Flathead Lake Lodge
While we’re deep in the midst of various projects, updates and planning for summer and fall (in case you missed it, we’re offering new packages this fall), we wanted to provide a behind-the-scenes look at what winter is like at Montana’s Flathead Lake Lodge.
Even though we only welcome guests during what we like to call Montana’s warm season, you’ll find staff, horses, elk and more throughout our property during the winter months. And since this is a time of year at the lodge that not many get to see, we wanted to provide you with a glimpse into what winter is like in and around Bigfork, Montana.
Take a look…
We also often get asked if we’ve ever thought about opening during the winter season. Just for fun, we did a poll on our Instagram stories and the vast majority of you say YES, we should open for the winter.
For now, if you’re looking to plan your summer trip to Montana, call us at 406-837-4391 or learn more about our offerings, including our brand-new fall packages, here.
See you when the snow melts,
-Chase
Summer is almost here, and with the long sunny days bringing everyone out of their winter slumber, the picturesque village of Bigfork is coming to life for another great summer.
Although it is hard to leave the ranch during your vacation, (Often we have to remind guests to save some time for some R & R) the quick walk to downtown Bigfork is a great way to spend some time away from the ranch.
Aside from the great galleries, shops and restaurants, there are many exciting events happening throughout this summer that just might coincide with your stay!
Here is the schedule of some the big events! For more events visit www.bigfork.org
36th Annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival
May 26th & 27th
Watch local and regional professional and armature kayakers take on the ‘Wild Mile’ as it flows through Downtown Bigfork.
National Wildlife Federation Fundraiser w/ special guest Jack Hanna
June 29
Join special guest Jack Hannah for a entertaining and fundraising night to bring a wild her of Bison back to Montana
July 4th Celebration
July 4th
Famous and recognized nationally for it’s small town spectacle. The Bigfork celebration and parade is something to see.
Saddle Up and Paint
July 17th
Join local and regional artists as the create lasting works of art for charity.
34th Annual Festival of the Arts
Aug 4th – 5th
Downtown Bigfork hosts Artisans & Musicians Sat. & Sun. Over 160 arts and craft booths, food, entertainment and children’s activities.
Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival
Aug 10th – 12th
The Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival is an annual celebration of the elusive wild huckleberry. Visitors can enjoy music, kids’ games, raffles and a silent auction, and sample the fruits of the baking contest, locally made huckleberry pies and ice cream.
Chris Hillman, founding member of the Byrds and Herb Pedersen from The Desert Rose Band will be joining us as Artists in Residence for the 2012 workshop and festival and round out this years great line up!
Following the hugely successful sold out 2011 guitar workshop and festival, we want to let you know that Lee Ritenour, Julian Lage, Sonny Landreth, Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, Dennis Koster and Patty Larkin will be joining us as Artists in Residence for this year’s event. www.cocguitarfoundation.org
This week long event includes 6 days of workshops, master classes, playing with professional rhythm sections, jamming, and nightly concerts. Being held at the Flathead Lake Lodge workshop participants and their family members have access to all the lodges’ amenities, plus more. Also available for family members during the week is a watercolor workshop taught by renowned western artist Nancy Cawdrey.
There will be eleven workshops offered in seven guitar genres with leading faculty from the National Guitar Workshop: Jazz featuring Lee Ritenour and Julian Lage, Classic Rock featuring Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen, Blues featuring Sonny Landreth, Classical featuring Dennis Koster, Singer-Songwriter featuring Patty Larkin, Acoustic featuring Doug Smith, and Beginners with Susan Mazer. A new course has been added this year for Bass players featuring Melvin Lee Davis and Jorge Roeder.
Jazz pianist and composer, Dave Grusin (recipient of one Academy Award and twelve Grammy Awards) and drummers Sonny Emory and Tupac Mantilla will be special featured artists.
In addition, Lee Ritenour’s 3rd Annual Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition will be held during the workshop week on August 29th. The six finalists will be awarded a full scholarship to attend the workshop.
This is a unique opportunity to study with the masters and share a passion for guitar with fellow participants in an intimate and personalized setting. All surrounded by our famous western hospitality.
The 2011 workshop was a sell out and the 2012 workshop has limited availability, so early registration is advised! REGISTRATION DISCOUNT! Register by April 30, 2012 and get a $250 discount on the Workshop fee. For more information and to register go to www.cocguitarfoundation.org or call (406) 837-2574.
It looks like Kid’s Rodeo is no longer going to be the biggest competitive event held at Flathead Lake Lodge! Next September the Kalispell Chamber will be hosting the 1st Annual Montana Dragon Boat Races at Flathead Lake Lodge. This is going to be an awesome event for the entire Flathead Valley, and is expected to draw around 3,000 people and 600 competitors! Teams of 20 paddlers will race traditional 46′ Hong Kong dragon boats along the shore of Flathead Lake, just in front of Flathead Lake Lodge. Want to race? Learn more? Or are thinking about attending? Find all the information at: http://montana.racedragonboats.com
We hope to see you all here next September! It is going to be a blast!
