Forum Etiquette

This NFH Community Forum (Ask the Community) is a friendly place for discourse about the recreation residence program.  Our forum is a place to ask questions, provide information, and exchange ideas in a spirit of friendship. We know there will be disagreements on certain topics, but we ask that you disagree respectfully so that this forum remains a place where camaraderie between cabin owners is first and foremost.

Quick Start

1. Sign in to the NFH Website

2. Click on the Ask the Community link on the home page. Equivalently click on menu option Resources → Ask the Community or Get Involved → Ask the Community.

3. View recent topics posts and replies or use the search for a topic of interest

4. Click New Topic to create a new post.

5. When positioned on an existing topic, click Quick Reply (or alternatively Full Editor) to join the conversation on that topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign-in to the NFH Website?

Only NFH members may sign in on the NFH website. Use the menu pick in the upper right or the box on the left rail of the home page.   There is a Forgot Your Password button and a Need Help button at the bottom of the left rail for more assistance.

How do I pose a topic?

Click on above the grid of existing topics. On the Subject line be detailed enough for someone searching to anticipate the content. For example ‘Permit language regarding restricted access’ is much more informative than ‘Permit language’

How do I add a Reply?

Below each post is a Quick Reply text box. Remember to click on thebutton.

What is the difference between Quick Reply and Reply Using Full Editor?

The Quick Reply only allows plain text. The Full Editor has a Subject text, Attach Video field, and full font and style attributes along with an Insert tab for tables and links. Below the text area, there is a drag-n-drop or upload area for attaching files and images. Warning: If you start with the Quick Reply and decide to switch to the Advanced Editor, text already entered is lost so do a copy of the Quick Reply text to then paste it in the Full Editor box.

How do I return to the main Community Forum page?

After viewing a Topic post or replies, click on ‘General Questions/Discussion’ in the Forum Index bar below the NFH website menu bar.  

How can I “subscribe” to the NFH Community Forum?

Members can “subscribe” to the entire Ask the Community Forum, or an individual Topic using the Forum Actions at the top of the Forum (or Topic).  There are two types of notice subscriptions. Subscribe to either or both.    

1)      Instant Update:  Member receives an email every time a new Topic or Reply is made to the Forum (or Topic).  

2)      Digest:  Member receives a weekly email which provides a list new Topics/Replies for that Forum entered since the last distribution of the Digest.  

Is the information accurate?

The NFH Community Forum is provided to members as a medium to share knowledge and experience. NFH staff and designated volunteer subject matter experts will review the forum and clarify and elaborate content for accuracy using an Editor’s Note.

Who can access the NFH Community Forum?

All visitors to the NFH website can see the General Questions/Discussion Community Forum page. Only members who have signed in to the site can post.

If I post or reply how am I identified online?

You are identified with your profile picture and your first initial and last name. There is no visibility to other profile information. You may choose not to set a profile picture and some members use a picture of their cabin.

Why do Topics have different icons?

1. Announcements  always sort to the top of the posts, are created by a moderator and locked so only moderators can reply. This Read Me Guide is an example of an Announcement.

2. Sticky always sort immediately below any Announcements and above any regular topics.

3. Regular Topics display below any Announcements and Sticky and can be sorted by most recent activity date. Scroll down to see all the posts or click on the next and previous page arrows.

What should not be a Topic on the NFH Community Forum?

If you have a personal matter regarding your membership or specifics about your cabin that you do not want to share with the cabin community then use the Help or Contact Us.

Has anyone had conversations with the Forest Service on the approval process for a system, or a "like" system such as the Frontline Wildfire system ?

I know that water sourcing, storage, power, etc can become an issue quickly when the location is "off grid"...

These technologies seem to be relevant to some permittees locations. 

Steven Reed

This is my first time posting and I was wondering if anyone in Montana has considered the impacts of the 1.9% flat property tax on second homes that do not qualify as 1) a primary residence (NOT allowed by FS by-laws) or as a 2) 7-month+ annual rental (also NOT allowed by FS by-laws).

