Survivalist Forum banner

Mtn Wilderness Survival Retreat Experiences with 60 + pics

573K views 1K replies 250 participants last post by  Mtnman Mike 
#1 · (Edited)
This is a thread that could be posted in the Survival & Preparedness General discussion section but it is possibly even more on topic in this wilderness-camping forum.

I was going to make this about all kinds of survival retreats from the most expensive and fanciest to the least expensive which would be a cheap tent and even a homeless person's cardboard box. People can call a survival retreat a BOL and it can be part of a person's farm, ranch or homestead which it would then be a bug in location. We can discuss that in this thread if any want to.

But I am mainly just going to post some brand New pics of what I have done on my mtn survival retreat from mid June to Nov. 1st.

If anyone else wants to post pics of their retreat, farm, homestead etc. that is fine also.

I could go into great detail about each pic but hopefully the title - caption on each thumbnail pic is enough. If anyone has any questions or comments about anything on this thread please post. Btw, I am not bragging about anything I do or have built. Just sharing some experiences which some have said they like to hear about and see pics.

These pics are in chronological order, for the most part, beginning in mid June 2009, when I got back up to my mtn place to about Nov. 1st when I left. Some of them zoom in for close-ups. In several posts there should be more than 60 pics total.

The good thing about thumbnails is people don't Have to enlarge all the pics but just read the captions. But never know what one is missing if you don't enlarge them. Such as a couple very interesting pics. Discussion about some of these, especially one that must be an optical illusion, later.

After the pic posts I will include a survival retreat checklist which will help If any want to check it...

And now exclusive only to the survivalistboards are brand new pics of my remote Wyoming mtn survival retreat >
 

Attachments

See less See more
24
#675 ·
Oh Mike! Lots of great big hugs coming through the internet for you. It's a big loss for you - it's what you've spent all your time doing lately, right? You're such a good son, to be there for them.

You're probably going to want to keep a few things at least, of Mom & Dad's. Sometimes the reason is "just coz"... and sometimes it's useful stuff. Since my hubby died, I've been doing a lot of that clearing out "stuff". It takes a lot of time & energy and well, some days you just go into a room, look at it, and close the door again. That's OK. Some days you just can't face the grief. Doesn't matter how tough you are; there is only so much a person can stand to force themselves through. It will all get done; it doesn't all HAVE to get done right now.

You might find that being "untethered", what you thought you wanted for yourself changes. That's OK, too, if that's what happens. Let the lawyer earn his keep - and deal with the details - while you make the big decisions, one at a time as they come up to be made.

You're walking and climbing up a big cliff right now. Take it one sure hand and foothold at a time. You've got friends here too. Just look at all the replies! They're people who care about how you're feeling, what you're having to do, and also interested in the adventure that you'll create as you start to make a new center of your life for yourself.

One baby-step at a time, good buddy.
 
#677 ·
You might find that being "untethered", what you thought you wanted for yourself changes. That's OK, too, if that's what happens. Let the lawyer earn his keep - and deal with the details - while you make the big decisions, one at a time as they come up to be made.

You're walking and climbing up a big cliff right now. Take it one sure hand and foothold at a time. You've got friends here too. Just look at all the replies! They're people who care about how you're feeling, what you're having to do, and also interested in the adventure that you'll create as you start to make a new center of your life for yourself.

One baby-step at a time, good buddy.
I am going to try to answer this post although I hope Mike will come back someday and answer fully in a long post like he does quite a bit. As Mike has posted sometimes, he is grateful to have the friends even on this forum but he and a few others remember that he had possibly ten times the friends and responses the first 3 or 4 years on this forum. In 2012 it seems that Mike got much less popular.

I think I have read all of Mtnman Mike's threads on this group especially although I have seen him post a few times in a couple other groups such as the wilderness-survival.net and a new one titled: www.survivalistinfo.net in his own section in the discussion forum of that very small but very real survivalist forum.

I have emailed and even sent text messages to Mike even calling him on the phone once. He does not like phones since he is not overly talkative but he can write as many have seen on the net.

I am not sure exactly what Mike is doing now but I do know that he is not on his beloved mtn retreat or "place or Hold" as some call it. And he hopes to get up there for a few weeks in late August to mid Sept. September is his favorite time in the Rocky Mountains since no mosquitoes or very few and many times perfect weather, with no snow usually until October.
Pretty complicated all the reasons why he cannot move up there right now. From what he told me, he must wait until June 5, 2017 before he will be free finally to get out of his city and live the life in the wild Rocky Mountains, that he has prepared for since 1982.

