Realities of Winter In A Ghost Town 

You should definitely build an attached woodshed to your cabin to keep the wood from freezing. Having grown up in Idaho, this was absolutely important to keep the fire going.

As someone who lives in the arctic circle, I would seriously suggest preparing your wood for winter in the previous spring. Furthermore, you must build or retrofit an existing building to store 2 times more wood than what you think you need for the season. Otherwise, you will get to a point where it’s too dangerous to be there in the winter months.

General tip for getting warm while dealing with significantly cold mornings from a swede: (Mostly just from camping outdoors in Swedish winters, our houses tend to be built to handle the cold with ease) When you go to bed take a thermos with you of a hot drink of your choice. I tend to go with tea, but a hot chocolate or something else will work, as long as it’s warm and you can drink it and it’s in a thermos. Put the thermos into the foot of the bed under the covers with you (added isolation that helps keep the thermos warm until the morning, also helps keep your feet a bit warmer) That way if you wake up and are cold either in the middle of the night or in the morning, you have something to get you warm very quickly right by you. Drinking something warm probably is the most instant way of getting your internal body temp up. And having the option to instantly feel warmer be super accessible, as the thermos is right there with you. Within 5 seconds you can have a sip of something warm. It’s basically no effort at all. And in the morning you have this small kick of getting yourself warm, so you are already warm while you go up and actually start a fire. I mainly use this for camping outdoors in Swedish winters and also for the wet and cold parts of autumn. I also tend to drink a little bit of it right after I’ve gotten under the covers, as a way to get really warm and cosy to fall asleep easy. Since I started doing that for camping trips in cold weather I haven’t been tossing and turning because I feel cold like I used to do.

If my count is correct, this is your third winter up there. I was surprised in observing your setup and struggles to exist in the winter after 3 years. Some recommendations after watching your video: -Never let your fire go out. You may have to get up in the middle of the night to keep it going. That's the sacrifice you make when heating with wood heat as a primary source of heat. -Your wood pile needs to be much larger and covered. Less sledding and more wood gathering, if you ask me -A free standing wood stove both radiates heat and provides a cooking surface as well. You're losing lots of your heat outside with an exterior wall mounted fireplace. A simple kettle filled with snow or ice makes tons of food items that only need boiling water. -Consider putting 55 gal water barrel with the top cut off near the door inside so you can easily fill it with snow, but yet have a water source that is not frozen. -I heat primarily with wood, and if it gets down to 50F inside, I've messed up. Hopefully come Spring you don't have a bunch of plumbing to fix. -Your truck's fuel gauge on empty is....disappointing. As you live waaaay off the beaten path, the "fill up at 1/2 tank, never let below 1/4 tank" should be deeply ingrained at this point. Running a fuel pump with no fuel around it to cool it is a good way to burn it up. -Tire chains work well in mud when needed as well. Get a set for your truck's front axle first, then see if you need ones for the rear axle. Make sure your tire choice allows for inside clearance of the suspension components for chains. -Gaps in windows can be sealed with Plumber's Putty or similar to keep drafts and snow out. If a brown tinted option isn't available, I'd imagine one could add color to putty to make it blend in. -Install automatic closers, or large springs, or even pulleys with weights on your doors to ensure they close each time. To err is human, find ways to use technology to reduce the impact. -If you have electricity to keep your animals' water bowls heated, then you have the ability to install heated options on your water pipes and toilet tank to keep them from freezing. -Propane loses its ability to convert to vapor at -44F. So a tank may be full, but is useless. Find ways to keep your propane tanks warm. Paint a few black, or wrap with black magnet sheets so it can soak in sunlight. Build a shack to keep them out of the snow. Leak check all your fittings with soapy water to ensure no leaks and make the call on where you want to place the tanks to keep them wam. Larger portable propane tanks are available, but a 40lb is a lot easier to move with one man than a 100lb tank. -Some valuable info on propane and temperature effects: flameengineering.com/pages/propane-information -If you continue getting deep snow, then a snowmobile is a good choice, but its a one-trick pony. What would the costs be to get tracks for the Kubota? Or possibly convert the dirt bike to rear track and front ski configuration. A snowmobile that only gets used every so often will become a rodent's best friend with chewed up wiring. Keep your chin up and find ways to always improve your surroundings instead of using baling wire and bubble gum to barely keep things working.

