Your Van.
Our Mountain.
Seasonal Creator Residency — Now Open for Applications
Park at 8,150 feet. Wake up above the treeline. Document something the rest of the vanlife world hasn't found yet — a BBC-featured off-grid build, a world-class chef's kitchen, 60,000 acres of Montana backcountry, and a family story that earned international press the hard way.
This is not free camping for labor, and it is not paid work disguised as a residency. Independent creators make their own content for their own channels. Work-stay is a separate voluntary exchange with written terms agreed before arrival. Paid work is paid work and will be listed separately.
This isn't a campsite.
It's a creative expedition basecamp.
Six years ago, a family from Anaconda, Montana decided to build an off-grid mountain lodge at 8,150 feet with no outside money, no investors, and no road. They brought their kids. They dug by hand. They survived winters that would have ended most projects in a week.
Then the BBC showed up. Then Victron Energy. Then the UK Daily Mirror. Then thousands of people who recognized something rare — a real build, a real family, a real mountain that earns every story told about it.
We are now accepting applications for seasonal creative residency. Think Patagonia ambassador program meets overland expedition basecamp meets ski film staging area. This is a working mountain environment — remote, demanding, and unlike anything else in the vanlife or backcountry creative world.
Due to the remote nature of Elev8150, residency access is strictly limited and application-based. Not every application will be accepted.
Years
We left Las Vegas in 2006.
We never really stopped.
Before there was a bistro, a BBC crew, a snowcat, or a building pad — there was a family, a 5th wheel, and a decision to leave Las Vegas and not look back. That was 2006. The kids grew up on the road. The rigs changed. The lifestyle didn't.
Over the years that followed, the rigs evolved. They left in a red 2006 Dodge Cummins 1-ton dually mega cab pulling their 5th wheel. By year three they were running a Columbia Freightliner. Along the way they built and lived in multiple self-designed mobile rigs — including a build they called "Tiny House on a Steel Soldier." Not as content. Not as a brand. As a life. Full-time travel, full-time building, full-time figuring it out on the move.
Then they found the mountain. And the original 5th wheel — the one that started it all in 2006 — came up with them. It's still there. Still home. Attached to a second 5th wheel they added when the build began. If you come to Elev8150 basecamp, you'll park near the rig that started a 19-year journey.
That's why this isn't a vanlife destination run by people who like the aesthetic. It's a basecamp built by people who lived the life — and then found somewhere worth stopping.
They didn't buy a rig.
They built one.
"Tiny House on a Steel Soldier" was a self-built mobile home — designed, fabricated, and lived in full-time by the Bellrose family. Not a kit. Not a conversion van. A ground-up build, the same way they're building everything at 8,150 feet today.
This photo is Day One of almost a year on the road in that rig. The same build mentality that created it is what's driving every post, beam, and weld going into Elev8150 right now.
Upper Wyoming.
Heading to Red Lodge.
By year three on the road, the Bellroses had upgraded to a Columbia Freightliner with a custom flatbed — custom tour Hummer riding on the back, original 5th wheel in tow. They left Las Vegas in a red 2006 Dodge Cummins dually mega cab. Three years later they were running a Freightliner through Wyoming. That's how this family operates.
The early years of the Bellrose road life weren't minimalist vanlife. They were full-scale mobile operations — custom-built, self-sufficient, and moving through some of the most remote terrain in the American West. Red Lodge. Wyoming. Montana. The mountain was always where this was heading.
The rig that left
Las Vegas in 2006
never left the family.
It made it to the mountain. Gutted, repurposed, and still earning its place — the original 5th wheel is now a snowmobile repair shop and solar panel station at 8,150 feet. Connected to the 5th wheel they live in today.
Nothing wasted. Nothing abandoned. Just adapted — the same philosophy behind every build decision at Elev8150 since day one.
"We didn't discover the road life from a YouTube video. We left Las Vegas in 2006 in a red Dodge Cummins dually pulling a 5th wheel, upgraded to a Freightliner by year three, and figured it out the hard way — the same way we're building this mountain."
