July, 2016 | The Last Best Blog

July 28, 2016June 30, 2023

9 Reasons to Visit Paws Up in August

If you’re still looking to embark on the ultimate Montana family adventure, you’re in luck. Paws Up, America’s premier luxury ranch resort, still has limited availability for both glamping® and our chic rustic homes. For anyone who loves the mountains, outdoor adventure, five-star cuisine, starry nights and the biggest sky in the West—and we don’t know a soul who doesn’t—The Resort at Paws Up is The Last Best Place. See below for what’s happening in August—there’s something for everyone.

1. DRUM CIRCLE MADNESS AND THE GREAT SCOTTS

July 30–August 6, 2016

Artists in Residency: Scott Besaw and Scott Schaefer

Make as much noise as you like. Sound like fun? Then join us for workshops, sing-alongs and up-close performances with two of our favorite returning musicians. Scott Besaw is usually entertaining audiences and instructing students at Chicago’s world-famous Old Town School of Folk Music. He was also a cast member of the original New York City production of Blue Man Group and a conductor for the award-winning Denver Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps.

Scott Schaefer has been rocking out the Chicago music scene for more than two decades as a sought-after lead singer. Having managed several independent record labels, he now hosts weekly live-music open- stage nights and spins vinyl as a DJ at several of the city’s best watering holes.

2. GETTIN’ PRIMITIVE FAMILY CAMP

August 7-13, 2016

Artist in Residency Gary Steele

Learn about the old ways from a honest-to-goodness mountain man. For one week at his self-built camp, you and your kids can show up and get hands- on instruction in primitive skills like longbow archery, orienteering, tracking, woodsmanship, knot tying, fire making, shelter building, ecology, edible plant identification and storytelling. You can also meet our resident mountain man at the Kids Corps of Discovery, at a luxury camp near you or on a Chuck Wagon Dinner ride.

3. NATIONAL S’MORES DAY

August 10^th, 2016

National S’mores Day is Wednesday, August 10, but you already knew that, right? Well, as the pioneers of glamping in North America, we thought it was appropriate to give this day the recognition it deserves. Move over, apple pie. America has a new national pastry pastime. Acclaimed pastry chefs will team with The Resort at Paws Up’s Executive Chef Ben Jones to prepare decadent desserts at dinner. You’ll even create your own gourmet s’mores from a selection of unique and special ingredients and compete with other guests for the title of S’more Savant. Live music around a glowing campfire will provide the perfect ambience for this all-you-can-eat s’morgasbord.

4. KNIT GRAFFITI

Artist in Residency: Suzanne Tidwell

August 14–20, 2016

For one very bright week, Artist in Residency Suzanne Tidwell brings her unique yarn-bombing skills to our expansive and beautiful landscape. You’ll get to watch as she knits and installs original works of art in unexpected places around The Resort. What’s more, she’ll help you and your kids create masterpieces of your own during special workshops and visits to various camps and events.

Suzanne Tidwell is a fiber artist working primarily in the Seattle area. She’s known for creating large-scale, site-specific fiber installations of vibrant color that transform undesirable and underused public areas into places people want to frequent. The somber tones and rich vegetation of the Pacific Northwest influence her brash and nontraditional work, which demonstrates that being exposed to bright color can have the same effect as experiencing a sunny day.

Note: All Knit Graffiti Workshops are complimentary. Space is limited. Reserve early.

5. BOUNTY ON THE BLACKFOOT

August 20, 2016

A Long Table Event Featuring Chef Brooke Williamson

Many chefs try but few can deliver a true farm-to-table dining experience. During Bounty on the Blackfoot, you’ll learn just what it takes. We’ve invited Brooke Williamson to demonstrate her signature talent—taking locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and turning them into mouthwatering masterpieces.

Along with Chef Ben Jones, she’ll stock up at the Missoula farmers market in the morning, and then return to create an unforgettable, one-day-only tasting menu before your very eyes. Everything will be based entirely on what produce, spices and proteins happen to be at their freshest that day. And at least one dish will pay homage to the Blackfoot Indians who grew, hunted and harvested their food on the land where Paws Up is located today.