Hey guys! Obviously could have been a bit better prepared for this first storm but it came a lot quicker and nastier than expected. The winds topped 70mph and blew open a bunch of doors and even knocked out some windows. We check the doors each night, but the wind can blow in hard and fast. We've got that all sealed up now and are limiting the buildings available for tours. Firewood has made it's way indoors and building a shed for the bikes. We're prepped for anything else the winter might want to throw our way. Thanks for the tips! Always a student up at Cerro Gordo.

I am living in Norway with temps like that from November to April. We have small/big cabins all over Norway and some of the cabins are without power and running water during the winter. We usually boil the snow to make water for tea or coffee. Ice can also be made in small pools if you don't have a lake nearby. Then you can use the ice that the weather creates and make small ice cubes for water usage during the winter. Also. There's never bad weather. Only bad clothing as we say. We use layers of clothes during the winter. It is now -12C (10.4F) in Oslo, Norway, and because power prices going a lot up, we need to be creative. So, before next winter. Make sure you are prepared with enough clothing. Also, buying a pair of skis would be great. Easier to move in the snow. All the best... and stay warm! Ohh.. and the wood cubes should never be in the open air during the winter. You should have a space for it inside where you can keep them dry at all times. We use to fire a lot during winter for our cabins.

As a Canadian living in the prairies, it often having days colder than Siberia, the concept of this video is somewhat funny but at the same time very serious. winter prep is something you must get down because it ultimately is life or death. because you're so high above sea level, you need to bury pipes deeper than the rest of your state to stop freezing. consider looking to building code for more northern states for information. Make sure any pipes replaced enter the building at full depth and do not come up anywhere close to exterior walls unless you're going to insulate them and keep them above freezing at all times. if this can not be done, you have to either drain the pipes when you're done using the water or keep them running none stop. moving water freezes at a much lower temperature and will stop pipes from bursting or freezing up. another thing is, fire wood must be stored out of the elements it is important to have seasoned, dry logs or else there's wasted energy while burning, also causes excessive smoke and less heat output. hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you need more information.

As a Swiss I'm amazed you use no chains on your vehicles to move around better, wow that's what I call adventures lol well it seems you have a lot of work, to solve all the windows and door problems in your town and prep for the next winter... you got many good tips from your viewers how to solve this! Amazing video Brent and Thank YOU!!!!

Tips for the firewood; keep it in a woodshed or cover it with a tarp, and always have a few days worth of wood in your house near the stove. That way you will always have dry wood right at your fingertips. None of those doors or windows should have been left open in the first place, but I think you learned that lesson already. 😉That sled ride looked awesome, but I wouldn't want to do the walk back!

We live in Montana and have had this weather since October! Everyone’s giving their tips but the best thing you can do in the winter is have your equipment covered! Whether that’s your wood or your dirt bikes keeping things covered/out of the weather is the best thing ever.

I’d recommend boarding up the doors and windows during the heavy snow seasons, especially on the buildings that aren’t exactly In use as you won’t have many visitors. It will help preserve the amazing history that you are already doing an incredible job at doing!

This is the only RU-vid channel my cat will watch. Brent is a total cat magnet.

Add functional shutters for all the windows to protect them and add warmth. String heavy rope between buildings so you don't get turned around in a white out. Set up your fire for cooking (cast iron Dutch oven with flat lid, kettle, frying pan). You have mines which should work as a good cooling most of the time in winter if you vacuum seal other food you have a deep freeze all winter. You could also put big bubble wrap between the window and shutter or a strap on the inside it will insulate until you can afford something better.

A garage for your vehicles is a must if u want to keep them in good shape!

