First established in 1982 the research station was a joint effort by the American and Norwegian governments. It stands on the western half of the island separated from the town by the mountain. It is made up of five separate buildings of varying sizes, each containing different facilities needed by the staff who lived and worked on the base. It also included a set of tunnels to connect the buildings so that it would not be necessary for anyone to travel above ground during the cold winter months. Long since abandoned following a cut in funding, the base has spent its years being covered and uncovered by layers of snow. The buildings themselves have remained in good condition, thanks to their construction from precast concrete on steel frames with facades made out of composite insulated metal panels.

Separating the research station from the mining town is an expanse of wilderness. The main features of this untamed stretch of land are the large mountain that rises up in imposing fashion at the middle of the island, the expansive tundra forest that was formerly used for trapping, and a frozen lake with a campground on its shore. All of these areas and pathways are long since abandoned and are now showing signs of disrepair.

The mountain rises up in the center of the island and splits it into two halves. While most of the island sits in the shadow of the mountain's peak, it isn’t possible to reach the summit without extensive gear due to the treacherous terrain near the top. Two paths can be used to navigate around the mountain to go from one side of the island to the other, and enterprising travels can also find some locations off the beaten path.

In its heyday the mining town was a healthy if small community, with its economy based around the mine at the base of the mountain. Unfortunately, after the disastrous mine collapse and subsequent closure, the town was cut off from its only lifeline and the community slowly died out. All that is left of this town is the empty shells of the buildings. The residents took all their important personal belongings with them when they left, but an assortment of other objects have been left behind due to inability to take them along or lack of care.

At the top right of the town is the mine. Previously the economic center of the island, a disastrous collapse of the main mineshaft left an undeniable scar on the community. The fallout of the disaster led to many families slowly moving away to find other work or to get away from the pain of the past. Now the main mine buildings sit behind a rusted metal gate and chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. The old wooden buildings of the mine remain, never having been torn down after the mine closed its doors, but their structures are all warped and broken. The entrance to the mine can still be seen, but it is inaccessible due to a combination of debris and being intentionally sealed up with a heavy wooden barrier.

On the north side of the island is a rocky shoreline, made up of larger igneous rock formations and smaller crags that form tide pools. The shoreline can be treacherous to navigate, especially when it is wet. Not too far off the shore, the remains of a small plane can be seen in the water.