LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH - WRAP UP - Feb 8 through 12, 2025

 OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS, INTO THE FROZEN BANANA BELT

Friday night Karen got a text message from the ranch staff asking us to leave the bathroom sink and shower faucets open slightly for the entire night. This was due to expected single digit temperatures overnight.

As predicted, it was cold that night. In the morning, after Karen had her coffee, we bundled up for the walk to breakfast and then checked out of our cabin. The snow vehicle picked up Karen and our luggage and headed down to the Outpost to wait for our shuttle bus.

It was clear and cold as we rode along the Gallatin River down out of the mountains and north toward the Bozeman Airport. At one point, we passed a hardy group of people standing in the river in waders doing some fly fishing. This was an activity Karen had been interested in doing when we were first planning the trip. After seeing those folks through the bus window, she said she was glad she decided not to go fishing this week.

It was 8 degrees when we got to the airport. It was even colder inside the parking structure when we went to get into our rental car. They had washed the car shortly before we got it and the doors had already frozen shut. Our glasses had fogged/frozen and it was nearly impossible to see anything in the dim light of the parking garage. We finally got the doors open and loaded our luggage. Then, we sat in the car for about 15 or 20 minutes hoping the engine would warm up enough to get the heater going. We never had these issues come up on our trips to Maui!

Out on the road, we headed west on I-90 for the 200 mile trip to Missoula Airport. For as far as we could see, there was a blanket of snow covering everything. The landscape remained this way for the remainder of our trip.

The interstate takes you up into the Deerlodge National Forest near the city of Butte. Beautiful snowy cliffs lined the highway as we gained elevation. 

Later, the road drops down toward Anaconda, where you can see an enormous towering structure off in the distance to the west. This is the site of the old Anaconda Copper Company smelting smokestack. It was operational for most of the early part of the 20th century and is now a State Park. This thing is taller than the Washington Monument. We didn’t get a snapshot, but there are good pictures on the internet.

It was getting near dusk when we pulled into Missoula Airport. The place looked deserted. The car rental office is, basically, a beefed up tent out in the parking lot. When we walked over to the terminal building, we were the only persons in it. I guess there aren’t many flights scheduled on Saturday nights around here. We’ve never had this happen before at LAX.

My brother and sister-in-law (Jeff and Joanna) met us at the airport to take us to their house for the next few days. They moved from Grass Valley, CA to Victor, MT a couple years ago and this was our first trip to see their new home.

Victor is in the Bitterroot Valley. The Bitterroot River flows north through the valley, which is bordered on the west by the Bitterroot Mountains and to the east by the Sapphire Mountains. This region is often called the ‘banana belt’ of Montana because of its relatively warmer climate, when compared to the rest of the state. For this week, at least, the only bananas around here were going to be of the frozen variety. The forecast was for steadily declining temperatures all week.

The drive south down Highway 93 was beautiful. Everything was covered in cold and dry powdery snow. When we got to the house, Joanna fed us some great homemade stew along with Jeff’s home baked sourdough bread - we were still living the resort lifestyle!

We stayed indoors on Sunday to rest and to watch the Superbowl game. On Monday we took a drive up to Stevensville and through the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. During the warmer months, this flood plain along the Bitterroot River is teeming with migrating birds and other wildlife. On this day, with single digit temperatures and a cool breeze, there were just a few deer out for a stroll.

Back at the house we had outstanding views of the snow covered mountains from the warm comfort of the living room. We got in some good competitive card games in the evening.

On Tuesday we drove south to Darby for brunch at the historic 406 Saloon/Big Cat Cafe. Then we checked out a local sporting goods shop.

From there, we continued south on Highway 93 past the Chief Joseph Ranch - better known as the Dutton Ranch in the popular T.V. show, ‘Yellowstone’.

We drove as far south as Sula, where Jeff and Joanna have camped in their R.V. It is quite scenic at this time of year, but it’s definitely not camping weather.