I’m a 33 year old burnt out finance professional. I found your channel and it has put a fire in my soul to go do something like you have done. I am so tired of our 9am-5pm (7am-7pm in reality) culture. Thanks for the inspiration my guy!

30 years ago I lived in North East Scotland and winters there were very similar. The house I stayed in had no electric, gas or running water and was in the middle of nowhere 2 miles down a farm track. We learned very quickly to bring everything indoors (water, gas, wood etc). Winter can be very harsh if you're not prepared. Hopefully this winter will be a learning experience for you. It was for us!!

All doors locked.(for winter only) Wood in shed.(dry) Window have protected covers(shutters) on wind side ( for winter) Insulation on pipes. Water on hand for needs. Winter package on vehicles. A garage for vehicles with a wood stove. Plant more trees for wind protection. Hope this helps.😃

I know there's a lot of work going on but it feels like the basics and necessities are left undone. Somewhere to stack firewood in the dry, doors closed all around, somewhere to get vehicles out of the weather, spare water. Simple things make life easier.

Brent needs to find himself a partner from the north to teach him how snow bunnies live. 😂

Reminds me of my 10 year stint off grid in the Washington’s Cascades. It took a couple years to anticipate and prepare for problems but eventually I was ready for whatever winter could throw at me. Your ingenuity will keep you alive.

Thanks everyone for checking out the video! What other winter activities should I try out up here? I'm thinking a rope lift for skiing? What's everyone else think?

I am surprised the doors are left open. Just a little planning before a storm comes in could easily prevent that. Fascinating content as always.

Although there were many mistakes us snow folks saw in your video, just think about how much you learned from this experience. This is a real lesson to all of us that life's experiences are limited to your exposure. I could listen to you reflect on life all day long.

Brent, you are an inspiration. Your honesty, humility, passion for life and history, it's such a pleasure to watch in a world where all the words i mentioned don't seem to be relevant. Thank you, bless you bro

I can tell you don't have experience with winter weather. During the video I was saying to myself, "Why don't you have a snow shovel, snow blower, a plow for the truck, chains for the tires, some SALT for the walkways , and who are the inconsiderate jerks that left every door open in the town?" You'll learn, Brent. You always do. Stay warm and take care!

Pro tip, keep 5 gallons of water by the toilet for a few extra flushes after you find out the pipes are frozen. Second tip, pex without brass fittings is freezeproof. It will freeze and stretch but not burst. It saves on repairs when they do thaw.

Hello "Glutton for punishment"! 🙂 After wheeling and camping for a week in Death valley we stopped by yesterday (1/30/23) to see how things were coming along. Talked with 2 of your carpenters (?) just finishing their lunch. Quite a project you've got going there! You probably noticed my tracks in the snow up to your motorbikes. Miserable cold, even around 1:00pm. We didn't feel proper about going into any of your buildings without you there, but did notice your kitty was out running around. He liked something on the front of my truck, but he high-tailed it before I could get too close. Having lived in the Rockies for a couple of years, a little trick for "things frozen" Carry a bottle of MAPP gas (for plumbing) with a trigger lighter to melt frozen hinges, etc., and also a 4" heavy duty scraper, maybe a "5-in-one". But you MUST store your wood covered, even just by a $5 tarp! BTW, I didn't see a flag to sign in at... If it were me (and, it's not), I would get full control of the insulation on your primary living quarters immediately before any further plans to expand for anything for "play". Keep your head on straight lad, your life depends on it ;-) Best wishes for you!

Signs don't always help but you'll need to start making signs for those who just self-tour so the doors and windows hopefully get closed more often. It's pretty sad how many can't leave things how they found them. Good luck Brent! Stay warm!

The doors blowing open or possibly being left open by visitors is a drag. As for the windows possibly being blown out, simple wooden shutters would take care of that problem. You are an inspiration Brent. Thank you for sharing.

Just a suggestion for the firewood problem being frozen. Make a space near the fireplace to pile up wood for the fire next morning. And then when you start your morning fire afterwards go get more wood for the “warmer pile”.

