Resort Events | The Last Best Blog

November 17, 2016August 16, 2022

Get Cozy with Red Wine and Hot Chocolate at The Resort at Paws Up

Move over Irish coffee. Have you heard the buzz about the latest trending winter beverage, Red Wine and Hot Chocolate? The bartenders at The Resort at Paws Up have, and they’re already serving it up this season. Red Wine and Hot Chocolate is easy to make. All you need is milk, red wine, your favorite dark chocolate and cinnamon. Our staff tops the beverage off with whipped cream and ground cinnamon.

This warming drink is simply hot chocolate spiked with red wine. It is similar to mulled wine but rich and chocolaty! Use three parts hot chocolate to one part red wine. We used Rombauer Merlot. The Rombauer family members are big fans of this varietal’s rich, silky textures and supple tannins, as well as its versatility with food. It is medium-bodied and ripe and plush, with flavors of plums, cherries and figs. It makes a perfect pairing with melted dark chocolate.

After a day of cross-country skiing, horseback riding, or snow tubing at Paws Up, take a sip of Red Wine and Hot Chocolate, and you’ll be feeling warm and cozy in no time. We love drinking it fireside. So if you’re visiting us this season, come by Tank and try one (or two). Otherwise, make one at home, and let us know how you liked it.

November 14, 2016

From Farm to Table, the Old-Fashioned Way

Fresh and delicious seasonal dishes don’t happen by accident. So for our rich bounty of vegetables, breads and meats, Paws Up has been turning to local experts with a long history in these parts: the Cool Springs Hutterite Colony, the Hillside Colony and other Hutterite farmers. Over the years, Paws Up Executive Chef Ben Jones has found that these communities produce some of the best-tasting foodstuffs in the country—by using natural, time-tested techniques, similar to those used by Amish and Mennonite farmers.

Hutterites have been living and working in Montana since first forming colonies in the Dakotas in the 1800s and Canada in the 1900s. The Hutterites also eventually formed colonies in Montana in which they practiced a religious-based communal lifestyle where each individual in a colony was responsible for a specific task. That tradition and culture have not changed much since the early days for Hutterites in Montana, according to current Cool Springs colony resident Jake Waldner.

Waldner says that Paws Up is the colony’s number-one customer as a purchaser of the bacon, chickens, bread and vegetables that the colony produces. The Hutterites are able to directly deliver and sell goods to customers like Paws Up from their farms, as opposed to selling to stores and then having goods sit on shelves for days or even weeks at a time. But most colonies do not produce goods solely to sell to restaurants and resorts. The livestock and other goods are instead grown and produced for a colony’s use first. Then, when a surplus is generated, those excess goods are made available to outside customers.

For a resort like Paws Up that specializes in farm-to-table freshness, the goods are always cherished, and our guests can taste the difference between these foods and those that are shipped in. The relationship between Hutterite farmers and the culinary artists at Paws Up adds a delicious, honest, homegrown flavor to every dish we prepare.

October 6, 2016October 6, 2016

Where to Experience the Most Epic Halloween Ever

This month the Blackfoot River Valley is more exciting and spellbinding than ever. That’s because, for the first time ever, Paws Up will be hosting a celebration for outlaws, ghosts, goblins and, of course, witches. We’ll have you hunting down zombies with paint guns, hiking through haunted forests, sitting down to spooky yet sumptuous dinners and disguising yourself in the ultimate costume showdown. You won’t be able to escape craft brews, s’mores or live music, either (sounds tough, right?)

Enjoy 37,000 acres of pristine wilderness while getting the bejeebies scared out of you.

