Notes from off the grid...
Welcome to our newsletter where we bring you the current happenings, local conditions, events, tips for property owners and important notices to our clients.
July Update 2024
Here we are at the halfway point in our busiest season. Summer has been really great so far, but peak season always brings its challenges to both owners and hosts.
We thought it was important to update everyone on our current situations and give some pointers on how to deal with the busy season.
We always try our best to make every cabin our priority, but it can be difficult to bring the same level of attention to each cabin when houses and reservations are full. During this peak reservation time it may take a little longer than it would in the spring or fall for us to respond to an issue. We have brought on some extra help at this time to assist us, but we still need to deal with emergencies first. Our beautiful rural location here in the North Cascades can also mean things just take a bit longer to happen. It's all part of owning a place where everyone wants to be.
Full Burn
Ban is in effect
June rain and July heat combined to cause dry conditions in the North Cascades. A full burn ban has been issued by North Cascades Recreational Complex, Washington state DNR and by our park. This means no campfires, cooking fires or any outdoor burning. Propane stoves are ok until further notice. Propane fire pits can offer guests that campfire feel for a complete outdoor experience.
CRCC Water Update
There are still ongoing water issues in the park. We are working with the CRCC management to keep up to date on any changes. We will continue to operate as we have been for the past few months. We have a plan in place to deal with any water outages that may occur.
Hot days and guest issues...
The busy season brings lots of guests, but it also brings a lot of additional use to our park and properties. Add in the extreme heat we have been having and this all puts a lot of additional stress on our cabin appliances, fixtures and systems. Although this is a normal part of owning a rental, there are additional factors involved due to the off grid status of our community and our remote location.
Some of the issues we have experienced so far have been related to lockboxes, appliance failures, and guest mishaps. These issues are to be expected with frequent use and a wide variety of guests, but there are ways to mitigate some of these issues before guests arrive for the season.
Here are some suggestions from your expert host...
***Consider guest use when installing fixtures. Items such as faucets, doorknobs, curtain rods and shower fixtures can experience a lot of use stress and accidents do happen. Make sure all fixtures are well constructed, installed correctly and are secured.
***Be your own risk manager or ask us for help. Make sure railings are secure, stairs are stable, and other hazards are corrected. Items such as shower bars can reduce the risk of guest injury, which is a good thing for everyone.
***Pre season inspections of systems and appliances are a must. Items like large appliances and cabin systems can always fail at any time. But with proper pre season maintenance and inspections we can reduce the incidents that create guest emergencies. When you visit your cabin pre season turn on all of your appliances and systems and put them to use. This is a simple way to know that things are still working properly after a long winter of being shut off. It can be helpful to schedule a pre season maintenance check with your propane company when you open your cabin in the spring.
***Lockboxes Issues***
We are seeing an increasing number of guests having issues with lockboxes. There are a few recurring problems that guests are having with the lockboxes that can be eliminated by following a few simple tips.
***Key chains and labels should be no larger than the key and be a basic small ring or similar. Large objects, ribbons, ropes and badge holders have all been involved in incidents of stuck boxes.
*** Boxes need to be large enough to hold the key card. A key card stuffed into a small box will eventually get stuck at the wrong time.
A little effort can go a long way in the future.