6. CHUCK WAGON DINNERS

Five Nights a Week

Step aboard our old fashioned horse-drawn wagon and enjoy a unique ride to the Blackfoot River. Sit back, relax, and take in the joy of watching Montana’s famous Big Sky play host to the rolling hills, gorgeous backdrop and the local wildlife that call Paws Up Ranch home.

This scenic ride ends at the banks of the Blackfoot River, where you’ll enjoy an authentic chuck wagon dinner. The finest offerings are prepared before your eyes. Send your stomach on an adventure. From all-natural chicken, angus prime ribs, fresh corn and asparagus grilled over a campfire, to simple, yet scrumptious classics like baked beans and fresh fruit cobbler baked over the coals in a Dutch oven, you won’t walk away with an empty stomach.

Before and after dinner, enhance your authentic Montana experience by pitching horseshoes and enjoying the extraordinary talent of a local banjo player and cowboy poet.

7. BBQ AT THE YARD FOLLOWED BY WILD WEST SHOW & LIVE MUSIC

Every Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Join us each Tuesday for BBQ at the Yard with Wild West Showstoppers (a sample menu includes anything from Poached Shrimp Cocktail and Snow Crab Claws to Korean Pork Sliders and Vegetable Crudité Jars), Light and Cool offerings (think crisp salads, fresh pastas, etc.) and The Main Event (featuring steaks, seafood, pork and/or chicken). We serve a special sweet offering for dessert and a Children’s Ranch Table is available for younger guests. Dinner will be followed by our very own comical Wild West Show starring the Paws Up staff as well as live musical guests.

8. Happy Hour at The Wilderness Outpost

Daily 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Enjoy happy hour at the Wilderness Outpost daily from 4 p.m-6 p.m. Our ultimate 11,000-square-foot rural boutique is the ultimate place to unwind and to find the best in western fashion and gifts.

9. Happy Hour at Tank

Daily 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Tank is hosting happy hour daily from 3-6 p.m. We will have charcuterie and cheese to graze on, as well as a daily featured cocktail and wine specials. Select from tastings of our local Montana-made spirits which come from five different Montana distilleries, including Montgomery Distillery in Missoula and Roughstock in Bozeman.

July 25, 2016

Where to Shop at The Resort at Paws Up

What you typically see in hotel gift shops, you won’t see at The Resort at Paws Up. We don’t do the typical gift shop thing around here. Instead, we’ve constructed the ultimate 11,000-square-foot rural boutique. The all-new Wilderness Outpost is the antithesis of a multipurpose building, but it serves multiple purposes.

This is the place where you can check in for your horseback ride or river rafting excursion and the location where you’ll relax in our loft and enjoy coffee and organic snacks (sure beats a food court at the local mall). You can snag that pair of Frye boots you’ve had your eye on or purchase a masterpiece from renowned artists. It’s also the place to chill in the afternoon, with outdoor seating and happy hour 4 p.m. to 6 p.m in the summertime.

You see, the Wilderness Outpost (formerly called the Paws Up General Store) is all about sourcing items with a story.

Featured brands include iconic names such as Chaco, Filson, Lucchese, Old Gringo, Stetson, Will Leather Goods, Woolrich and more. Featured artists/vendors include Behring Made Knives, C.Martini Jewelry, Michael Haykin, Kendahl Jan Jubb, Jayne Piazza, T Bird Leather, George Van Hook, Diane Whitehead and Antonia Wolf. Every Friday, you’ll get a chance to meet and chat with one of these artists in residence as they proudly display their work. This is not Rodeo Drive. It’s Whoa Road—home to the most unique shopping experience you’ll ever have.

July 19, 2016June 30, 2023

How to Put the Glam into Camping at Paws Up

Luxury camping at The Resort at Paws Up is nature served on a gleaming silver platter. Known as North America’s premier glamping® destination, The Resort at Paws Up features five luxe tented camps that cater to families, couples and groups. Each safari-style tent features fine linens, comfortable beds, chic rustic furnishings, art-adorned walls, electricity, air-conditioning, heat and—most importantly—a camping butler at your beck and call. Learn from our Resort Manager, Charles Daenen, and our Glamping Operations Manager, Eddie Young, how we turned old-fashioned camping into glorified glamping.

