Since its construction, the ecolodge is oriented to a sustainable approach to tourism and to the use of the landscape and its natural resources.

The infrastructure is completely made from wood that comes from forest plantations in order to prevent the harvesting of primary forest.

 A water treatment plant  (Biofilter) filters the water the lodge uses before discharging it to the river again.  Gray water and black water drains separately in different pipes.

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Katrina from Alaska Ultra Sport introduces us to the wild wonders of the Alaskan wilderness, and exposes the numerous threats to these areas from mining. Perhaps a good adventure can help save the day?

"When I first came to Alaska in 1996 I fell in love with this huge wild place. I moved to Alaska permanently from Germany in 2002 and have since guided people from all over the world into Alaska’s vast wilderness on multi-day hiking, rafting and kayaking trips. Alaska is one of those rare places in the world where true wilderness can still be found. Adventure and exploration in Alaska, paddling down rivers and hiking through remote mountain ranges, is all still possible without seeing another soul. Alaska is one fifth the size of the entire United States, and it contains two thirds of the land protected in the US national park system. Healthy populations of bears, moose, caribous, wolves and fish, salmon in particular, can be found here. Yet even at the beginning of the 21st century harsh climate and topography has kept Alaska’s population under a million. Half of them live just on the edge of the wilderness in Alaska’s largest city: Anchorage. Many remote villages are not connected by a road system. People in remote villages and towns live a subsistence lifestyle. 

Over 1,5 Million tourists (that’s 1.5 tourists per resident) come to Alaska every year to experience this last frontier and the wildlife, mountains, rivers and glaciers. These wild lands and untouched places we experience today could be gone in the future. Ongoing and proposed mining projects supported by multi national companies are threatening wildlife, fish, water quality, air quality, and a way of life. The state of Alaska has never shut down a mine despite of multiple violations of permits by some of the mining operations. Alaska has no law to protect water quality. Alaska's mining projects are remote and far away from the road system and most people have never heard of them. As you will see, the impact of them on the incredible Alaskan wilderness, even the National Parks, is very real.

Donlin Creek Gold Mine is a mining prospect near the famous Iditarod Trail – home of the worlds’ longest winter Ultra race – 350 or 1100 miles unsupported across the ice and snow of Alaska, from Knik, just north of Anchorage, to McGrath, then on to Nome. So far the mine has been in its exploration phase. Open pit mining could last for 25 years leaving toxic waste in the remote roadless area not far from the Kuskokwim River. They have been looking into building pipelines to power the mines, which would change the Iditarod Trail forever, as this recent report suggests.

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