Brandon Bellrose · Elev8150 · Anaconda, Montana · 2006 Dodge Cummins → Freightliner → 8,150 FeetThe Elev8150 Mountain Basecamp is not a campground, RV park, or open public parking area. It is also not a hidden job posting, a request for free labor, or an exposure deal where creators are expected to produce commercial content without clear terms.
This is a small, application-based seasonal residency for a specific kind of traveler — self-contained vanlifers, overlanders, outdoor creators, photographers, filmmakers, writers, builders, and capable people who want to spend time near a real off-grid mountain build before it opens to the public.
Built for people who earn their place.
Elev8150 is not a resort. It is not a campground. It is an active off-grid build at serious elevation in serious Montana conditions — and that is exactly what makes it worth documenting.
Document honestly.
Creator residents are expected to produce and publish authentic content about their experience. No scripts. No brand approval. Honest storytelling is what we want — it is what built our audience and brought the BBC to this mountain.
Be a contributor, not a guest.
Residents are collaborators in the Elev8150 story — not passive visitors. Whether that means helping document the build, contributing a skill, or being someone the team trusts to represent this place well, the relationship is mutual.
Know what 8,150 feet means.
This is backcountry Montana. Weather changes fast, roads are rough, and comfort is earned. Residents should have genuine outdoor experience and a realistic understanding of remote mountain living — not just a great Instagram feed.
Snow-free months only.
The Mountain Basecamp program runs late May through October — the window when the property is accessible by road. Winter access requires snowmobiles and expedition-level preparation. Plan accordingly.
- You are looking for a free campsite or overnight parking✕
- You want a passive, resort-style experience✕
- You are uncomfortable with real backcountry conditions✕
- You create content unrelated to outdoor or adventure culture✕
- You tell stories that make people feel something✓
- You have driven or hiked somewhere most people would not✓
- You understand the value of being first to a place✓
- You want your van at 8,150 feet in Montana before it is crowded✓
"The mountain doesn't care how long you've been working. It doesn't reward effort. It just keeps being the mountain. We kept building anyway."Brandon Bellrose · Elev8150 · Anaconda, Montana · as featured in the UK Mirror
Showers Lake · Pintler Peaks · 8,150 ft
BBC Crew On Location
New Lives in the Wild · Season 21
Cable North · Double Black Diamond
Karelian Bear Dog · 8,150 ft
BBC.
New Lives in the Wild
Season 21
Ben Fogle and a BBC film crew spent days on this mountain for Season 21 of one of Britain's most watched documentary series. The Bellrose family, the build, the backcountry, the bistro — broadcast to millions of viewers across the UK and internationally.
Ben's director has indicated that if momentum continues, they want to come back for a follow-up. That episode hasn't been shot yet. The right creators help make that happen — by growing the audience, the story, and the evidence that Elev8150 deserves a second chapter.
Brands Already Betting on This Mountain
Elev8150 isn't pitching sponsorships. These companies found us — because the story is that good.
The World's Leading Off-Grid Power Manufacturer
Victron selected Elev8150 as a flagship case study for their branded documentary series — covering the solar, battery, and inverter system powering this mountain homestead. One of their most referenced off-grid installations globally.
Read the Victron Case Study →Montana Timber for a Montana Build
Frontier-milled timber is going into the lodge walls. A local partnership that makes the build story richer — and gives creators a behind-the-scenes look at how a backcountry mountain lodge actually gets built from the ground up.
See the Lodge Build →The Show That Started Everything
Season 21 of New Lives in the Wild brought international attention to what was being quietly built at 8,150 feet. Ben's director has indicated they want to return if the story keeps growing. Creator content is part of how that happens.
See All Media Coverage →"Nobody has lived up there for 200 years. But we've made it this far."Brandon Bellrose · Elev8150 · Anaconda, Montana · UK Mirror, 2026
Bistro 8150.
The chef who trained at the top — then came home.
Before Bistro 8150 has served its first guest, its chef has already cooked for guests who pay $8,000 a person to eat in Montana. Chef Alayah trained at The Ranch at Rock Creek — the world's first Forbes Five-Star guest ranch — and The Resort at Paws Up, home to a James Beard-nominated culinary team. At 22, she brings all of it home to this mountain.
For creators staying at basecamp: this isn't a camp kitchen. It's a world-class culinary program at 8,150 feet. That's your backdrop.