1. What are the necessities to “glamp” up a camping experience?

Charles: Be flexible. You are not checking into a five-star suite with a 50-inch television and a minibar, but you are getting ready for an experience of a lifetime.

Eddie: Lots of s’mores, a sturdy pair of boots and a mind that’s open to new and fun experiences.

2. What’s the funniest request you’ve received from a guest?

Charles: I was once asked to sing happy birthday in my native language—Dutch—and it sounded awful, as I cannot sing. But I made the entire group laugh.

Eddie: A guest once asked me to remove ants from a tent, without harming them. (All ants were safely removed.)

3. What about a guest’s most unique request?

Charles: A guest wanted to have one of our ponies come to a camp and stay next to her child’s bed inside the tent until she fell asleep.

Eddie: I had a guest who wanted me to try to get an elk close enough to touch.

4. What necessities should a guest bring to Paws Up glamping tents?

Charles: An open-minded attitude. You are going to experience a vacation like nothing you’ve done before.

Eddie: The tents have pretty much everything you could need, and if they don’t, we can get it for you.

5. What is the most unique aspect of Paws Up?

Charles: There are actually two things that make the glamping adventure unique: the location and the willingness of the staff to go the extra mile time after time. If one of those two things was missing, it just would not be the same experience.

Eddie: Our employees at Paws Up are special. They are friendly, genuine and passionate about giving our guests a great glamping experience.

6. Where is your personal ultimate favorite place to camp?

Charles: The deck of Cliffside Camp early in the morning, drinking coffee and watch the sunrise while eagles soar above the Blackfoot River looking for breakfast.

Eddie: All camps have features that make them individual, and I can honestly make a case for each being my favorite. Moonlight Camp has a special place in my heart, as it was the first camp I worked. It has the true feel of camping, being out in the open meadow and away from most of The Resort, so you definitely feel like you’ve stolen away.

7. If you could tell guests one thing before they visit Paws Up, what would it be?

Charles: Do not hesitate to ask us anything, no matter how crazy your request is. We want to know what you like, but we are also really good at anticipating your needs.

Eddie: Be prepared to get dirty! Whether you are on ATVs, horseback riding or sitting around the campfire, it’s the great outdoors, so—naturally—it can be dusty and dirty. A good pair of old jeans is sufficient here, as we don’t want to ruin your good pair.

8. What’s the one thing you see guests most often forget to pack?

Charles: Sunscreen.

Eddie: A cowboy hat. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. We have a huge selection of hats in the Wilderness Outpost, and you will be feeling country in no time!

9. If you could have one famous camper come stay at the ranch, who would it be?

Charles: Bear Grylls—I’d love to have him run a wilderness workshop.

Eddie: Louis L’Amour. I grew up reading my dad’s old books while we were camping, and he was by far my favorite storyteller. I would love to sit around the crackling fire as he told stories of the Old West, gun-slinging cowboys, outlaws and bandits that would keep me intrigued for hours.

10. How did you become a camping butler?

Charles: I am too old for that now, but if I—just like Cher—could turn back time, this would have been my favorite summer job. Most of our butlers are referrals from other employees.

Eddie: I started working at the Resort as a summer job during college, and it has easily become one of my favorite jobs I have ever held. Being outdoors and helping guests enjoy themselves while glamping is a fun and challenging job, but it is highly rewarding when you see the smiles and continually have guests who don’t want to leave at the end of their stays!

July 18, 2016

Learn How to be a Skywalker at Paws Up

Skydiving? Yawn. Base jumping? Psychotic. Bungee jumping? Old school. Aerial adventure needed a refresh and Paws Up has delivered. Introducing our newest activity: The Sky Line Aerial Adventure Course. It’s not a ropes course. It’s not a zipline. It’s not a cheesy climbing wall. It’s a spine-tingling 10-platform tour with 22-foot drops and a heart-pounding 40- foot free fall.

