luxury ranch and wellness retreats

September 11, 2017September 17, 2017

Blackberry Smash Recipe

At The Resort at Paws Up there are countless ways to get outside and get active. But after all that horseback riding, ATV touring and hiking, there’s no better way to cool down than with a fresh cocktail. Our bartending team gets inspired by the local, seasonal ingredients and Montana-made spirits. This Blackberry Smash recipe is just one of our many favorite cocktails which we wanted to share with you so you can create a little slice of Paws Up at home.

Blackberry Smash

Ingredients

A handful of blackberries

The juice of half a lemon

3/4 oz thyme simple syrup

1 3/4 oz Willie’s Distillery’s Big Horn Bourbon

Club soda

Directions

Muddle blackberries, lemon juice and thyme simple syrup. Add ice and bourbon, and shake well. Strain into a Collins glass, ll with ice and top with soda. Garnish with blackberries and thyme sprig.

August 10, 2017August 10, 2017

Meet AdrenZen Fitness Expert Idalis Valazquez

A wife and proud mother of two girls, a personal trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and a former elite track-and-field athlete, Idalis Velazquez is a top expert in total body fitness. Velazquez specializes in fast and effective workouts that help busy people get the results they want in the time they have. Velazquez’s workouts and fitness tips have been featured in too many national publications, websites and TV shows to list. Paws Up is thrilled to have her as the featured fitness expert at the AdrenZen: Fall wellness weekend on October 20–23, 2017.

Paws Up: How would you describe your fitness style?

Velazquez: My fitness style is all about time-efficient workouts and building sustainable habits. The workouts and programs I create combine resistance training and are metabolic, meaning you will challenge your cardio and keep your metabolism revving for hours after you are done. I’m tough, but more of a cheerleader with those I train to help them unleash their fullest potential and keep them motivated.

Paws Up: How many times a week do you work out?

Velazquez: Four to six times a week. These workouts can last 15 to 60 minutes long, depending on the workout.

Paws Up: What is your top weight loss tip?

Velazquez:

Focus on building positive and healthy habits instead of creating restriction.
Learn to be mindful with your nutrition and exercise routine. Consistent application of small, sustainable habits along with your workouts will help you reach your goals.
When it comes to training for weight loss and fat loss, prioritize strength training and don’t overdo the cardio.
Resistance training builds lean muscle mass, which helps you burn calories and fat all day long and boost your metabolism. You’ll feel younger and energized and achieve the “toned” look most people want.

Paws Up: How do you keep yourself motivated?

Velazquez: I see fitness and living a healthier lifestyle as tools that help me be at my best physically, mentally and emotionally. I challenge myself during my workouts, but I also have fun. Knowing that caring for my body and mind will help me feel and be at my very best keeps me motivated. Plus, it’s nice to look in the mirror and see how this lifestyle pays off.

Paws Up: What inspires you?

Velazquez: My kind and loving daughters. The way they look at me and look up to me. Knowing that the way I live my life and that my habits and behaviors will have a huge impact in their life inspires me.

The community I’ve built through my social media also is inspiring. Knowing that I’m helping to reach a follower’s goals is priceless. I know that many of them don’t have a personal trainer nor gym memberships, and they have chosen to follow my workouts and tips. They inspired me to get creative with exercises and workout ideas that will keep them motivated to get their sweat on anywhere.

Paws Up: Why are you excited to visit Paws Up?

Velazquez: All of it! Every time I plan a vacation with my husband, I always tell him that my ideal vacation includes a beautiful resort surrounded by nature where I can just disconnect and enjoy fitness, healthy meals, rest and relaxation with spa treatments. The Resort at Paws Up has everything I would want for a perfect wellness retreat and more. I look forward to having the opportunity to share my love for fitness and wellness by teaching and meeting new people!

Paws Up: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to regain their fitness or start a new program?

Velazquez: Just start! Focus on what your body can do, rather than on what it hasn’t mastered yet. Create a plan, do your best and stay consistent. Even if you start with 15 minutes a day. Set positive, performance-related goals, since these will help you stay motivated and empowered.

July 31, 2017July 31, 2017

Meet our Fall Wellness Expert Kristin McGee

Meet AdrenZen: Fall Yoga Expert Kristin McGee

Kristin McGee is a nationally recognized celebrity yoga and Pilates teacher, speaker and “mompreneur.” She is the author of Chair Yoga: Sit, Stretch and Strengthen Your Way to a Happier, Healthier You. Her unparalleled knowledge of fitness and health has established McGee as a sought-after trainer with a continuous roster of high-profile celebrities, including Emilia Clarke, Tina Fey, Bethenny Frankel, Savannah Guthrie, Steve Martin, LeAnn Rimes and Christine Taylor.