Mike told me just a day or two ago that he did see the lawyer for half an hour and so it should cost him only $110. The lawyer was helpful in telling him to write "deceased" on some bills such as the hospital bill. Since that is not Mike's bill and people would have to ask the lawyer about all of that. Although the nursing home and others might try to force him to pay some bills, that are not his bills but his deceased parents.

Here is a link that Mike should post but he won't since he does not ask for anything and makes do with little, about all of his life, which is too bad since he is getting older...
Anyway, Mike can tell me in a few days if he wants me to delete this link. It is a good link with more information and a photo or two. Anyone can ask Mike in a message or email if you don't believe this is him and his parents: https://www.gofundme.com/27vee4s

From all that I have learned he will be living more in "poverty" than ever since the lawyer told him that he cannot sell the house, the vehicles or even get his mom and dad's bank account which is not much but would greatly help him "survive" for the next year in that city.
And hope anyone who does care enough to look at that link will read the whole page of info.

And if any are interested here are a couple links that also will not last too long but here are the obituaries of Mike's parents:
His mother's: http://www.adamsonchapels.com/book-of-memories/2527758/Mitchell-Vera/obituary.php

and his father's: http://www.adamsonchapels.com/book-of-memories/2524991/Mitchell-Merle/obituary.php

I do think that Mtnman Mike will post here again but possibly not for a while. He does check emails when he can get online whenever he goes to a coffee shop or library here in his "stinkin" city. I will miss that phrase among other interesting posts of his. Although whenever he does get back up on his mountain I am hopeful that he will post photos and even videos but as he has told me, that will not be full time until the summer of 2017 or whenever he can sell the house and get everything settled.
 
#676 ·
I'm so sorry to hear this news, Mike, and very sorry also that I only now read this thread, I've been keeping up with your endeavors long before recently joining here I have gleamed a great deal from your experiences and have really enjoyed "getting to know you " a bit at least ; my sincere condolences go out to you sir.
 
#678 ·
My condolences Mike on the lost of your parents. Although you were aware that it was only a matter of time it still can be quite a shock when it happens. I rarely read this particular Thread so I am a bit late in knowing the situation. Interesting that your Dads BD is also mine.

I would hesitate if I was you in taking on your Uncle in his declining years. Unless that is a necessity on your part to get by it really is quite a hardship. Being a caregiver for the elderly is hard on both mental and physical health. Plus which it does take you away from finally moving to your beloved place in the mountains.

Good luck in clearing up all the issues and hope that it goes well for you.
 
#679 ·
Here is an article that was written a few days ago and in the Johnstown Breeze newspaper. Johnstown, Colorado is where my mom and dad lived for at least seven years in the 1980's and from 1957 to 1963. This is a nice article that I was surprised to see that they took a lot of time etc. to create. Guess they thought it was something interesting and different? Hope quite a few will take a few minutes and read this article, which might be the only place on the net it will be posted. Except I did post it on facebook yesterday. This article tells much of what I would tell - write if I was a good writer. My parents were the two most important people in my life and maybe many cannot understand that, especially if you do not ever see or call your parents or have or had a bad relationship... I was "fortunate" that I did have a good, close relationship with them.

I am not going to be online too much in the future unless something interesting or important happens. Such as an economic collapse, WWIII, terrorist attacks or the Hillary getting elected. Even if the Donald gets elected it probably won't solve too many problems and possibly create some new ones. Anyway, Thanks to all who care, thank and like what I have ever posted since 2009 >






Together nearly 60 years, apart only six days

By Kathy Wagner
The Johnstown Breeze

They were married for nearly
60 years. They died just six
days apart.
The last six months have
been really hard on Mike.

Both of his parents,
Duane and Vera Mitchell, were
in their early 80s and they each
had multiple health problems.
Mike was their only child, and
the responsibility for taking
care of them fell on him.

He said he had actually been taking
care of them for the last
couple of years in their Greeley
home since their health began
to decline.

His mom was hospitalized
in late January for five days,
then returned home with home
health care. On Feb. 5, his father
went into the hospital, and
on Feb. 10, he was placed in a
nursing home in Greeley.

On Feb. 12, his mom was placed in
the same nursing home and
shared a room with Mike’s father.
“She really didn’t want to
go to the nursing home but …
they wanted to be together and
so they were,” Mike said.

