Survival Sanctuary near Mt. St. Helens, SW Washington/NW Oregon

We are a little private Sanctuary in the foothills of Mt. St. Helens, east of Kelso, WA. House at 300′ elevation, 5 forested acres (alder, maple, cedar, fir, blackberries), directly adjacent to millions of acres of uninhabited forest land where we can freely roam (deer, elk, coyote, bear, cougar) We are edge-of-the-wilderness, not city, town, or farm-based, although we grow a large garden.

We prepare for nuclear war, (actual) disease plague (by self-isolation), climate disruption (although our weakness is forest fire), and general financial/commercial/political collapse (by self-sufficiency). We could make the challenging transition to complete self-sufficiency if necessary (gardening, hunting, fishing, herbal medicine, wood heat).

Current members include a mental-health therapist, a mechanical engineer, a medical pathology assistant, and an amateur gardener and technologist. We have many other skills among us. Several extended family members and their children would probably be our guests in a crisis, but it is hard to predict how many will recognize the crisis in time.

We are not necessarily looking for new members, but will always keep the door ajar (through this ad and local contacts) for 1 or 2 special persons who might come to us by mysterious ways, possibly at the last minute. You might find yourself drawn to us without really knowing why. You might have values that don’t fit in elsewhere. You might be a young couple who can’t get established during the chaos of a crisis. You might be a single parent and youth who need a new support base. You might be someone with special abilities who needs a new family. Or you might be something we just can’t predict, but it will feel right to both of us when me make contact.

In potential new people we look for maturity and good values, as opposed to specific skills. We like people who are open to learning and willing to share what they know. Emotional stability, intelligence, patience, respect, cooperation, and intuition are highly valued. We are allergic to control freaks, politicians, activists, chatter boxes, and the judgmental, impulsive, lazy, or defensive.

Politics and religion are light topics of conversation here, sometimes even jokes, but not ego-battles. We laugh and play when we can, but everyone, of any age, must be capable of grown-up behavior whenever it is needed. Good health and mobility, and strong immune systems, are important to survival. Drug dependencies, significant food allergies, and claustrophobia make survival difficult.

We don’t care how much money you do or don’t have. If you have some, good boots are a high priority. We might be able to facilitate transportation for new people, but a crisis can make getting here difficult or impossible from far away. The Sanctuary might be a residential situation for new members, or you might live close and come out one weekend a month to hike, play board games, help with projects, and share good food.

The Sanctuary is strictly private, not associated with any government, business, religion, or movement. We are a “family” as opposed to a “corporation” or “agency”. We will keep all communications confidential. Write to zimindrixli at the email service that is a cheer of success or discovery.