Join McGee at The Resort at Paws Up’s event AdrenZen: Fall on October 20–23, 2017. You will flow through many postures and learn simple chair poses to take with you wherever you go, so yoga can be a part of your daily life even if you’re stuck sitting down.

Try these four moves to boost your happiness and lift your spirits.

High Altar Pose: Lift your arms up overhead, interlace the fingers, invert the palms and lift the corners of your mouth in to a smile. You’ll feel your lungs inflate as you lift out of your lower back. Get an immediate rush of energy in to your body and notice how much better your body and brain feel. Hold for 3–5 deep breaths.

Hands Clasped Behind the Back Arch: Backbends are the antidepressants of yoga. When we slouch forward we get depressed. Our posture determines our mood. Use this pose to open your heart and lift yourself up mentally. Sit toward the edge of your seat, clasp your hands behind your back and lift your chest upward toward the ceiling. Hold this pose for 5–8 breaths.

Assisted Neck Stretch: We carry a ton of tension and stress in our neck and shoulders. Use this stretch to release the issues in your tissues. Place one hand over your head on the opposite ear. Gently let the head fall to the side as you stretch the neck and top of shoulder. Hold for 5 breaths and then switch sides.

Forward Fold: Finally, end with a forward fold to bring oxygen to the brain and stretch the entire back body. When you fold forward, you let the spine release and relax. Hold for 5–8 breaths before coming back up to sit and then notice how much happier and refreshed you feel.

A Q&A with Kristin McGee

What is your favorite thing about yoga?

Yoga makes me feel amazing. When I link my mind and body and tap into my breath, I am happier and healthier and I have more energy.

What is your style of teaching?

I teach an alignment-based flow. I also incorporate some of my Pilates background as well.

Why did you decide to write the Chair Yoga book?

Too many of us are stuck in our seats all day, so it’s important to find ways to do yoga anywhere and yoga in a chair.

What are you most looking forward to about coming to Paws Up?

Meeting new people in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I can’t wait to breathe in the mountain air and do yoga in a peaceful, incredible surrounding.

What advice would you give to someone who has never tried yoga before?

Get on the mat and listen to your breath. Your breath will be your guide and your body and mind will start to open and grow in so many ways. There is no judgment and no rush to do anything. You can just BE and start to move from an organic place inside of you. Honestly you will LOVE it.

June 15, 2017June 15, 2017

3 Summer Picnics Worth Traveling For

It may come as no surprise, but Montana’s culinary resources are as outsized as the landscape itself. Which means, when you take part in a Montana Long Table at The Resort at Paws Up you’re in for an ever-loving foodie kind of evening. Of course, that only partly explains why these events are so popular. There’s also the single, long table set up in a beautiful spot with sweeping views of the ranch and first-rate live music, often from acclaimed local artists.This summer Paws Up is offering three incredible Long Table Events where guests will come face-to-face with an abundant supply of foods and the artisans behind them as well as get to know them by name, hear their stories and have the opportunity to show appreciation for all their hard work.

Artisanal Picnic: June 17, 2017

When was the last time you dined outdoors on artistically prepared fried chicken, sausage garnished with foie gras and hand-cut duck fat fries? This year’s first Montana Long Table is a picnic like none you’ve ever seen. We’re bringing together three of the country’s most talented chefs: the masterminds behind Chicago’s Honey Butter Fried Chicken and cult food icon Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s. And when it’s time to sit down and dine, you’ll be joined by the very ranchers, farmers and food artisans responsible for the food in front of you.

Note: This event is open to locals.

A Long-Standing Tradition: July 15, 2017

This July, pull up a seat as we celebrate the local food traditions of Montana. It’s a farm-to-white-tablecloth experience, starting with an authentic farmers market featuring local ranchers, farmers and food artisans as well as music from Montana’s own Dan Dubuque. Next, you’ll sit down to an exquisite dinner created by Paws Up Executive Chef Ben Jones. His close relationships with area purveyors always makes for a truly inspired menu. But don’t take our word for it—instead, take advantage of the unique opportunity to dine alongside the very people who made your meal possible. We hope you’ll join us as we pay tribute to all the incredible culinary resources Montana has to offer.

Note: This event is open to locals.

Bounty on the Blackfoot: August 19, 2017

This August, take a tour through Montana’s vast culinary traditions with one of the country’s most celebrated chefs as your guide. Join 2017 Bravo Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson as she creates a true farm-to-table tasting menu before your very eyes. She’ll visit the Missoula farmers market to select peak-season ingredients, then masterfully turn them into a one-of-a-kind dinner. By evening, you’ll sit down to dine on the banks of the legendary Blackfoot River with the local purveyors who helped make your meal possible.

