montana travel | The Last Best Blog

June 13, 2018June 13, 2018

The Resort at Paws Up Welcomes Austin Grill Master Evan LeRoy for BBQ-U

Comfortable around a live fire from a young age, Chef Evan LeRoy’s culinary experiences range from fine dining at Hudson’s on the Bend to barbecue at Hill Country Barbecue. LeRoy was named as one of Zagat’s 30 Under 30 rising stars in the Austin culinary scene. LeRoy has appeared on Burgers, Brew & Que and Food Porn and gained the title of Austin Grill Master on the Travel Channel.

In 2017, LeRoy opened the barbecue truck LeRoy and Lewis, with a rotating menu of nontraditional meats and cuts and a working motto of “new school barbecue, old school service.” LeRoy has also traveled to Australia and Russia to train and work with prospective pit masters and is known for his openness to teaching and sharing smoking secrets. We are thrilled to have him this year for BBQ-U on June 22–24, 2018. We had a chance to sit down with LeRoy for a quick interview.

The last time you visited Paws Up was in 2016, correct? Tell us a little about your favorite memory on our ranch.

Correct. I took a hike through the woods one morning and saw a bald eagle for the first time in my life. Also, the last day of archery with my wife was fun and competitive.

What activity are you most excited about trying on property?

I’m most interested in doing some fishing this trip. I was not able to do that last time, and it seems like fun.

How did you become interested in barbecue?

I’ve been interested in barbecue for a long time. Since I was a kid cooking in the backyard with my dad. It’s more than an interest growing up in Texas—it’s an ingrained part of our culture.

Can you tell us about the dual smoker, which we hear you’re bringing to Paws Up? And why it’s called “the twins”?

Between leaving Freedmen’s (my last BBQ job) and opening LeRoy and Lewis, I taught some classes to keep me busy, keep money coming in and to stay relevant in the barbecue scene. I liked the idea of cooking with people and connecting with people over BBQ on a deeper level. One of my students was Sheldon Mason from Montana. He has his own pop-up BBQ business, and he designed the pits for capacity and travel—as two back-to-back smokers that mirror one another.

Can you explain what you mean by “new school barbecue”?

As the next generation of Texans who are carrying this tradition of barbecue into the next decades, it’s our responsibility to put our own stamp on it, improve it and give it to those who come after us. New school BBQ is about taking the method and soul of BBQ and injecting new life into it with updates on classic cuts, global flavor profiles and modern hospitality.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
Vegetables, mostly in pasta and stir fries. I like to keep it simple and use herbs from my garden. I also use a lot of eggs.

What is your favorite cooking show on television?

Used to be Good Eats. Now it’s Mind of a Chef.

Is there something you’ve never grilled that you want to attempt?

I’ve never cooked a fish I caught on the beach or on a shore. I would love to do that.

What travel destination is next on your bucket list?

Germany, Hawaii, Italy.

If you could cook alongside one barbecue chef, who would it be?

I would love to cook with Tootsie Tomanetz from Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, TX.

January 3, 2017January 3, 2017

Curling Comes to The Resort at Paws Up

Once again, during WinterFest 2017, the Missoula Curling Club (MCC) will join us at Paws Up to demonstrate and teach the enigmatic sport known as curling. Like last year, the club and Paws Up guests will get a chance to play at The Resort’s “official” curling court (otherwise known as the Paws Up Ice Rink).

The sport involves two teams sliding (and guiding through the sweeping of brooms) 40-pound hunks of granite down a “sheet,” or playing field, of ice. The team that repeatedly gets its so-called stones closest to the center of a target at each end of the sheet eventually wins a curling match. The sport, which gained medal status in the Winter Olympics in 1998, is often misunderstood but actually easy to learn and fun to play, according to most curling enthusiasts.

The nonprofit Missoula Curling Club was formed in 2010. “We have 130 members playing on 28 teams in the Competitive and Recreational League. We began in Fall 2010 after the February 2010 Olympic games— which got a few folks in Missoula saying ‘we can do that,’ so a club was born,” says MCC President Barry Bollenbacher. He estimates that about 20,000 people in the United States play the sport of curling. But in Canada, the sport is huge, with about 2.1 million active curlers. The sport is hard to excel at, but easy to enjoy, says Bollenbacher, and the fact that you can enjoy a beverage during a match adds to the fun.

He recommends coming out early to the Paws Up “sheet” this year to experience curling for yourself. Lessons will take place at WinterFest on Friday, January 20, from 3 to 5 p.m., so you’ll be well prepared to take part in the exhibition game later that night, from 8:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Be sure to check out the amazing chefs, distillery, brewer and musicians at WinterFest 2017!

