Wish I had the time and money to hang out at Whitney Portal in style...

Address: "15 Whitney Portal Campground, Lone Pine CA 93545"




Here's the link to the pictures.

Link to the realtors page.

Link to another listing.

125,000???? That is super cheap to live in such an awesome place!

I'd buy it if the economy wasn't so crappy and I wasn't working half the time.

Actually I missed the part where it says the Forest Service has a 20 year lease and they have 18 more years. But hell still worth buying considering they would then be paying you to use it which means you would be paying very little for it and after 18 years it's yours completely.

RP, I don't think the leases work like that. With F.S. leases, there are considerable restrictions. In fact, I think owners aren't even allowed to rent them out. At the end of the lease, the property remains with the F.S. They might renew the lease, ...or they could require you to remove the cabin.

At least I think that is how it works.

You are correct, Steve, the owners are NOT ALLOWED to rent them.

Besides, there are HOA dues.

My wife and I stayed in one of those cabins in September 2007. My wife, whose co-worker knew the owner, allowed us to stay. Very nice place adjacent the Meysan Lakes TH.

The house was similar to this one only there were stairs and no ladder. "stairs" have treads that are narrow and the risers are very high without hand rails. You had to literally sidle up and down facing the wall. If you sleep in the loft and have to go to the bathroom downstairs, you had to be very careful or you could lose it on the way down.

And...

Remember the portal road closes and it can get nasty cold up there.

And look out for the bears if you don't bearproof your home. Mammoth is a perfect example.

All it takes is one good rockfall and then "sin loi" you out of a house, pal.

$125K ain't worth the price of admission for the Portal Area.

On the other hand, if that cabin were for sale here on the Westend say near Fish Camp or even Oakhurst, and for the same asking price (hah), then my wife and I would be all over it and our uncle, a real estate broker, will be busy earning his commission. A cabin like that here on the Westend could fetch $250k or greater. Negotiable, of course.

I've stayed in one of those cabins. A hiking friend has a cousin who inherited it, and Steve's right about the lease. As I recall, you're not only required to maintain it, but also improve it over time.

I guess I should have known better with California.

*Legalize freedom*

> with California

Has nothing to do with Cali.  It's the U.S. Forest Service rules.

Well paying 125K to be a volunteer to maintain a property at even more expense is just a bad investment lol.

This seems like a really great deal, at first, but the idea of "leasing" the cabin from Uncle Sam sours the deal for me. $125,000 buys alot of gas and hotel stays without the responsibility of upkeep. The idea of being able to live "temporarily", albeit 18 years, on public land is, IMO, just plain wrong.

Here's the web site of the National Forest Homeowners.

Apparently their leases are controlled by congressional legislation.

Not sure what John P.'s exact objection is, but I know what mine is. Probably ought to take it over to the chat room for that discussion, however. Political economy of the USFS and the USDUH -- sorrry, "USDA" -- can be a pretty charged subject.

I'd move in, whatever the restrictions, but I can't make a living up there, plus Doug told me it's not legal to live in these things year round (even though some folks have done so).

Maybe one day I'll just go and get a housekeeper job in one of those for the winter, kinda like in The Shining ;-)

ahhhhhh...... a girl can dream

Does anyone know the Mega Millions winning lotto numbers??????

Barb, I thought you and Gary were holding out until the Marriott was built out there and you guys could live in it.

I'd tell you but I already have them. Sorry.