Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
20 Mar 2026
Reply rate
88.6 %
Usually responds within 10 days
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Host offers payment
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Details
Description
This is a rustic wilderness lodge & a working community in a protected old growth forest. We welcome frequent visitors who come to remember that there is a quieter existence outside the bustle of "normal" life. We reside on nearly 200 hundred acres of mature forest and wildlife habitat here in the Pacific Northwest that has been stewarded by the same settler family for five generations. We successfully placed a conservation easement on 150 acres of the land, which will conserve the forest in its natural state in perpetuity.
Our 50 acres outside the conservation easement has been developed into a holistic retreat space where we host paid gatherings and events, including weddings. This is what keeps the staff and volunteers busy through the summer season (approx. May - Oct). The property is owned by a large family - Ian (he/him) is the caretaker living here full-time with his partner Chel (she/her) and their babies Socrates, Sheba, and Owl, and Ian’s dad Bill (he/him) visits in the summer to help with building projects. There is a small paid staff, and we are seeking 10-12 volunteers.
We have a fair number of visitors, friends, and helpers passing through our communal spaces. We are remote but not too far out there! The closest town, Molalla, is a 15-minute drive, and we are conveniently 50 minutes from Portland. We work hard here, but make time for fun and relaxation too, which may include sharing meals, movie nights, sound healing, music & dancing, bonfires, chilling in the hot tub, yoga, meditation, river dips, foraging for mushrooms and edible and medicinal plants, and exploring the forest :)
We have four rustic sleeper cabins and many other accommodations, including a cottage, community lodge with bathrooms and kitchen, and bathhouse with cedar sauna & hot tub. Also a yoga deck overlooking the river, a swimming beach w/ kayaks, and nature trails.
We acknowledge that this sacred land is the traditional lands of the Molalla peoples, who were forcibly removed to the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde reservation. We endeavor to live in right relationship with Mother Earth, heal ancestral wounds and deprogram ourselves from colonizing systems and patterns. We are committed to holding a safe space for all peoples, including QT-BIPOC folks. We center the wellness and healing of ourselves and those in our community circle, so we may all cohabitate peacefully and with integrity.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Interests
Technology
Videography
Sustainability
Events & social
Self development
Movies & TV
Charity work
Writing
Performing arts
Hitchhiking
Drawing & painting
Carpentry
Animals
Astronomy
Photography
Plant care
Books
Art & design
Architecture
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Fitness
Camping
Beach
Dancing
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Hiking
Cycling
Adventure sports
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
What will I do in my free time?
You are welcome to explore our nearly 200 acres of protected old growth forest and the pristine Molalla River! This is a nature lover’s dream come true. Chel is a resident herbalist and would be glad to introduce you to the native medicinal and edible plants, mushrooms and berries. Ian is a documentary filmmaker, currently working on a documentary about narwhals, and we can share our knowledge about impact-driven art.
Our volunteer coordinator will schedule potluck dinners, somatic check-ins, weekend field trips to Portland or neighboring towns, and group hang outs on the land. Group leisure activities will be community-led and optional.
If you have your own artistic offering, you are welcome to work on a project! Previous volunteers have done impressive murals and stained glass art installations that enhance the uniqueness of this place for all to enjoy.Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Help
We are gearing up for summer 2026, with weddings and retreats booked all summer long. We are looking to bring on a team of 10-12 hard working, capable, nature-loving volunteers to help us get our grounds ready for the summer season and manage events.
If you prove to be a great fit for our team, there may be an opportunity for you to stay on through the entire summer season, as late as October. If you are selected, the scope of work from July-October shifts into hospitality and event management, as well as grounds maintenance.
Is this a paid opportunity? No, but you will be provided accommodation, food staples & CSA produce, Wi-Fi, and access to the communal lodge & bathhouse when not reserved by guests.
Hours: 20–25 hours per week on average. Tasks will vary. Flex weeks may occur around events.
• Monday Team Meeting (primary planning meeting)
• Daily short morning check-ins
Please be in touch if this interests you, and if you think you may be the right fit!
Excited to meet you,
Ian and Chel
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Accommodation
Where will I stay?
We can provide rustic housing in canvas bell tents. Tents have electricity and WiFi, as well as queen mattresses/bedding. You will also have shared access to outdoor showers and portapotty toilets (serviced weekly), a communal kitchen, laundry, and a bathhouse with cedar sauna and hot tub. We can also accommodate camping vans or RVs, with hookups, if have your own lodging.
We do not allow animals, per the restrictions of our conservation easement.
You are responsible for your own transportation. We do not have a vehicle for you to use, and will not cover travel expenses to/from Molalla.
What else ...
If you have any additional training or skills, such as yoga instruction, private chef, massage or acupuncture, you can offer your services to guests to book directly with you, as a way for you to make supplemental income.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a fiber optic mesh Wi-Fi network that covers most of the structures on the land. We have two Maltese dogs, a barn cat, and a flock of chickens. Due to the conservation easement we cannot allow any other animals on the land.
Space for parking camper vans
We have four RV hookup sites.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Paloma (6 years)
Maltese Female
Pawblo (3 years)
tiny maltese
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (11)
Edward has… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)
Cultural exchange:
(4.6)
Communication:
(4.6)
Edward has… read more
I enjoyed getting to know Ian and his fam, and made life long friends with the other workers. The old growth forest is a magical place that allows you to sit with yourself. I highly recommend volunteering here:)
Thank you Ian, Chel, Socrates, Bill, Pablo & Paloma
I will be back to visit;)
I lived here… read more
The living is rustic and clean, close to nature. The food is always shared and fresh.
I spent 4 months here with 5 other volunteers. We fought the ice storm of 2021 and spent our days building trails and cabins, sharing laughs and going… read more
So many talents, so curious and eager to learn and help as well as share their passions as they travel the world being of service and doing good.
Glad we got to have them for a brief stay and wish them well upon their journeys!
You'd be well met if you host Joey & Elena at your WorkAway.
She helped with a conservation easement application to protect our forest, gardening, home cleaning and improvements, and so much more! We highly recommend her, she's great in communal living and a real self-starter.
You'd be… read more
Zeph has frankly… read more
There's a lot of peace to be had and a lot to learn.
He makes good hot sauce to boot. Order a batch but ask him to go easy on the garlic.
Good photographer - super energy - super powers?
