McCarthy Cabin Build-Delivery

McCarthy, Alaska, is a small town in Alaska, approximately six hours from Anchorage, and in the middle of the wilderness and the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park. While there’s a few restaurants and various guide outfitters, there’s no grocery store and definitely no hardware store anywhere nearby. When Woodsen’s dad, Wes, decided he was ready to build on his property in McCarthy, he opted for a deliverable structure to simplify the logistics of materials and labor. In April, Wes had signed a contract and started the process of having a custom cabin built in Knik, Alaska, by Stitt Construction. The plan was for the cabin to be transported and delivered to McCarthy, Alaska, in mid August. You can read more about building our dream Alaskan cabin here.

When August rolled around, I was exhausted from the typical fast-paced Alaskan summer. By the second week of August, Woodsen and his Dad had already made their way to McCarthy to prepare, and I waffled on whether to make the 5-hour drive with the kids. The idea of staying home and enjoying a few down days sounded nice when compared to a long drive with kids and not knowing how I would occupy four kids at a construction site. As much as I wanted to relax, I knew the cabin would only be delivered once, and I would regret it if I didn’t head to McCarthy so the kids and I could watch the whole event unfold.

Fortunately, a few things fell into place that helped motivate me to head towards McCarthy. My friend Hannah was getting married at her home in Kenny Lake the day before the cabin was scheduled to arrive. This meant I could break up the drive with a stop at Kenny Lake and be there for my friend on her wedding day. Then, our friends, the Grays, had offered to let us stay in their guest cabin in McCarthy while we awaited the arrival of our cabin. Staying with the Grays not only solved where we would stay, but also meant we would have friends to hang out with if the construction site wasn’t kid-friendly. With things falling into place, I took it as a sign to get my tail into gear and start packing for a trip to McCarthy with the kids.

Group selfie featuring four women and two young girls, all smiling at the camera against a backdrop of trees and a blurred outdoor event.
A group of smiling adults and children posing together outdoors with trees and tents in the background.
Two women smiling at an outdoor wedding in Alaska, with a beautiful natural backdrop and event setup in the background.

We enjoyed a sunny day for Paul & Hannah’s beautiful outdoor wedding and potluck, then enjoyed visiting with friends from the area we hadn’t seen for a while. After an enjoyable day in Kenny Lake, we loaded up and headed for Chitna, then the 60-mile gravel road that separates McCarthy from Chitna.

The kids and I made it to McCarthy and stopped by the building site to see Wes and Woodsen. The next day was August 11th, and, right on schedule, Mike Stitt predicted they would arrive in McCarthy with the building around lunchtime. They would leave Knik at 1 am and slowly navigate the 200+ mile journey, which included crossing a wooden bridge, winding roads, road construction, the narrow rock-cut at Chitna (and the reason we built the cabin 14 ft wide), and finally, 60 miles of gravel roads.

Next, we headed to our friends’ guest cabin to get settled for the night and enjoy what was quite possibly our last time staying there. A sad thought considering how easy it made it to spend time with our friends. We arrived at their house to find more friends along with a moose near the cabin.

A man sitting in a camping chair, writing notes on a clipboard, while a young child sits on his leg, both appearing to enjoy a relaxed moment outdoors.
A group of children and an adult are gathered under an umbrella, looking at a phone together. The atmosphere is casual and communal, with a focus on the activity on the device.
Four children smiling together at a cabin site in McCarthy, Alaska. The kids are dressed in colorful outdoor clothing, with a wooden structure and trees in the background.
Two children observing a moose in a grassy area surrounded by trees in Alaska.
Two smiling women posing closely together in a cozy indoor setting.

The next day dawned rainy, so we geared up and made a beeline for the cabin site, excited to see the progress and await the convoy. Much to Yukla’s delight, David Rowland had is heavy equipment out and was working at the site.

A truck transporting a custom cabin structure, wrapped in white protective material, parked on a gravel surface surrounded by trees in Alaska.
Photos from Stitt Construction of the cabin and addition loaded up and ready to role.
A young child joyfully stands in front of a large yellow CAT construction vehicle, raising their hands in excitement.
A group of children and adults stands on top of a shipping container, with a lush forest in the background. An ATV is parked in front, and construction tools are visible nearby.
Construction site with heavy machinery and gravel in a forested area in McCarthy, Alaska, under a cloudy sky.
A construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, featuring a group of adults and children observing workers in the trench while heavy machinery operates in the background.

Soon friends were sending us screenshots of the McCarthy Road FB group with photos showing the cabin convoy moving down the McCarthy Road

A convoy of trucks transporting an oversized load down a gravel road in McCarthy, Alaska, surrounded by dense trees on a rainy day.

With the cabin nearby and time to spare, we jumped in the airplane to get an aerial view of the spectacle.

Three children sitting in a small aircraft, wearing headsets. One child is asleep, while the others appear focused on the view outside.
Aerial view of a gravel road winding through a dense forest in McCarthy, Alaska, with a truck transporting a cabin visible on the road.
Aerial view of a truck transporting a cabin on a secluded gravel road surrounded by dense green forest in Alaska.

We had to hurry back to the property to beat the convoy, which arrived promptly at 11 am, earlier than promised back in April when we first designed the cabin. Stitt Construction is a family business, and we were thrilled that three generations of Stitts arrived to complete the Job. Mike Stitt Sr, Mike Stitt Jr, and Mike Stitt III, along with his brother Matthew.