His father returned home on
March 31 and was able to remain
there until near the end of
May. Mike’s mother remained
in the nursing home, and Mike
and his father were “going up
there at least twice a day ... one
Sunday we went up there three
times,” he said.

His father’s condition worsened and he
couldn’t visit his wife in the
nursing home. “He hated that
he couldn’t be up there,” Mike
said.
On May 25, his father was
admitted into hospice care and
returned to the nursing home
where he could spend his last
days with his wife.

“At least twice a day I could
get her to see him and she’d
hold his hand,” Mike said.
Mike was able to hold his
father’s hand for the last 15 or
20 minutes he was alive. A
minute or so after Duane died,
on May 29, Mike and a nurse
were able to help his mom up
so she could kiss her husband
one last time.

After his father’s death, his
mother became very distressed
and continued to become more
and more upset, Mike said. She
began to talk about being with
his father. Six days after his father
’s death, on June 4, his
mother died.

“If my dad would still be
alive I bet my mom would
still,” Mike said. “She probably
felt like she didn’t have any
purpose.”
There was a graveside service
for Mike’s parents at the
Johnstown Cemetery on June
21. There were two U.S. Navy
representatives who played
taps and presented Mike with a
U.S. flag in honor of his father’s
service.

Two of Mike’s mother’s brothers from Stoneham
were there along with
Mike’s cousin. A sister-in-law
of his parents was there too. It
was a short service.

Duane Mitchell was born in
Phillipsburg, Kansas. He grew
up in Milliken and graduated
from Milliken High School. He
served in the United States
Navy from 1952 to 1956, and
was in the U.S. Navy Reserve
for several years after that.

He met Mike’s mother while he
was in the Navy, and after Duane
got out of the Navy, they
married on Dec. 14, 1957. According
to Mike, Duane was
employed at the Great Western
Sugar Company’s Molasses
Desugarizing Plant in Johnstown
from 1957 until 1963.

He worked at the Colorado
Beef Company in Sterling from
1963 until about 1980. Duane
worked for the Weld County
Department of Public Works
from 1980 until he retired at
age 65.

Vera (Carlson) Mitchell was
born in Portal, North Dakota.
She was one of 11 children,
seven girls and four boys. In
1939, her family moved to
Minnesota and, when she was
in the 4th grade, they moved to
Stoneham, Colorado.

In May of
1951, she graduated from
Stoneham High School. Vera
attended Colorado College of
Education in Greeley for one
year majoring in home economics.

Then she worked in
bank bookkeeping departments
in Fort Morgan and Greeley for
several years.

It was during this time that she met Duane.
Vera had some problems with her
breathing, and in the mid 1950s
she went to Denver for surgery
in which a portion of each lung
was removed. Vera continued
to work during the 1950s and
up through 1971 as a bookkeeper.

After that she volunteered
with RSVP doing grocery
shopping for those who
couldn’t do it themselves. She
became a volunteer coordinator
with the Weld Food Bank and
worked in this position until
she retired in the late 1990s.

Mike said that his parents
were never very religious (they
had attended several churches
over the years), but in their later
years they watched Christian
TV programs together every
Saturday and Sunday (including
Billy Graham and Charles
Stanley) and they also studied
the Bible.

Mike said his parents spent
most of their time together. His
father even had his mother’s
name tattooed on his arm.

During the last few months, when
both of his parents were in and
out of the hospital and nursing
home, Mike said his dad said
he “didn’t know what he was
going to do if she dies first.”

Now that both of his parents
are gone, Mike said he would
like to live on the three-and-ahalf
acres in Wyoming where
he is building a log cabin.

It doesn’t look like that will happen
soon because his parents
didn’t think they needed a will
and he will have to stay in their
home in Greeley while the estate
is worked out.

Their bank account is frozen and he won’t
be able to sell the family home
soon.
But even amid that, Mike
does take some solace in the
fact that his parents, who spent
nearly six decades together,
were only separated for less
than a week, and now are together
again.
Maybe the song by Collin
Raye says it best: “If you get
there before I do, don’t give up
on me. I’ll meet you when my chores are through...."

Here is a video of my mom and dad's graveside service which took place at the Johnstown, CO cemetery on June 21, 2016 and it is a facebook link so I suppose many might not be able to view it. Maybe I can get the large video on another site soon? It is mainly two Navy guys doing the ceremony with the bugle and US flag > https://www.facebook.com/mike.mitch...084414033061/1127070710701098/?type=3&theater
 
#680 ·
#685 ·
Well today would have been your mom's birthday here on earth. But, it is her 1st birthday in Heaven.