May 24, 2017May 24, 2017

Reach for the Sky This Summer at Paws Up

It may seem peaceful when you arrive at The Resort at Paws Up this summer, but we’ve been hard at work bringing four exhilarating new activities to life. With last year’s introduction of the Sky Line Aerial Adventure Park, guests climbed, swung and maneuvered their way among the ropes and platforms. New this year is the Challenge Course, with elements that are more difficult and higher off the ground, plus a quick drop that’s about 55 feet up in the air.

Mountain bikers will find new thrills, too. Opening this summer is a mile- loop bike park featuring berms, switchbacks, tabletops, whoops and jumps. That’s in addition to our existing trails and the 13.5- mile downhill mountain bike course leaving from Garnet Ghost Town. You can take your pick: grab a map or go for a guided tour.

At the Lake House at Seeley Lake, now there’s paddleboarding. Using concentration and balance, you can either take in the scenery or get a rejuvenating workout. To really stretch yourself, sign up for paddleboard yoga, a great core fitness class.

And for any kids who have dreamed of being cowboys or cowgirls, Paws Up’s brand-new Junior Wrangler Program will give them a durn good glimpse. They’ll do it all, from brushing and scooping to saddling and loping. They’ll have three days to immerse themselves in the world of horses and explore trails that others don’t get to ride.

Whatever your age, whatever your passions, we hope you’ll find 2017 to be an exciting time to visit and explore the great outdoors on our ranch.

May 18, 2017May 18, 2017

Paws Up Delivers the Duality of Wellness With AdrenZen

The Resort at Paws Up hosted its first-ever wellness weekend event, AdrenZen (short for “Adrenaline Meets Zen”), May 5–8, 2017, and guests who traveled to The Resort for adventure activities mixed with opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation were not disappointed. Our ranch provided the perfect setting for the creation of new friendships and bonding, spiritual inspiration, wilderness adventures and the renewal of a mutual love for the outdoors. Guests enjoyed wholesome cuisine and healthy cocktails—and they didn’t miss a single calorie (mostly because they were too busy burning them off).

AdrenZen guest yoga instructor Lauren Taus said, “As a seasoned traveler with ample luxury experience, I can tell you that The Resort at Paws Up stands out in so many ways. It’s the attention to detail here that makes the biggest difference. And Chef Ben Jones blew me—and my taste buds—away at every meal. His homemade kombucha is next-level.”

After starting each day with morning yoga, guests enjoyed chef specials, including a full fresh juice bar. Visiting fitness expert and The Biggest Loser star Jen Widerstrom connected with participants during small-group fitness activities, such as our first-ever Ranch-Athlon. This event featured a combination ATV tour and rappelling experience led by Widerstrom—capped with a huge adrenaline rush as everyone descended a sheer, 167-foot rock face.

More adventure followed in the form of a one-mile Grizzlyman Fitness Trail excursion led by Widerstrom. Guests made quick, calorie-burning stops at 12 stations along the trail to complete climbing, balancing and swinging challenges. In addition, the Sky Line Aerial Adventure Park, tucked away neatly in the middle of The Resort’s forest, offered the option to navigate rickety bridges, spider nets, swinging platforms, tightropes and a heart-pounding 40-foot free fall.

For the Zen element of the event, guests stretched and posed their way to relaxation with Taus, recognized by Self magazine as one of the country’s top trainers. Her most popular class of the weekend was vino yoga. Guests warmed their muscles through a range of movement and pleased their palates with a selection of fine wines. It was the perfect preamble to free time filled with treatments at Spa Town, a hands-on private cooking class led by guest Chef Kelly Liken, at-your-own-pace meditation hikes and horseback riding on our gorgeous 37,000-acres of trails with scenic vistas of the Blackfoot River.

If you weren’t here for the first-ever Paws Up wellness event and feel like you missed out, you can remedy that regret at the fall AdrenZen event on October 20–23, 2017. You don’t want to miss out this time around. We have even more fabulous features planned, so book your reservation now.

Praise for AdrenZen

“My experience at The Resort at Paws Up for the AdrenZen weekend was the highlight of my year. All the staff throughout The Resort were extremely accommodating and kind and took care of any needs or questions that I had throughout my weekend. I had a wonderful time exploring the outdoors at The Resort of Paws up because of the exquisite location, respectful staff and impeccable service. I would highly recommend The Resort.”—Katelynn Lee, AdrenZen guest

“I am fortunate to have been a part of AdrenZen weekend. The whole place is serene and magical, but what was really unexpected was the opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone in a safe and relaxed environment. I would go back again and again.”—Bhavani Raju, AdrenZen guest

“As an international retreat leader, finding a place that is as special as The Resort at Paws Up is rare. The space invites quiet reflection, exploration and growth, while also offering every luxury you could imagine. Everybody had an incredible time, and I loved hosting a wellness event there. Jen Widerstrom and I both look forward to bringing more growth and healing to this property soon.”—Lauren Taus, AdrenZen guest yoga instructor