Winston’s Cabin
A small cabin. A bigger question.
Can a comfortable stay in the woods help heal local soils and grow forests? Winston’s Cabin is where we’re bringing that question into the build itself.
We’re developing a demonstration cabin at Camp Moose Trail to explore how biological energy, water reuse and natural soil enrichment can work together. We’re taking what we’ve learned from building a regenerative camp and refining those processes for a comfortable cabin stay. The cabin’s integrated systems are still being developed and their performance will be measured.
Energy from a living process
Thermophilic microbes release energy as they break down organic materials. We’re developing a system that uses a heat exchanger to transfer energy from locally sourced organic materials into the cabin’s heating system.
The plan is to deliver that warmth through hydronic floor heating. We need to establish how much useful energy we can collect, how long it lasts and how the biological process responds through a heating season.
Giving water another job
At camp, we already put wastewater back to work: hydrating the organic materials that nourish our microbes and watering our tree nurseries. By reusing that water, we’ve eliminated wastewater from the camp’s current operations.
Winston’s Cabin will refine practices we’ve used at camp for years—turning waste from guest stays into biological energy, nourishment for healthier soils, and support for young forests. The plan is to use treated water to irrigate a rooftop nursery of young trees and other forest species during dry periods, while also using suitable wastewater to keep the microbes in our biological energy plant hydrated.
The experiment is in refining these existing practices and bringing them together in the cabin. We’ll track how water treatment, storage and reuse perform across the seasons.
Growing forests starts here
Our Kootenay River reforestation project is already underway, with young trees growing at camp and being nurtured through our regenerative practices. Establishing those trees in the burn area and following their progress is the next stage.
The cabin’s roof is planned as a tree nursery, giving young trees and other forest species a place to grow before planting. Treated water will help keep them healthy during drought. Winston’s Cabin forms part of that wider effort: connecting the way we host guests with what happens to materials, water and living landscapes afterwards.
Comfort is part of the experiment
The cabin is planned as a compact retreat with a kitchen, bathroom and space to rest after a day outside. Biological heating is one part of the design; a useful demonstration also needs to be practical to operate and comfortable to stay in.
Build. Measure. Share.
We plan to track temperatures, circulation, useful energy delivered and the electricity needed to run the system. We’ll also follow water use and the materials leaving the process.
We’ll share what works, what needs another go and what the results actually support. The aim is to build something useful at camp and make the learning useful to others.
Founders Nights
Be part of bringing Winston’s Cabin to life. Purchase a voucher for one future night for up to four guests for CAD $190 now. Your purchase helps fund the build and testing.
The cabin is under construction. Dates will be arranged after opening, subject to availability. Your voucher does not reserve a specific date. If opening is delayed, it remains valid for a later stay.
Applicable accommodation taxes are payable when you redeem your voucher and book your stay, at the rates then in effect. Long-weekend stays require a surcharge equal to the difference between $190 and the applicable nightly rate, plus applicable taxes, confirmed before your dates are finalised.
Non-refundable. Camp Moose Trail’s shared amenities are not included. Keep your Square receipt and order number as proof of purchase.