I own 4.2 acres in the Sierras north of US-50 between Kyburz and South Lake Tahoe at 5,600ft elevation. It was not easy to find, but there is a seasonal creek that runs through it fed by snowmelt. I had to drill a well 600ft down to find water year round, there are no utilities so I had to dig out for septic, get propane storage for generator power, and I have a gravel path via an easement into an adjacent property to link to a forest service road. As remote and unconnected it was, it still fetched an amount that I am not super happy with, but I acknowledge even that price I got it for was cheap. I knew what I was getting into, specifically buying it after the major fire up there two years ago and was able to get a wide open tree-cleared area that I didn’t have to gain authorization to remove. I fully intend to build a cabin up there and then probably resell it because it’s too remote to AirBnB.
I think you should carefully consider your goals and what you want out of a location (must haves vs nice to haves and a list of dealbreakers).
There are a few things you probably take for granted. If your are considering an off grid or at least remote location, some things you should keep in mind:
- More than ten miles is a long way to get groceries, especially if primitive roads make part of the drive.
- It gets dark when you’re outside of civilization, don’t leave lit areas unless you must.
- Carry extra fuel at all times, you should also have a working, spare vehicle that you actively maintain.
- If you are settling in an area with snow, both your vehicles need to be AWD with snow tires and you should carry chains at all times when it’s season for snow.
- The spare vehicle should have a full tank of gas and spare fuel treated with an enzyme to keep it stable.
- You should have spare parts for your home and car, be comfortable with doing a lot of stuff yourself.
- Know the fastest and slower but more reliable route to the nearest hospital.
- Get a cell phone repeater from your cell company (they often even do it for free if you power it).
- Make sure your house has a power inlet so you can use a portable generator in case your permanent one fails or have a very beefy car inverter so your spare card can power your house.
- Have backup fuel for your generator.
- You should have one week of food, water, and generator fuel on reserve at all time.
- Your firewood pile should be sheltered, covered from the elements, and easy to get to from your home.
- Maintain a sat phone (one with minimal minutes is fine, this is backup comms).
And be sure to remember that shit gets or feels weird for us when we live in remote locations. You will start to see things if you let it get to you. If you plan on exploring, be prepared to come across (and avoid) carcasses, wild animals, poison oak or ivy, strange or out of place structures, people walking around who don’t answer or acknowledge you when you call out, trust your gut and fucking bolt when things are just not right even if you can’t put your finger on it.
I have hallucinated people that disappear when you try to approach them, full and partial structures that seem to dilapidate when I approach them. I’ve seen brand new cars driven out miles off the highway left with their door open as if someone just got out and walked away never to return, burnt out cars miles out in the wilderness, heard children laughing in the distance at midnight in the pitch black, heard the moaning of someone in pain but nobody to be found.
Maybe the most unsettling thing is when you walk into a specific area of the forest and, as if all the air is sucked out, it goes so quiet enough that you can hear your own pulse and rumbling of blood flowing through your ear. You feel, not hear, this low, intense hum, a sense of dread falls over you, as if you are being watched or hunted. This happened to me back in May when I ran across a set of poured, concrete stairs in a clearing as if built for a porch, but no foundation where the house should have been.
Nobody told me this lifestyle would cause me to become afraid of the dark again. I used to camp up there but now I don’t go up there unless it’s light and I can be back on the highway well before nightfall. Honestly, this experience has given me a huge appreciation for the game Don’t Starve.