Big Mountain Company
Kip's Story
I started Big Mountain Company in the Mt. Hood area in March of 1998. My love of trees came well before then.
My grandfather moved here as a logger in his younger days, an ace tree faller and climber as he climbed up in years. I would listen intently as he explained that a tree had a disease or was beginning to die so it had to be felled. I would watch as people anguished over the loss of a favorite tree near their home that had begun to cause damage to the roof or gutters or represented a hazard that could not be overlooked any longer. They were always happy to have the firewood from the felled tree but knew that it would be missed or forgotten soon after its warmth receded from the stove. I always thought it to be a noble feat to be able to use each tree in our homes somehow so that the anguish over the loss of the tree could be replaced with the celebration of its use in our homes.
Our mill operation runs on PGE Green Source/wind power electricity and utilizes an electric Woodmizer band saw mill. With the thin blades used on this mill we have less waste than many other sawmills available today. Our sawdust is composted and biomass is cut up and donated to the local Senior Center for firewood.
Located just 9 miles away, our local planer mill is able to produce virtually any pattern of siding, flooring, and structural stamped lumber available. We are able to kiln dry all materials from flooring to decking and trim, giving you the opportunity to enjoy using our locally harvested materials throughout your unique construction needs. By saving on transportation costs/fuel you have the satisfaction and comfort of mind knowing that the materials harvested for your dream home come to you with a very small fossil fuel footprint.
Drawing inspration from natural materials and a love for a good challenge, Big Mountain Company's founder Kip O'Conner commits himself to discovering fresh solutions for each project he undertakes.
After a sixth-grade trip to the historic Timberline Lodge and Silcox Hut, Kip was awed by their beauty and developed a deep respect for their craftsmanship. This respect for the architectual heritage of Mt. Hood continues to drive each of his signature structures on the mountain.
A recently finished project, featured on the cover of Oregon Home Magazine, included the design and construction of an entry gate leading to a cluster of cabins. Kip transformed the project into a showcase of quality craftsmanship:
The first hint that the property has undergone a major transformation comes when you pull up to the newly built front gate, assembled with carpentry techniques that are virtually a lost art. The gate is all wood, quite literally so, without a single nail holding it together. Taking it as a personal challenge to build an all-wooden gate, [the client's] contractor, Kip O'Connor, even made the hinges out of wood. "I saw a picture of an old wooden hinge on an 1800's barn, and I thought, I can do that," says O'Connor, the president of Big Mountain Company in Brightwood, Oregon. "My dad said, 'Kip, it aint going to work'. [The client] didn't think it was going to work. I didn't know either. We put up the gate, and it swings open perfectly." - Oregon Home Magazine, Nov-Dec 2006
Kip accepts that creativity includes an element of risk, particularly when employing a new or novel building technique. "I never charge someone up front for things that are unconventional until they are completed and work", explains Kip. "The gate is a prime example. I had so many people doubting me that I almost let it creep in my mind. But I would rather fail a few times trying than not try at all."
The rewards of Kip's creativity are equally evident in the wine cellar of another client. Tasked with creating a table as a finishing touch for the space, Kip bypassed the obvious and crafted a work of art - suspended from the ceiling much like a chandelier. "I think [the client] called me at about 12 at night, he was so awestruck by it", remembers Kip with pride.