What a fantastic episode! I could not help but be concerned for your safety during your sledding don the mountain. You have come so far and accomplished so much in Cerro Gordo. Thanks for sharing your adventure!

I live in a 110 year old house in a mining town Called Miami AZ and I fear the wind and cold affecting the integrity of the house and pipes. Just got done covering any exposed water pipes. I was lucky last night I had a hard freeze and my kitchen sink would not work. It didn’t burst or crack. Good luck this winter dude!

If it's tough for you remember the ones who came before. They still mined, cooked, used the bathroom, and survived the elements mother nature threw at them. But you're doing great, Brent. Forging ahead despite the weather. Making lemonade out of lemons. You got this, Brent! See told you, you needed chickens! BTW. Your drone sounds like a thousand hornets chasing you! LOL 😅 Also, build a miner snowman too 🤣

I'm happy you talked about the animals and how they react to the snow, they are so cute.

Noone could ever accuse you of painting an untrue, cheery picture. Thank you for the unvarnished reality.

This is my first winter with a wood fired cook stove in my cabin (Rocky Mountains, Colorado, about 8,000 feet). I can’t describe what an enormous difference it makes for heating and cooking. Having a conventional wood stove and a cook stove, you can be as warm as you want, even though these are the only heat sources. Definitely recommend this for your desert winters!

If you even think snow may be coming, make like a boy scout and be prepared...all building doors securely shut and windows covered......way less work to do that than the cleanup and risk of moisture damage you exposed yourself to! Beautiful video Brent!

I am so happy I finally made it up to Cero Gordo and meeting you was one of the highlights of my trip. You were such a great host and took the time to talk to us and educate us about the mine. You are such a great storyteller I can't wait for the next episode.

Dude you are a trooper. not many people can do what you do. thank you for what you show us. it really shows us the real hard side of living where you live and what you have to do.

Always informative, but more important, you speak with a passion, commitment and courage, sprinkled with life-affirming and eloquent narration of your experiences. All Best!

You need to do some things after seeing the mine in the snow, wether you are there or not: Composting toilet 12v Secure all doors with some kind of latch (basic combo lock) Get a tiger torch or roofing torch up there if you are gonna be up there in winter. To defrost metal stuff frozen Wheres your snowshoes man!? Get an air tag so your loved ones know where you are ❤

It's easy to imagine how, at that altitude and isolated, things could go quickly from mildly inconvenient to life threatening.

As much as I dislike ads, it nice to finally see them on here. You deserve the revenue Brent. These videos are brilliant. The town will benefit from it in the long run.

I feel for so many of these struggles as I start to spend more winter time across the valley from you. Some extremely valuable lessons I have learned is to use a modern wood burning stove. The fireplaces are fun and run that too but pellet stoves will keep the temp up all night and will help keep your pipes flowing. Insulate your pipes too (in December I had to fix a broken pipe when it was 22 out, insulate them anywhere you can). Cover your firewood with a tarp or something and keep a few bins of it inside to dry out. I use a shed about 40’ from the cabin that’s open on one side. Don’t forget you can also cook on a stove when your gas isn’t working.

Thank you for making a wet and cold morning in Ireland 🇮🇪 feel warm I can’t understand why people don’t just close the doors behind them

You are definitely one of my favorite RU-vid channels Brent. Thanks for all your content.. you're awesome. 😎🤘

Amazing to watch your progress. I haven't come by in a while and my goodness how far your fortitude has taken you. Amazing.

So many of the problems that you experienced were the same things that happened to people during the Texas Grid Fail. A friend of mine almost died in that…she thought she was prepared with a well serviced generator, gas, propane…the electric went out. Everything else froze up in her house and travel trailer. Plus vehicles must be winterized. I’m from Minnesota where even -30 is no excuse to not show up at work.

As an avid outdoorsmen in the winter I would recommend trying back country skiing/skinning. It’s basically where you get downhill skis and you put “skins” on them which allow you to go up mountains like your nordic skiing and then when your ready to go down you take off the skins and go downhill. It’s super fun and you have the best “yard” for it!

