DIY treehouse inventor creates Ewok world in rural Oregon

In 1974, fresh out of the army, Michael Garnier went to rural Oregon to try to make a living off the woods. He tried making furniture, fences, pole barns, and selling organic, psychedelic picture propellers (to see Fantasy Flakes), but finally, it was a treehouse that got him all the attention.

Modeled after the treehouse he had once built for his kids, his first treehouse B&B was completed in 1990. Today he has 9 treehouses for rent, 20 staircases, 5 or 6 bridges, several platforms and zip lines for rapid descent, and at least one fireman's pole. Some of his treehouses even have toilets, running water, and showers, though he warns guests to "stand when they flush".

Over the years, Garnier has become a legend in his industry and helped invent a better way to build a treehouse. Instead of bolting wood to wood (i.e. beams to the tree), Garnier and his colleagues at the World Treehouse Conference (an event he used to host) developed a way to attach steel bolts and cuffs to the tree.

Dubbed the Garnier Limb (or G.L.), this open-source design can support 8,000 pounds. Garnier sells GLs of all different types as well as plans to build your own treehouse. His DIY treehouses are for 12-foot trees ($150) and he sells about 30 or 40 plans per year.

[jesschappell]

How cute is the dog just following him around like its no big deal being so high from the ground

[booooomSPLAT]

I adore the little dog that follows him around...

[samuraiyao]

Treeiffic, you damn I have three dogs, single and I am an outdoor enthusiast, this place would be heaven to me!!!

[willmaybe]

this guy is EXTREMELY TALENTED! No other way to state it!

[SargonBighorn]

Outside of PDX all of Oregon is rural. Love this sort of stuff. Rock on.

[nerdmom]

What a sweet guy, with his little dog following him around. Genius idea.

[Cybertronic]

I enjoy listening to this guy's voice.

[jennyturner]

This is incredible, since a child I ve always dreamed of one day owning a real Ewok Tree house - never mind a village! This would be my Disney Land! I absolutely love it  Living and blending in with beautiful nature! This guy is amazing!

[magicalspiritwolf]

some people might've called this guy crazy, or 'out there' but I call him imaginative and inventive. He is a great example of following your dreams. He wanted to make money off of the trees and wood... And he did.

[NatediMaggio]

This is awesome im moving to a treehouse in Oregon this place is truely amzing 

[Malegnius]

Yet another fascinating and very much inspirational video!

[kirstendirksen]

@Jason1975ism I know what you're saying though I also think Michael is a realist and didn't want to live off of someone else while trying to live his dream. I think mainly he wanted to be sure he could continue to live in the woods so he struggled for awhile trying to find something that would work. He took care to make that clear.

[justangvano]

Thanks for leading the way in tree house building.

[wingmanalive]

True dedication to what you love. Awesome tree houses and your own is beautiful. You obviously have been doing this for MANY years!

[franklinfolsom]

I played (music) at the treehouse convention in 2000 in Takilma .... This place is so awesome truly one of a :)

[ooonurse]

I live in a wooden A frame built int the early 70's by a man who I assume was a lot like this man, it is my dream home, I only wish I could make things like this. These are the kind of people who inspire me, good on him for standing up to the code nazis:)

[jhw]

WONDERFUL! I hope, you always stay safe, have FUN with the Project....I feel, that in coming paradise we will have only Houses, which are built with our deep Mind / HEART *

[SpitFireOrganics]

Super cool. I'm glad he fought for what he believed in

[peter]

That's nice, and he can charge what he thinks is a fair price, if you pay that's on you, $150, that's not bad considering how beautiful the surroundings are, the amount of work involved and a unique experience, as he said it's not for all but those who don't want a homogenized hotel environment this is great.

[serenalee]

I've always loved tree houses. My neighbor built one back in the late 70s around a huge redwood tree off Polo Drive in Aptos, California. It was so beautiful.