I just found a great little piece of property in Northern Maine, 14 acres complete with a small stream. Just land, no structures. I’ll be up to scout it out more in early September, then the closing will be a few days later.

I’m planning to build a small trapping shed on it in the spring, no frills, maybe just a wood stove. So what are some ideas from the wilderness forum as far as structure size and design? I have no immediate plans to build anything other than this trappers cabin on it. I have some of my own ideas, just thought I’d throw this out for some discussion.

Steve

Solar 12 volt lighting, propane cooking, 12 volt on demand water pump connected to propane on demand water heater.

12 by 16 is a nice size for a trapping cabin for sleeping and cooking for 1 or even 2 people..
An smaller ancillary building is nice for fur handling and storage.
And a sauna if you will be spending lots of time there.
And a privy of course.

I also like 12'×16'. Enough room for two, room to dry gear, couple bunks, cooking area.
R.V. propane cook top, 12v solar lighting. Here, we use a vented oil stove for heat.

Great info to start...I appreciate the responses.

A 12 x 16 Sounds about right. I'm thinking I may build a smaller (10 x 14?) fur handling shed to work any bugs out of my construction skills first. I have plenty of time to get a livable quarters up before I can stay for extended periods, so the fur shed ahs priority first. The solar panels are definitely on the radar too. Can't wait to get this started in the spring. I'll be spending a few weeks up there this trapping season figuring out just where I want to put some building up.

Any other ideas, suggestions, pictures, videos, etc?

Steve

I really like the Nordic Stove oil heater. I have the smaller, basic model, very economical, much easier and IMO cheaper (if your time is worth anything) than running an wood stove.
https://www.ruralenergy.com/heating-equipment/oil/non-electric/var-nor68-nordicstove-6800-series

If you are building with store-bought materials I would stick with 4 foot dimension increments. It takes just as much plywood to go 16 feet as it does 14 feet.

I have spent a lot of years in a 12x16 and would not go any smaller. I would have preferred 16x20.

I would say go bigger too if you can. Especially if you plan to stay long periods of time. Extra room is always nice. Build big enough where you don't have to smell your partner's feet.

For at least a week...

Insulate it. A lot of reason for small cabins in the past or even today in the backcountry was the difficulty heating an uninsulated space. You should have easy access to storebought insulation in Maine, sounds like you can drive to your site easily. So insulate it well.

Amen to the sauna idea. I wish now I'd built one back when we spent lots of time at our cabin.

^^^^^
Yes, it's a good way to while away the hours on those long dark evenings. Get the sauna about 200F and go about five or six rounds, with tea and snacks in between, along with a dunk or two in the cold water tub, or a roll in the snow. Kills a lot of time, is good for you, and makes you sleep like a baby.

Excellent point on the 4' increments White...That's something I should have known from my own background. Maybe I'll just start with the 12 x 16 as the fur handling building with some sleeping quarters and see where it goes from there. I'm kind of still hoping I can utilize some timber that exists on the property to build a cabin. If not, then yes, there is a Lowe's a half hour from the property to secure building supplies. Or I can just tote some supplies up there from my home here in Pennsylvania, a wee bit at a time.

Absolutely will be insulated. I do love wood stoves, but you're right Wag...My time may be better suited doing more fun things. I will definitely look into the Nordic stove some more.

The sauna...hmmmmm, now that's interesting. Maybe after we get settled into the property that will be something to look at more.

Great stuff...keep it coming!

Steve

For me heating the trap camps and ancillary buildings with wood is not a problem,nor is it much extra work.I am always carrying a chainsaw on the line on the bike or snowmachine and always cutting wood a couple times a week.Much of it comes from trail clearing blowdowns in the fall and winter.I will cut and buck the wood,pile it beside the trail,then tandem up a couple sleighs when the trails are good, and pick up a few loads here and there.All part of trapping in my book.If you heat with oil,you have to haul in the oil,and heating oil costs money too.I guess they have some good oil stoves nowadays,but the ones we had at the line camps on the Railroad were stinky and sooty.
Some guys that can drive a pick up to their camps dedicate a weekend to putting up the wodd for a year.But even then you still have to clear trail.

If you are staying out at the trapcamp for any length of time you will have plenty of time to do chores around the cabin like splitting wood hauling water,etc at your leisure.
Staying out at the camp is very relaxing,even though there is always plenty to do between coffee breaks,The older I get the more breaks I take,lol.

X 2 on the wood stove. I do much the same as Boco. Cut wood along the trail and haul it back to camp on the way home, as time and load allows.

Huh. I thought that was Ol' Blister's job.

Very cool pics and information there Tatiana. I love seeing all the different cabin styles and different construction methods, thanks for sharing those.

Good stuff there BOCO, and more good points. I like the free wood method…I just have to see what options will be available to me as far as hauling it back in like you guys do up there.

Anyway, here are a couple of pic of what I have to work with. I think if there are sufficient trees available on the property for a cabin I may do some cutting this winter to have them ready for spring.

If you use local trees they would have to be seasoned, dried before they are used. I don't see what good solar panels will do for a trapping season cabin. Maybe if you set up a battery bank but that's pretty spendy.
How's the crime in that area? You said there's a Lowes a half hour away. That means a population center. You're gonna be in Pa. most of the year I assume. Your cabin may be empty and a target for criminals.

Cut in the spring-easy to peel,build in the fall.-cooler-no flies.

Okay, here's a wee bit of background on this project....I am not planning to stay here in Pennsylvania. I will be moving up to Maine once my Fiance's kids graduate from school. My house will be going up for sale and I'll be hightailing it out of here; that will likely be in 3-5 years. So this cabin will be built ever so slowly and give me plenty of reasons to run up to Maine for a week when I can. The solar panels are just on the radar...I didn't exactly say they are a must. Sure they would be nice to power a battery bank with, but if I feel they wouldn't be used enough to be cost effective then of course I won't use them. Same thing with oil heat...this is just a discussion to see what the options are that I haven't really thought about myself yet.

Crime in the area? No worries there MartenTrapper...My ex-wife will be staying here in Pennsylvania. I don't think she can legally leave the state yet without permission anyway. But yes, that is also a consideration. The population center I will be by has one of the lowest crime rates in the state. That doesn't mean crime won't happen. But heck, I have been at the same house here in Pennsylvania for 20+ years...it's a decent neighborhood, low crime, and quiet. But my truck has still been broken into twice in those twenty years. Neighborhood punk thugs that have long since moved away. Needless to say, I won't be leaving valuable items at the camp while I'm here in PA. That sort of thing will be possible when I actually move there and can keep a closer eye on things.


Thanks for the tip to cut in the spring and build in the fall BOCO...I definitely like the no flies part of that.