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Spring Fly Fishing

Spring Fly Fishing

May 7th, 2012

It has been a pretty good spring fishing season around here this year. There was lots of dry fly fishing to be had before the rivers blew out. They are all coming back down now, and should fish again before hopefully the last push of run off. Then it will be great all summer long. Here is a little teaser to get you excited about fly fishing in Montana this summer! Thanks to the local fly shop, Bigfork, Anglers for sharing. Be sure to stop in their shop in Bigfork, they have lots of great gear for you trip!

 

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Crown of the Continent – Final Line up

May 1st, 2012

 

Chris Hillman, founding member of the Byrds and Herb Pedersen from The Desert Rose Band will be joining us as Artists in Residence for the 2012 workshop and festival and round out this years great line up!

Following the hugely successful sold out 2011 guitar workshop and festival, we want to let you know that Lee Ritenour, Julian Lage, Sonny Landreth, Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, Dennis Koster and Patty Larkin will be joining us as Artists in Residence for this year’s event. www.cocguitarfoundation.org

 

This week long event includes 6 days of workshops, master classes, playing with professional rhythm sections, jamming, and nightly concerts. Being held at the Flathead Lake Lodge workshop participants and their family members have access to all the lodges’ amenities, plus more.  Also available for family members during the week is a watercolor workshop taught by renowned western artist Nancy Cawdrey.

 

There will be eleven workshops offered in seven guitar genres with leading faculty from the National Guitar Workshop:  Jazz featuring Lee Ritenour and Julian Lage, Classic Rock featuring Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen, Blues featuring Sonny Landreth, Classical featuring Dennis Koster, Singer-Songwriter featuring Patty Larkin, Acoustic featuring Doug Smith, and Beginners with Susan Mazer.  A new course has been added this year for Bass players featuring Melvin Lee Davis and Jorge Roeder.

 

Jazz pianist and composer, Dave Grusin (recipient of one Academy Award and twelve Grammy Awards) and drummers Sonny Emory and Tupac Mantilla will be special featured artists.

 

In addition, Lee Ritenour’s 3rd Annual Yamaha Six String Theory International Guitar Competition will be held during the workshop week on August 29th. The six finalists will be awarded a full scholarship to attend the workshop.

 

This is a unique opportunity to study with the masters and share a passion for guitar with fellow participants in an intimate and personalized setting.  All surrounded by our famous western hospitality.

 

The 2011 workshop was a sell out and the 2012 workshop has limited availability, so early registration is advised! 
 REGISTRATION DISCOUNT! Register by April 30, 2012 and get a $250 discount on the Workshop fee.  For more information and to register go to www.cocguitarfoundation.org or call (406) 837-2574.

 

 

 

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Dragon Boats in Montana

January 4th, 2012

It looks like Kid’s Rodeo is no longer going to be the biggest competitive event held at Flathead Lake Lodge! Next September the Kalispell Chamber will be hosting the 1st Annual Montana Dragon Boat Races at Flathead Lake Lodge. This is going to be an awesome event for the entire Flathead Valley, and is expected to draw around 3,000 people and 600 competitors! Teams of 20 paddlers will race traditional 46′ Hong Kong dragon boats along the shore of Flathead Lake, just in front of Flathead Lake Lodge. Want to race? Learn more? Or are thinking about attending? Find all the information at: http://montana.racedragonboats.com

 

We hope to see you all here next September! It is going to be a blast!

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Bustling and Barn Dancing – Chase & Kate's Wedding

November 15th, 2011

 

For the first time in a long time, Flathead Lake Lodge was still shaking in its boots after a memorable Averill wedding celebration. Chase Averill and Kate Verhey tied the knot on the shores of Flathead Lake, surrounded by the old growth fir trees and family and friends from across the country. It was a 4 days extravaganza filled with the usual FLL favorites like steak fry, barn dance, mouse races and much more. Enjoy the photo’s below, and thanks to everyone who helped pull off this great weekend!

