Flathead Lake Lodge
If there are two things we know to be true at Flathead Lake Lodge, it’s that fall in northwest Montana is spectacular and adults deserve vacations, too. But not just any vacation. We’re talking about the types of getaways that allow you to relax, lounge, adventure, dine on incredible food and have fun.
As such, we’ve created FOUR GETAWAYS that are just for the grown-ups this September.
Fall Retreat: Come Unplug & Reconnect in Montana: September 10 – 14, 2020
Designed to let you truly unplug, this long weekend getaway offers a digital detox—free from technology—perfectly paired with horseback riding, playing on Flathead Lake, gourmet food and wine pairings, yoga, guided hikes and more.
Cost: $2,880 per person. All-inclusive – includes meals, accommodations, recreation, tax and gratuity.
Fall Getaways: Come Relax – September 6 – 10, 2020; September 14 – 18, 2020
This package combines a typical stay at Flathead Lake Lodge with the vibrant colors of fall on the ranch’s 2,000 acres. Highlights include multi-course dinners with wine pairings, guided mountain biking, horseback rides, an onsite massage and tours of the elk preserve.
Cost: $2,880 per person. All inclusive – includes meals, accommodations, recreation, tax and gratuity.
Fall Fun: Montana Adventure: September 18 – 22, 2020
This adults-only adventure-filled long weekend will include mountain biking on our miles of trails, guided horseback trail rides, tours through the elk preserve and exploring the waters of Flathead Lake. Additional highlights include live music, dips in the lakeside pool and creative multi-course tasting menus from Chef Rob.
Cost: $2,880 per person. Includes meals, accommodations, recreation, tax and gratuity.
One of the elements we’re most excited about for these fall packages is what Chef Rob has planned for the culinary offerings.
Chef Rob has been working on food and wine pairings and tasting menus…he let us have a peek and our mouths start watering when we read what he has up his food-loving sleeve.
A few pairings of note from the Montana Royalty Tasting Menu: Oysters & Bubbly (oyster, trout roe, lemon – sparkling wine), Beets, Milk & Honey (beet, apple, chevre, honey – Verdejo) King Trumpet “Duxelle” (King trumpet mushroom, shallot, fine herbs, pine nut, raising – Sauternes), Montana Short Rib (elk, carrot, onion, potato, huckleberry – Rhone Red) and S’more of What? (graham cracker, marshmallow, chocolate – Pedro Ximenez).
For more information about our fall adults-only vacation packages, email us at info@flatheadlakelodge.com or call 406-837-4391.
Until next time,
Chase
If you would have told us 10 years ago – or even this time last year – that we’d be entering our 75th anniversary year with a viral pandemic that’s sweeping the world, chances are we would not have believed it. And yet, here we are. We’re marking a major milestone in guest ranch history, family history and even Montana history, all while the world comes together to face an invisible foe with the type of courage, grit and determination that means working together, staying home and taking care of each other.
While the world moves on around us, we know that we’re in a time unlike any other. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, it seems fitting to look back at historical glimpses of the lodge and the legacy that was built by our grandfather Les Averill (who was a pilot in World War II), carried on by Doug and is now being firmly carried forward by the third generation.
As we think about 75 years of the lodge, we also wanted to share some of our favorite photos with you. Whether you want to walk down memory lane with us or if you’re just in need of a good distraction, we hope you like them as much as we do.
From our family and our extended lodge family to yours, we wish you health, safety and the ability to find joy in every day, even in the middle of a storm.
Until next time,
-Chase
Last year, for the first time, we launched adults-only packages. And this year, we’re excited to be offering two distinct packages for our 2020 season. Meet Grit Clinic and the Montana Adventure in the Crown of the Continent.
Grit Clinic: May 22 – 25
The Grit Clinic is a mountain bike skill clinic that includes hands-on coaches that provide fun and inspiring clinics to help attendees share in the joy of mountain biking, while also developing skills. Held over Memorial Day (May 22 – 25), the Grit Clinic at Flathead Lake Lodge will utilize the ranch’s onsite mountain biking trails, as well as enjoy on-ranch activities like horseback trail rides, hiking, fishing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding on Flathead Lake. Round out each day with a made-from-scratch meal served family-style in the Main Lodge.
