Off-grid Az ranch for sale: 'It's ready for zombie apocalypse'

Bob Worsley, founder of SkyMall and a former Arizona state senator, is selling his family ranch in the mountains of Heber, Arizona.The 35-acre off-grid mountain estate was made for a special goal: to make memories.

The vacation home was a secluded shield for his kids and grandkids from the noise of the world. Not just a perfect family getaway, this ranch is self-sufficient, with solar power, its own well and a generator.

“We're ready for the zombie apocalypse if we need it,” listing agent Josie Pakula with Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Realty told Realtor.com. For $9.475 million, someone else can now inherit it!

A ranch with lots of family history

The Worsley family’s 18,952-square-foot Legacy Lodge sits on a 32-acre ranch.

It was designed as a sanctuary where family members could gather and make memories.“It’s a huge log cabin he built just for his family and his grandchildren. It’s just really awesome,” Pakula told the outlet.The vacation home is named ‘Legacy Lodge’ by its owners, due to a ‘desire to build a place for our children and grandchildren to gather for holidays and vacation in the hopes that we could bring contrast between our traditions and time-tested family values with the noise of the world,’ according to the family’s story on the builder’s website.

The family started to look for a place to build the lodge in the summer of 1997. They looked across Canada and the US, and found the right place in Arizona, which is also not far from home.The structure of the lodge was built in Canada from Western red cedar that came from British Columbia. This was then transported to Arizona in 20 semitrucks. They also added elements from Arizona. For instance, the copper in the roof came from Arizona mines.

Two cranes and a three-day assembly job later, it stood complete: an 18,952-square-foot monument to bring the family together in the pine trees.

What the new buyer gets

The main lodge has multiple levels with 12 bedrooms and eight bathrooms. The upstairs is mostly dedicated to sleeping quarters. The main floor is where the magic happens. It has an open kitchen and living areas, anchored by a 1,250-year-old tree! That’s right. This tree stands in the centre of the great room, and its massive trunk supports the architectural design.

The tree was already uprooted when the builders found it.

According to the family's original vision statement, the tree has witnessed “the invention of most everything you see around you, including electricity and telescopes”. It has seen the beginnings of European cultures during Anglo-Saxon times, William the Conqueror and William the Silent, the plague, the Renaissance, the works of Michelangelo, mass migration to America, and even Hitler and the Nazis! The tree is surely the major attraction of the lodge.

When you go downstairs, the vibe shifts entirely. It’s built for entertainment. Its new owner gets a home theatre, ping-pong tables, pool tables and a bar. “Most of the kids hang out there,” Pakula said.There are multi-stall bathrooms for kids, and also a large bunk room. Despite being huge, the lodge is cosy too. “As big as it is, it's actually really cosy. It's just beautiful,” the agent told the outlet.

Beyond the lodge

The main house is only a part of the ranch. The property also includes a four-bedroom barndominium, a four-bedroom cabin, a caretaker's residence and three tiny homes.“There are a lot of sleeping spaces,” Pakula added, explaining how the property is a perfect getaway from the desert heat. One of the biggest highlights of the ranch lodge is its temperature. “The elevation is high, so it’s cooler. When it’s 120 degrees in Phoenix, it’s 80 degrees up there. It’s just refreshing,” she said.Well, that’s not all. There's a lake that doubles as the property's natural gathering point. Pakula calls it her favourite feature.

“It’s just fun. It's like a gathering place. In the evenings, after dinner, people just go and gather there and hang out. It’s a natural gathering spot.”

Here's the detail that would likely convince someone, somewhere. The property is entirely off-grid! That’s right. The ranch is surrounded by forest. Some may call it isolated, but one might find it fun. You will have to drive an hour to get to a major grocery store. It’s really off-grid.But it's self-sufficient. Solar panels handle the power. A private well supplies the water. A generator handles emergencies. “It's totally off the grid, which is the coolest thing.” The ranch is even ready for an apocalypse. “We're ready for the zombie apocalypse if we need it,” she added.