Why He Chooses to Live in an Off-Grid Cabin as a "Canadian Castaway"

And the self-built cabin constructed by the content creator behind Canadian Castaway, makes off-grid cabin living a viable, and very tempting, idea for many.

The hardest part about erecting this DIY cabin was figuring out how to transport all of the building materials to the top of the mountain. But once this freelancer and farmer at heart’s friend came up with the idea for using a material elevator, the pieces all fell into place flawlessly, and living off the grid slowly became his ultimate reality over the past year.

After opening up a trail, constructing a material elevator, clearing out the rocks, and removing any necessary trees, it took three full years to raise the structure of his off-grid cabin. But surprisingly, it only cost him about $48,000, including both the land and the many solar panels that provide all of his power.

That’s impressive because this 18 x 22 ft off-grid cabin has gorgeous wood paneling throughout the home, two loft areas—one with additional living space and one with a bedroom—a main floor living room with a wood stove, a simple but very functional kitchen, a bathroom minus the toilet, and a mechanical room.

Outside this off-grid cabin, you’ll find the toilet, a satellite dish, raised garden beds, and a rainwater collection system. Plus, there’s a shed, a large wrap-around deck, and the perfect forest views for him and his girlfriend to enjoy.

While he loves living in this stunning off-grid cabin now, he does realize that someday walking up and down the mountain will someday prove to be too difficult.

Off-grid cabin

For more tiny home stories, discover how they turned a shed into a tiny house or take a tour of this cheap DIY tiny home made out of reclaimed materials.

To see more videos, check out the Exploring Alternatives YouTube channel.