On the way back north we passed through the town of Hamilton. There we saw another, but much smaller smokestack along the road. At about 150 feet tall (as opposed to the more than 500 feet of the Anaconda stack), it was built in the early 20th century to service a sugar beet factory that went bankrupt before it could open. As a local newspaper put it: “What was once meant to stand as a beacon to progress now stands as an icon to unrealized dreams.”  Hey, I’m not just blowing smoke - now, no more talk about smokestacks!

Jeff and I took a little hike from his house over to the Bitterroot River about a quarter mile through the deep snow. It was so cold and dry that the snow had the consistency of sugar. My toes had the consistency of little kernels of frozen corn.

The temperature continued to drop and by Tuesday night it was going to be minus 12 degrees. We had a nice fire, a great dinner and more fun playing cards that night. The next day, we flew back home to the first temperatures above freezing we had experienced in more than a week. The next morning, Jeff sent us a screenshot of his home weather station showing the morning temperature in his yard: minus 20 degrees!

Our stay in Victor was a great way to finish off a wonderful winter trip. Many thanks to Jeff and Joanna for their hospitality. We look forward to returning when the  grass turns green and the Montana flowers bloom.

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH - Day 5 - Feb 7, 2025

DRIVERS EDUCATION: EVERYBODY READY? LET’S GO!

We woke up this morning to a blanket of fresh new snow after last night’s storm. While the morning temperature was a relatively balmy 20 degrees, the afternoon temperature was expected to be about 10 degrees. Our dog sledding excursion was scheduled for 1:00pm - perfect for a day on the trail!

Our driver, Danny, met us at the Outpost at 11:15am for the one hour ride to meet the operators of Yellowstone Dog Sled Adventures. We were bundled up in our warmest gear and ready for adventure.

The two lane highway follows the Gallitan River into the mountains towards Yellowstone National Park. The road conditions began to deteriorate within just a few miles. Snow was accumulating rapidly and visibility was reducing quickly. We passed a big rig that had slid off the road, and soon came upon a pickup truck and trailer that had done the same. 

Danny is a cautious and experienced driver and our 4WD GMC Yukon was up to the task. Eventually, we got off the highway onto what is usually a dirt road. Today it was covered in new snow, which was growing as the storm continued to increase in intensity. We climbed up into a beautiful canyon on the winding road and Danny wondered aloud whether the dog teams would go today. There was seemingly no one else around.

Finally we reached a gate with a cut out image of a dog on a fence post. We turned in and saw a few trucks, a portable outhouse, and several tents. This was headquarters.

The scene reminded me of old photos from the Klondike Gold Rush back in 1899. The old canvas tents had stoves in them and a wood campfire provided the outdoor heat. Dogs and sleds were randomly arrayed about the area. The sound of yelping and barking cut through the blowing snow. 

Danny decided to stay there rather than drive back to Lone Mountain (which is the usual practice) because of the road conditions. We jumped out and went over to the ‘office’ to sign waiver papers.  

Today, there was only one other couple besides Karen and I doing the excursion. Each couple was assigned one sled and a six-dog team. Our guide spent a few minutes going over some dog sled basics, such as, 1) the reason the dogs all looked like a bunch of mutts is because that’s what they are; 2) the idealized vision of majestic huskies and malamutes, etc. doesn’t hold true in actual practice - those breeds are more suited to low sub-zero conditions and would not do well in the ‘warmer’ climate of Montana; 3) the mutts are actually bred specifically for this job and are every bit true Alaskan sled dogs. In fact, these dogs work the winter in Montana and then get transported to Juneau, Alaska to run and work the summer on a glacier, where they do sled excursions for cruise ship tourists; 4) we would be stopping occasionally to keep the dogs from overheating.

As for driving instructions, they were brief and to the point. Stand with a foot on each skid, use the foot brake to slow the sled and to prevent slack in the lead lines, lean into the turns, and NEVER let go of the sled. The basic commands for the team are, 1) everybody ready? 2) let’s go! 3) easy now; 4) whoa! To turn left you yell ‘ha’, turn right yell ‘gee’.

Karen decided to be the passenger for the first leg of the trip and we would switch places for the second. As we got ready to go, the dogs were going nuts. The baying was deafening. The guide had a team in first position, our fellow tourists were second and we were third. A guy on a snowmobile wound around through the woods and shadowed us as a safety vehicle.

