For wilderness lovers, it's hard to imagine a better way to end the day than with a crackling campfire, a silhouette of towering pines, a canopy of sparkling constellations and the distant sound of a rushing river.
Unless, of course, you throw in s'mores and a bottle of fine cabernet, graciously served by a private camping butler.
Such an evening is just one of the many standout experiences in store at The Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Mont., a Western wonderland for incentives and corporate meetings and retreats of up to 150.
Tell attendees to pack their sense of adventure, and Paws Up will take care of the rest, including posh yet rustically Western accommodations ranging from tents to estates, distinctive group venues, activities that take in the magnificent natural setting and embody the spirit of the West, and high-end, ranch-style cuisine—all delivered with impeccable, personalized service.
"From the get-go, the owners wanted it to be different," says John Romfo, director of sales and marketing at The Resort at Paws Up, explaining that the property is a far cry from a typical guest ranch. "We have all the amenities of a resort but we happen to be at a ranch. We're uber-luxurious but unpretentious—a one-of-a-kind resort that delivers memories that last a lifetime while providing an authentic, educational experience of the American West."
It's a larger-than-life experience that begins the moment guests enter the property, which meanders over 37,000 acres of wilderness just outside Missoula. Bright-green meadows, horses and snow-capped mountains dominated the landscape during a recent spring visit, as well as seven raging miles of the Blackfoot River, made famous by the film A River Runs Through It.
The new Pinnacle Camp, one of four upscale camps at the resort, is "glamping" extraordinaire. Pinnacle is set on a bluff overlooking the Blackfoot, with six tent-suites featuring bathrooms with heated slate floors and jetted tubs; plush king-size beds; stylish Western decor; amenities such as robes, luxury bath products and Wi-Fi; and decks with Adirondack chairs. A pavilion with a stone fireplace is the social hub for meals, including family-style dinners with boutique wines, smoked trout cakes, filet mignon, and cookies and milk.
While the extravagant camps are a unique option for small groups from late May through September, Romfo says the homes and estates are the most popular group offerings. Various configurations are available, and each boasts hot tubs on the deck; tall stone fireplaces or wood-burning stoves; exceptional decor such as solid wood furniture, leather pillows with Western motifs, sheepskin throws, cowskin rugs, lamps fashioned from snowshoes or elk antlers and cowbells as doorbells; slate bathrooms; and large picture windows instead of bathroom mirrors.
The historic Morris House, built in 1908 by one of the property's original homesteaders, is said to be haunted, and Mick Jagger stayed there when the Rolling Stones bought out the resort in 2006 and played Missoula.
Gathering venues are anything but ordinary, with options ranging from the Lewis & Clark Reception Barn & Lobby to the 76,000-square-foot Saddle Club equestrian center. The resort will augment its venue lineup this fall with the new Bull Barn, a conversion of its cattle operation facility into a conference center with more than 5,000 square feet of function space on two floors.
Activities include hiking, wildlife watching, mountain biking, rappelling, ATV excursions, hot-air ballooning and shooting on a sporting clay course during warmer months, and snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding and sleigh rides during winter.
Yet most alluring are the ranch activities, including legendary cattle drives, and river programs, from fly-fishing to rafting, all of which make great team-building options.
Paws Up had our group giddily barreling down the Blackfoot River's Class-III rapids on an exhilarating excursion that our guide, Brad, summed up nicely: "I'd say it's a pretty nice day on the river—good juice, plenty of waves and lots of sunshine."
We spotted bald eagles, red-tailed hawks and deer against the sea of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir trees, and passing the point where the Clearwater River meets the Blackfoot River, it was easy to picture Meriwether Lewis sitting on the rock where he is said to have mapped part of the territory in 1806.
The property is prime stomping grounds for leisurely horseback riding trips, and its three-hour cattle drive is as authentic as it gets, teaching riders how to maneuver a herd of cattle and sort them at the corral.
"The majority of people who visit us have probably had a bad experience on a horse before," says Mike Doud, manager of the resort's Saddle Club. "Knowledge is confidence. There's no reason to be afraid of a horse."
Doud is passionate about educating guests and customizing programs that cater to every interest.
"I believe we have the best horsemanship program in the U.S., and there's nothing we can't do for a group," he says. "We want everyone to walk away and say, 'I might not be John Wayne, but I had a great time.'"
An evening at Saddle Club was something to write home about, with Doud and Max Salisbury, horse trainer and riding instructor, entering on horseback in pressed white shirts, cowboy hats, jeans and leather chaps, followed by a herd of cattle expertly driven by Sis, Doud's diminutive dog. Guests caught the action from a VIP Sky Box, complete with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, or from bench seating next to the arena. Roping, barrel racing and mounted shooting are some of the demonstration programs offered, and the arena is available for trade shows and other events. Roasted elk loin and quail legs in a mushroom demi-glace were highlights of dinner in the adjacent Tack Room, adorned with beautiful handmade saddles.
Paws Up spotlighted its unique group programming with two other functions: a riverside chuck wagon lunch and an evening at the Cook Shack that began on an expansive lawn, the perfect spot for guests to learn the art of casting a fly-fishing line or throwing a bull's-eye with "Hatchet Man," a seven-foot-tall former pro basketball player who happily found his second calling as a hatchet thrower and instructor. Dinner at Pomp gourmet restaurant featured pheasant breast with a chickpea puree and seared albacore tuna with avocado-mascarpone grits, and the group headed back to the lawn for a nightcap by the bonfire with cowboy music and poetry.
Aside from the endless activities, guests can also completely wind down at Spa Town. Individual treatment tents opening onto gorgeous vistas provide the setting for relaxing massages, complemented by the sounds of a trickling stream, rustling leaves and the occasional moo of a cow to remind you that this is your sumptuous home away from home—on the range.
For More Info:
800.473.0601
www.pawsup.com