I want you to know that while I may never meet you in person, I will always consider you my friend. I don't venture into many posts on SurvivalBoard because of meanness and the way some people seem determined to hurt others. But, you have always extended the hand of friendship and I appreciate that. In all your posts I have never read where you struck out at someone for their ignorance or cruelty. That says a lot to me. You are one of the good guys, Mike Mitchell and I am fortunate to have learned many things from you.
Thanks for all of the posts, condolences etc. from all who have bothered to look at this thread anymore.

And thanks for ruining my "Opsec" Sherrie. Kidding since at least once before I have given my name and it is in the newspaper article about my parents. And "Mike Mitchell" is a very common name as I saw when I googled it. I do have as much privacy as I can and I don't think I can be found easily unless some wish to waste a lot of time and maybe even money.

I hope many will look at some or all of the posts on the previous page of this thread. But if not then I must post the following one more time. Anyone can post this newspaper article elsewhere if you wish.

That newspaper lady interviewed me for about 3 hours and looked at many photos but glad they chose the best photo of my parents which I took about 5 years ago on my private road and my mtn land is seen to the right.

This will probably be the last time I post this article anywhere else and in case some missed it >>>

Here is an article that was written a few days ago and in the Johnstown Breeze newspaper. Johnstown, Colorado is where my mom and dad lived for at least seven years in the 1980's and from 1957 to 1963. This is a nice article that I was surprised to see that they took a lot of time etc. to create. Guess they thought it was something interesting and different? Hope quite a few will take a few minutes and read this article, which might be the only place on the net it will be posted. Except I did post it on facebook yesterday. This article tells much of what I would tell - write if I was a good writer. My parents were the two most important people in my life and maybe many cannot understand that, especially if you do not ever see or call your parents or have or had a bad relationship... I was "fortunate" that I did have a good, close relationship with them.

I am not going to be online too much in the future unless something interesting or important happens. Such as an economic collapse, WWIII, terrorist attacks or the Hillary getting elected. Anyway, Thanks to all who care, thank and like what I have ever posted since 2009 >






Together nearly 60 years, apart only six days

By Kathy Wagner
The Johnstown Breeze

They were married for nearly
60 years. They died just six
days apart.
The last six months have
been really hard on Mike.

Both of his parents,
Duane and Vera Mitchell, were
in their early 80s and they each
had multiple health problems.
Mike was their only child, and
the responsibility for taking
care of them fell on him.

He said he had actually been taking
care of them for the last
couple of years in their Greeley
home since their health began
to decline.

His mom was hospitalized
in late January for five days,
then returned home with home
health care. On Feb. 5, his father
went into the hospital, and
on Feb. 10, he was placed in a
nursing home in Greeley.

On Feb. 12, his mom was placed in
the same nursing home and
shared a room with Mike’s father.
“She really didn’t want to
go to the nursing home but …
they wanted to be together and
so they were,” Mike said.

His father returned home on
March 31 and was able to remain
there until near the end of
May. Mike’s mother remained
in the nursing home, and Mike
and his father were “going up
there at least twice a day ... one
Sunday we went up there three
times,” he said.

His father’s condition worsened and he
couldn’t visit his wife in the
nursing home. “He hated that
he couldn’t be up there,” Mike
said.
On May 25, his father was
admitted into hospice care and
returned to the nursing home
where he could spend his last
days with his wife.

“At least twice a day I could
get her to see him and she’d
hold his hand,” Mike said.
Mike was able to hold his
father’s hand for the last 15 or
20 minutes he was alive. A
minute or so after Duane died,
on May 29, Mike and a nurse
were able to help his mom up
so she could kiss her husband
one last time.

After his father’s death, his
mother became very distressed
and continued to become more
and more upset, Mike said. She
began to talk about being with
his father. Six days after his father
’s death, on June 4, his
mother died.

“If my dad would still be
alive I bet my mom would
still,” Mike said. “She probably
felt like she didn’t have any
purpose.”
There was a graveside service
for Mike’s parents at the
Johnstown Cemetery on June
21. There were two U.S. Navy
representatives who played
taps and presented Mike with a
U.S. flag in honor of his father’s
service.

Two of Mike’s mother’s brothers from Stoneham
were there along with
Mike’s cousin. A sister-in-law
of his parents was there too. It
was a short service.

Duane Mitchell was born in
Phillipsburg, Kansas. He grew
up in Milliken and graduated
from Milliken High School. He
served in the United States
Navy from 1952 to 1956, and
was in the U.S. Navy Reserve
for several years after that.

