FLATHEAD LAKE LODGE - BIGFORK MONTANA

[Music] ready for a guest ranch vacation like no other rented a fish sales ski and swim at the largest natural freshwater lake in the western US ready to ride horses through a private 2,000 acre wilderness and see wildlife in their natural environment but most of all are you ready to reconnect with family friends and what's really important in life well partner gather appear family and friends and head to Northwest Montana for the vacation of your lifetime [Music] welcome to Averell z' flathead lake lodge in Bigfork Montana celebrating their 75th year of exceptional hospitality in 2020 four generations of the Averell family of welcomed guests from all over the world who come here to relax rejuvenate and rekindle old friendships easily accessible from airports in Kalispell Missoula or Great Falls you're never more than days travel to the ranch from just about anywhere in North America it's hard to describe what a typical week is like at Flathead Lake Lodge with so much to do is driving up through the ranch entrance and seeing the facilities and surroundings the anticipation builds for an adventure like you've never experienced before and they deliver [Music] after a great night's sleep in your warm rustic and welcoming cabins in a hearty breakfast in the main lodge you can take in as much or as little as you desire as can each member of your family adults could enjoy a wide range of activities while the kids enjoy their own all in a safe environment designed for fun exploration and relaxation [Music] if you enjoy watersports you're in Montana heaven and can relax around the pool taking in clean fresh mountain air and spectacular lake views just a few steps away you can enjoy fishing canoeing kayaking and more [Music] never been fly-fishing not to worry experienced guides will take you to where the fish are biting and will hold clinics to familiarize you with handling a fly-fishing rod [Music] or try your hand at waterskiing and if you've never tried it before the ranch staff are always there with instructional help there's a sailor in the family they'll enjoy setting sails on one of the historic 51 foot q class racing sleeves the cuesta and the nor'easter q boats were built in 1928 and 1929 as prototypes for the America's Cup boats [Music] the ranch also has some classic wood touring boats for pleasure sightseeing around the lake [Music] [Music] if you're in the watersports you've found paradise [Music] and kids of all ages joy the water slide on the banks of Flathead Lake if you've come for a rejuvenation and relaxation yoga sessions on their recently at a deck overlooking Flathead Lake will stimulate your mind as well as your physical well-being if you come for the horseback riding well partner you're in for a special experience like no other as dawn breaks over the forested mountains make your way towards the corral to see what rush hour looks like in Montana as the horses come in from their night pasture [Music] [Music] [Music] once in the corral the Wranglers start grooving and settling for the day's activities [Music] that's just it's been a while since you've been horseback riding not to worry the Wranglers will match you with a horse well-suited to your riding ability they know if you and your horse are a good match you'll enjoy the writing all that much more if your kids are a little too young for the mountain trail rides the Wranglers will keep them busy and entertained in the enclosed arena or they can hold their writing skills create lifelong memories after writing the kids can enjoy creating arts and crafts and keepsakes of their vacation what's the best guest ranch in the entire world this morning we just finished the kids rodeo which is a great event that we've been doing for decades and we introduced those kids right down to two years old to horseback riding this goes way back our family or family years fishing there was several boys in the family and we got into rodeo at one time started teaching rodeo schools with world champions some of the brothers went off to become in Montana for rodeo Hall of Fame many of our guests have become in 20 30 40 years the longest repeat guests George would came 56 consecutive years this weekend the best crowd we have 61 people that have been vacationing 31 years together and there's actually four marriages that have come out of this group from the kids started coming those babies but there's always lots of new guests to and they love that the return guest being so open to introducing them to Holly ranch words they take a pride in the place that it's their place it's our home so we treat it just like that they feel very much important place when they check in retail we really don't have any rules here other than if you take a wineglass be sure to bring it back otherwise we'll run on the wine glasses Friday by the week really that's about our only rule it's kind of open ranch please we like not to embarrass anybody many people are out of their comfort zone and that today's generation doesn't have the background and horsemanship so it's a it's all new to them and we make that very easy comfort for a lot of the tight babe dance and I think their first vacation isn't for them they want to go to the beach wants to go to the horses they'll arrive at the ranch because we're located on a large lake with lots of water we have a tool to start sailboats for water sports with horses that once those type a dads get here these horses are pretty fun [Music] [Music] and by the end of the week the dad is very much into the horses the moms on the sailboat so it's a great balance we always had lots of teenagers and children and I think the teenagers had the most fun the writing is spectacular with exceptional views your entire family will enjoy the ride through the 750 acre L Preserve where you're likely to see herds of magnificent elk and local wildlife [Music] you'll never have to worry about where you're going they have meals on this vacation as three hearty meals are served daily with snacks and drinks always available the chefs and kitchen staff delight and dazzling the guests with meals they prepared you can dine in the lodge or enjoy your meals by the lake the choice is yours [Music] one of the favorite activities during the week is the breakfast ride Hill trail ride your horse will be transported by vehicle to the cook site where the cooks are preparing a Montana breakfast you won't soon forget [Music] [Music] food family friends cowboy coffee and a haunting campfire surrounded by nature now I gotta ask you does it get any better than this [Music] if your family would like to do some target shooting we'll receive professional instruction and guidance and the proper handling of firearms on a safe and monitored target range [Music] stop so it's all yours soon that tree make sure your cheeks on the stock [Music] [Music] for as