A large, wrapped cabin structure on a flatbed truck, accompanied by several vehicles with flags, parked in a gravel area surrounded by trees.
A truck towing a trailer with a covered cabin structure, parked on a gravel surface surrounded by trees in a remote area.
A man stands on a gravel road with two children, surrounded by dense trees and a truck with construction equipment in the background.

We loved that it was turning into a family afair, and soon it was a neighborhood affair as well, with friends and neighbors coming to see the progress. Lori, who lived down the road, rounded the kids up and took them to her house to get them out of the rain and bake cookies.

A group of people gathered at a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, with heavy machinery in the background and trees lining the area.
Children and adults gather on a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, with machinery in the background amid a cloudy sky.
A group of people walking along a gravel road in a forested area, carrying small black boxes.
A group of adults and children stands on a gravel road surrounded by trees, with some wearing raincoats and rubber boots. One adult is holding a child, while another adult stands nearby holding a child as well. In the background, trucks and trailers are parked.

The Stitt crew hit the ground running. They set up a camper to base out of, and were soon finishing pounding the last piles, placing beams, and welding braces.

Construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, featuring heavy machinery and wooden beams being prepared for a cabin.
Construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, featuring wooden beams being laid on a gravel foundation with heavy machinery in the background.

Before all the braces were welded, the cabin was on the move towards its final destination.

A truck carrying a wrapped cabin structure parked in a muddy area, with children walking nearby and forested land in the background.

McCarthy is known for its dry weather, but the one day it rained that week was the day the cabin was delivered. The heavy-duty truck tires sank down deep in muck and mire (that’s for you Yukla). David’s loader was enlisted, and they coaxed the trailer out of the mud.

A large truck transporting a wrapped cabin structure at a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, with workers nearby.
A large truck with an oversized load covered in white tarpaulin, parked in a muddy area surrounded by trees. Heavy machinery and vehicles are visible in the background, indicating a construction site.
A truck transporting a cabin is stuck in muddy, uneven terrain, with the rear wheels partially sunk into the ground.
Construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, featuring heavy machinery and a partially covered structure.
A woman holding a young child stands in front of construction materials and heavy machinery in a remote area in McCarthy, Alaska.

Welding was finished as they aligned the trailer between the beams.

A white-wrapped cabin structure being unloaded by workers at a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, surrounded by trees and gravel.

Mud didn’t hinder progress any further; the building quickly moved into place and floated above its foundation. Then the cabin was smoothly moved off the trailer and came to its final resting place. When Mike Stitt had confidently assured us he could build a 60 ft cabin in Knik and deliver it to McCarthy, I could tell he was knowledgeable, and I knew that if anyone could do it he could, but thinking through the logistics of such a job, I was plenty skeptical.

But here we were, and here it was.

Not a window was broken, and the only damage from the journey was two batten boards that had gotten damaged while passing through the rock cut in Chitna, both of which were replaced and painted by the next day.

Next step was the unveiling.

Soon the addtion was easily moved into place and attached.

A young child in a blue sweater and colorful skirt smiles while holding a snack, standing in a construction site with a cabin in the background.
Workers on the roof of a newly constructed cabin in McCarthy, Alaska, unrolling a tarp in front of the building.
A custom cabin being unloaded from a trailer at a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, with workers overseeing the process.
A new cabin being delivered on a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, with workers and equipment present.

We closed out work on August 11th with the cabin in place and assembled. The next day, they planned to start installing the decks.

A new blue cabin sitting on wooden supports in a rural area of McCarthy, Alaska, surrounded by trees and construction equipment.

While the crew placed the decking around the cabin, Woodsen and Wes lowered the well pump with help from Ben and plenty of kids.

A child with long blonde hair wearing a pink shirt is kneeling on the ground surrounded by greenery, placing leaves on a stone structure in a natural setting.
Two people, an adult and a child, observing construction equipment through a large window in a cabin, with mountains and trees visible in the background.
Three children playing outdoors in a forested area, with one child sitting on the ground and holding a rock, while the others look on.
A group of adults and children gathered around a ladder at a construction site in the Alaskan wilderness, with trees in the background and a clear blue sky above.
Two workers on a wooden platform adjusting a chain as a heavy machinery claw prepares to lift it, surrounded by trees and a trailer in the background.
Construction workers are finishing the exterior of a blue cabin with multiple windows and a wooden deck in a wooded area of McCarthy, Alaska.

Kids running around was a theme of the day. Thankfully, all of Mike’s workers were familiar with this and not only careful, but extremely patient and tolerant. Mike’s kids could be seen helping on the roof, riding along in the mini excavator, or catching a ride with Grandpa on the four-wheeler. Our kids were grateful for friends to play with.

An adult man sitting on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with two young boys, surrounded by dirt and trees, near a newly built cabin.

Michael used David’s large excavator to place the decks, but while it sat waiting for the next project, the kids strated using the chain as a swing, then Melozi decided to climb the chain in hopes of being rewarded with candy if she reached the top. This was a tradition started in Seldovia, and earlier this summer, Melozi had climbed the rope for the first time and received a candy bar. She successfully climbed the chain and was thrilled with her reward.

A large yellow excavator lifts a chain on a construction site in McCarthy, Alaska, with several people and vehicles visible in the background.
An excavator lifting a girl hanging from a chain in a construction site with a cabin and mountainous background.
A smiling child with blonde hair holds a package of milk chocolate M&M's, set against a backdrop of trees and a construction site.

Two days of work on site had the cabin assembled and on its foundations, and the majority of the decks in place. Now we awaited the arrival of the sauna.

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