It's probable that most of us don't consider nearly often enough just how lucky we are to live in Salt Lake City--to have such easy access to our big, beautiful Wasatch mountains. Think of it: just 30 minutes (give or take) and you can strap in at no fewer than seven different resorts. It's what sets us apart so beautifully from other mountain-clad metropolises.

A cabin in the woods, a log house on high, a chalet in the pines...

Imagine the lucky few who are able to live ON said mountains, even if only part time.We like to think that, at least from time to time, they indulge completely in the most quintessential cabin activities. A pipe and a novel by the wood-burning stove or a quiet evening wrapped in a wool blanket on the porch listening to owls, crickets, and the like. It's a Thoreau-ly satisfying sentiment.

This series is designed to give you a peek at our high-elevation dwellers and the spaces they've carved out within our Wasatch wilderness.

In this first look at the tree-shrouded habitats peppered throughout our "hills," we had the pleasure of spending the day with Alta cabin owner Lincoln White. Built in the 1950s, Lincoln's homey hut has the look and feel of something from the pages of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel, and it stands in perfect reflection of its delightful, "non-conforming" owner. The structure that stands today has been a work in progress, the result of Lincoln's own hard work and that of his friends over the years.

Wood shingles are covered in hand-pounded copper, and doors appear as though they were removed from the hinges of the Keebler Treehouse.  Hawks are ever swirling overhead here, and views from every side of the property command a sense of reverence, yielding an unimpeded look at peaks in all directions. Our visit saw the property surrounded by summer green grass and wild flowers, but there were tales, too, of snow-cat woes ("all the way snowed-in") and being awakened by avalanche control explosives, as well as a references to hot-tub parties that we can only dream of. It's a life of balance here.