long as the ranch has been operating the Averill family their staff have been major supporters of our military and those who serve our country this particular week the ranch was honored to host three service members who will be serving on the SSA Montana a Virginia class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine SSN 794 spected to be christened in late spring of 2020 and commissioned into the navy fleet in mid 2021 another initiative headed and founded by Doug April is the Paladin Conservancy created to provide today's tech-savvy youth with practical skills and hands-on learning so that someday they will share the Western legacy with their children our family myself we love kids actually set up an ant farm as a charitable foundation to teach children's use education for farming ranching and how to work their hands and learn life skills to match their tech skills with the theme of preserving the Old West the emphasis is on youth education in farming livestock rodeo and teaching Western life skills that are needed for success in a ranching operation we mentioned dinner cookouts one of the ranches most memorable evening cookouts is the steak fry in the elk preserve and there are two ways to get there you can ride up on your horse to the cookout site or arrive on what are the ranches fire engines [Music] campus out on the western plains some of the boys have gone away but they will be back soon when it's a roundup time way out west for the cactus is in bloom [Music] daylight comes and the cowhands yeah the call out every man roll my saddle on the old cow horse trick the coffee from with head goes down on the cattle trail and imma gaze in that moon when it's roundup time we are westward decision [Music] cattle growled in the Kyoto out on the Great Divide I never done no wrong just singing the song is down the trail line rattlesnakes rattle and the Prairie the holes you can hear more when it's round the air is filled with the aroma that stakes slowly cooking over an enormous fire pit gas can fill their plates and be serenaded by the sounds of cowboy singer Jean Courtney who's been entertaining guests at the ranch for more than a decade with new songs and many you'll remember from your own childhood [Music] [Music] after dinner it's an excellent time for families to have a photo taken freezing this special memory and time for all eternity great food great hospitality spectacular surroundings rekindling family ties building new friendships and creating lasting memories those are the important things in life and it's all found at Flathead Lake Lodge and my friends the fun doesn't end after dinner make your way to the stable for the always exciting House races guests can pick their favorites to win place or show one of the most exciting race competitions this side of the Mississippi [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh [Applause] lame [Applause] [Music] after the mouse races a live band will get your feet moving to all the country-western hits do you remember now when was the last time you danced with you kids these are memories that will last a lifetime and your kids they're gonna remember these special moments too [Music] I come back to the Flathead Lake Lodge every single year and have every intention of coming back for the rest of my life hoping another 20 years before hi it is just that it's coming back absolutely cherished for these many years because of the a rose because respect this much this all these people show us the guests the most the greatest desire to kind of they remember stay by the end of the week we know all the staff first-name basis in there every kid with them and we played with them those kinds of places those folks are just serving us serving each other remember inventing the hydrants we bring again into the departmental tournament the art of the breakfast to ride or they last through the cooking of the bacon cooking the scrambled eggs are banned where else in the middle of the night if you're really hungry can you go right on into the kitchen and make yourself nachos as long as we don't disturb lips breakfast this morning dozen marine and their kids I was here before their kids were born and I've seen them grow up because of so just this is it so it's my place and if you're fortunate enough to book your adventure the week of July 4th your intro real treat the town of Big Fork swells many times his normal size one of the most incredible and memorable July 4th parades and celebrations found anywhere [Music] guests can spend the morning of Independence Day decorating the ranch fire inches loading them with treats to toss to the crowd and making sure the water cannon is loaded [Music] this is a parade like no other winding through the historic streets of Big Fork as people from all over Montana and Beyond turn out for the events [Music] [Music] [Music] its water warfare in the streets of big 40 and sometimes the town's folks are ready their street back [Music] [Applause] [Music] does it get any better than this we'll try as the Sun sets and paints another golden Montana sky the fireworks begin over the lake as hundreds of boats it off the shoreline to witness a fireworks display like you've never seen before [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] and the week of July 4th is also rodeo week as the professional rodeo cowboys Association and the Big Fork rodeo committee presents that Bigfork Montana summer pro rodeo where the professionals compete for top prize money if you enjoy top-notch rodeo competition this is one you don't wanna miss [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] if you're ready to disconnect from that daily digital lifestyle if you're ready to enjoy a wide range of water sports on glacier-carved Lakes if you're ready for exceptional horseback riding adventures or wild live share their habitat with guests from around the world if you're ready for exceptional hospitality and the opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime well gather up your family and friends and make your way to Big Fork Montana - Flathead Lake Lodge we'll see you at the corral [Music] hey folks what's the best gas ranch in the entire world [Applause] [Music] there are no yeah [Laughter] [Music] you [Music]

Channel: HorseTV Global

Views: 20,128

Rating: 4.9414635 out of 5

Keywords: Ranch, dude ranch, guest ranch, vacation, montana, montana ranch, flathead, flathead lake, flathead lodge, lodge, july 4th, fourth of July, SSN Montana, Paladin, Paladin conservancy, conservancy, averill, horseback riding, horses, boating, fishing, sailing, Q class, Questa, nor easter, mouse races, breakfast ride, skeet shooting, clay pidgeons, elk, elk preserve, Great ranches, fire engines, water, water canon, fly fishing, cookouts, campfires

Id: qgFs4JDP3MM

Length: 33min 16sec (1996 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 05 2020