Sound like something you’d enjoy? We know so. As is par for the course at our 37,000 acre ranch, we integrated the natural elements available (in this case, towering pines and a very Big Sky) to construct this unique mental and physical challenge. Expert instruction from our qualified guides coupled with state-of- the-art safety mechanisms will ensure a good time for kids ages 8 and up and adults alike. Afraid of heights? We have a course for you. Consider yourself a thrill seeker? We definitely have a course for you. There’s even a course for tweeners! The entire experience lasts two hours and includes a team-building game, orientation, ground school and a full time around the course. The best part? As our guest, we’ll let you try it for the first time free. Find out more about this amazingly fun experience here.

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016

What’s Cooking This Fall at The Resort at Paws Up

Summertime has been amazing in Montana, but it’s going by way too fast. Soon we will have beautiful fall foliage and cooler temperatures. If you’re looking for an autumn getaway, fall is an amazing time to visit The Resort at Paws Up with our sunny days, crisp nights and a variety of five-star culinary weekends. Paws Up has invited acclaimed chefs recognized by the James Beard Foundation to work their magic at Montana Master Chefs: James Beard All-Stars. From haute cuisine to iconic classics, guests will enjoy all the world-class dining and libations that these acclaimed chefs and guest vintners have to offer in a setting like no other on September 29–October 2, 2016.

The Resort also welcomes back the “pie whisperer” herself, Kate McDermott, along with Portland’s Ken Forkish and Chicago’s Mindy Segal for Upper Crust, a culinary weekend of sophisticated cookie, pie and pizza baking (see below for more details). During both events, guests will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with world-class chefs, bakers and winemakers as well as work up an appetite on adventures and excursions in the breathtaking Montana wilderness.

Here’s the Scoop:

Montana Master Chefs weekend will be held September 29–October 2, 2016.

As part of the weekend event, guests can partake in a myriad of wilderness adventures like horseback riding or fly-fishing and will enjoy one-on-one interaction with some of the finest chefs, distillers and winemakers in the United States. Montana Master Chefs 2016 will feature cooking demonstrations and multicourse dinners prepared by world-class chefs, including Chef Ashley Christensen of Poole’s and AC Restaurants, Chef Matt Jennings of Townsman, Chef Jamie Malone of Brut, Chef Steven Satterfield of Miller Union, Chef Mindy Segal of Mindy’s Hot Chocolate and Paws Up’s own Chef Ben Jones. The chefs will also compete in a lighthearted Master Chef Cook-Off Challenge.

We’ll be offering parings with Montgomery Distillery as the featured distiller and the incredible vintners Grgich Hills Estate, Merry Edwards Winery and Rombauer Vineyards to provide tastings and pairings throughout the weekend.

Guests will also enjoy live nightly private concerts by Joshua Davis, a folk/roots artist who finished third on Season 8 of NBC’s The Voice; John Floridis, a talented guitarist, singer-songwriter and composer and Ali Solomon, a captivating singer and cover artist.

Upper Crust is an all-inclusive weekend that will be held October 7–10, 2016.

This three-day event on the ranch will be held over Columbus Day weekend for baking enthusiasts for a weekend of luxury, adventure, gourmet food and wine and, most importantly, expert insight into all things dough. The weekend will feature hands-on instruction in a series of cooking and baking workshops. Don’t miss out!

When guests are not baking or enjoying their creations, they can choose from a variety of wilderness adventures: float down the Blackfoot River, spend half a day fly-fishing or explore the Paws Up land by horseback, on an ATV tour or on a guided naturalist hike. Each night, Paws Up’s Executive Chef Ben Jones will serve locally inspired dinner menus for a weekend of unforgettable meals.

July 10, 2016July 10, 2016

5 Things to Learn In Montana This Summer

This summer The Resort at Paws Up is offering inspirational Wilderness Workshops where guests can grow their artistic, equestrian and literary skills, as well as their outdoor expertise. The Resort’s newest offerings (which start today) include a writing course, an outdoor watercolor workshop, photography workshop, hands-on training sessions in woodsman skills and more. Our top picks include:

Gettin’ Primitive: July 10–16 and August 7–13

Learn about the old ways of the great outdoors from mountain man Gary Steele at his self-built camp, where guests receive hands-on instruction in “primitive” skills such as edible plant identification, fire making, knot tying, longbow archery, music making, orienteering, shelter building, storytelling, tomahawk throwing, tracking and woodsmanship.

