Living in the Mountains

In all societies there are always some people who choose not to live in the built up urban areas close to modern conveniences. Traffic, noise, pollution and a desire to get way from other people result in some people preferring a quieter existence in a remote location such as in the mountains. 

For these people who choose the clean air and peace and quiet of living in the mountains there is always the trade off with doing away with the conveniences of modern living. Let’s have a look at what those trade offs are and the issues people face when living in isolation away from urban areas.

Even before building any type of dwelling, those choosing this type of existence have to overcome the first hurdle of making a clearing in the forest in which to build a dwelling. In areas where the forest is dense a considerable amount of work may be required to clear an area suitable for living. Trees need to be chopped down and in some cases land needs to be leveled to support buildings. Large machines such as bulldozers may be needed to undertake such work.    

Access to the location needs to be made and if the inhabitants rely on a vehicle then some kind of road that is capable of sustaining vehicles in all weather needs to be made. And the more remote the location is to main infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water etc the more expense can be incurred to build such access.
Let’s have a look at this dwelling tucked away in a mountainous valley. 

The first thing we notice, apart from the clearing itself is the access road. Even though it is a dirt road a considerable amount of effort has be made to create it. First the path through the forest has to be cleared of the large trees and other flora. Then it has to be leveled so that cars can drive safely over it. Finally it needs be covered with a surface that will allow vehicles to travel over it in all weather conditions and for a considerable period.

It would be extremely inconvenient if the road washed away after the first heavy downpour and become unusable. In this case the road has been covered with a standard dirt road material called road base. Although the dirt road base will not last forever, if applied correctly onto a well prepared surface with sufficient drainage beside the road then it should remain in tact for several years and be able to withstand heavy rainfalls. When the surface eventually washes away or decays another layer of road fill can be applied.

The next thing we notice is the clearing itself around the house. As the trees in this forest a quite large it must have been a big job to make such a clearing. Large trees would have to be cut down and removed or cut into smaller pieces and perhaps used as firewood or removed completely. All remnants of the trees would have to be dug out so a level area suitable for grass and grass cutting could be established. All the materials for the house and other infrastructure would have to have been transported to the clearing and erected.

If there are no city power lines in the vicinity then lines would have to be run from the house to the nearest council power lines and if no lines are near, separate measures such as solar power would have to be installed. In such a location town water would also not be available so the residents would have to rely on rainwater and we can see such rainwater tanks in this picture.

Houses in such locations need to consider such things as shopping for food. It would be very inconvenient to always be running out of certain foods and having to make trips to the nearest supermarket. For students going to school the trip would also be considerably longer than for students living in suburban areas. Trips to the doctor or hospital in cases of emergencies or to sporting matches are also worth considering when living in remote places like this. In times of heavy rain this place may get cut off from urban areas further down the valley.

What other issues would the residents have living in the mountains? Would like to live in a remote place like this?

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