The bathroom tiles are fish fossils formed in shale. Benches and side tables consist of hexagonal basalt columns. Smooth river rock is found in backsplashes, fireplace hearths and shower pans.
A geologist designed the Index Cabins on the North Fork of the Skykomish River — and his go-to building materials are millions or billions of years old.
Nick and Nassim Pietsch, pronounced just like the juicy fruit with a pit, own the sextet of family cabins built on riverfront property near Index that has been featured on KING-5’s “Evening Magazine” and A&E’s “Living Smaller.”
Index attracts visitors year-round because it lies in the foothills of the Cascades; it’s close to the 29-mile-long Skykomish River, there’s the Index Town Wall, a 1,000-foot-tall granite cliff; and it’s just off U.S. 2, which leads to the Skykomish Valley and Stevens Pass.
All these reasons and more led the Pietsches to purchase a family cabin there in 2010. Thirteen years later, they now own six cabins on just as many acres. They remodeled three homes, and then built three more.
A view from the Index Cabins, which owners Nick and Nassim Pietsch nicknamed The Pietsch Pit — a reference not only to them but also to the 1990s TV show ” “Beverly Hills, 90210.” (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The cabins have been fashioned as retreats for those who want or need to escape to nature for a weekend — or a week. They pay homage to Index’s history and to the beauty of rocks and minerals.
“I tried to make them all cool,” said Nick, a geologist as well as property manager and developer of the Index Cabins. “I love to make unique, comfortable, beautiful spaces in the woods on the river.”
At the Pietsch Pit — a nickname for the property that references a favorite hangout spot on ‘90s show “Beverly Hills, 90210” — you can stay at the Amos, Persis, Tree Frame, Clay Baby, Sea Containers or O’Neill cabins. Half are rustic, half are trendy, all are luxurious.
The Index Cabins feature building materials from Second Use in Seattle. In addition to marble and granite, home finishes include concrete, teredo clam wood, paperstone and cork. Most of their furnishings were found at Amazon, IKEA and Craigslist. Two chandeliers once hung in Nick and Nassim’s children’s bedrooms. A few fir and maple shelves are made from trees felled on the property.
Some of the cabins also have artwork by Vernon Bobbitt and Cara Hochhalter on display. Vernon is Nick’s grandfather; Cara is his aunt. You can also find some of Nick’s own art.
Their family cabin from 2010? That was the Amos Cabin. The 1½ story home with a gabled roof was built in 1964 on 2.5 acres. It was the perfect size, but it needed some work.
“Nick went out with our real estate agent and saw the property in Index by himself,” Nassim said. “He sent me a text that said, ‘I found the cabin! Do you trust me?’ We signed the paperwork, and I saw it on the day we got the keys.”
Except Nick didn’t want just one set of keys. He was inspired by a friend’s group of cabins on the Hood Canal — there are also six there — where family and friends could get together and enjoy the outdoors.
Persis Cabin is named for Persis Gunn, a co-founder of Index. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
His hobby renovating their Index getaway soon turned into a vacation rental business. While Nassim was OK with a family cabin or two, Nick convinced her that renting four, five or six out was the way to go.
“He wore me down, in a nice way,” Nassim said. “I have to admit it’s pretty cool. I love talking to renters who are having a good time. We’ve had a few engagements, weddings, family reunions and music festivals on the property. It’s been fun.”
In addition to the Index Cabins, the Pietsches also run Floss, a dentist’s office in Seattle. Nassim owns the practice and is one of three dentists, and Nick works as the business manager.
The Pietsches had a scare last year with the Bolt Creek fire. The fire blazed through nearly 15,000 acres bordering U.S. 2 between Index and Skykomish and came within a mile of their six cabins. All of their hard work could have been lost to flames.
“Frankly, it’s a miracle,” Nick said. “If winds had not changed and unforecasted rains hadn’t come, I don’t think our family cabins would have survived. I was terrified they’d be done and gone.”