Starry Night Photography and Champion Horsemanship: July 18—21

Aspiring cowboys and cowgirls join acclaimed ranch-life photographer and Cowgirl Hall of Fame member Barbara Van Cleve for a captivating photography workshop. Enjoy photographing all the incredible beauty Montana has to offer. Van Cleve, known for her spectacular nighttime imagery, will instruct guests on how to capture vivid, dreamy photographs under a starry, moonlit sky. Additionally, guests can take their horsemanship skills to a whole new level with an emphasis on mental toughness. Participants will focus on control as they wind through obstacle courses along scenic trails and practice their aims on horseback with mounted water pistol shooting.

Block Printing and Mosaics: July 24–30, 2016

Artist in Residency Jill Schulman will teach adults and children alike the art of block carving and printing, as well as mosaic making in this Paws Up Wilderness Workshop. Schulman is a renowned sculptor and ceramic artist who thrives on teaching her craft to others. No previous experience is required to take part in the workshop—just a willingness to think “outside the block.”

Schulman will demonstrate the art of block printing, and then workshop participants will design, carve and pull prints with their own linoleum stamps. In the afternoon, participants will make a mosaic, filling a stepping-stone with colorful tiles and other materials. These stones will then be installed on a special path at the Kids Corps of Discovery. All ages and skill levels are welcome.

Wild Writing: July 29—30th

Learn writing skills from veteran writer Laura Munson as she leads the Wild Writing workshop. Munson is the author of New York Times bestselling memoir “This Is Not the Story You Think It Is.” Participants will leave with a renewed feeling of empowerment through self-expression in the heart of beautiful Montana.

July 5, 2016

Get Hooked At The Resort at Paws Up with Ultimate Fly-Fishing

Fly fishing has been around for hundreds of years, but its popularity continues to increase. What is it about this sport that is so captivating? If you experience fly fishing at The Resort at Paws Up, you will understand after just one outing. Fly fishing gives you the opportunity to relax and spend time in nature, while also challenging yourself with a cool sport that’s perfect for families or individuals. And once you’re hooked, fly fishing may become one of the best excuses for travel.

Montana is known for its abundant fly fishing, and Paws Up itself hosts 10 miles of the Blackfoot River—arguably one of the most famous fly fishing rivers thanks to the movie A River Runs Through It. At Paws Up, we offer spin rods for guests who are more comfortable with this style, but only for independent fishing. All of our guided excursions are strictly fly fishing, and all of our guides are Paws Up staffers, so you’re guaranteed the best learning techniques, assistance and service. We offer a fly fishing experience to remember.

The quality of fly fishing during the next three weeks dramatically increases. “With the water levels continuing to drop and the river getting clearer, the fishing the next couple of weeks will be off the hook! Pun intended,” says Montana Outfitter Justin Capps. “The next couple of weeks we will see most of our summer hatches. With the salmon fly hatch winding down the fish will start to turn their attention toward other aquatic insects. Golden stones, yellow sallies, Pale morning duns, Green drakes and caddis will make up the majority of the bugs we will see. Also, hopper season is just around the corner. Grasshoppers will start moving toward the water for greener grass, and once there they will accidentally get blown into the water by the afternoon breezes. Trout can’t resist them, so it’s a win-win,” says Justin.

At The Resort at Paws Up, we also have an on-site stocked pond that children who are just learning to fish can visit. Spin rods are used here, and it’s always a huge hit. The Resort at Paws Up is an angler’s retreat located within the “golden triangle” of western trout fly fishing. It boasts legendary rivers on property or nearby—including the Blackfoot, Bitterroot, Clearwater and Missouri. So whether you’re checking off a few more Montana rivers from your wish list or are ready to pioneer into some true trout wilderness, this is the place for you.

July 3, 2016

Month: July 2016