For the first time in a long time, Flathead Lake Lodge was still shaking in its boots after a memorable Averill wedding celebration. Chase Averill and Kate Verhey tied the knot on the shores of Flathead Lake, surrounded by the old growth fir trees and family and friends from across the country. It was a 4 days extravaganza filled with the usual FLL favorites like steak fry, barn dance, mouse races and much more. Enjoy the photo’s below, and thanks to everyone who helped pull off this great weekend!
It’s a wrap, summer number 66 is gone and bye, ushered out by golden tamaracks, cooler weather, and hopefully more record northern pike caught off the dock. Just like the other 65 years before it, this summer was full of memories, laughs and friendships that are sure to grow in legend as each year passes by the main lodge fire place.
It is hard to imagine that in 66 years there are still new experiences that mark each summer, and 2011 was full of them!
We had our first five generation family! That means great….great grandparents!
In July a little filly was born at the ranch, the first in quite some time. Any name ideas?
MT (a fitting nickname in Montana) was the first 100 year old guest to ride a horse. Shhhh, don’t tell the insurance company.
There was an Averill wedding, which after much celebration and barn dancing left the Lodge teetering but still standing!
Mary Kay Cosmetics, who had come to the Lodge for over 30 years made one last reunion trip to start the season off. Nothing says dude ranch like a pink Cadillac.
Flathead Lake Lodge hall of fame baker, Ellette Day came out of retirement to finish off the season and make sure everyone was extra fattened up for the winter ahead.
The lodge received a private fly over (as private as two F-16’s can be) as a thank you for over 13 years of hosting the International Fellows Program.
Barn Manager Jason was actually never bucked off…
We had our first week with over 4,000 people visiting the Lodge for concerts during the Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop & Festival
Most importantly & what we are most thankful for, is another year of seeing old friends and having fun with new ones.
Cheers, and here’s to next year!
It was pretty cool this morning when Lois Tortorelli, who worked at the Lodge as a 19 year old in 1956 brought in some old FLL artifacts she has kept all these years. Lois and her college friend, who also worked at the Lodge in back in the day have come back the last number of falls to help close out the season. Lois said she bought a round trip ticket on the ‘Empire Builder’ train route from Chicago for $78 dollars. She also said she was the only staff member with a 1/2 day off because she attended church on Sunday mornings. And today’s generation complains about working 5 days a week!
Check out some of the old FLL brochures & the letters between her and Flathead Lake Lodge founder Les Averill about employment! Thanks to Lois for sharing.
Lois & Les Averill’s letters on a summer job in Montana
One of the most rewarding aspects of working in the hospitality business is helping provide families with an amazing vacation. We take it personally, and truly feel that each guest of the Ranch should feel like they are at home… if their home was a 2,000 acre playground! It is always bittersweet at the end of each week to say goodbye to the families we have become friends with (sometimes with the kids crying and clinging to the closest tree, not wanting to leave) and the same day welcoming the new families as the children jump from their airport shuttle practically before it has parked.
It is these memories and friendships over the years that has made the Lodge such a special place. The list of characters is endless, and each year there is no better reminder of that than over the holiday season. Aside from skiing, hunting and playing hockey, browsing through the annual Christmas Card basket is a winter past time here at the Lodge. Each year the Lodge receives hundreds of holiday cards from past guests. Some families just visited us last year, some haven’t visited since the 50’s, and all are equally appreciated. It can literally take hours to go through the ‘card basket’, and when you are done, it is more clear than ever that for the 65+ years it is not the location, facilities, amenities, cuisine, or recreation that makes Flathead Lake Lodge special, it is the people.
So thank you for all the support…and some really hilarious Christmas cards, it is always appreciated.
This fall, Flathead Lake Lodge received the honor of being one of the main live auction items at the Children’s Cancer Research Foundation’s (CCRF) 30th Anniversary Gala in Minneapolis. With over 1,000 attendees, the evening was truly an event to remember. The two week vacation at Flathead Lake Lodge raised $34,000 for CCRF’s many great causes. It is not every day you get us dude rancher’s cleaned up into a three-piece tux! The Gala night included many highlights, including trips to Dubai and sideline passes to a Monday Night Football game to name a few.
- The Live Auction Line Up
All in all, the vacation at the Lodge went toe to toe with a week in Dubai, and it looks like the great people of Minneapolis are pretty excited about dusting off their old cowboy boots and hat. By the end of the night the CCRF raised close to a million dollars to fight childhood cancer. A pretty amazing accomplishment for a great foundation.
We are proud to have been a part of it. For more information visit CCRF’s website at: www.childrenscancer.org