He met Mike’s mother while he
was in the Navy, and after Duane
got out of the Navy, they
married on Dec. 14, 1957. According
to Mike, Duane was
employed at the Great Western
Sugar Company’s Molasses
Desugarizing Plant in Johnstown
from 1957 until 1963.

He worked at the Colorado
Beef Company in Sterling from
1963 until about 1980. Duane
worked for the Weld County
Department of Public Works
from 1980 until he retired at
age 65.

Vera (Carlson) Mitchell was
born in Portal, North Dakota.
She was one of 11 children,
seven girls and four boys. In
1939, her family moved to
Minnesota and, when she was
in the 4th grade, they moved to
Stoneham, Colorado.

In May of
1951, she graduated from
Stoneham High School. Vera
attended Colorado College of
Education in Greeley for one
year majoring in home economics.

Then she worked in
bank bookkeeping departments
in Fort Morgan and Greeley for
several years.

It was during this time that she met Duane.
Vera had some problems with her
breathing, and in the mid 1950s
she went to Denver for surgery
in which a portion of each lung
was removed. Vera continued
to work during the 1950s and
up through 1971 as a bookkeeper.

After that she volunteered
with RSVP doing grocery
shopping for those who
couldn’t do it themselves. She
became a volunteer coordinator
with the Weld Food Bank and
worked in this position until
she retired in the late 1990s.

Mike said that his parents
were never very religious (they
had attended several churches
over the years), but in their later
years they watched Christian
TV programs together every
Saturday and Sunday (including
Billy Graham and Charles
Stanley) and they also studied
the Bible.

Mike said his parents spent
most of their time together. His
father even had his mother’s
name tattooed on his arm.

During the last few months, when
both of his parents were in and
out of the hospital and nursing
home, Mike said his dad said
he “didn’t know what he was
going to do if she dies first.”

Now that both of his parents
are gone, Mike said he would
like to live on the three-and-ahalf
acres in Wyoming where
he is building a log cabin.

It doesn’t look like that will happen
soon because his parents
didn’t think they needed a will
and he will have to stay in their
home in Greeley while the estate
is worked out.

Their bank account is frozen and he won’t
be able to sell the family home
soon.
But even amid that, Mike
does take some solace in the
fact that his parents, who spent
nearly six decades together,
were only separated for less
than a week, and now are together
again.
Maybe the song by Collin
Raye says it best: “If you get
there before I do, don’t give up
on me. I’ll meet you when my chores are through...."

Here is a video of my mom and dad's graveside service which took place at the Johnstown, CO cemetery on June 21, 2016 and it is a facebook link so I suppose many might not be able to view it. It is mainly two Navy guys doing the ceremony with the bugle and US flag > https://www.facebook.com/mike.mitch...084414033061/1127070710701098/?type=3&theater
 
#684 ·
Well today would have been your mom's birthday here on earth. But, it is her 1st birthday in Heaven.

I want you to know that while I may never meet you in person, I will always consider you my friend. I don't venture into many posts on SurvivalBoard because of meanness and the way some people seem determined to hurt others. But, you have always extended the hand of friendship and I appreciate that. In all your posts I have never read where you struck out at someone for their ignorance or cruelty. That says a lot to me. You are one of the good guys, Mike Mitchell and I am fortunate to have learned many things from you.
 
#688 ·
Thanks for the posts, thanks etc. everyone.

And nice to see a post from Pilot11 since I have never heard of him before. But probably many whom I never have or never will hear or see a message from. I like some responses since it keeps me coming back to this forum. Although I am online less and less anymore for various reasons.

I do want to tell quickly about my returning to the mtn retreat which some call a Hold. I hope to make it into a good wilderness-like homestead within 3 or so years. But I cannot move up there permanently unless I can get my parents estate settled. Which is not too much but plenty for me. They had no will since they thought I should have no trouble since I am an only child.

But they and even I could not guess how ridiculously complicated everything is and my $220 an hour attorney told me that I should wait for one year - until mid June 2017 and see him again, open a probate process etc. etc. I should study all winter, even now until next June about probate, a bit every time I get online maybe.

I will not tell all of the reasons my attorney said I should wait a year but in short it is so I can get the house in my name and be able to Hopefully get all of my inheritance with no trouble... Hope, hope, hope. And hope the economy, the price of houses etc. are still good next summer.

