REMOTE LIVING
Real Estate Living out in the boonies suits the McKibben family just fine. Todd and Monica McKibben and their boys, Torrin and Mahone, spend most of their time outdoors on their rural, wooded acreage
nities, churches and organizations, and still value time spent with friends and family. In the end, they appreciate a sense of living in a “place” that’s all theirs. With an excessive number of “out-there” roads in Bonner County, just traveling to homes that are off the beaten path can be an adventurous journey. Once there, it’s easy to discover why many families and residents in our area enjoy the freedom of relaxing and seeking comfort in their surroundings. It was eight years ago when Todd and Monica McKibben – both adventure guides who were on their way to Alaska at the time – made a stop in Sandpoint. Then and there, they decided to put the brakes on those plans and make northern Idaho their new home. They purchased 12 scenic, birch-wooded acres off Samuels Road. Two children later, they’ve never looked back. “It’s about living,” said Todd McKibben, 37, about the decision to make their home out in the country on a remote parcel of land. He grew up in the Midwest – “in the city where I could ride my bike to Dairy Queen” – but was drawn to a life in the mountains where he could enjoy his own space and show sons Torrin, 8, and Mahone, 5, a more active lifestyle. “We chop firewood, and the boys have to stack it. Living out here, it makes my kids stronger and keeps us involved in their lives. We’re always outside.” The McKibbens’ spacious acreage is a giant playground, of sorts, with lots of hand-built features for the entire fam-
ily. Todd built a deluxe tree house for the boys with a steep wooden slide that hosts ski tricks during the snowy months, and skateboard stunts in warmer months. Also on the property is a wood-fired hot tub, a guest yurt, a large shop that’s still under construction to hold all of the family’s outdoor toys, and the family’s main residence: a 720-square-foot yurt that includes a wrap-around deck and year-round outdoor shower. The yurt is relatively small but provides an open-room feel that’s plenty big for the family of four. There’s no indoor bathroom (“We have two and a half outhouses,” Monica, 36, said, cheerfully), but they do enjoy other modern conveniences such as a washer and dryer and standard kitchen appliances. Artisan touches throughout the yurt, mostly handcrafted by Todd, utilize nearly every inch of space for either storage or living. The parents’ loft is situated above the boys’ room, and there’s even a walk-in dressing room. While living in a yurt might not be for everyone, the McKibbens are thrilled with their decision. Not only did the yurt help the family financially (the McKibbens don’t have a mortgage), it also forces everyone to spend much of their time outdoors. Monica, who runs a small massage therapy business out of the guest yurt, loves the fact that she can homeschool their boys. The freedom of not being tied to a school schedule, or payments, allows the family to spend more of their time together – whether it’s skiing at Schweitzer, playing on the
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