Montana Adventure in the Crown of the Continent: August 30 – September 3
Our adults-only package will have guests soaking up one of the most beautiful times of the year. Our Montana Adventure package includes cruising Flathead Lake on historic 50-foot Q Class sailing sloops, mountain biking, horseback trail rides, outings on our onsite elk preserve, a mountain meadow steak fry, lounging lakeside in our heated pool and live music.
If you’re interested in biking the mountain biking trails at Flathead Lake Lodge or attending our adults-only late summer/early fall getaway, call us at 406-837-4391 or email us here.
Until next time,
-Chase
While Flathead Lake Lodge closes to guests during the winter season, our year-round staff is still here preparing for the coming spring, summer and fall. Typical activities at the ranch during this time of year include making updates, hiring seasonal staff for the coming summer, prepping for guests, booking groups and planning for the upcoming year.
And, with our location on the shores of Flathead Lake and at the base of the mountains, we get to soak in quiet and snow-covered winter moments. If you’ve been here in the summer season, it may be hard to imagine the lodge covered in snow. So, instead of just telling you about it, we thought we’d show you what winter is like here in Bigfork, Montana.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into winter at Montana and Flathead Lake Lodge. For more information about our Montana guest ranch, visit us here. You can also see daily glimpses into life at the lodge on our Instagram here.
Happy winter,
-Chase
*This is a guest post by Lauren Picard. Lauren has been part of our summer staff for the last three seasons.
Hey there! If you’ve stayed with us or worked at Flathead Lake Lodge within the past few summers, there’s a likely chance that you and I have crossed paths. My name is Lauren and I have been a seasonal employee at the lodge since 2017; one summer as a waitstaff member and the last two as a wrangler. And honestly, working at Flathead Lake Lodge has been the highlight of my past few years. With its picture-perfect setting on the shores of Flathead Lake, the charming town of Bigfork just up the road and the incredible people the Averills gather in this place, I’ve created memories and met people that will stick with me for a lifetime.
Like any family, the Averills and the team they assemble each season collectively adhere to core values and expectations that highlight the work done at Montana’s Flathead Lake Lodge. From a large pool of applicants that submit their resumes every winter, those who come to the ranch in the spring are the ones who have shown that they align with the Flathead Lake Lodge’s core values (more on those in each of the paragraphs below). If you’re interested in applying to spend a summer at the lodge, I’m here to show you what they’re looking for and how to make yourself stand out.
Be Genuine and Selfless
At Flathead Lake Lodge, we’re all about building meaningful relationships. This includes relationships with our guests, as well as our coworkers. Over the course of our guests’ seven-day stays, we interact with them all day, whether it’s serving meals, taking them on trail rides or boat cruises or simply passing them on the walking paths. Offering them a friendly smile and kind hello sets the tone of their week as it’s our responsibility to welcome them into our home and make them feel comfortable as best we can. We don’t have customer-service voices or practiced smiles; we only have our genuine and authentic selves to display the best of the Flathead Lake Lodge family.
Strong Family Values
As a third generation family-owned and -operated establishment, family values play a big role in the day-to-day happenings of Flathead Lake Lodge. Displaying a sense of strong family values can set you apart from the pack when it comes to applying for a job at the lodge, as it aligns you with the set of values that created this place and have kept it in operation for almost 75 years. To sum it up: the staff at the lodge is there for each other as a family, just like our guests become part of our lodge family.
Be Willing and Durable to Meet Expectations
There is one skill and attribute that is absolutely, no-question-about-it, definitely sought after in any and every department at Flathead Lake Lodge: be willing and teachable.
This applies to everything. Anywhere you work at Flathead Lake Lodge, between waterfront, the barn, to maintenance and housekeeping, there will be people there—whether returning employees or the department managers or Mr. Doug Averill himself—to help you learn the ins and outs of your position that will allow you to be successful. Every skill required of a job at the lodge is able to be taught and explained. What cannot be taught, however, is the willingness to learn and the ability to accept help gracefully. To stand out among other applicants, highlight your teachability and willingness to learn.
