2023 Mountaintop Goals

From Surviving to Thriving

The past few years were all about making a livable space on bare land. Making a tiny home out of a shipping container, learning how to make our own lumber, harnessing water and keeping farm animals. This year I’m hoping to slow down a bit and take time to have some fun.

Gardening, Greenhouses and Foraging

The greenhouse thrived this year year. Even though we started it late, tomatoes, peppers and beans all did really well! In the upcoming year I’m looking forward to starting seeds in the new front room, then planting them in the greenhouse. We’ll also be starting another garden outside… and definitely more greenhouse experiments. I’d like to try an in-ground greenhouse for a more even temperature. The temperature drops off more than usual at night since we’re at a subalpine elevation.

The seasons here are quite short - this was taken April 26th, 2022

Last year I discovered an incredible amount of wild forage and am just ITCHING to get back out there. Picking, sampling and discovering wild fodder that I can eat provided by nature without a greenhouse or watering. Some highlights from last season were lambsquarters (exactly like spinach), sweet cicely (tastes like licorice) and elderberries.

Motorsports

Curt and I love motorsports. More specifically, we love engines. Knowing how they work, and being able to tinker with them and then ride is just awesome. This winter we’re going to focus on snowmobiling. Our machines are 2-strokes which makes for a fun and feisty ride.

Working on an electrical issue, which I still haven’t figured out

With snowmobiling, you can just fall off of the machine and land in pillowy snow. When spring comes and the dirt bikes come out, we have to be careful to remember that new rules apply! No more pillowy landings. I love the old bikes because they still work great, but aren’t quite as feisty as the new stuff so they keep me out of trouble (mostly).

Better Tracking

The team isn’t good at paperwork. We each have our strong suits, but neither of us are good at bookkeeping. It’s boring, and neither of us wants to do it. If I was giving us a grade, I’d give us a C - needs improvement. I like to think that I have a pretty good idea, but tightening up the finances is definitely one of the goals for the new year.

Uphill Water Sources

There is very little rain in the summer and yet, the wild foliage continues to thrive. There’s the occasional stand of aspen, which suggests a water source. It’s as though the mountain is self-irrigating. A water source at the top of the property would be a game changer.

Elderberries.

On a walk last fall, I noticed something very exciting that will require more investigation. At the very top of the property next to a willow tree, I spotted an elderberry bush. Willows are already a strong sign of water, but elderberry?! That’s a sure sign of water close to the surface! It’s hard to access and will take some work, but the curiosity and potential are well worth it.

Just downhill from that, there’s a deep-looking hole in the ground. You can only see maybe 6 feet down, then it’s jammed up with sticks and leaves. Does the hole keep going or is that the bottom? It’s scary, the kind that you know better than to get too close to. Surrounded by huge, thick willows - the only way to investigate is to grab Curt’s climbing gear and tie off to the willows - one of us will have to lower down into it. Yikes! That’ll have to wait for when someone’s feeling brave.

Pic Credit: M.Hay - Abandoned Mining Camp.

Hikes

I love going for hikes and the goats do too. They trot along happily, as their natural herding instinct comes out. Trying to get ahead and forge a path, but never going too far from us. Dash the wether carries a backpack, which he seems to carry with pride. The goats like to have given jobs. This summer I hope to explore more of the backcountry on foot, packing a snack and foraging as we go. There is a long history of forestry and mining in the area and always something to discover.