Their family of four — Nick and Nassim, both 44, Chloe, 13, and Cyrus, 10 — love to go hiking and skiing when they stay at the cabins. They need to get away to Index, too, sometimes.
Not only do the Pietsches honor Index’s history with their cabins, they also give back to the community. A portion of every stay goes to the Sierra Club, Forterra, the Washington Trails Association, the Tulalip Foundation, Friends of Heybrook Ridge and the Index Historical Society. A night’s stay at the luxe 3-bed Tree Frame cabin will cost you about $500, while the petite Persis comes to $160 per night.
Nick’s art on display at the cabins? It’s mixed media with discs of pyrite, also known as fool’s gold. It’s safe to say that his bachelor’s degree in geological sciences from the University of Colorado continues to influence him.
“It’s a humbling science, aside from the beautiful rocks and minerals,” he said. “The time scale helps me be grateful to be living this precious little life.”
Visit indexcabins.com for more information and to book your stay.
The Index Cabins
Each cabin has a fire pit and an outdoor seating area, either on a deck or patio. All but the two smallest also have a barbecue grill and a hot tub facing the river. Pets are allowed and Wi-Fi is available at all six locations.
Inside “The Sea Containers” at the site of the Index Cabins, also known as The Pietsch Pit, in Index, Washington on Friday, March 31, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald
Sea Containers: This tiny home is about 640 square feet and made out of two repurposed shipping containers. New this year, the cabin features a surround-sound stereo, a steam shower and a floating staircase.
Some of the cabin’s windows don’t have blinds, so you’ll feel as though you’re sleeping in nature.
Tree Frame: This elevated A-frame cabin was built in 2021. The treehouse-style retreat perches 13 feet off the ground, between four evergreen trees. Its staircase, adorned with fairy lights, is jaw-dropping.
The most luxurious of the six, this 455-square-foot cabin features a sleeping loft, fireplace and giant skylights.
Amos and Persis: These cabins are named after Amos and Persis Gunn — and they’re meant to be rented as a pair. The Gunns founded the town of Index. They opened a tavern there in 1890, established a post office the next year and platted the townsite in 1893.
Amos is the original Pietsch family cabin and is 848 square feet. The former fishing cabin features an attic hideout for kids, a wood-burning stove and an expansive deck. Persis was the 1964 home’s backyard woodshed before it was remodeled. Though the smallest at only 256 square feet, the cabin has a sleeping loft and an outdoor shower.
O’Neill: This cabin was built in 1955 and is 634 square feet. It has many reclaimed features, including school bleacher boards — with the chewing gum students stuck on it still there. The hot tub is located in a former horse barn.
The retreat is named in honor of James O’Neill, the famed superintendent of the Great Northern Railway who tried and failed to save 96 train passengers in the 1910 Wellington avalanche near Leavenworth, the deadliest in U.S. history.
Clay Baby: This tiny home was built in 2019 and is about 270 square feet. The cabin features a 55-inch TV, two sleeping lofts, a shower with two shower heads and a porch swing.
This cabin is named after “clay babies,” concretions made of clay formed from the swirling motion of the Skykomish River. A couple of the mud stones can be found on the porch.
Things to do at the Index Cabins
Go hiking. Some of the Pietsches’ favorite hikes are Jumpoff Ridge, Lake Serene, Heybrook Ridge and Barclay Lake.
Try the hot tub. Four of the six cabins offer a great view of the river as you relax in the bath.
Go skiing. Stevens Pass is just 25 miles away. The snowy resort is perfect for skiing and snowboarding.
Play in the river. Go fishing, kayaking and rafting on the Skykomish River. Or take a plunge!
Go rock climbing. The Town Wall is a popular spot for rock climbing and bouldering.
Sound & Summit
This article is featured in the summer issue of Sound & Summit, a supplement of The Daily Herald. Explore Snohomish and Island counties with each quarterly magazine. Each issue is $4.99. Subscribe to receive all four editions for $18 per year. Call 425-339-3200 or go to soundsummitmagazine.com for more information.
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