Halloween Lineup

Friday, October 28, 2016

6:00pm–9:00 pm Dinner in Pomp—a la carte, please RSVP in advance.
6:30pm Meet at the Wilderness Outpost for your choice of activity.
7:00pm Option 1: Zombie Paintball Hunt
The zombie apocalypse has held all of us captive on shows like The Walking Dead, but here at The Resort at Paws Up, it has come to life. You and a team of other zombie hunters will embark on a wagon ride through the sinister woods of our 37,000-acre property. Zombies will limp after you as you hunt them with paintball guns. You had better be accurate or you might become their prey.
7:00pm Option 2: Haunted Hike
The woods are spooky, dark and deep, and it’s time to cowboy up. Let your imagination run wild as you tromp through the forest. Did you see a ghost? Or was that a headless horseman? Who can be sure? Hopefully you make it back to the Outpost alive.
8:00pm–Midnight: Music in Tank plus craft beer flight tasting, a bonfire and s’mores.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

8:00am–10:00am Breakfast at your leisure.
9:00am Meet at the Wilderness Outpost for your choice of activity.
9:30pm Option 1: Zombie Paintball Hunt
The zombie apocalypse has held all of us captive on shows like The Walking Dead, but here at The Resort at Paws Up, it has come to life. You and a team of other zombie hunters will embark on a wagon ride through the sinister woods of our 37,000-acre property. Zombies will limp after you as you hunt them with paintball guns. You had better be accurate or you might become their prey.
9:30am Option 2: Haunted Hike
The woods are spooky, dark and deep, and it’s time to cowboy up. Let your imagination run wild as you tromp through the forest. Did you see a ghost? Or was that a headless horseman? Who can be sure? Hopefully you make it back to the Outpost alive.
11:30am–2:30pm Lunch at your leisure.
1:00pm–4:00pm Free time: (Wilderness activities and spa services will be priced at reduced rates.)
6:00pm–9:00pm Outlaws and Bandits Dinner (a la carte) and Costume Contest
Come dressed as your favorite outlaw or bandit and win your dinner! If you receive first prize in the costume contest, your dinner and drinks will be on the house.
8:00pm–Midnight Tank open plus craft beer flight tasting

Sunday, October 30, 2016

8:00am–10:00am Breakfast at your leisure
11:00am Departure
All-day shopping available in the Wilderness Outpost

To make reservations for Halloween, please call 877-758-8644 or chat with us.

September 7, 2016June 30, 2023

Join The Resort at Paws Up to Help Montana Pets in Need

The Resort at Paws Up is opening up its ranch for the eighth time to benefit homeless animals and help the Humane Society of Western Montana maintain its 98% adoption rate. The annual Canine Classic at The Resort at Paws Up, a trail run/hike/walk for you and your dog, will take place on Sunday, September 25, 2016. Participants will zip through a course on the trail system of the beautiful private grounds of The Resort in Greenough, Montana. Hikers and runners can choose from a 2-, 5- or 13-mile hike or run.

All proceeds raised from the Canine Classic will go straight to the shelter to help with the care of animals. This year’s fundraising goal is $50,000. The funds will help with operational costs, including dog and cat food, vaccinations and daily care for each pet until adoption. Since its inception, the Canine Classic has raised more than $200,000 for the society.

Participants who choose to fundraise will earn one raffle ticket for each $270 they raise ($270 covers intake costs for one animal at the Humane Society). The winner of the race raffle will win a one-night stay for two at Paws Up, including dinner at The Resort’s award-winning restaurant, Pomp^®. This year, the person who raises the most pledges for the shelter will win a two-night glamping® getaway at Paws Up.

“The Canine Classic is truly the quintessential event for pets and their people in Western Montana,” said Emily Adamson, Director of Organizational Advancement for the Humane Society. “From the breathtaking scenery at Paws Up, to the pet-friendly environment and great Montana hospitality, participants get to experience the best of Montana with woman’s best friend.”

To register and/or sign up to collect pledges, visit https://runsignup.com/canineclassic or call 406-549-3934 (ext. 206). You’ll enjoy a hike or run followed by a complimentary gourmet BBQ lunch and beverages. Participants can also register an hour before the event at the race site. Several shelter dogs will be available to accompany you on your run or walk if you don’t have a dog. Those interested in running or walking with a shelter dog should call the Humane Society prior to the event.

Wine & Bitch Dinner

On Saturday, September 24, 2016, Paws Up will host its annual Wine & Bitch Dinner for Canine Classic participants and their pets. Hosted by The Resort’s Nadine Lipson and her trusty sidekick, Fenway, this unique event offers you and your pooch the chance to bond, relax and enjoy the finer things in life—together. Guests will be able to stroll through a pet expo featuring dog massage therapists, a photo booth and agility demonstrations. Later, a gourmet feast created by Paws Up Executive Chef Ben Jones will be served, complete with fine wine pairings, decadent desserts and scrumptious treats to slide under the table. After the dinner and after the Canine Classic, guests can enjoy music and art by Walter Salas-Humara of the legendary New York band the Silos.