About my returning to my mtn place is that I did go up there for 3 days, the end of July 2016. Two nights actually and I worked for two days for a neighbor - Alfred - who has a nice cabin - similar to a Swiss chalet, with two expensive solar panels, a thousand gallon water tank and much more.

I mainly cleaned up some of the area above his cabin, removing dead trees etc. And repaired his stone stairway, since he, his wife and other relatives are going up there for a while this August. It was hard dirty work and only ten hours of work but it helped me quite a bit since he paid $20 an hour.

I also saw my mtn place mainly for a few hours one afternoon. Not much damage from the snowpack and the half built cabin was ok also. Only a small crack in one place where I had put a lot of concrete around some logs. A neighbor's structure did get damaged from last winter's snowpack, which might have gotten around ten feet deep.
A little over average snowpack. Wish I would have gotten a pic of that damaged structure but here is a photo I took of that structure which covered that neighbor guy's large RV which he stayed in sometimes in late summer and Sept. when he and his friends bowhunted for elk and black bear. The whole left side of this structure was gone but luckily not much damage to the white RV. >



This pic shows the front of the new lumber covering which is lumber underneath and a green metal roof with dark brown metal on the sides. The large white RV is, of course underneath. This summer - late July I saw this structure which is just across the dirt road from my gate and driveway. The whole left side and most of the brown part is gone, crushed by last winter's snowpack >



And all of the time I have to post anymore at this Greeley, CO library. I also go to McDonalds or a coffee shop to get online but I have been going a bit too often to McDonalds lately.

And I also post much more on my Facebook if I post much anywhere lately >
https://www.facebook.com/mike.mitchell.925602
 
#689 ·
Nature Property Vegetation Natural landscape Landscape


Countertop Room Building Ceiling Property


Roof Property Palm tree Home Tree


Room Countertop Property Kitchen Furniture
Nature Property Vegetation Natural landscape Landscape


Countertop Room Building Ceiling Property


Roof Property Palm tree Home Tree


Room Countertop Property Kitchen Furniture
My mountain retreat is almost finished.This is a work in progress as it was a total gut, and needed landscaping.

I did most of the work and it is totally controlled by my computer.The lights, door locks,fireplace,air conditioning,security system,heating,sound systems including the fans and heated pool.

The solar panels are for the massive lap pool and 2800 sq foot house. Working on building custom maple wall cabinets in all the closets and rooms.Wiring the 2 acre yard with lighting, natural gas, and outlets almost killed me. Palm tree suck when you have over a hundred of them that needed trimming. I Ran a new electric service for house and garage.I'm up at near 4000 feet on solid granite and very close to the ocean.

The neighbors are survivalist which makes it even better.Fruit trees are everywhere including a huge garden.
 
#691 ·
Sorry to read of your loss. I know what a challenge it can be to be a full time carer to elderly parents and having to watch them slip away. I lost my dad last year and am looking after my mum now (the reason I barely have time to read forums these days) - it's a full time job that many cannot live up to. Good on you and all the best for your future plans.
 
#692 ·
Thanks to you DS and everyone else for posting. Even to Mr. Slow who he and I usually have not agreed on much, over the past few years here on this S-boards but I am grateful that he posted, even twice. Most of my "friends" have not seen this thread lately or just don't care anymore about what I do or have done for the past couple years.
Hopefully next summer I will be back more as an outdoors survivalist. Since I hope to finally move to my mtn place permanently as soon as my parents small estate is settled but according to my attorney not until next June or July - 2017, when I can get my name on the titles and hope to sell the house etc., which I don't like but I do understand and I will try to keep going even here in this stinkincity of Greeley, CO - somewhat trapped here until July or so 2017.

And I just sent a message to someone I never heard about but who did contact me. I think and hope some others will also like my answer. >

Thanks for the good post > "Hey Mike, just wanted to thank you for sharing. I'm a little bit behind where you are right now. Just moved to an eastern state to be with my parents. Kinda not sure how it's all gonna play out. This is definitely NOT where we want to settle down but it's where they are right now. It might give us a chance to save some $ towards whatever place we ultimately can find, not sure how much. Also not sure if there will be anything left when they go as some of the medical bills are just huge. It's mostly insurance right now but the way insurance companies are taking a dump, I don't know which will last longer, the insurance companies or my parents. It's a hard situation. And it sounds like you've been there."

