Green Lodging Near Yosemite: The Chalet in the Press

When we remodeled the chalet, we wanted it to last a long time and sit lightly on a place we love. So it got geothermal heat pumps, the first geothermal retrofit in Mono County, along with recycled tile, local timber and a long list of quieter choices most guests never see. That work drew coverage in the press as some of the greenest lodging near Yosemite National Park.

What makes it green

The heat comes from the ground. Geothermal heat pumps pull steady warmth out of the earth under the chalet, which is a good trick in a place where the winter nights go well below zero. The tile is 43% recycled. The twelve-foot dining table and the bar stools are cut from local timber. The sheets and towels are organic cotton, and the house has recycling service.

None of it asks anything of you as a guest, except maybe to notice how quiet the house is when the heat comes on. Read more about the chalet, or send us your dates.