For more information, visit www.pawsup.com.

August 28, 2016August 29, 2016

An Authentic Cowboy Experience Comes to The Resort at Paws Up

Do you know what happens when you combine authentic cowboys, rodeo stars, Montana scenery, chic rustic accommodations and gourmet food and fine wine? We do. For the first time The ProRodeo Hall of Fame presents Cowboy Experience at The Resort at Paws Up on October 20–23, 2016.

Your three-day adventure begins and ends with four legendary cowboys honored by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, including Paul Tierney, Larry Mahan, Monty “Hawkeye” Hens and Bud Munroe. These inspiring men will immerse you in the ways of the West with educational workshops, demonstrations, trail rides, sporting clays shooting and campfire stories under Montana’s starry Big Sky. You’ll share in the cowboy spirit and its way of life, and have an incredible time doing it.

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy exists to educate about rodeo, its history and its impact on Western American culture. Our goal is to share the cowboy spirit and its way of life while meeting legendary cowboys honored by the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Enjoy horseback riding, cattle drives, fly-fishing, hiking, spa treatments, ATV rides, sporting clays, our rifle range and more.

Schedule

Thursday, October 20, 2016

All Day Welcome in the Reception Barn

Cocktails and Arena Activity: Mounted Shooting

Inductee Introductions in the Saddle Club

Cattlemen’s Dinner

Kick Up Your Heels with the Shane Clouse Duo

Friday, October 21, 2016

Breakfast at the Ranch Table

Up and at ‘Em Trail Ride

Larry Mahan: Conversation and Connection with the Horse

Paul Tierney: Rope ‘Em Cowboy

Monty Henson: Tales from Hawkeye

Bud and Jimmie Munroe: Two World Champions Under One Roof

Cocktails and RoughStock Whiskey Tasting

Larry, Monty, Paul, Bud and Jimmie: Legends Sharing Legends

Cowboy’s Banquet

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Breakfast at the Ranch Table

Up and at ‘Em Trail Ride

Monty Henson: Tales from Hawkeye

Bud and Jimmie Munroe: Two World Champions Under One Roof

Lunch at the Ranch Table

Larry Mahan: Conversation and Connection with the Horse

Paul Tierney: Rope ‘Em Cowboy

Sporting Clays with Bud

Trail Ride with Monty

Stockman’s Soiree

Auction—Bring Deep Pockets!

Cash Bar, Final Gathering

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Breakfast at the Ranch Table

Farewell

To make reservations for Cowboy Experience, please call 877-758-8644 or chat with us.

August 24, 2016August 26, 2016

Where to Go in September With Man’s Best Friend

It’s National Dog Day this Friday, and at The Resort at Paws Up, you don’t have to vacation without your best friend. We’ve always had a special relationship with man’s best friend. In fact, it was the canine’s friendly greeting that inspired our name. The Resort at Paws Up not only welcomes your best friend, we cater to him (or her) with the following amenities:

•The Last Best Doggie Bed

•Dog dish

•Dog collar

•Locally made treats

•Wag the tails massage

•Doggie room service menu*

•Hiking trail map

•Tennis ball

•Welcome card from the owner’s dog, Fenway.

(Additional pet rates apply)

On Sunday, September 25^th, we are hosting our eighth annual Canine Classic. Enjoy walking with your dog along streams and winding through the beautiful trails at our 37,000-acre wilderness. Choose a two-mile, five-mile or chip-timed half-marathon. And following your walk, run or hike, you’ll enjoy a gourmet barbecue with live music and plenty of prizes!

Since its inception, the Canine Classic has raised over $200,000. And all proceeds go to support the Humane Society of Western Montana. Join us this year and help us in “Saving Every Animal Every Time.”

Race entries start at $35 and include one lunch, a swag bag, and the chance to win prizes. Register now for the Canine Classic.

For overnight accommodations, please call 877-758-8644 or chat with us.

