It Ain't Easy Being Green - Life Off the Grid at Keefer Lake Lodge

12
May, 2023

Experience sustainable living off the grid at Keefer Lake Lodge. Discover eco-friendly practices and reconnect with nature. Plan your green escape now!

Keefer Lake Lodge is located in a pristine mountain setting right next to Keefer Lake - the headwaters of the Kettle Valley river. This location has so many advantages - privacy, silence, beauty,  and being surrounded by nature. One of the challenges is that we are located completely off-grid. Meaning we have no access to power or all the services that other resorts have the luxury of utilizing. At Keefer Lake Lodge, we are up to the challenge! Here are some of the things we do to be self sufficient all while maintaining the natural beauty of where we call home:

Catching Some Rays with our Solar Array

Harnessing the power of the Sun was always a part of the vision when we first discovered Keefer Lake. During the initial build of the lodge we installed this rather impressive looking solar array and power bank. In 2022, these solar panels were upgraded for newer, more efficient panels which you will see outside the front of our lodge. We harness the power of the sun to keep the lights on at the lodge. We also use micro-hydro generators to top up that power generation. It is cool what you can achieve when there are no other options! 

Grow Green - Microgreens with Macro Benefits

Our culinary team strives to be the best in the business. Best means different things to different people of course but we believe it all starts with the freshest and most creative ingredients. We have continuous growth and harvesting of microgreen right here at the lodge. We grow these tasty morsels all year long using state of the art growing chambers, lighting equipment and hydrology. The chef preparing your meals is also part of growing your meals!

We Shop Local

Supporting local is at the core of the Gostlin's mission here at Keefer Lake Lodge. Having local support and involvement in building this dream has been immeasurable. While we built the lodge we learned of the vast talent in the area. People creating and selling all sorts of goods. So we starting looking at how we supply the lodge and how much we could source local. This not only has an impact on the community but cuts down on shipping and logistics. Plus, we get to meet new people and be part of the community we exist in. 

Some noteable examples of how we shop local are the sheets are made from 100% organic alpaca bedding, made locally by Crescent Moon Duvet & Pillow Company
Our soaps are made locally by Back to Earth. We hire local services providers from machine operators to our bookkeeping, right here in the valley. Even some of our fleet of powder skis are handcrafted locally by Skevik Skis!

We Drink Local Too!

Beer, Wine, Coffee - all of the essentials are sourced locally. We are in the Okanagan Wine Country which is Canada's hot spot for everything wine. In our ever-growing wine library we are constantly adding more local vintages. Usually as a result of visiting the wineries themselves! A few local favourites include Roche Wines and Tantalus Vineyards. You will find many Okanagan choices so you can get a flavour for our terroir!

Local micro-brewed beer is so much a favourite around these parts that we even partnered with Vice and Virtue Brewing to craft our own beer. Complete with Keefer artwork, this beer is exclusive to our lodge and we cheers with it to celebrate the end of each day. Our full service bar is complete with all local beers for every palate. Also, ask about the local spirits we have and our mixologist will whip you us something your sense won't soon forget.

And if coffee is your elixir of choice in the morning, we have you covered. Roasted weekly in Kelowna, Cherryhill Coffee Roasters provides us with the freshest and tastiest beans in the valley. Our espresso machine is at your disposal all day long!


Sustainability is at the Core of Keefer Lake Lodge

These are just a few examples to highlight how we live off-grid and consider our environment. After all, guests come visit us to enjoy nature. We should be doing everything we can to preserve the natural beauty while we share it with others. We are always innovating and always learning. Thanks for coming along on this journey with us!