Sawing Logs in the San Juan Mountains

Spending the summer in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains has been nothing short of incredible. The air is crisp, the views are endless, and the work—well, it’s the kind of work that reminds me why I started my sawmill business in the first place.

When I started putting this trip together 6 months ago here are the things I set out to accomplish:

Goal of the Summer Trip – Responsible Timber: San Juan Season

This summer in the San Juan Mountains is about more than just sawing logs—it's about planting long-term roots for a seasonal life and business in the mountains. I’m here to:

• Network with local ranch owners, contractors, and tree service professionals to build relationships that could lead to long-term, recurring sawmill work.

• Collaborate with the U.S. Forest Service and fire mitigation crews to support sustainable forest management through responsible timber use.

• Establish a seasonal presence in the Durango, CO area, with the goal of returning each summer to saw locally sourced logs and contribute to the regional economy.

• And personally, to immerse myself in the wild beauty of the San Juans—spending time hiking, backpacking, and living simply in the backcountry.

This journey blends work with wilderness, and business with personal renewal. It’s about showing how responsible timber practices and outdoor living can coexist—and thrive—in one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the country.

Portable sawmill in Colorado

Recently, I had the opportunity to saw lumber for a homeowner on Electra Lake, just off Highway 550. They had harvested pine and Douglas fir from their building site—trees that would have otherwise been chipped or burned. Instead, we milled them into beautiful 6x6x12 pine posts and a batch of Douglas fir fence boards. It doesn’t get much more local or sustainable than that: harvesting responsibly and using the material to build the home and define the property.

What’s been both inspiring and frustrating, though, is the response I’ve seen from some home builders in the area. Many default to the quick fix—recommending that landowners chip up usable logs or burn them as firewood. From their standpoint, it’s faster and simpler. But what's lost in that process is a chance to create something lasting, meaningful, and environmentally responsible.

I get it—time is money in construction. But there’s so much potential in working with locally harvested timber. It’s strong. It’s beautiful. And it carries a story. That kind of value doesn’t come off a flatbed from out of state.

Beyond the sawmill work, I’ve also been able to soak in some of the adventure this part of Colorado has to offer. While working at Electra Lake, I camped for several nights at Haviland Lake and Junction Creek Campground—two incredible spots nestled right into the natural beauty of the region. After the job wrapped up, we loaded up the side-by-side and headed toward Creede, where I explored Bachelor Loop and Rat Creek.

Riding through those old mining roads, surrounded by alpine meadows and towering peaks, was a reminder of just how wild and rugged this part of the state still is.

This is what I love about this work—it connects the land, the people, and the materials in a way that’s both practical and deeply personal.

Best!

Jason