Also…we are always excited to present our annual Wine & Bitch Dinner hosted by The Resort’s Nadine Lipson and her trusty sidekick, Fenway. This unique event offers you and your best friend the chance to bond, relax and enjoy the finer things in life—together.

You’ll stroll through a pet expo featuring dog massage therapists, a photo booth and agility demonstrations. Then you’ll be treated to a gourmet feast created by Paws Up Executive Chef Ben Jones, complete with fine wine pairings and decadent desserts (our featured vintner is Montana Winery. Located in nearby Missoula, Montana, the Winery is committed to serving the community and supporting non-profit causes. The company donates a portion of their sales to organizations that range from the Prevent Cancer Foundation to Freedom Service Dogs of America.

You and your your two-legged guests will be entertained by Walter Salas-Humara, a Founding member of the band Silos. He has also shared the stage with Lucinda Williams, Lou Reed and other great musical artists. Tickets are just $98. Reserve your spot now.

For overnight accommodations, please call 877-758-8644 or chat with us.

August 21, 2016June 30, 2023

Where to Achieve Amazing Baking and Horseback Riding Skills in One Weekend

What do horseback riding, fly-fishing, ATV rides, pizza, cookies and pies have in common? We have the simple answer: Upper Crust at the Resort at Paws Up. Spend October 7th-10th getting your hands doughy during this one-of-a-kind kitchen adventure in Montana, which offers more than flour and sugar—glamping®, spa treatments, cattle drives and live music are also on the menu.

Join us this year to learn new skills in the kitchen as well as participate in outdoor activities on our 37,000-acre ranch, including fly-fishing, ATV tours, hiking, mountain biking, equestrian lessons, sporting clays, repelling, archery, go-karts and more.

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. 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.

By day, you’ll be creating works of edible art from fresh local ingredients. And by night, you’ll be dining on the cuisine of Paws Up’s Executive Chef, Ben Jones, masterfully executed and paired with exquisite wines.

Afterwards, you’ll retire to the unparalleled comforts of your very own luxury vacation home.

Upper Crust Event Highlights

Friday, October 7, 2016

Welcome reception

Dinner featuring Executive Chef Ben Jones

Fire and Fondue in Tank

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Culinary workshops including kolachke and rugelach cookies,

American apple pie and pizza making a variety of wilderness adventures

Live entertainment in Tank

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Culinary workshops including thumbprint cookies, sweet cherry pie and pizza making

A variety of wilderness adventures

Live entertainment in Tank

Upper Crust is the perfect treat for anyone who’s passionate about homemade, just-out-of-the-oven desserts and pizzas and outdoor bucket-list adventure. Find out more here.

August 17, 2016June 30, 2023

The Oscars of the Food World Come to The Resort at Paws Up

For foodies and wine lovers, Montana Master Chefs is the event of a lifetime-and world-class cuisine and exquisite vino are just the beginning. Get up close and personal with a group of James Beard Award winners, finalists and nominees.

This bucket-list weekend at The Resort at Paws Up is served with an extra helping of breathtaking scenery, exhilarating outdoor adventure and pure relaxation. It’s all happening on September 29th—October 2, 2016.

We’re not sure what is the most fun part of this weekend. Watching the chefs face off in a fun cook-off challenge, sipping fine wine from renowned vintners, burning calories on a variety of wilderness adventures, or relaxing in luxurious accommodations.

It’s also a beautiful time of year for glamping®!

All these ingredients combine to make Montana Master Chefs a winning weekend full of new, unique adventures.

Like a rock-and-roll supergroup, the chefs are coming in from all over the country. There’s Chef Ashley Christensen, winner for Best Chef: Southeast; Chef Matt Jennings, nominated four times for Best Chef: Northeast; Chef Jamie Malone, semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year and Best Chef: Midwest; Chef Steven Satterfield, semifinalist for Best New Restaurant and finalist for Best Chef: Southeast three years in a row and Chef Mindy Segal, nominated five times and winner of Outstanding Pastry Chef. These illustrious chefs will be working alongside Paws Up’s own culinary artist, Executive Chef Ben Jones, whose talent and inexhaustible knowledge of local culinary resources were on display when he headlined at the James Beard House in New York earlier this year. And just imagine what they’ll do for the Top Chef-style challenge.

