Accommodations
Accommodations:
Where you sleep is part of the experience! Guests stay in one of our traditional sod roof cabins, the “Sun Lodge” or “Sky Lodge”, and dine in the Saskatoon cabin. Both cabins are a few minutes walk from other dwellings to preserve a sense of solitude. To learn how we built the cabins, see our blog. Our guest cabins are rustic but elegant and clean. Staying in one is a real Alaskan experience! Here are some details to help you understand how they work:
Water- We get water from the Tanana River by chopping a water hole through the ice and then hauling the water up the hill. We filter all of the drinking water. Your cabin will have a glass dispenser of drinking water and a big pot of hot water on the woodstove for hot drinks and washing.
Heat- Cabins are heated exclusively with wood. We’ll teach you how to make good fires and supply ample kindling and firewood. Making a fire to warm your dwelling is an empowering ritual that most guests enjoy.
Power- The cabins have small solar system that supports lights, and USB charging. Cabins also have an inverter that you can use to plug in cell phones, cameras, etc.
Cell service- Depending on your carrier, you may or may not get good cell reception. Most major carriers (Verizon, AT&T etc) work fairly well. The Sunlodge and Saskatoon cabins have cell boosters. We have phones that work in case of emergencies and generally discourage clients from using phones too much as they can detract from the experience.
Bathing- The cabin includes a simple sink, but no shower. We encourage sponge baths- we’ve got bowls, wash cloths, towels, and soap for you, it’s a nice thing to do by a roaring woodstove!
Bathroom- Each cabin has a private outhouse with a great view. Outhouses are a short walk from the cabin and we have inside potties that can be used for peeing indoors as well.
Food- We cook and serve meals to guests in David and Jenna’s cabin. Your cabin comes stocked with tea, coffee, cocoa, and chocolate. In addition to the wood stove, the cabins have small propane stoves and basic cooking gear.
Sunlodge
Built in 2013, it was our first real structure on the homestead and served as our home for nearly seven years! We completely re-built the Sunlodge in 2021, making some improvements in the foundation, insulation, and giving a thorough cleaning (re-peeled all of the logs!) To learn about how the lodge was originally built, see our blog entry.
Accommodates: 2 People (1 queen bed)
Distance: 5-minute walk to David and Jenna’s cabin on a foot trail. This is the farthest-away cabin from our main hub, providing the most solitude.
View: The Alaska Range’s Mt. Deborah is visible from the big window. If you go to the front yard and look downriver the view of Denali is good.
This cabin was built in 2020 by our friends Gerrid and Christine Greenwood. They took the Sun Lodge design and made it bigger. This cabin is the closest one to the river and has a big front window. You almost feel like you are outside when you sit by the table by the window.
Accommodates: 2-3 People (1 queen bed plus optional single cot)
Distance: 3-minute walk to David and Jenna’s cabin on a foot trail, a little more hilly than the Sun Lodge but a shorter distance.
View: Sweeping view to the West, good for viewing Denali and watching the sun set.
Saskatoon Bluff Cabin
This cabin serves as both our family’s home and our Lodge. We started cutting logs for our cabin during the winter of 2016 and moved in December 2019. It is a 2-story traditional full-scribe log cabin with a root cellar. We use this cabin to cook and serve meals for our guests as well as a crafting and relaxation space.
The White Mountains National Recreation Area
Located an hour north of Fairbanks, the White Mountains National Recreation area is a million-acre winter wonderland. A trail and cabin system allow us to access this incredibly scenic area of mountains, river and forest with ease. We have a special permit that allows us to use the cozy cabins in this area or set up a basecamp off the beaten path. They White Mountains are close, they’re wild, they’re almost heaven. Trips offered here include: “Cabin to Cabin Dog Mushing” and “Mountain Basecamp”.
The Alaska Range
The Alaska Range is an incredible place, full of rugged and dramatic beauty. Its a few hours south of Fairbanks and well worth the drive. This is not country for the faint of heart, but if you want true adventure, there is nothing like exploring on frozen rivers and up mountain passes. Trips we offer in the area include: “Mountain Basecamp” and custom fly-in trips.
The Arctic