Strive for Excellence with Effective Results
Imagine you’re having people over to your house for the first time. Your kitchen is spotless, you’ve whipped up the best batch of cookies you’ve ever made and all the pillows and cushions in the living room fluffed and ready for company. You’ve striven for excellence in your home for the best first impression.
When guests arrive at Flathead Lake Lodge for the week, they’re arriving to your home and you want to create a great first impression. In everything we do as part of the Flathead Lake Lodge family, we strive for the absolute best to give the guests the absolute best experience and meet their expectations. This need for excellence lasts the whole week—week after week—through the whole summer, rain or shine, hot or cold, early in the morning until late in the evening, you show up to introduce guests to the very best of this place we call home.
Have Fun
When you work at Flathead Lake Lodge, you are working on a 2,000-acre lakeside playground, complete with mountain biking, hiking, boating, horseback riding and so much more—enjoy it! Summit nearby Mount Aeneas and hang out with the mountain goats. Hop onto as many sails as you can on the lodge’s two Classic Q-class sloops, the Questa and the Nor’Easter. Go to the barn dance and roast marshmallows on the island. Explore Glacier National Park and set out on horseback rides with guests or friends. This is your playground too; take the time to play and soak up summer in Montana.
Applying for a job at Flathead Lake Lodge isn’t merely applying for a summer job in Montana; it’s applying for the best summer (or summers) of your life and will be full of adventures, new people, new places, really good food (ever hear of the Freshman-15? Beware of the Flathead-15!) and memories that will last a lifetime. I will forever cherish my summers as a member of the Flathead Lake Lodge family and can’t wait to go back someday. Who knows…maybe I’ll even see you there!
If you’re interested in a job at this lakeside playground, visit their job page here for more information.
Happy trails from Wrangler Lauren!
If you’re an avid reader of our blog and social media channels, you may have seen the news about “A Week of Hope.“
In case you haven’t, “A Week of Hope” is how we’re celebrating Flathead Lake Lodge’s 75th anniversary in 2020. From June 7 – 14, 2020, the lodge is giving back by welcoming critically ill children and their families to the ranch where they’ll experience life the way it’s meant to be–running free, soaking up experiences and creating memories with the people they love the most.
To bring this event and celebration of life to fruition, we’re asking for your help in the form of donations to help cover travel and hard costs of bringing these families to the heart of Montana. There are four ways to donate and GIFT HOPE this holiday season.
1. Make a personal tax-deductible donation or become a corporate sponsor.
2. Gift hope. From November 12 – December 2, 2019, when you donate $50 or more, Flathead Lake Lodge will send you (or the recipient of your choice) a custom-made Flathead Lake Lodge holiday ornament. The ornament is made of wood and includes our special 75th anniversary logo and Week of Hope wording. If you’re looking to give gifts differently for the holidays, we invite you to consider gifting hope. Give hope here.
3. A global day of giving, this year’s GivingTuesday is taking place on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. Please save the date in your calendar and give the gift of hope on #GivingTuesday here.
4. Donate your Delta SkyMiles. Travel flight costs are one of the largest expenses we’re anticipating to bring these children and their families to Montana and Flathead Lake Lodge. If you have spare Delta SkyMiles, you can donate them here (our account number and name can be found here).
As we move into this year’s holiday season, please join us and gift hope as we work together to help these families create irreplaceable memories at a time when they need it most.
Happy trails,
-Chase
Here in Montana, as we welcome the first snowfall of the season, we can’t help but look back on this last summer and the memories we made with all of our guests. It was a summer full of new friends, lots of laughs, some crazy weather and memories that can only be created right here at Flathead Lake Lodge. As we prepare for cooler weather and the quick arrival of winter, here’s a look at our favorite moments from summer 2019.
Around the Campfire
If you ask us, there’s nothing better than a cozy campfire in the wilds of Montana. This summer, we enjoyed them morning and evening, complete with coffee or hot chocolate, pancakes, marshmallows and chocolate and good conversation with friends and family. Whether you found yourself bundled up around an early morning fire at breakfast camp or enjoying the Singin’ Sons of Beaches musical group on Monday nights, we want to thank our guests for joining us around the campfire this summer.