When we got the word to go and issued our commands, the sled took off like a slingshot. With the sounds of the teams, the whoosh of the sleds on the snow, and the snowflakes falling from the sky, it felt like we had been transported to another time and place.

After about 45 minutes of twisting and turning through the forest, we returned to headquarters for a 15 minute break. Then, we switched drivers and Karen took control of our sled. 

As before, we took off in a hurry. Karen skillfully led us along the trail. I was surprised at how comfortable the ride was as a passenger. Tucked into my little sleeping bag cocoon, I was very cozy.

We came to a sharp right turn at a moderate pace when the sled suddenly lifted onto its left runner with the right one in the air. I heard Karen say, ‘oh no!’. The sled returned to an upright position and immediately accelerated. In the distance, I could hear Karen’s voice grow fainter as she yelled, ‘stop!’. Locked into my cocoon, I couldn’t see behind me - I just saw the sled ahead of me growing larger as we bore down on it. Our sled was driverless after Karen had been flung from it and lay sprawled in the snow somewhere behind us. The team, sensing a lighter sled, instinctively began to run faster.

The dogs stopped before running into the other sled. The snowmobile came out of the trees and got our team settled down. Karen, who had gotten up and brushed the snow off, soon caught up to us on foot and got us going again. She did a great job overall, and she provided me with one of the more memorable and entertaining moments of our trip. I’m still smiling as I write this.

By the time we finished, the snow had stopped and the sun was coming out. The drive back to the ranch was quick and easy.

We had our final dinner at the Horn and Cantle tonight. I ordered their signature 30oz bone-in tomahawk ribeye steak dinner - a fitting meal after a long day out in the wilds of Montana.

NEXT: Drive to Missoula to meet Jeff and Joanna and finish that steak 

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH - Day 4, Feb 6, 2025

 SLEEPING IN, GOLF COURSE SKATE SKI, SLEIGH RIDE DINNER 

Late last evening Karen got an email from the dog sled company asking to reschedule today’s mushing excursion until tomorrow. So, we slept in today and had a leisurely breakfast.

Thursday is my usual golfing day. With that in mind, I went down to the Outpost and checked out a pair of skating skis. The trails down in the meadows had been freshly groomed at 3:00am and with the temperature in the teens and low twenties, conditions for skating were expected to be ideal.

Big Sky Golf Course is closed for golfing in winter but is open for nordic skiing. To get there I had to climb some hills and then fly down some curving trails toward the condos and vacation homes surrounding the course. I haven’t been on skating gear in several years, so my adrenaline was pumping by the time I got to the bottom.

There are several trail loops that wind in and around the golf course. Located on the property, are a few historic buildings from the old Crail Ranch. I snapped a quick photo of what I figured was one of the more important of those structures.

Lone Mountain made its first appearance today. It’s been hidden behind snow and clouds most of time we’ve been here.

Tonight we went on the sleigh ride dinner. As we waited to go, we visited the goats who were ‘hogging’ the fire pit.

The two-horsepower sleigh (there were three sleighs, each with about twelve people) took us on a twenty minute ride up the hill to a rustic cabin for dinner. We were greeted at the door by a server who handed out shots of apple moonshine whiskey.

There is no electricity, gas or running water at the cabin. The restroom is a one-person outhouse. Inside the cabin, the lighting is provided by several oil lamps hanging from the ceiling. The heating comes from the huge vintage wood burning stove, which the chef used to prepare the prime rib and all the side dishes and dessert.

Our cowboy entertainment was provided by Bruce. He lives in Helena and drives to Lone Mountain every week and stays Wednesday through Saturday. He sang us several songs, some of them his own, describing life in Montana and the West.

It was very dark and snowing lightly as we rode back down the hill in the sleigh - a great way to end another fun day at the ranch.

NEXT: Dog Sledding 

LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH - Day 3 - Feb 5, 2025

 BLUEBIRD MORNING, BLIZZARD AFTERNOON, IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?