Absolutely winter beautiful. 2 things I took away from this 1) make sure all the doors are closed and latched. 2) add an ankle leash to the snow board 👍🏼 I love your videos

Wow, great to see you are handling the cold. But your smile warms up the coldest day. 😀

As our inlaws are now seniors they made changes to increase comfort, and cut down on work and winter emergencies. This is also ideal for your hotel and possibly your house simply because winter temp changes can be extreme. The main heat is now propane. Large propane tank by the house. It gets refilled a couple times a year. Your challenge is, can a propane truck make it to Cerry Gordo and run the line to wherever you put the tank. A propane line can run to your BBQ also. Good place to hook in a refill valve to refill smaller tanks IF needed. If you want to use less propane set your heat enough to keep pipes from freezing. Augment with wood. It depends what you want to spend more on, wood or propane. And how much time you want to spend doing wood duties or making wood and propane runs. You can adjust at any time. Bonus to adding the large propane tank. There's now a propane backup generator outside. (it holds it's own propane too, does not rely on the house tank, and can run for over 48 hours) When the power kicks out, it kicks on to power and heat the house. If the power goes off during the night the backup system keeps you, your pipes, and inside pets from freezing. The internet is restored within 60 seconds. You can run the backup in intervals if needed to extend the propane. The wood is now no longer as critical and lasts longer, but still: We built a covered half-shed. It stores a season's worth of dry firewood. To replenish that there are 3 seasons of uncovered wood outside. A hopper in the house stores a couple days worth of wood. No more wet or frozen wood, no freezing while gathering wood. Always prepared for an emerg whether heat or power related. Getting the larger propane system and backup generator was expensive to put in but they added comfort, and reduced worry and constant chores. More time for the hot tub.

Stay well and safe my friend, and know many do care about your well being, hope you have supplies and a way to get in and out, hoping to hear that the road gets a fix that will take care of all the problems so that people can come up safely and leave to offer help to you and your town. I look forward to the day I can drive up and stay at your hotel, this is amazing where you have come on this remodel of the ghost town. Please if anyone is reading this post buy merchandize off the official site and you can send funds to his checks or money orders mailing address, all the help he gets goes towards remodel and his immediate needs, gas, building materials, and labor and driving in his vehicles all needs constant repairs, or if you can offer services for free it is most appreciated. What I would like to do is Thank all the volunteers who are from the past and those who will do it its future you keep this channel alive and well, lets support his channel by a check mailed or purchases off his web site. thank you.....

You need a set of snow tracs for your Kubota. They are easy to swap out and are reasonably priced. With those you should be able to get around anywhere. You might want to consider adding a mini plow on front.

Brent...first of all, Thank YOU, for sharing your wonderful journey with us. I'm not sure you realize just how inspiring your videos are. Especially for someone like me, housebound, disabled. You and Cerro Gordo have become important for my emotional health. I can still be stuck in my crappy low-income apartment....BUT I can escape, at least for a little while, into the wilderness, and my soul and spirit are refreshed. So again, THANK YOU!

Thank you for bringing us into your winter wonderland! What a beautiful place, but at times so harsh! ♥️

A Wind turbine generator would be awesome for those circumstances because there is a lot of wind and excess electricity can be used to heat the pipes so they don't freeze. Also, burying water tank and water pipes underground would prevent them from freezing to some degree.

This is an example of why you need to prepare ahead of time.!!!!

Thank you for your continued updates - what you're doing is amazing.

Thank You Brent Loved Seeing the Snow

Enjoyed you showing us the reality of winter in Cerro Gordo. So glad you, Scottie and the animals are survivng well!

Man ur positive attitude during these challenging times always amazes me. You certainly don't have the the 'give up' gene. Great stuff as always.

Omgoodness nightmare, takes a very tough special and dedicated person to cope with and enjoy these conditions. God bless you xxxxxx

I absolutely love your videos. So insanely well done, and your perspective and feeling towards the land is so pure and so unbelievably beautiful man. You're fully in it, nice job

You should consider getting a Lopi stove or something similar. They are super efficient at heating and use less wood to produce the same amount of heat as a fireplace. Also you can cook on top of them so there is no need for propane stoves.

