Extreme Altitude. Extreme Weather. No Room for Mistakes.

When most people think of building in the mountains, they picture cabins tucked into the trees or luxury retreats with sweeping views. But at Timberhouse Construction, we’ve learned that some of the most memorable jobs are the weird ones—the projects that make you stop and say: Wait, you’re building what? Where??

This was one of those.

We were brought in to frame a specialized shelter on the Jackson Hole tram line, designed specifically to house a snowcat. Yeah. A snowcat. The beast that grooms the slopes, claws its way through powder, and keeps winter access alive. That’s not your average garage build.

Remote. Steep. And Built for Brutal Winters.

We framed this project during the summer—but everything about it had to be designed for serious winter conditions. At nearly 10,000 feet, Jackson Hole’s tram line sees some of the most extreme snow, wind, and freeze-thaw cycles in the Mountain West.

That meant thinking ahead—way ahead. We’re talking about:

  • How materials would hold up under heavy snow load
  • How wind would whip across the site all season
  • How to detail connections for temperature swings from -40°F to mid-summer 80s

Built Like a Fortress, Because It Has To Be

The snowcat garage had to withstand:

  • Massive snow loads
  • Extreme freeze-thaw cycles
  • High winds
  • Zero margin for error

That meant extra attention to everything—framing details, fasteners, bracing, roof pitch, ventilation. We used structural lumber rated for cold-weather performance, overbuilt key connections, and made sure every cut and angle lined up tight.

We also coordinated closely with the broader mountain ops team—making sure our build played well with the slope layout, didn’t interfere with tram operations, and held up under machine weight.

Not Just Functional—Well Crafted

Even though this wasn’t a glamorous residential build, we still brought the same attention to detail we bring to every home. Clean cuts, tight layout, dialed-in siding. The snowcat may not care about aesthetics, but we do.

We think builds like this are where Timberhouse shines: remote location, no room for error, big-picture logistics, and zero tolerance for sloppy work.

Want to work with a crew that can build anywhere, in anything? We’ll bring the know-how—and the layers.