June 28, 2016June 30, 2023

8 Reasons to Visit The Resort at Paws Up in July

What are the components of a magical month of July? My answer would be—hands-down—barbecue, watermelon, live music, epic fireworks, outdoor activities, fly-fishing, horseback riding, picnics, parades, pies (apple, peach, pecan—any variety, really!), kayaking, expansive starry skies, pristine weather (read: no humidity, light breeze), hiking, glamping®, relaxation, mountain air and family time. It’s quite a list, but you can find all of this and even more when you head to The Resort at Paws Up in beautiful Montana. Travel alone, with your family, grandparents, your dog, your favorite person or your best guy or girl friend. It will be an experience you will never forget, and definitely one you will want to repeat. July is an ultimate time to visit the resort, with eight amazing extra events to learn a new skill or just to relax and celebrate life.

1. Great Scotts: Stars at Night Concert Series

July 1–9, 2016 and July 30–August 6, 2016

What do you get when you pair two ultra-talented, cute guys named Scott from the Winder city and bring them to Montana? Join us for a special series of concerts (onstage and in a campfire setting) by Scott Besaw and Scott Schaefer. Scott Besaw has been entertaining music lovers at various Chicago hot spots and all over the United States for almost 30 years. In the past, Besaw has been a featured performer with the Blue Man Group, the Denver Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, the University of Colorado’s Buffoons a cappella singing group and Chicago’s special occasion band Underwater People.

Scott Schaefer has enjoyed a notable presence on the Chicago music scene for two decades as the lead singer of numerous indie rock outfits and has managed several independent record labels in the Midwest. Scott Besaw is available for private guitar and drum lessons. The Great Scotts are also available for private performances. Fees apply to private lessons and performances.

2. July 4^thHappy Independence Day Paws-Up-style!

Celebrate the 4^th with us at The Resort at Paws Up with the ultimate American celebration. Enjoy a craft cocktail mixology demonstration, live music, a live wild west show, line dancing, float decorating contest, lawn games, gunny sack races, chair massages, parades, watermelon eating contest, fireworks and don’t forget s’mores!

3. Gettin’ Primitive with Artist in Residency: Gary Steele

July 10–16, 2016, and August 7–13, 2016

Learn about the old ways from an honest-to-goodness mountain man—Paws Up’s resident outdoorsman Gary Steele. For one week at his self-built camp, you and your kids will get hands-on instruction in primitive skills like edible plant identification, fire making, knot tying, longbow archery, music making, orienteering, shelter building, storytelling, tomahawk throwing, tracking and woodsmanship.

Designed for families to come together in an environment that fosters confidence, curiosity, enthusiasm, responsibility and self-esteem, the Gettin’ Primitive workshop is sure to ignite your kids’ imagination.

4. Montana Long Table: A Locally Sourced Summer

July 16, 2016

For one delicious July evening, we pay special tribute to the people who feed us. Chef Ben Jones and his talented team will prepare a unique multicourse farm-to-white-tablecloth dinner highlighting fresh summertime ingredients. And the close relationships Ben and his kitchen staff have formed with area purveyors will make this a celebration that’s truly inspired.

5. Starry Night Photography with Artist in Residency: Barbara Van Cleve

July 18–21, 2016 spectacular wines included.

Join acclaimed ranch-life photographer and Cowgirl Hall of Fame honoree Barbara Van Cleve for a unique and captivating photography workshop. The workshop will take place both indoors and under Montana’s Big Sky at night. Van Cleve is known for her spectacular nighttime imagery, and she will instruct all workshop participants on how to capture vivid, dreamy photographs under a starry, moonlit sky. With more than 50 solo photography exhibits to her name and a lifetime of experience

6. Champion Horsemanship with Barbra Schulte

July 18–21, 2016

Take your horsemanship skills up a notch with instruction from Barbra Schulte, a veteran professional rider and trainer and member of the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. With an emphasis on developing tough mental strategies, she’s helped elite riders all over the country reach their full potential. In this workshop, with her guidance, you’ll focus on control as you wind through obstacle courses along scenic trails, and you’ll practice your aim on horseback with mounted shooting (using water pistols). The workshop also focuses on providing riders with inspiration to overcome challenges they might have encountered in the past. A limited group size allows for intimate sessions, which are perfect for mastering new techniques.

7. Block Printing and Mosaics with Artist in Residency: Jill Schulman

July 24–30, 2016

Get your hands messy with Artist in Residency Jill Schulman as she teaches 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.”

8. Wild Writing with Writer in Residency: Laura Munson

July 29—30, 2016

For centuries, writers have been finding their inspiration out in the wild. And Montana may well be the place where your muse resides. So whether you’re a professional or a seeker with a pen, come find your unique voice under the nurturing guidance of an internationally successful author.

No matter where you are in your creative journey, you’ll learn how to discover your stories and get them onto the page. This custom Wilderness Workshop will give you a renewed feeling of empowerment through self-expression. It’s an adventure within, in the great outdoors.