In the vast, untamed wilderness of the Montana mountains, just beyond the Continental Divide, resides Albert Hall, a man whose life embodies the spirit of self-reliance. Living off the grid, surrounded by the Helena National Forest, Albert’s unique existence is a powerful testament to American perseverance and the freedom it affords. While not a traditional ‘Mountain Man’ in every sense, his journey from educator and lawman to a minimalist, self-sufficient lifestyle offers profound insights into choosing an alternative path.
Albert Hall’s remarkable life began in Lynwood, California, in March 1945. After relocating several times in his youth, he graduated high school in 1963 and enlisted in the Air Force, a strategic choice during the Vietnam War draft. Serving as a Crew Chief on a KC-135, Hall’s military career involved extensive travel, including multiple tours in Vietnam, broadening his perspective on diverse cultures and ways of life.
The Many Chapters of Albert Hall’s Professional Life
Upon his release from active duty, Albert returned to California, embarking on a varied professional path. Initially, he worked in finance in the Bay Area but soon left to travel the U.S., reconnecting with Air Force friends. Back in Sacramento, he attended junior college, met his future wife, and pursued higher education in San Jose, earning a Masters in Education with a focus on fine arts.
Facing a scarcity of teaching positions, Hall and his wife moved to Placerville, California. He substitute taught before specializing in Special Education, earning another Master’s degree from Sacramento State University. He helped establish a workshop for handicapped adults and taught special education for several years, commuting from Placerville to Sacramento. After his separation, he moved to Sacramento and transitioned to teaching Arts and Crafts at a middle school for two decades, concluding his teaching career with two years of fine arts at a high school.
During his single years, Albert pursued a long-held interest in law enforcement, attending the Sacramento Sheriff’s Academy and becoming a deputy. He rose to detective, handling a demanding caseload in the Elder and Sexual Abuse Bureau. This intense period saw him juggling both teaching and detective work, often working late nights and weekends. After 12 years with the Sheriff’s Department and 31 years as a public school teacher, he retired from both professions, his experiences in law enforcement ultimately propelling him towards a life off the grid.
Transitioning to an Off-Grid Lifestyle
Hall’s foray into self-sufficient living began subtly. He first experienced an ‘off the grid’ precursor while living on a houseboat in the Sacramento River for a decade. Though he had electricity and water, he notes, “it was a lot of work to plan for provisions and deal with that lifestyle.” This period honed his resource management skills. After selling the houseboat and moving into a house with his teenage daughter, his love for travel led him to purchase a Class C motorhome, favoring ‘Boondocking’ — further refining his ability to live independently.
Upon retiring from both his careers, with his daughter grown, Albert made a decisive move: he sold all his possessions and embraced a life on the road in his motorhome. His initial goal was profound: “My initial goal was to be free of the entrapments of homeownership and being pinned in one place, free to travel and see places I hadn’t had the opportunity to before.” He upgraded to a Class A motorhome, exploring the United States extensively. When continuous travel began to lose its appeal, he started searching for a permanent, secluded home.
Inheriting money from his mother, Albert had the means for a comfortable home but desired isolation. “I knew I didn’t want to have neighbors or be part of a community. I had had my fill of people,” he explained, citing his challenging final teaching post and detective work as catalysts for his desire for an existence “away from society.”
Finding Solitude in Montana
The quest for his ideal retreat was meticulous. Hall researched various states, analyzing their laws, tax structures, and lifestyles. As a fifth-generation Californian, he knew the
