While there is plenty of work to be done at Flathead Lake Lodge during the winter months, our staff still manages to fit in some of Montana’s favorite pastimes, which for Liz and Carson means skijoring.

In case you haven’t heard of it, skijoring is an event that marries horseback riding with skiing, with a rider on horseback pulling a skier behind them to navigate jumps and turns on a timed course.

If you’ve been a guest at the ranch in the last several years, chances are you’ve met Liz and Carson, but just in case you haven’t, Liz is our Livestock Manager and Carson is our Barn Manager. As luck would have it, these two are a match made in skijoring heaven and over the weekend of February 19 – 20, they took third place at the World Invitational Skijoring event in Whitefish, Montana.

Here’s a look at the action…

Wondering what’s next for Liz, her paint horse Splash and Carson? They’re heading to the National Finals Skijoring Races in Red Lodge, Montana, March 12 – 13.

And if you want to watch them in action? The Wrangler Network is live streaming both days of the races. Watch it here.

Until next time,

Chase

 

While Flathead Lake Lodge closes to guests during the winter season, our year-round staff is still here preparing for the coming spring, summer and fall. Typical activities at the ranch during this time of year include making updates, hiring seasonal staff for the coming summer, prepping for guests, booking groups and planning for the upcoming year.

And, with our location on the shores of Flathead Lake and at the base of the mountains, we get to soak in quiet and snow-covered winter moments. If you’ve been here in the summer season, it may be hard to imagine the lodge covered in snow. So, instead of just telling you about it, we thought we’d show you what winter is like here in Bigfork, Montana.

The entrance to the lodge.
In the summer, this alley is one the horses take to get from the barn to the pasture.
A different snow-kissed view of the Main Lodge.
The patio off the Main Lodge gets a winter nap.
A whole new take on polar plunge.
Some would say that our crew has just as much fun at the lodge in the winter months as the summer months.
Early-season snowfall.
Our on-property cabins hold down the fort in the winter.
One of our guests’ favorite photos opps looks a little different during January.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into winter at Montana and Flathead Lake Lodge. For more information about our Montana guest ranch, visit us here. You can also see daily glimpses into life at the lodge on our Instagram here.

Happy winter,

-Chase

While we’re deep in the midst of various projects, updates and planning for summer and fall (in case you missed it, we’re offering new packages this fall), we wanted to provide a behind-the-scenes look at what winter is like at Montana’s Flathead Lake Lodge.

Even though we only welcome guests during what we like to call Montana’s warm season, you’ll find staff, horses, elk and more throughout our property during the winter months. And since this is a time of year at the lodge that not many get to see, we wanted to provide you with a glimpse into what winter is like in and around Bigfork, Montana.

Take a look…

No amount of snow can keep us away. 

If you close your eyes, you can *almost* imagine the icicles being replaced with hanging baskets of flowers.

On snow days in Montana…we still come to work.

While winter started pretty mildly, the last few weeks have seen several inches of light power falling across the state.

Moon over Montana.

Our horses don’t mind a little cold and fresh snow.

While Flathead Lake gets most of its attention in the summer, there’s something truly beautiful about its calm and utter vastness during winter.

A different view of the dock than our guests are use to.

Views like this get us every single time.

We also often get asked if we’ve ever thought about opening during the winter season. Just for fun, we did a poll on our Instagram stories and the vast majority of you say YES, we should open for the winter.

The people have spoken. 😉

For now, if you’re looking to plan your summer trip to Montana, call us at 406-837-4391 or learn more about our offerings, including our brand-new fall packages, here.

See you when the snow melts,

-Chase