Playing on Flathead Lake
We’re unbelievably lucky that Flathead Lake Lodge is located on the shores of a lake, and a beautiful one at that. Our guests enjoyed Flathead Lake all summer long, either by sailing on our two classic Q-class sloops, the Questa and the Nor’Easter, or by joining our waterfront team in the jet boats and making turns on the clear waters of Flathead Lake. One of our other summer highlights: hitting the Swan River on stand-up paddleboards.
Wildlife on the Ranch
We love our friendly, four-legged friends including Crosby, Rosie and our herd of horses. But here at the ranch, we enjoy seeing our other neighbors just as much as our guests do. This year, we had a few black bears who couldn’t resist the smell of bacon sizzling at breakfast camp and one curious bear even had to come investigate for himself. A little further into the mountains, friendly mountain goats showed off their skills for hikers who were summiting Mount Aeneas in the Swan Mountain Range.
Trail Rides All Day Long
One of our favorite ways to get around the ranch is on the back of our horses. We had plenty of memorable horseback trail rides this summer, from breakfast rides and lunch rides to scenic outings through our elk preserve and leisurely rides along our mountainous property overlooking Flathead Lake. Our wranglers take great pride in the experience guests have on our trail rides and we’re sure that they have as much fun on our rides as our guests.
Hanging with Doug
For years, Doug Averill has been posted at the Main Lodge fireplace just about every morning, ready to greet everyone as they collect their cup of coffee and breakfast. This summer, that was no different. Everyone’s favorite cowboy kept himself busy around the ranch, catching up with old friends and meeting the newcomers with the same smile that plenty of guests have come to recognize and admire. Doug has been a pinnacle of Flathead Lake Lodge for most of his life, shaping it into the place that’s loved by many, from our family to our staff and guests. And as with many summers before, we saw those beloved rides he and Oz give the kids at team roping every Tuesday.
It seems like this summer passed in the blink of an eye—hopefully this winter does the same. 2020 is Flathead Lake Lodge’s 75th anniversary and we have exciting things in store to celebrate as we prepare to make more memories to share for years to come. If you’re interested in joining us next summer, visit us here or call us at 406-837-4391. For those of you we haven’t met yet, we look forward to welcoming you to the lodge. And for those of you who are returning guests, we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Happy Fall,
-Chase
From all of us at Flathead Lake Lodge, thank you for your kind comments, DMs and messages about our upcoming 75th anniversary and “A Week of Hope.“ We’ve been overwhelmed with the feedback and response around this event and we wanted to take some time to share more about “A Week of Hope” and how it all came about.
As we were getting ready for the arrival of this monumental anniversary year, it was important to us to be able to celebrate the legacy that was started by Grandpa Les Averill in 1945 and we knew we didn’t want it to be about us. We wanted it to be bigger to commemorate 75 years in a way that best shared our family traditions and way of life, while also giving something back. To sum it up, that’s how we dreamt up “A Week of Hope.”
We also feel fortunate to partner with two organizations to help us bring 20 critically ill children and their families to the ranch from June 7 – 14, 2020: HopeKids and Montana Children’s.
We’re working with both of those organizations to bring a handful of Montana children and families, as well as kids throughout the rest of the country, to the ranch to experience it like any other guest, complete with horseback trail rides, water activities, family-style dining and playing in the place we’re lucky enough to call home.
And while we have amazing partners who are committed to help us bring “A Week of Hope” to life, we still need more to bring this event to life. So, we’re inviting you to join us. The largest costs for this event include travel to bring the children and their families to Flathead Lake Lodge and we’re looking for donors and sponsors to help us in spurring hope in the lives of critically ill children as we help them create memories to last a lifetime and beyond.
We have various donor and corporate sponsorship levels available and are also looking for Delta SkyMiles to bring them here.
Please consider joining us to bring “A Week of Hope” to life as we welcome these very special guests to Flathead Lake Lodge.