 

Family & friends filled the Lodge for the weekend. An action packed itinerary and a bottle of Saintsbury Pinot Noir (Thanks to Carly Verhey) greeted the guests at their cabins."

A beautiful sunset on Flathead Lake started the weekend off right Wednesday Night.

Despite a rainy day, the skies cleared and everyone loaded up on the antique fire trucks for a classic steak fry cookout.

Cowboy Gene Gordner serenades Steak Fry with cowboy classics.

Family and friends chowing down at the chuck wagon cookout. As always: homemade cheesy bread, fruit salad, potato salad, Maureen's famous cowboy beans, 'undone' brownies and mesquite fired steaks! Hasn't changed in 40+ years.

Uncle Fred is the big winner at mouse races!

Family friend Jacques dances a hole in the barn floor with his Mom Cathy.

A group of friends and family take a morning fitness walk down the Swan River Nature Trail alongside the Wild Mile.

All aboard! Friday nights rehearsal dinner included loading everyone up on the Far West for a happy hour cruise to the Saddlehorn Marina for a delicious pig roast.

Rehearsal Dinner at the Saddlehorn Marina with the always entertaining Singing Son's of Beaches. Thanks to the Lodge Chef Brian for another great dinner. He smoked a whole pig!

Never a dull moment...Ever since the Lodge was started in 1945 mischief, pranks and laughs have been as much a part of the Lodge as the rock fireplaces. Staying true to form, the infamous Boiteau brothers, with help from a few other guests (I'm looking at you Justin Kohl), replaced all the couches in the Main Lodge with canoes and pool umbrellas. It looks like the Saddle Sore Saloon might also have had a hand in the trouble. Nevertheless, it made for some great laughs on Saturday morning at breakfast. Unless of course you were tying to set the Lodge up for the reception!

No Montana wedding is complete without some flashy new cowboy boots.

A small group of old growth fir trees provided a beautiful lakeside setting for the ceremony.

The first kiss

Father of the bride Tom Verhey successfully sabres a bottle of champagne for a toast.

The whole gang.

Chase and Kate drive off in the ranch's historic Checker limo.

Kate Averill with Driver.

A happy hour was held on the lakeside deck of the Main Lodge before guests entered the Lodge for dinner and dancing.

Longtime family friends Dan and Bucky spent most of the day posing for the cameras.

The delicious cupcake tower. Thanks to Aunt Susie who did all the beautiful flowers!

The happy couple.

What a great weekend with family and friends! Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. We'll never forget it!

 

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The End

November 8th, 2011

The End!

 

It’s a wrap, summer number 66 is gone and bye, ushered out by golden tamaracks, cooler weather, and hopefully more record northern pike caught off the dock. Just like the other 65 years before it, this summer was full of memories, laughs and friendships that are sure to grow in legend as each year passes by the main lodge fire place.

It is hard to imagine that in 66 years there are still new experiences that mark each summer, and 2011 was full of them!

 

We had our first five generation family! That means great….great grandparents!

 

In July a little filly was born at the ranch, the first in quite some time. Any name ideas?

 

MT (a fitting nickname in Montana) was the first 100 year old guest to ride a horse. Shhhh, don’t tell the insurance company.

 

There was an Averill wedding, which after much celebration and barn dancing left the Lodge teetering but still standing!

 

Mary Kay Cosmetics, who had come to the Lodge for over 30 years made one last reunion trip to start the season off. Nothing says dude ranch like a pink Cadillac.

 

Flathead Lake Lodge hall of fame baker, Ellette Day came out of retirement to finish off the season and make sure everyone was extra fattened up for the winter ahead.

 

The lodge received a private fly over (as private as two F-16’s can be) as a thank you for over 13 years of hosting the International Fellows Program.

 

Barn Manager Jason was actually never bucked off…

 

We had our first week with over 4,000 people visiting the Lodge for concerts during the Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop & Festival

 

Most importantly & what we are most thankful for, is another year of seeing old friends and having fun with new ones.