Chef Alayah
Honeydew Gazpacho · Salted Strawberries
Tomato Terrine · Buttermilk Cracker
Peach Gazpacho · Lemon Chèvre
Why Right Now Matters
Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Wild Came to the Mountain
A BBC crew spent days on site. The episode reached millions. Ben's director has expressed interest in returning — if the story keeps growing.
Television · International Victron Energy · Case Study · 2022Victron Energy Selected Elev8150 as a Global Off-Grid Case Study
The world's leading off-grid power manufacturer filmed a branded documentary at 8,150 feet. One of their most referenced installations worldwide.
Sponsorship · Off-Grid Tech UK Daily Mirror · 2026The UK Daily Mirror Ran an Exclusive Feature on the Bellrose Family
International press. A British audience discovering a Montana mountain build. The story crosses borders because it's genuinely extraordinary.
Press · UK Media Apr 19, 2026Built at 8,150 Feet — Nothing About This Project Comes Easy
The latest from the mountain journal. Real conditions, real progress, real setbacks. The build continues — and it's all being documented.
Journal · Latest Apr 10, 2026Spring at 8,150 Feet: Shirtsleeves and Six Feet of Snow
Spring doesn't mean what you think it means at this elevation. The content is extraordinary because the reality is extraordinary.
Journal · SeasonalLodge Walls Go Up. Bistro 8150 Opens. BBC May Return.
The building pad is excavated. The lodge walls come next. The culinary program is ready. The story is at its most document-worthy point in six years. This is the window.
Be Here For ItTwo Tracks. One Standard.
Both paths are curated, collaborative, and limited. Neither is a walk-up. Both require something genuine — and both offer access to a property the world is already paying attention to.
Creator Residency
For storytellers with the instinct to document what others overlook. Who This Is For- YouTube creators & documentary filmmakers
- Instagram & Substack storytellers
- Adventure photographers & cinematographers
- Vanlife & overlanding content creators
- Outdoor journalists & travel writers
- Podcast hosts seeking unique environments
- Seasonal basecamp access (snow-free months)
- Full property access for content creation
- BBC-featured build & bistro behind-the-scenes
- Snowcat & expedition vehicle experiences
- Access to Chef Alayah's culinary program
The Exchange: Access to the location, build, off-grid systems, bistro, mountain setting, and behind-the-scenes reality of Elev8150 as it is being built.
Creators are not being asked to produce commercial advertising for Elev8150 unless a separate paid agreement is made. You keep control of your own channel, voice, audience, and content. No usage rights are transferred automatically.
If Elev8150 wants to commission specific deliverables for commercial use, that will be handled as a separate paid arrangement with clear scope, licensing, and terms.
Mountain Work-Stay
For skilled contributors who understand what earning a place actually means. Who This Is For- Motivated travelers with a trade or skill
- Builders, fabricators & problem solvers
- Outdoor laborers comfortable at altitude
- Remote workers seeking meaningful exchange
- Vanlifers whose work ethic matches the scenery
- Designated basecamp parking & stay area
- Snow-free season access
- Property amenity access
- Community with other residents
The Exchange: Designated basecamp access in exchange for a clearly defined, voluntary contribution to the property.
This is not open-ended. It is not "show up and we'll figure it out." Any work-stay arrangement must be agreed in writing before arrival — including what is involved, expected hours, length of stay, what is provided, what is not provided, and how either side can end the arrangement.
If the role is actual employment, it will be posted separately as paid work. Slots are extremely limited.
Request Basecamp Access
Due to the remote and operational nature of Elev8150, every applicant is reviewed individually. There is no guaranteed placement. Accepted residents are chosen for fit — creative alignment, outdoor capability, and genuine interest in what is being built here.
Slots fill on a rolling basis. Apply early. If it is the right match, we will reach out directly to discuss expectations, dates, and logistics before anything is confirmed.
"We are not looking for followers. We are looking for the kind of person who understands what it means to be somewhere that has not been discovered yet — and who has the instinct to document it honestly."
Every application is read personally.
We respond within 7–10 business days.
Application Received
We'll review your submission and be in touch within 7–10 days.
The mountain will still be there when we reach out.