Yes, snow is free, but it takes time to collect snow, cut firewood, tend a fire, etc. This cabin is on the 'grid' and a short drive from public water sources. Thanks for the comment.
Currently $585/month (December 2012). That's at least $400 less than living in an apartment. It's worth having a cabin experience. It teaches conservation, for one thing.
@hudi42 Yup, we just call cabins 'dry' if they don't have running water. Living this way for a year will change the way you use water the rest of your life. Former cabin-dwellers appreciate running water more and waste it less.
Showers at the university (3 miles away) for student use. And laundromats nearby have coin-operated showers. Many employers offer employees showers, too. Things are different here!
Snow can be melted, but you're never sure if it's clean. There are fox, lynx, squirrels, and other animals that may pee or whatever. Snow should be boiled down and it takes a large volume of snow to make a gallon of water. It may see odd, but driving to get nearby well water is the best solution.
In this community the laundromat has coin-operated showers, and many businesses in the area have showers for their employees. University students go to the gym in the morning, workout and shower. Great way to start the day (even for non-students).
At a friend's cabin, there was a huge (10 gallon) container of water above a shower head. When you turned the water on, you would pull a handle that would open the shower head. No hot water, but who cares after you have been mountain biking for 8 hours ;).
very nice video! Its like im watching Mtv cribs! The style the editing the sounds very good! Though the house is so cluthered haha but thanks so much for sharing this to us! Its realy good!
That's a blue cord (extension cord). Heaters under the vehicle's hood pre-heat the battery and engine on very, very cold days (i.e. days colder than -20F).
@KnightOfWangernumb Probably it's just convenience. Hauling water from a nearby laundromat is easier than melting snow. It actually takes a lot of energy (electricity) to melt snow, and time.
Cool :) We have dry cabins in Finland also, but some people don't even have electricity :O How do you live? Well, normally you can get cellphone signal anywhere and generators help if you absolutely need to have power for something... But this, this I would love to try!! Saunas help in the winter with the heating, by the way :)
@mooosehammer Nature cabins has two cabins with a Biolet (brand) composting toilet. These composting toilets work well, but the variable heat setting needs constant monitoring to work right.
@AlexRyteuBart It takes energy (electricity) to melt snow. It's simply convenient to fill a couple of 5-gallon jugs on the way to the grocery store, or coming home from work.
well made video, the quality and editing is top notch :) that is a nice cabin i dont miss living in a dry cabin :P you dont have the mandatory alaska cracked windshield O_O
@jerami101 The cabin featured in this video is just off the main highway. The electric utility simply connected the cabins. All Nature Cabins cabins have electricity.
@OurFadedGarden I talked about composting toilets before. Two other cabins have them and they work fine but require maintenance. Some people use a 'honey bucket' indoors then hauled it outside to dump into an outhouse. This ain't so bad.
@nbkcq28 Water is not too far away. It's available from coin-operated faucets in laundromats (three miles away), and from the place shown in the video (five miles away but cheaper).
@BADBOYLG Cabin lovers here shower at the university gym, the public swimming pool, or a laundromat. Oh yea, they may beg a shower from an apartment-dwelling friend.
I have a question, how well does your toyo heater work? How much fuel does it use in a 24 hr period when in use? Or anything you can tell me. I am thinking of putting one in my cabin!
Cutting wood and melting snow for drinking water is a great option in a remote area. This cabin is on the 'grid', has electricity and a furnace. Water is a short drive away. Time is money except in the wilderness?
cool vid. I'm guessing bathing is a stand up deal in the kitchen right? what's the blue line you disconnected from the front of your vehicle when you went to get water?
@benandrhonda Now that's funny! I never thought of it as a bear fence. It's a child fence to keep toddlers from falling off the deck. Bears are rarely seen this close to Fairbanks and the 'suburbs'.
Are these only for students? I am a photographer/skier/mountain biker and am looking to move to Alaska for some research and photo assignments. I love the "cabin in the wild", minimalist idea.
@frezdead1 The cabin featured in this video is 20'x30' (600 square feet) and has cable tv which means broadband speed Internet! Wi-fi is available in other cabins.
@zuniga6412 Bears are rare in Fairbanks and 'suburbs'. About four years ago a momma grizzly and two cubs were spotted near by, but that was very, very rare. Fox, moose, lynx and arctic hare are much more common.
@freethinkradio Cabin lovers here shower at the university gym, the public swimming pool, or a laundromat. Oh yea, they may beg a shower from an apartment-dwelling friend.