Curious if anyone knows of an exception in the MT tax code that we can take advantage of since we are not able to avoid this increase thru occupancy changes. Basically, our hands are tied by the regulations of the FS Recreational Residence Program.

And yes, I recognize that the tax is only on the value of the real property or standing structure(s), but regardless, this is a significant increase. My taxes would essentially double with this "flat 1.9% of market value" rate.

Anyone else have ideas here? Any smart tax attorneys out there with some advice? :)

Cheer and Happy Trails~

Zoe Smith

My neighbor got a curious comment from a FS official and I wanted to see what you all make of it.

My neighbor applied to build a shed over 6 years ago and finally recieved permission to build.  It is a modest shed.  The FS would not allow any disruption to the dirt.  The shed had to be built on cement blocks.  When he got his approval the FS official said something to the effect of "don't put too much money into it because you might have to remove it if you ever sell the cabin".

I find this curious because ...what does the FS official know that I don't know.  Is it possible that there is a plan afoot to remove all extra buildings other than the original cabins?   Upon sale or transfer of a cabin would be a perfect time to do it because to get the sale done, a cabin owner would be willing to spend the money to remove an out building.   Perhaps this is coming in our new leases?

I feel as if I heard sometime that in some tracts this has already been done? 

Any thoughts?

Larry Montan

Hungry Jack Lake Tract, Superior National Forest, MN

Thanks much, 

Shelley Horwitz, president

We currently use heavy plywood for shutters.  We are looking for something easier.  We came up with two options:

1) metal roll-down shutters 

2) Hurricane-strength windows - Impact Windows 

The pros and cons we have discovered so far: 

Metal roll-down shutters: Expensive (more than replacing the windows with Hurricane-strength windows), and not particularly attractive, good for security  

Hurricane-strength windows: less expensive than metal roll-down shutters, and the windows should withstand the snow pressure without needing shutters.  They are rated for lateral pressure (pressure from the snow build-up) of 80 PSF, whereas the existing 1/4 polywood wood shutters that have been working for years are rated for lateral pressure of 16 PSF, so it seems reasonable they will withstand the pressure from the snow.  They are also rated to withstand a 2x4 propelled at a speed of 50 feet per second (approximately 34 miles per hour).   

My questions on the Hurricane-strength windows:  1) Does anyone have experience with them?  2) Will they really withstand the snow build-up, leak, or fail in any way? 

Any thoughts?  Advice? 

I'm a cabin owner in the small Casa Loma Tract in the Tahoe Nat'l Forest (near Alta/Dutch Flat CA ). A couple of years ago years ago the FS came thru and marked dozens of trees for what we thought was going to be a general thinning of the forest for fuel reduction/fire safety.  A member of our Assoc spoke with a FS rep and it was insinuated that it was going to be part of a commercial timber harvest and subsidized by FS, ie paid for by them. Then last year the FS contacted cabin owners and identified (by numbered tree tags) which trees had to be removed AT CABIN OWNERS EXPENSE using a licensed and insured tree company. FS claimed that my tree was diseased (cankers) and could fall and damage MY cabin. Other cabin owners did have dead trees around their lots but many had living trees but FS said they were diseased. My tree cost $1000 to have taken down. My tree company and arborist said after it was cut down that it was perfectly healthy and would have stood for decades. Several other of the cabin owners are ignoring the FS directive. I don't know whether that is prudent. 

In the meantime, FS has said that the timber harvest sale program in my portion of TNF isn't likely to happen anytime soon as the nearest lumber mills are at capacity.

Have any other cabin tracts had any issues such as the one I've described?

Thanks, Rick Fend 

Apparently it has been sent to the government for collection or lease termination.  Can anyone tell me what might happen now?  Will the government put  it up for sale or force the owners to remove it?  Will they burn it down or possibly bulldoze it?  I have heard that they could remove it and send the owners a bill for the service.  

It hurts to see it go and I would like to remove a few things from it if they are going to destroy it.  Any chance of that?

I can't buy it because there is only one lease allowed per family. I know that we have lost a lot of cabins from the program lately and figured someone might be familiar with the process.

Thanks