******************************************

That experience taking care of my parents, seeing my Dad die Twice, once on the emergency room table and once while I held his hand in the nursing home, after being with him everyday for 4 days and then not being with my mom while she died, because the Greeley Kenton nursing home would not call me but those two plus years were possibly the most difficult time of my life. She passed away six days after my dad and she passed away over night on June 4th.
And I have went thru quite a bit, such as getting laid off a few times from factories, getting part of a finger cut off and other things I would just as soon not discuss in public. But being the main caregiver for my parents for the past two plus years and watching them fade and then die was not easy at all. I Hope it has helped me for future problems although I am not sure if I will ever fully get over this past two years.

My advice to about everyone is to first get an elder care attorney. I don't like lawyers but it was necessary. And get your parents Medicaid plus Medicare and whatever else if possible. Unless you do have great private insurance or are independently wealthy.
With Medicaid though they Might very well take your parents house etc. unless you have a good attorney to help you keep Medicaid etc. from taking your inheritance.

If possible try to get an estate made at least five years before they would go into a nursing home or assisted living. And make sure your parents have a Will. And other things such as an attorney or even doctor can help you get such as a living will etc. Having a will Will help you after they pass away.
My parents did not have a will, which I should have tried harder to get one but they thought since I was an only child a will should not be necessary. They and I also just did not realize, that society etc. is Extremely complicated, probably more than it was 20 plus years ago even.

Also try to save much even put as much money into a private safe or even into silver and gold if you are able. But keep as much as you can out of a bank etc. where Medicaid, the hospital etc. can steal it. My attorney told me that if I live in my parents house for a year then I can likely open probate etc. etc. with hopefully no problems. There would be problems if I open probate, go to court etc. too soon.

And my attorney told me that any medical bills etc. that are not My bills but are my parents bills, do not have to be paid by me. He told me to write "deceased" on my parents bills and send those bills back... But do not take what I have just written for the total way it is since each case might be different. But a lawyer, especially an elder care attorney can tell you all what is best.

All for now but I can answer any specific questions by email, message etc. if any wish. Maybe later, MM Mike
 
#694 ·
I think the pics in the first few posts of this long thread, y'know, Mtnman Mike's place, is a survival retreat just as the title of this thread says:
Mtn Wilderness Survival Retreat Experiences with 60 + pics

It is probably not the most expensive retreat - BOL on the planet but looks like it has about everything one needs to survive such as water, wood, wildlife, high ground and sheds, a bunker - storm - fallout -storage shelter and as MMMike has posted even some pics of his new half built cabin.

And since maybe I am one of only a few who have read this whole thread over the years, it has quite a few posts, pics, links etc that show other survival retreats, BOL's and homesteads.

And the bunker as MMM has told, and I quote him, is mainly a "very secure, very strong storage / storm shelter." And pics of that bunker / shelter are in post #2 of this long thread or in the first couple posts of this bunker - shelter thread where many have posted: http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=107463

Bytheway, this long mtn survival retreat thread is very interesting for the most part with more pics, vids and links than maybe any other thread I have seen on the net.
 
#695 ·
Mike sorry to hear about your parents I have not been around for awhile long story.
My father dies a long time ago and then when my mother died she only had $1500.00 in a bank account as she was in a nursing home for years.
I could not believe all the crap I had to go through because the had this $1500.00 so best of luck watch that attorney some are not so honest.
Hope it all works out and you get back in the mountains not sure how you can live there all year 10 feet of snow is allot. Take care looking forward to your new adventures.
 
#696 ·
I just read this. I'm sorry for your loss. That sucks. It's harder on your that they both passed at the same time, but I hope my wife and I die together at an old age.

her first ;) (bad joke)

My dad died when he was 60yo. The last four months fighting cancer really destroyed him as a person. So when he died, it was kind of a relief, especially for his benefit.
 
#700 ·
Thanks and hope you look at many of the pics and some videos throughout this long thread.
I do not "hoe" on my mtn place but I know what you mean.

I mainly use containers to grow vegetables. As seen in post #2 of this wilderness retreat thread. So deer, the bear etc. don't get anymore of my vegetables I will use more chicken wire and especially have a greenhouse.

The main greenhouse that I plan to use year round will be part of my new log / rock cabin which one of the large windows is seen here, of me nailing this large two pane sliding glass door. I will have at least two of these large windows in the new cabin which I hope to mostly finish within a year or two. >



I hope to make a good blog someday after I can move up to my mtn place permanently, hopefully sometime this next summer. But I plan to post updates in this thread also. I am posting less and less on the net but I try to answer any questions or comments.