Happy Trails,
-Chase
Montana Guest Ranch Partners with HopeKids and Montana Children’s to Host 20 Children and Their Families with Life-threatening Medical Conditions in 2020
Tuesday, September 10, 2019—Bigfork, Montana—Flathead Lake Lodge, a family-owned guest ranch in Montana, is honored to announce that it will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020 with “A Week of Hope,” an event that will welcome families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition to their 2,000 acre ranch in Bigfork. Slated for June 7 – 14, 2020, “A Week of Hope” was created to honor the ranch’s 75th anniversary and to give back and commemorate the last 75 years of family and Western traditions.
“As we thought about how to celebrate our 75th anniversary, we knew it had to be bigger than us,” said Chase Averill, the third-generation General Manager at Flathead Lake Lodge. “For our family, it was important that we celebrate the legacy that was started by Grandpa Les when he opened the lodge is 1945 and continued by my own father, Doug as he helped carry on the Western way of life.”
To bring “A Week of Hope” to life, Flathead Lake Lodge has partnered with HopeKids, a national organization that provides ongoing events and activities for families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition—and Montana Children’s, Kalispell Regional Healthcare’s pediatric facility offering high-quality inpatient and outpatient pediatric specialty care in northwest Montana. HopeKids works throughout the United States, with chapters in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas.
Through their cooperative efforts with HopeKids and Montana Children’s, Flathead Lake Lodge will welcome up to 20 children who have a life-threatening medical condition and their families for a week at Flathead Lake Lodge where they will experience the ranch like any other guest, complete with authentic Western experiences, horseback trail rides, water recreation, a barn dance and more.
“HopeKids prides itself on being an organization that builds deep relationships and community not only amongst the families we serve but also with our supporters,” said Josh Taylor, President of HopeKids, Inc. “We are thrilled to be working with Flathead Lake Lodge, an organization with values that not only align with ours but is also helping provide hope to families across the United States who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition. The partnership between HopeKids and the lodge is just another example of the power of giving and the impact it can have on those around us.”
Throughout “A Week of Hope,” Montana Children’s will be facilitating medical care and support to the guests, as well as providing onsite physicians at Flathead Lake Lodge.
To help bring “A Week of Hope” to life, additional sponsors and donors are needed to help cover travel and hard costs for these children and their families. Flathead Lake Lodge has set up a donation page where individuals, companies and more can make tax-deductible donations, become a corporate sponsor or donate Delta SkyMiles.
Learn more about Flathead Lake Lodge at www.FlatheadLakeLodge.com and become involved with “A Week of Hope” at www.FlatheadLakeLodge.com/AWeekOfHope.
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About Flathead Lake Lodge
A family-owned and -operated guest ranch, Flathead Lake Lodge is located in Montana on the shores of Flathead Lake—the largest freshwater lake in the West. Encompassing 2,000 acres of terrain, Flathead Lake Lodge has been welcoming guests from around the world for nearly 75 years with its one-of-a-kind hospitality. A family travel destination, the lodge also hosts groups, corporate retreats, meetings, events and destination weddings. More information can be found at FlatheadLakeLodge.com or on Facebook and Instagram.
As summer continues here in Montana, we are excitedly awaiting the arrival of our latest additions to Flathead Lake Lodge, our three brand-new, all-inclusive, adults-only fall packages. Autumn in Montana is one of the most breathtaking times of year and we’re looking forward to sharing it with our guests through these three packages: the Montana Adventure in the Crown of the Continent (September 1 – 5, 2019), Relax and Restore in Montana’s Wide-open Spaces (September 12 – 15, 2019) and Unplug and Reconnect: Retreat to Montana (September 25 – 29, 2019).
Fun fact: Western larch (also known as tamarack) turn yellow in autumn.
Photo: NPS / Jacob Frank
In case you’re looking for that perfect adults-only retreat, here are five reasons to visit Flathead Lake Lodge.
1. Fall is for the Grown-ups
If you’ve been to Flathead Lake Lodge during the summer, you know by know that our summer season is geared toward families. But heck, we also think adults deserve the chance to enjoy the beauty of Flathead Lake Lodge sans kids. Which is why our three fall packages are geared specifically toward adults, with each offering a distinct experiences based on adventure, relaxing and reconnecting.