Wait. There’s More:

Featured Wineries are:

Grgich Hills Estate, founded in Napa by Mike Grgich, was a winning vintner of the historic Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. The impressive wines of Grgich have been featured at White House State Dinners from Reagan to Obama. Violet Grgrich, Mike’s daughter, will be a featured guest of MMC.

Merry Edwards Winery was founded by Merry Edwards, winner of the James Beard Award for Best Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional in the United States. Merry’s husband and partner Ken Coopersmith will be joining us to share his wine expertise and passion.

Rombauer Vineyards was founded by a great nephew of Irma Rombauer, author of the Joy of Cooking. Wine Spectator magazine said, “Rombauer defines the California Chardonnay style that so many adore.” Paws Up is pleased to welcome Koerner “KR” Rombauer III as a featured MMC guest.

Our featured Distillery is Montgomery Distillery, and guests will enjoy music by Musician, Joshua Davis, Ali Solomon and Jon Floridis. Find out more here.

August 10, 2016August 10, 2016

National S’mores Day at Paws Up

Sure, other important things are happening in August, but National S’mores Day is an event we take seriously at The Resort at Paws Up. This year, we’re hosting our first-ever full Resort competition dedicated to the simple, rustic treat we love. The Paws Up S’mores Challenge: We’re taking gooiness to the next level!

Classic ingredients will be provided to all of our guests on property, but unique “secret” ingredients will only be available as part of a special geo-cache adventure earlier in the day.

Guests won’t have to travel far to compete in the preliminary rounds. Vacation home guests will line up on The Yard at the Cook Shack. Campers will convene at their individual campsites. And the top competitors will be selected to for the Championship round. Fans will be watching as four esteemed s’mores experts rank thier tasty, toasted treat on a scale from 1 to 10. The crowd will go be waiting patiently for samples.

The grand-prize winner of the Paws Up S’mores Challenge will receive a one-hour photography session from our official on-site photographer. And, naturally, we’ll add their portrait to the Paws Up Hall of Fame.

Here’s our lineup for Wednesday, August 10, 2016

9:00AM–12:00PM Ingredients-finding Geo-Cache adventure begins from the Wilderness Outpost

4:30PM–8:30PM Campsite competition at individual campsites around The Resort

6:30PM–8:30PM Vacation homes competition on The Yard at the Cook Shack

9:00PM Championship round at The Cook Shack fire pits

9:30PM Awards ceremony at the Cook Shack Stage

Afterwards, guests will enjoy a special musical performance by local favorites . How fun does sound?

August 8, 2016August 8, 2016

6 Tips to Building a Better S’more

National S’mores Day is Wednesday, August 10th, and all of us at The Resort at Paws Up are getting excited! There’s nothing like sleeping beneath the stars, listening to the sounds of nature—and calling your butler when you need an extra pillow. At The Resort at Paws Up, there is one dedicated camping butler for each luxury camp. The camping butler does everything from starting a fire and preparing scrumptious s’mores to providing entertainment and assisting with planning and scheduling your daily itineraries. “Ensuring our guests have an experience of a lifetime at the beautiful Resort at Paws Up is the best part of my job,” says Resort Manager Charles Daenen. “I love to get to know the guests while they are here, make a connection and take care of all of their needs,” says Charles. “At full capacity, we go through about three dozen s’mores per evening—fun for the entire family.”

Below are eight tips from Charles on how to make the best s’mores.

1. Use a variety of chocolate, including Hershey’s, Snicker or even KitKat candy bars.

2. Toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crispy, gooey state. Then sandwich them between graham crackers and a piece of chocolate. The heat of the marshmallows will melt the chocolate a bit for the perfect texture.

3. Instead of a coat hanger or s’mores stick, try a double-sided metal waffle-shaped s’mores maker to avoid losing your treat in the fire.

4. Use waffles instead of graham crackers for a softer, gooier s’more.

5. Add salted caramels with your choice of chocolate for turtle-like taste and texture. We like to serve bacon s’mores too.

6. Substitute Oreo cookies for graham crackers.