And I do have a several wild spots with fruit bushes etc. on and near my mtn place / retreat - hope to make it into a fulltime wilderness homestead soon. Here is one of the best spots where my main spring flows thru >

 
#703 ·
Thanks although Mtnman Mike does not exist anymore. Possibly in some online places but not on the net very much anyway. He will be allowed to respond to any questions which it seems like you, mtnairkin, are the first one to ask any questions this year of 2017.

The person formerly known as Mtnman Mike or even MMM is now known as Rockymtn Mike as if he is even allowed to go into his beloved Rocky Mountains anymore. But all should change for the better later this summer after societal obligations are fulfilled, the Greedey, Calirado house sold etc. etc. then MMM or RMM will Hopefully Finally be moved Permanently up onto his beloved Mountain in southern Wyoming. Also known as the Mountain Hold or Mike's remote mtn retreat place.

Mike has been very very busy working at the corn research place in Calirado and that job is finally about over with in time for planting the corn projects...

Hopefully on June 5, 2017 the meeting with the attorney will be completed and then Mike can get his life back. Mike has also turned into a simple prepper since he has not been able to be on his beloved Mtn retreat - Hold, for at least 2 years now, Living and doing all kinds of survival as a well experienced survivalist. As he did for every summer since at least 1999 until 2014.

Here is a link to the snow survey station >> https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/report...EQ::value,SNWD::value,PREC::value,TOBS::value
that is half a mile from the Mike's mtn place and it was up to 112 inches of snowpack and still is more than 90 inches and will likely be all melted by early July.
Yes this is a programmed computer response since the real human MMM has disappeared into the city suciety oblivion until he can Finally get back up into the wild and his remote mountain!
 
#705 ·
Well said man of mountains!

I made a new video about MMM's underground bunker / shelter! Questions and Answers for those that are new or interested in more info, MMM approves of it too (I think).

 
#706 ·
I usually don't get excited with much I find on the net anymore but the great pics shown in the link I am about to give show what I have tried to do since 1987 and that is build my own cabin.

Although my new cabin will be different made out of logs, rocks, even quartz, concrete, 4 steel beams, at least two large windows and a greenhouse. Anyway here is the link with photos that possibly some of you have seen before but I think they are great. I also hope to post new photos of what I will and must do within the next couple years. Here is the link I hope many will look at and even comment on >

http://awm.com/photos-he-bought-thi...st-100-what-he-transforms-it-into-incredible/

A short update is that I am finally done with my estate attorney who charged me $970 but $260 of that was court costs etc. I have two realtors who I hope will "fight" it out to sell my parents, now my, house. One realtor told me the house would sell in 48 hours since the Colorado housing market is red hot. Definitely a sellers market.

I hated to be trapped here in Greeley, CO for the past year or so but the house did go up in value by at least $60,000 which I need all that I can get with the high cost of doing anything in society. I am going to first buy better health insurance which I could use some ideas on that. Plus I must buy a newer pickup truck since the one I own now is a 1979 Ford F-150 which still runs pretty well. I am thinking of getting a Ford F-350 with the works, winch and probably even a trailer. I do have an old trailer on my mtn place and maybe I will get some kind of camping trailer also. I Might go for a Chevy or Dodge but most likely a Ford. In much of Wyoming especially Encampment and Saratoga and ranches there are mostly Fords and Chevy pickup trucks. Very very few foreign vehicles unless there are tourists.

I also likely will get a smartphone, maybe a Samsung? The tracfone I have had for a few years now is sorta dumb. I can also use some ideas for investments but I likely won't have enough money even with the sale of the house to invest in stocks or bonds. Maybe penny stocks but I am thinking of getting at least some gold and junk silver, even some silver Eagles which I have a few of those but not enough.

I also will be buying at least a one year supply of food. Plenty of water on my mtn place with two springs and up there I have at least 3 large drums to also store water. Well all for now and I also would like a few good people to join me or at least come visit the mtn place in southern Wyoming someday. Next summer might be best since I might not even get up there until just after Labor Day 2017. On Sept. 5, 2017 I likely will have jury duty as I received a summons in the mail. I hardly ever got those but got one real fast after my name got on the house title. More later and hope a few like the link I gave earlier in this thread....
 
#707 ·
Good to hear from you MMM!

Well, I'd just stick the cash in the bank after buying what you need to buy.

Get some beans and bullets, plus a place in Wyoming to winter in if you can't get to your mountain realm during the close-off of the roads etc.

I wouldn't get a smart phone either. They are over-rated and don't keep a charge for that long.
 
Top