Six completed Aries 116 and Stella 53 rental cabins on a wooded hillside in Island Park, Idaho.

Island Park, Idaho · Cabin Kit Case Study

Two Cabin Models,
Six Rental Units

Three Stella 53 A-frame cabins and three Aries 116 cabins were developed as six short-term rental units for Yellowstone visitors.

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LocationIsland Park, Idaho
Project6 rental units
Models3 × Aries 116
3 × Stella 53
UseYellowstone visitor stays
The project brief

One property, two distinct guest experiences

The property had approval for three principal structures. Those became the larger Aries 116 cabins. Three compact Stella 53 A-frames were planned as additional dwelling units, bringing the site to six rentable cabins.

That combination gave the owner two cabin sizes without turning the development into two unrelated projects. Both models share the same kit-based planning logic, while their footprints create different options for guests visiting the Yellowstone area.

Completed Aries 116 cabin with a full-height glass front and deck in Island Park, Idaho. 3 × Aries 116Main permitted structures Completed Stella 53 A-frame cabin viewed from the glass-front entrance in Island Park, Idaho. 3 × Stella 53Additional dwelling units
Order and shipping timeline

A phased delivery rather than one final dispatch

The two orders were confirmed separately, then coordinated as one shipping plan. Finished material could move while production continued for later stages.

  1. Three Stella 53 kits confirmedThe smaller cabins were released first for an owner-led start.
  2. Three Aries 116 kits confirmedThe larger structures followed as the second project package.
  3. Stella containers departedAvailable container space also carried selected Aries components.
  4. First Aries-only containerGrouped structural materials continued the phased site supply.
  5. Final Aries containerLater-stage finishes, glazing and replacement items completed the delivery sequence.
Mixed-model container planning

Unused space became part of the logistics strategy

The three Stella kits did not fill every available position in their shipment. Because only the deck base frames were included for those cabins—visible deck surfaces and railings were completed locally—the remaining volume could carry selected Aries components.

That shared loading plan removed the need for one additional container to a high-cost destination. Similar materials were grouped where practical: structural members could travel together, window packs were arranged to minimize unused volume, and floor finishes were held for the final shipment.

The phased schedule also left room to respond to site events. After several glass units were damaged during local handling, replacements could be added to the last container instead of becoming a separate international shipment.

Cabin components distributed across the steep Island Park construction site after transloading.
Restricted site access

The containers could reach the area—but not the cabin sites

A narrow, winding stabilized road prevented the shipping containers from entering the property. This condition had been discussed before dispatch, so the owner arranged a transload and storage point near the beginning of the access road. Materials then moved into the site in smaller loads.

The SOC containers provided secure intermediate storage and were later resold on a buyer-pickup basis for approximately $5,000 per container, helping offset part of the freight cost.

Open the transload area in Google Maps When this case study was prepared, the October 2024 map imagery showed one of the project containers near the transload point. Map imagery may change over time.
What did not go as planned

Transloading solved access, but created a material-control problem

The local transload process continued while construction was underway. Incoming bundles were placed wherever space was available across the large, uneven property, sometimes without adequate protection or a consistent staging order.

That meant the crew occasionally waited for the next transfer, searched across the site for specific pieces and handled materials in less-than-ideal conditions. The experience reinforced a practical lesson: when a full container cannot reach the build location, the secondary unloading plan needs its own protected zones, inventory sequence and responsible site coordinator.

Two assembly paths

Prior experience for Stella, on-site guidance for Aries

This was not a full SolidCabin installation. The project combined an experienced owner's work, local labor and targeted guidance.

Owner-led Stella 53 front-frame assembly in Island Park, Idaho.
Stella 53

Owner-led assembly with limited remote guidance

The owner had already assembled four SolidCabin units for the earlier Montana project. That familiarity allowed the three Stella 53 cabins to be erected before SolidCabin arrived, using only limited online guidance when needed.

Aries 116 structural frame and glass-front opening during construction in Island Park, Idaho.
Aries 116

On-site guidance for the larger cabins

SolidCabin later visited the project to guide the local team through key Aries 116 assembly stages. The role was field guidance and system support—not replacement of the local construction crew.

Aries 116 and Stella 53 cabins at different construction stages across the Island Park property.
A process improvement that became standard

Every component received a field code

Earlier projects identified pieces mainly by length, component type and section profile. For this shipment, every component was assigned a code and that code was placed directly into the assembly drawings.

The site team could locate a piece by its plan code instead of repeatedly comparing dimensions and profiles. The Idaho project was the first use of this complete coding workflow, and the method later became a SolidCabin standard.

The completed property

Six cabins set into the Island Park landscape

The finished development brings the larger Aries cabins and compact Stella A-frames together as one hospitality property for Yellowstone-area stays.

See the full exterior, interior and construction galleries
Project takeaways

What the Island Park build demonstrated

  • Mixed-model planning can reduce freight.Coordinating two orders saved one container on a costly route.
  • Access planning must extend beyond delivery.A transload point needs protected, sequenced storage and clear responsibility.
  • Experience changes the support model.The owner's previous Stella builds made remote guidance practical.
  • Field feedback can improve the system.The component-code workflow tested here became the standard for later projects.

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