 

Cheers, and here’s to next year!

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Hello 1956!

September 28th, 2011

It was pretty cool this morning when Lois Tortorelli, who worked at the Lodge as a 19 year old in 1956 brought in some old FLL artifacts she has kept all these years. Lois and her college friend, who also worked at the Lodge in back in the day have come back the last number of falls to help close out the season. Lois said she bought a round trip ticket on the ‘Empire Builder’ train route from Chicago for $78 dollars. She also said she was the only staff member with a 1/2 day off because she attended church on Sunday mornings. And today’s generation complains about working 5 days a week!

 

Check out some of the old FLL brochures & the letters between her and Flathead Lake Lodge founder Les Averill about employment! Thanks to Lois for sharing.

A Flathead Lake Lodge Brochure Les Averill sent to Lois in 1956

Lois & Les Averill’s letters on a summer job in Montana

A 1956 Montana post card

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A Little Montana Motivation

July 31st, 2011

 

It is always fun talking with guests about new projects around the ranch and getting their feedback on the updates. What is almost always unanimous is the surprise when they hear that at the ranch we actually handle just about everything ourselves. From rebuilding the barn to restoring antique classic wooden sail boats to building carriages and restoring fire trucks just about everything you will use at Flathead Lake Lodge has been built by our great staff. So, you must think to yourself, ‘They sure must have a lot of talent at FLL…’ and just to make sure continue to think that way we put together a few little shots of just how exactly this ‘talented’ bunch does their handy work.

 

Enjoy! I am sure there will be more to come!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Photo of the Month – June (Photo of the year contest winner!)

June 16th, 2011

Time to get the boats off the water...

Here is the winner of this years Photo of the Year Contest! Titled ‘Daddy can we go in now’. The photo was taken by Richard Ashoff. As you can see, we get some pretty cool summer thunderstorms that roll across the lake. Congratulations to Richard and his family for capturing this amazing photo.

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Family Season is Here! New for 2011

June 16th, 2011

Next Sunday marks the first family season week of the summer, and I think all of us at the ranch are probably just as excited as the kids who are about to meet their new best horse friends and the parents who are going to catch up on some much needed R&R and family time. One of the most important pieces of advise I can offer to new guests at the ranch is to make sure you leave time to relax. With so many activities and recreational opportunities  in one place, many of our guests forget to just relax, sit by the lake and read a book.

 

That being said we are not going to make it any easier on them. This year we have two great new vendors we are working with. Northern Lights Laser Tag is going to be a great activity for the older kids, teenagers and families alike. We have set aside a neat wooded area of the ranch as the grounds for this high tech activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other new activity we are excited about is She Shoots Clays. Headed up by Sporting Clays State Champion and Bigfork resident Jennifer Shelly, Jennifer will offer instruction and shooting classes for all the ladies at the ranch.

 

So rest up everyone…and remember we have massages, ice packs and the biggest fire place around with extra comfy couches in case you forget to make time for the relaxation part of your trip!

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Less than a Month!

April 20th, 2011

Every year it is amazing how quick winter flies by and before we know it, it is time to turn the water and heat back on, unleash the cleaning crew and open the Ranch up for another memorable season. This will be our 66th year, and every spring as the anticipation of the first guests draws closer the excitement always builds.

 

Mother Nature has been a little rough on us lately [She seemed to forget it was spring and is trying to keep winter going...] but there is still a job to be done. Aside from the usual opening projects, cleanup and preparation there are always a few unique projects waiting to be finished up. This year the barn and arena are getting a few enhancements including a new observation deck, board walk, landscaping and roping chutes! Much of the fencing around the barnyard has also been rebuilt. It was also time to repair a few of the chuck wagons with some new wheels.

 

We have also built a beautiful new horse trail through a spectacular rocky canyon, that was previously un-ride-able.

 

Enjoy this little slideshow with a few shots of the projects as well as your favorite FLL characters.

 

ps. yes that is Ranch owner Doug almost rolling the loader off the road!
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