Tiny home goes skiing

There are a lot of tiny home videos that showcase the structure or highlight parts of the construction, which can be an invaluable resource for future tiny home builders. However, one of the aspects often missing from these videos is the passion for whatever the tiny home enables: art, music, travel or, in this case, skiing/snowboarding. People are drawn to tiny homes for a wide variety of reasons, but one of the most common motivations I've seen is a desire to focus on things for which the owner is passionate while avoiding the financial and psychological encumbrances which "traditional home" ownership may present. To be sure, this professionally produced piece will no doubt appeal to anyone, like me, who loves skiing and the epic skiing footage found in Warren Miller films. It also, however, effectively conveys the notion that the real benefit is not the tiny home itself, but the journey and the experiences and relationships the home enables.

Outdoor Research and others sponsor extreme skiers Molly Baker and Zack Giffin and helped produce this video as well as well as the Tiny House Tour episodes. Fortunately, the commercialization is relatively subtle. Actually, I think it's great to see a reputable company like OR indirectly promote tiny homes on their home page even if the end goal is simply to sell more clothing and gear. Design decisions may have been informed by the tiny home's role as a maximum-occupancy ski hut and branding opportunity. Curiously, there is no bathroom or shower, but that may be because they needed the space to accommodate five adults (cameramen included). The beautiful little wood-burning stove is probably great for drying ski gear, but the stove's footprint, including clearance from the walls, can make it impractical for many tiny home owners. The element I particularly like, though, is the unique stairs going to the loft. The woodwork is magnificent, yet the stairs are simple, sleek and keep the room open instead of acting as a barrier. The stairs look like they function effectively as seats or temporary spots for gear or drinks.

Sidebar: Warren Miller was a pioneer of documentary ski films starting with Deep and Light in 1949. He produced, directed and narrated his films until 1988 and remained involved until 2004. Interestingly, he got his start in the 1940's while living in a trailer at a ski resort (Sun Valley) parking lot, not unlike Molly and Zack.