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Eleven Winterlake Lodge
Alaska Range, Alaska, United States · Eleven Experience · Accessible Luxury
Original cabins on Finger Lake were built by the Branham brothers as a 1930s hunting camp on Alaska's Iditarod Sled Dog Race trail, where the lodge still serves as the Finger Lake checkpoint about 198 trail miles northwest of Anchorage. Carl and Kirsten Dixon bought the property in 1994, ended hunting, and built a celebrated wilderness lodge before selling to Eleven in 2022 to 2023, leaving roughly 15 acres surrounded by about a million acres of wilderness with Denali views.
- Opened 1994
About Eleven Winterlake Lodge
- The Branham brothers built the original cabins as a 1930s hunting camp on Finger Lake, an Iditarod Sled Dog Race checkpoint.
- Carl and Kirsten Dixon acquired the property in 1994, ceased hunting operations, and transformed it into a luxury wilderness lodge under Within the Wild.
- Kirsten Dixon's backcountry kitchen made her a celebrated figure in Alaskan wilderness cuisine.
- The Dixons sold the heli-accessible lodge to Eleven Lodge Management in 2022 to 2023; it sits on about 15 acres with views toward Denali.
History
Winterlake Lodge sits on the shores of Finger Lake, about 198 trail miles northwest of Anchorage along Alaska's historic Iditarod Trail, where it serves as the Finger Lake checkpoint of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The original cabins were built by the Branham brothers as a hunting camp in the 1930s.
In 1994 Carl and Kirsten Dixon acquired the property, renamed it Winterlake Lodge, ceased all hunting operations and transformed it into a luxury wilderness lodge, adding cabins, a bar, a wellness suite and a kitchen that made Kirsten Dixon a celebrated figure in Alaskan backcountry cuisine. The Dixons operated it as part of their Within the Wild Alaska Adventure Company for nearly three decades.
In 2022-2023 the Dixons sold the lodge to Eleven Lodge Management LLC (Ian Huschle), and it reopened as Eleven Winterlake Lodge, joining the Colorado-based Eleven adventure company's global portfolio. The heli-accessible retreat sits on around 15 acres surrounded by roughly a million acres of wilderness with views toward Denali.
Experiences
- Off-grid guided adventures (glacier trekking, tundra hiking, rafting, salmon fishing) — Bespoke guided adventures including trekking glaciers, hiking treeless tundra, rafting rapids and fishing for all five Pacific salmon species.
- Heli-skiing in the Tordrillo Mountains — Backcountry heli-skiing with expert guides, new for the 2024 season.
- Summer heli-excursions — Bespoke heli-excursions to waterfalls, untouched mountaintops and glacier walls.
- Wildlife viewing — Spotting grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou and Dall sheep; hunting has been prohibited since the 1990s.
- Dialed-up adventures in the Alaskan backcountry — Awe-inspiring adventures offered year-round at the lodge, as described for the upcoming reopening.
Amenities
- wood-burning fireplaces
- bar
- kitchen
- pre-arrival planning with experience team
- guided activities
Open Eleven Winterlake Lodge in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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