We woke up this morning to blue skies and relatively mild temperatures. Karen stayed snuggled under the covers in preparation for her mid-day massage and spa treatment in Big Sky Village. I grabbed a quick breakfast to get ready for some backcountry skiing.

Down at the Outpost I met my guide, Randy. He’s worked at the ranch for more than 20 years and he’s a native Montanan and an experienced outdoorsman. The third person in our group today was a fellow guest of the ranch, Alexander. Alexander is a medical doctor from New Jersey.

We jumped in a pickup truck and went a few miles down the road to the Porcupine Trailhead. Our plan was to ski a few miles up into the hills and do some exploring. 

The trail was pretty much snowed over from the storm on Monday - except for the fact that some horseback riders had gone up (probably yesterday) and made a real mess of things with their large feet leaving big holes in the snow. This meant we’d be breaking trail through fresh snow adjacent to the trail. It also meant we’d be going slow.

Meanwhile, the wind was picking up and our blue skies gave way to dark clouds and blowing snow. Along with that, the temperature began to drop. There’s nothing like skiing uphill against the wind.

A couple miles in, it was really beginning to storm. I had a chance to split off from the group long enough to climb a nearby hill and try a downhill run through about three feet of fresh powder. I was doing great until I did a face-plant into the soft snow. When I got to the bottom, Randy complimented me on my ‘Wide World of Sports’ performance.

As the weather continued to deteriorate, we decided to turn around and head back to the trailhead. Randy suggested we ski into the more wooded areas in order to avoid some of the wind.

We got to a small dip in the terrain where a creek flowed under the snow. This is a pretty routine occurrence when you’re skiing in the backcountry and Randy led the way down and across it. Alexander was next, and he got off to a good start until he inexplicably veered parallel to the creek. This caused his left ski to plunge downward through the thin layer of snow and ice and into the frigid water. As this was happening, his right ski went into the air and right leg crossed over his left leg. This left him flat on his back against the creek bank with his arms and legs all (as they say) akimbo.

Randy felt bad that he had led one of his guys into this situation and jumped into action to extricate Alexander. It became clear pretty quickly that this was not going to be that easy to do. Alexander’s left ski was submerged and wedged under snow and ice that covered the creek. The right ski was buried under snow on top of the creek. Alexander could not reach either ski to release the bindings. Randy took off his own skis to get down to Alexander but got his own right boot into the creek and couldn’t get to Alexander’s skis so he went behind Alexander to get ready to pull him up onto the bank.

I kept my skis on and made a little bridge for myself near Alexander’s feet. This allowed me to reach down into the creek to feel around for the binding release. Just as I was losing feeling in that hand I got the boot loose from the ski. Then I found the buried right ski and got it loose. Randy pulled Alexander up the bank and we began the search for the left ski. At first, we thought it had flowed downstream with the current because we couldn’t see or feel it under the water. Finally, Randy spotted a glimpse of some bright colors and brought the wayward ski back to the surface. Twenty minutes after his fall, we had Alexander back on the trail.

The wind and snow were really blowing by this time. Alexander’s left boot and Randy’s right boot were full of creek water and I could tell they were anxious to get back to the truck. Randy had Alexander and me go up ahead so he could keep track of us. After awhile we looked back through the blowing snow and could not see Randy. We waited for several minutes until he appeared. He had somehow caught a ski edge, lost his balance, and tweaked his ankle. Fortunately, we were less than a mile from the trailhead and we made it back in short order. I must say that there were a couple of times during all of this that I wondered how Karen was doing at the nice warm spa getting ready for a massage.

The drive back to the ranch was done in whiteout blizzard conditions, but it seemed rather tame to us intrepid backcountry explorers.

Back at the Outpost, Alexander shared some of his ‘Georgia Grape Moonshine’ from a very cool vintage copper hip flask, and Randy told the ski shop staff about our adventure. This was a great way to start the day.

After a quick lunch break, I headed back out to the ranch trail system and skied for the rest of the day. The blizzard blew through and the sky began to clear.

Dinner was great (I will try to cover the food on a future post) and we had a relaxing stroll back to our cozy cabin.

NEXT: Sleigh Ride Dinner