset, with a cleared deck and two Adirondack chairs outside the door Rendering
How it will look with the deck built — winter, pink light on the snow.
Rendering of the finished cabin interior with a log-frame bed, log-round headboard and plank floor Rendering
The interior once it is finished out.
Rendering of the cabin interior with a made bed, window onto the valley and a floor lamp Rendering
Interior, looking toward the door.
A lit lantern against the cabin log wall Rendering
Detail — lantern light on the logs.

Rendering means a real photograph of this cabin, in this spot, edited to show work that is planned but not yet built. Photo means untouched — what is standing there today.

The details

What it will be.

Size
14 × 14 feet
Built
Log cabin built by Sticks & Stones of Shoshone, Idaho
Power
Yes — lighting and outlets in the cabin
Water
Supplied — we stock drinking and washing water
Shower
Battery-powered camp shower
Bathroom
Private outhouse (pit privy)
Out the front door

Why people come here.

Salmon River country north of Mackay

Whitewater by lunch

Twelve miles of Class III–IV on the River of No Return, and a free hot spring on the drive home.

Plan the day →
 Log cabin homestead in the Lost River Valley

The history of this valley

An earthquake that moved a mountain, a copper town, a gold dredge, and a river that vanishes into the desert.

Watch the stories →
 Bighorn ewe on Morgan Creek Road

Everything else

Bighorn on the road north, Trail Creek Pass to Sun Valley, ghost towns on the Yankee Fork.

Explore activities →
Questions

The things people ask.

Is the cabin open yet?

Not yet. The shell is up on the property and the interior and porch are still being built. Join the list and we will write to you when dates open.

Is there running water?

Not plumbed — there is no well and no tap. But you do not need to haul your own: we supply the water, both for drinking and for washing. You will not arrive to an empty cabin and a long drive back to town.

What is the bathroom?

A private outhouse — a permitted pit privy a short walk from the cabin. Clean, yours alone, and not a flush toilet.

Can I shower?

Yes. There is a simple battery-powered camp shower — the kind that draws from a water container and runs off a rechargeable pump. It is not a hotel bathroom, and the pressure is modest, but it works and it is hot. We supply the water for it.

How far is it from Mackay?

The cabin sits on seven acres north-west of Mackay in the Lost River Valley, a short drive from town. Mackay has a grocery, fuel, and a couple of places to eat.

What is there to do nearby?

Mt. Borah — the highest peak in Idaho — is out the front door. The Salmon River and its whitewater are under two hours north, Sunbeam Hot Springs is free and on the riverbank, Trail Creek Pass crosses to Sun Valley, and the Yankee Fork ghost towns are an hour away. The night sky here is about as dark as it gets in the lower forty-eight.

Hear first when the cabin opens.

No newsletter, no noise. One email when dates go live, and the occasional note as the build comes together.

We use your address for this and nothing else.