2. Fall Foliage: We’ve Got It
Chances are, Montana is not at the top of your fall-foliage viewing destination list but we’re here to tell you that it should be. Honestly, there’s nothing quite like Big Sky Country in the fall. Here in northwest Montana, you’ll see our mountains and valleys welcome vibrant shades of yellows, golds, oranges and reds. Combine fall colors with crisp mornings, sunshine-filled days and fewer people visiting and you’ve got yourself a beautiful getaway. Plus, each of our three packages includes elements of exploring the outdoors, whether it be on a guided horseback trail ride, quiet morning walks, yoga overlooking the lake or a tour along Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road.
3. Bison
American bison (also commonly nicknamed buffalo) are a rich part of America’s landscape and have an incredible history in this part of the West. One of our packages—the Montana Adventure in the Crown of the Continent—is just that, an adventure. This five-day, four-night package takes place over Labor Day weekend and includes Glacier National Park and a visit to the ranch’s herd of bison on the Blackfeet Nation.
NPS / Neal Herbert
4. Peace and Quiet
Truth be told, summer is busy. We’re lucky that our guest ranch sits on 2,000 acres along Flathead Lake and offers a private reprieve, even in the height of July. But during fall, the peace and quiet found in this place and in northwest Montana can be felt and we’re convinced that Big Sky Country is the best place to get away from it all. Throughout your time at Flathead Lake Lodge, you’ll hear some of the most perfect sounds in the world: birds chirping in trees, horses whinnying in the distance, a soft breeze moving through the trees and water from Flathead Lake lapping up onto the shore.
5. Finding Your Own Montana Moment
Around here, we’re big on inviting people to discover their own #MontanaMoment. Whether that’s seeing gorgeous fall colors during a hike or taking in the smell of the mountain air from the back of a horse, we want each of our guests to leave Flathead Lake Lodge feeling relaxed and recharged, and with your own #MontanaMoment firmly in hand. No matter when you visit or what fall package you book, we’ll work hard to ensure you leave with plenty of memories and unforgettable moments.
If you haven’t yet, call us at 406-837-4391 or drop us an email and we’ll walk you through each of the packages to help you pick the best one for you. Here’s to a beautiful fall at Flathead Lake Lodge.
Happy Trails,
-Chase
Just like that, our favorite summer holiday—the Fourth of July—has passed. Independence Day at Flathead Lake Lodge and in Bigfork, Montana, is one of the biggest parties you’ll ever find in Big Sky Country and we’re so grateful that all of our guests— some new, others long-time returners—were here to celebrate with us. Between rolling our firetrucks through the famous Bigfork Fourth of July Parade and ending the day with our weekly steak fry, it was a fun day for all and we already can’t wait for next year.
Here’s a little taste of the Fourth of July at Flathead Lake Lodge.
The Parade
One of our favorite Fourth of July traditions is decorating our vintage firetrucks to drive in the parade. The best part about the decorating is that our guests get in on the fun and help us deck them out with American flags and red, white and blue streamers. Once our floats are good and decorated, we load up into three firetrucks, an army truck, a tractor trailer and our Checker Aerobus and head for the parade in Bigfork.
And while we’ve always had a soft spot for this parade (our family and the lodge have been participating for years), locals and out-of-town visitors love it as well. Armed with buckets (and buckets and buckets) of candy to toss to bystanders along the route, we closed out the parade with our decorated vehicles, patriotic attire and “U-S-A” chants. And, as per tradition, Doug got in on the fun by spraying the crowd with water from his firetruck.
Steak Fry
After the parade, one of our other Fourth of July traditions is our steak fry. Guests head up to the steak fry meadow on board our firetrucks or on horseback, where we greeted them with sirloin steaks cooked over the fire, homemade potato salad, my mom’s famous baked beans (you probably know here as Maureen) and cowboy music from our friend, Gene.
The Grand Finale: Fireworks
Every year, we end Independence Day with our own fireworks show at Flathead Lake Lodge. Guests lay out blankets and cozy up next to campfires as we celebrate America with a fireworks show over Flathead Lake. While we’ve been doing it for years, it’s one of those traditions that means the most to our staff, our guests and our family.
The Fourth of July week is one of our favorite weeks at the lodge and we love celebrating it with our guests. If you’re interested in joining us for future celebrations, visit us here or call us at 406-837-4391.
Happy Trails,
-Chase