Montana Adventures

Last week all of the East Coast members of our family joined me and Jim in Emigrant, Montana for a week in big sky country. While James is living his Montana dream as an outfitter and owner of Hatch Finders Fly Shop, and as a guide for Hubbard’s Yellowstone Lodge, the rest of us dream crashers loved every moment of the sweeping mountain vistas, the beautiful Yellowstone River, the prehistoric prairie landscape, and the outdoor lifestyle.

From fly fishing as we floated the Yellowstone River, to a day in the park in Wyoming watching Old Faithful erupt, being awed by the Grand Prismatic Springs, and seeing a bear club up close and personal (with no mama bear in sight), to exploring Livingston, MT, and dining and fishing at the Sage Lodge, the highlight of our trip by far was celebrating the 4th of July with James’ Montana family – the Hubbards. 

Nestled between two stunning snow-capped mountain ranges at an elevation of nearly 5000 feet, accessible by a very long and winding uphill dirt road, Hubbard’s Yellowstone Lodge, is a two time Orvis Lodge of the Year award-winning fly fishing and horseback riding lodge on the north border of Yellowstone National Park. It is simply magnificent. The Hubbard family has been ranching the property, which includes 8000 acres spread over 25 miles in the Tom Miner Basin of Paradise Valley, for nearly forty years. They love to share the ranch, their private Merrill Lake, where Jenna had the privilege to ice fish with James this past winter, and the incredible views of the Yellowstone River. Lucky for us, they also love James. 

We were all warmly welcomed at their BBQ birthday party for America complete with the best firework display I have ever witnessed. The location on the edge of a mountain and the patriotic playlist may have had something to do with the majesty of the show. I don’t think any of us will forget the untouched ranch views for as far as the eye can see, the conversations, the food, the one man band skillfully playing country music, and the grand fireworks. The night will be a part of our Montana adventures forever.

From our rented chalet, with floor to ceiling windows on two sides, we had amazing views of the mountains on both sides and especially Emigrant Peak, which rises to an altitude of 10,960 feet overlooking the Valley. To see snow caps in July made us smile, however, none of us brought clothes warm enough for 40 degree mountain nights. We had to buy Hatch Finders Fly Shop hoodies for warmth! 

James and Whitney had us for dinner in their beautiful home at the base of the Absaroka mountains, a subrange of the Rocky Mountains, on our last night in Montana. The range stretches 150 miles across the Montana–Wyoming border, and forms the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park along Paradise Valley. The view from their front yard, where Kelsy and Steven did the actual grilling part of dinner, is also of Emigrant Peak. It is simply breathtaking. We love you Montana, we will definitely return, and not only because a very special piece of our family lives there! 

And, there is no photographic evidence that we saw a bear cub. That is another Montana adventure forever etched in our mind’s eye.