The imagery and story telling within the first 5 min alone is fantastic! Makes you wonder how the townsfolk were able to live there 100 years ago! Great work Brent!

Deep cold like this has its own sound. Watching this almost made me feel cold and it's well over a hundred today.

Brent. I've been following since the beginning and I just wanna say how much I appreciate you. Watching your videos has become something I look forward to. It's helping me get through the hardest times I've ever had. And listening to you has damn near become a form of therapy for me. I've always been an outdoorsman. And I try harder and do better because of what you do. Thanks brother! Your a legend! An inspiration! And way cool! Keep on keeping on. Much love from Rhode Island

Bud, you should try wrapping your tanks with an electric tank heater blanket. Propane turns into LPG (liquid) when it gets too cold.

Thanks for the video, it's good to catch up on CG. I've lived in Minnesota for 60+ years so while I'm not at high elevation the snow and cold Is just part of life. A few suggestions if that's ok, every fall a list of winter prep chores helps when cold weather arrives. Part of the winter prep is planning for your every day needs when the snow arrives and temps drop. We currently have had 50+ inches of snow so far this season and while it's been mild we have had temps in the teens below zero fahrenheit this season. While the moisture that snow is bringing inside your buildings is a concern in the short term it's probably not as big a issue as you think. Especially when you consider how dry your climate is the rest of the year. It's more of a issue if it would be present for long periods of time. We frame buildings year round up here and snow falls inside while we are working we shovel it out and when you heat the building it evaporates quickly. So having a seasonal mindset becomes part of your planning. Best wishes.

This was beautifully put together. What grandeur and so well captured. TY

So nice how you explain to city people what happens when the water freezes in the country , and how hard it really is to start a fire in freezing weather.

I will never be able to wrap my head around how Brent maintains a full-time job and does all this

Hang in there, man: you’re learning the ropes of how to handle winter living gracefully. It’ll take some time and some mistakes. I really appreciate how you’re willing to show that. A lot of people would pretend there is no learning curve and it’s all just a natural and easy process. Good luck! I’d recommend some crampons for walking on hard pack and BOG boots: they’re neoprene and bulletproof and made my winters in Wyoming much easier.

Wow! That was a gifted challenge with those winds wipping drifts and freezing the water lines. You're a great story teller, and I felt for your safety in the music that played along. Your sense of adventure is inspiring. Just need prepperation before the weather changes. The fresh snow is so beautiful, even the drifts with their dance in the winds. Thank you for sparking that drive to explore more with each day, no matter what the day brings.

Your strong will to keep going and your incredible work ethic to restoring the town is truly inspirational. I live in a city with no snow. It's such a wonderous thing to experience. Keep up the good work!

You are an inspiration to me, and so many. I have taken on a huge project that scares me to death but it's been a lifelong dream. Ive taken this on , in part, because of your strength.

Focusing on protecting what you have, may need to be a priority ahead of building new. I understand that rebuilding the hotel is very important to you. Having buildings that you can use to house helpers to assist with all the other projects you wish to accomplish.

Hi Kevin, ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ We use wood shutters inside that lift-up and stay with a hook/eye. Post signs to close doors tightly (tight big hook and eye) We use shutters for keeping out heat in a wind storm. Your windstorm will blow and we’ll have it, compressed and 70 mph. North-East winds start the fires. When your place is 💯calm, our place is crazy.

I was so into your walk and words at the end - I was shocked when the video ended. Love watching and listening to you. Such a beautiful rugged place. Always an adventure watching.

A mini split heat pump would do you good in those cabins. They make them crazy efficient now and can pull heat well below 0 without aux heat. You would need to create a barrier to block the snow drift from freezing the coils.

I had a family farm for 8 years, and I’ll never forget the water line to one of the barns freezing. It was late December. I eventually had to get on my stomach to dig around the pipe in order to put a heat tape on it. I was frozen solid after that day. A lot of calories were burned that day.

