The Newsletter of Camp Denali
Every fall, Alaska’s travel community gathers for the annual Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) conference, a time to reflect on the summer season, connect with others in the industry, and explore the evolving opportunities and challenges facing tourism in our state.
The conference concludes with a closing reception and awards banquet, one of the week’s highlights. This year’s banquet is one we won’t soon forget: Camp Denali was honored with the Stan Stephens Stewardship Award, recognizing our long-standing commitment to sustainability and responsible operations in Alaska.
While this award acknowledges the way we’ve chosen to do business for more than 70 years, it is not the reason sustainability guides our work. Our commitment stems from daily, deliberate choices to maintain a light touch on the land, to honor those who cared for it before us, and to preserve it for those who will follow.
You might be surprised by how deeply these choices shape our day-to-day operations. Take our main power source: the sun. Since completing our solar array in 2020, we’ve been able to rely primarily on solar energy. With the closure of the Park Road the very next year, the shift to renewable energy couldn’t have come at a better time. This season, our diesel generator ran just 128 hours, a striking testament to what thoughtful infrastructure can make possible.
Our sustainability efforts extend well beyond power. This summer alone, we converted a portion of our food and paper waste into more than 860 gallons of compost. That compost returns to our gardens, enriching the soil that helps feed up to 65 guests and staff three meals a day. It’s a humble but essential cycle that underscores the interconnected nature of our operation.
Utilizing the natural resources around us is woven into everything we do. It’s in the meals crafted from our greenhouse, the sheets drying on the clothesline, and the environmentally mindful products we carefully source and wisely use to keep things clean. We hope it’s also felt by the guests and staff who spend time here, with an unspoken ease that comes from knowing you’re doing your best to do something right.
Most importantly, these practices are a nod to those who came before us and stewarded these lands for thousands of years. Their legacy of living lightly on the land continues to inspire us. Our efforts are just one way of honoring that heritage by caring for this place with intention, humility, and gratitude.
Simon Hamm with Jodi Rodwell of Denali Education Center, Photo by ATIA
