Help - Where would you buy a remote cabin in WA (Vancouver: for sale, real estate)

[SwitchCoasts]

Hi Folks,

We moved here a bit more than a year ago now and love it. Starting to research some possibilities within the state for a much more remote getaway. Haven't spent much time exploring beyond Mt St Helens are, Swift/Yale Lakes and on down to Bend/Sisters/Sunriver. Would like an area that is in the mountains, treed in other words vs E. Washington, access to lakes/river and a bit of space around us. In other words we don't want to see the neighbors house (no offense to them). I am a private pilot with access to a plane so it can be up North or even in Oregon if some areas meet the criteria.

Thanks

[StealthRabbit]

I would look near Sequim, Chelan / Wenatchee, Colville, or Dayton in WA Or in NE OR (Blue Mtns). ID of course is the 'back-country' fliers mecca.

I just sold a very nice rural place with a 1900' remote airstrip. in SW WA for an older friend. ((within 10 NM of TTD) think 280 days of rain / yr)... It was wonderful, with a small NICE home, a hangar, and a complete machine shop (for antique airplane engine repair), re-fabricing tools and materials. I also sold their plane ('46 Stinson, tractors, dozer, cars (diesel VW of course), and MANY MANY Franklin engine parts). I tried like crazy to sell this joint and finally found a pilot in AK who was interested. I had to sell everything individually and it was a pain (took ~ 1 yr to MOVE all this stuff). There are 2 more places on this strip and one family may need to leave. They have a very nice home, so a bit of a stretch to consider it a cabin. I know of 2 more strips in the neighborhood (but again it rains A LOT and then there are the 80 mph winds of the Columbia Gorge... works for some pilots, BUT I had several fly in from CA, NM, TX... and they were not quite prepared for a grass strip on a hilltop with 200' fir trees surrounding it. I think they felt more at home in a Desert region.

[cjg5]

Look at small communities up Lake Chelan, which are only accessible by boat (or by small plane). There is a ferry out of Chelan which makes the runs to and from these areas daily. Look up places such as Lucerene and Stehekin. There are a few others up that way too, but those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head.

[Hemlock140]

North Cascades, beautiful areas with a few remote cabins per mile. look at Marblemount, Newhalem, & Diablo Lake. Beyond that the road is closed in winter.

[pro_steel_header]

along the hwy 2 stretch between index and stevens pass. index, baring, skykomish. all very small towns with very easy access to one river or another...

[StealthRabbit]

Forgot to mention to consider a place on an Island or a remote lake. I lived in the Gulf Islands (CDN), North of San Juans, it would have been much more enjoyable with a plane. I have a few friends with float planes, and that opens up some great possibilities for remote access. They all live on lakes and have cabins at remote lakes, of course that means having at least 2 airplanes if you do much other flying.... That can get expensive.

Big tires, Big HP, aggressive prop, and mechanical ignition and fuel system seem to be on the menu for the back country fliers I know. Thy really have a good time on remote expeditions and adventures.

[SwitchCoasts]

Wow! Excellent suggestions and all right on target, certainly gets me motivated to get the seaplane rating! I really love the remote lake cabin, in fact have that "goal picture" of a cabin and seaplane tied up at the dock on my desktop. Issue I have had is how in the world do I find these cabins or land for sale when I am still a relative newbie to the state. Your suggestions help narrow down the search, thanks!

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by SwitchCoasts

...how in the world do I find these cabins or land for sale when I am still a relative newbie to the state. Your suggestions help narrow down the search, thanks!

There are Real Estate Brokers who specialize in these unique properties, otherwise,,,
Barnstormers, Trade-a-plane, and local groups specific to back country flying as well as local EAA groups will ease your search a tad.
EAA Chapter 105 (Here's ours)

There are bunches of these places available, as you network locally they will literally come out of the woods. Many folks had plausible dreams, then reality hit .

The guy I helped sell,,, STARTED his backwoods airstrip adventure (leveling strip, & building hangar, shop, house) AFTER he 'retired' ~ age 75. I would suggest getting a bit 'earlier start' on developing one from scratch, or buy something already done. It is nice to sit back and enjoy your labors before getting sent to pasture.

[NW Crow]

If you want to drive to remote cabin from the Vancouver WA area often I'd suggest you look at areas north of Carson and north of White River, including Trout Lake and Glenwood. Or Parkdale south of Hood River Oregon.

If you don't mind driving further or want to fly-in or nearby, I'd also mention the area near Cle Elum WA or the Entiat valley (between Chelan and Wenatchee WA). Or the Camp Sherman area west of Bend. Or Gilchrist or John Day OR. I could name other places if distance is not a major concern.

[Movingrightalong...]

Originally Posted by SwitchCoasts

I am a private pilot with access to a plane so it can be up North or even in Oregon if some areas meet the criteria.

Not sure if you've done any flying west of the front range or not, but if you haven't I'd spend some time talking to a few local pilots. The combination of weather and terrain can quickly become overwhelming for a light aircraft...especially if you're used to flat land flying.