I would suggest building a shed for the firewood, where you can store the wood all around the year and it keeps it dry. Also having a lot of wood reserves inside the house during winter so that it’s not taken from outside where they’re frozen/wet.

Your sheer force of will and positivity is always inspiring. Best of luck in 2023!

I love and support you, what you are doing and this channel. As a winter-hardy Canadian I would like to suggest one of your layers to be 100% wool. November may need some penciled in winterizing duties. Storm doors and windows may be a good pencil in spring job. I am so glad you packed for overnight when you headed out. Not sure if you could hear my internal screaming of noooooo at the idea. The sled blowing away was a sign. Having said that - I completely understand the joy you got out of the adventure. Very glad to see you have snow shoes, too 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕 thank you so much for sharing. I feel like I understand this town thanks to all your videos and dedication. 💕💕💕💕

We Live In A Time Where, One Man And His Daily Life In A Former Ghost Town Is Far More Interesting Then The New Hollywood' Blockbuster... Thumbs Up For Brent

Just...what a great video. What a life you're building, and how privileged we are that you make such professional videos to take us on the journey with you.

Wind is the worst!!! Made me laugh with your comment “wind reminds you that things can always get worse” AMEN. I grew up in Colorado & lived in Lake Tahoe for a few years. Wind + snowy conditions is a frickin nightmare. Best of luck to you & your town! I’d love to visit one day!

I lived in a remote village in the mountains and yes, winter sucked. Snow was guarenteed. A wood burning stove is all I had for heat and it took about 4 or 5 hours to fully warm the cabin from cold, but when it was warm it was cosy af. The beauty of the place and the 40mins drive to decent ski slopes was the compensation for an otherwise harsh and not so fun winter.

Brent. I loved the sledding adventure. The snow really emphasizes just how many trees actually exist up at Cerro Gordo. And what stood out to me on that adventure was the sheer solitude. And although you've taken many far off adventures to the outskirts of Cerro Gordo, there's something about the snow that really brings out the solitude. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Stay safe, have a great fun filled winter! Keep kicking ass, I love your spirit and I love what you're doing for this town. Here in Iowa winters can get very brutal as well, however we don't get the 70 mph winds. Just, -50s wind chill. So I can say with certainty I know about what you're going through and I applaud your endurance. I loved watching you take the time to play. That is so important! Heppy to see you are well. I am excited for this year for you and for the town!

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this or not but here it goes. Fireplace grates shouldn't be used in wood stoves. Just stack the wood in perpendicular rows to start, kindling on top, and then add as needed. Also, you should burn it with the doors closed using the air vents to control the fire. Wood stoves are designed for heating in mind not so much esthetics like fireplaces. They also make heat powered fans that you put on top of the stove to circulate the heat more efficiently.

great to see the animals thriving and seemingly loving it too! Chickens nesting - great stuff - eggs for breakfast!

Hope you and your animals can stay warm and stay safe up there.

I see with these challenges and more how hard you work to keep bringing us an interesting evolving story. Thanks for that!

Winter always adds it's complications and bonuses. You may have to put shutters on your windows so the glass doesn't break so often.

It takes a very strong person psychologically to do what you're doing. I wish nothing but the best for you bro.

Wow, this video really shows how discouraging it can be living up there. Brent, please know that every second of despair and hard work that you go through helping to build back this town = YEARS of progress. you inspire so many people. If you were to reach out and ask for help during some of the hardest winters you get, I guarantee you’d have an army of people ready to change your life like you’ve done to ours. Keep your head up and at least 1 eye on all the great accomplishments you’ve done with this town! Cant wait to come visit and help out, keep it up!

I think this has been one of my favourite videos so far. The visual beauty is just outstanding, but then the sound of the wind and the voiceover reminds you of the reality and tenuity of life. Thank you.

At least you can really make a checklist of all the things you can improve and add for next winter and I can tell from your videos your a resourceful and intelligent guy so I believe you will overcome most of the misfortunes and with the sheer will you have. Love the videos and be safe and take your time. 👍🏼