Lone Mountain Ranch, and the state of Montana, had been sitting in my travel bucket list for more than a year, and with no end to the Covid crisis in sight, I wasn’t sure when we would actually be able to make it.
When our annual holiday trip to Big Sur was cancelled, though, I knew I had to make a magical recovery mission happen… and that’s exactly what we did!
After a very quick (and safe) two and a half hour flight from Los Angeles, we arrived in Bozeman, MT, where we were picked up by the Lone Mountain car for an easy drive to Big Sky. We even stopped to spot some eagles and buffalo on the way (bonus points to the driver).
When we jumped out of the car… Â we landed in our very own snow globe… the kind of snow that only exists in fairy tales (according to LA kids).
It tasted as magical as it looked 😉 .
We only had about half a day to explore after touchdown, but boy did we make the most of it.
If you want to see the sled ride that led to this crazy laugh attack, make sure to check my Montana highlight in my Instagram Stories!
Wednesday morning we woke up at the crack of dawn to grab some breakfast at The Horn & Cantle, which is nestled in the center of the property.
The food here is on another level, with farm to table offerings, and drinks for both the kiddos and the parents to warm their tummies.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are available, as well as appetizers and cocktails in the early evening.
After breakfast we were hauled up the hill to Big Sky Resort for a day of snowboarding and skiing. We dropped the kiddos in day camp, and Patrick and I spent our time leisurely carving through FEET of fresh powder.
You can pre-book everything online (which is recommended because of limited numbers and lift tickets), and everyone was masked up and spaced apart.
It was cold… but oh-so-worth-it, and the kiddos had a BLAST.
Back at the Ranch we said hello to the horses…
and thawed out before our sleigh-ride dinner.
The sleigh-ride event is legendary for a reason.
Does being pulled by Clydesdale horses through snow covered hills and trees by moonlight to a remote candlelit dinner while being serenaded by a cowboy as you eat a five star dinner sound ridiculously cinematic?
Well it is.
Thursday morning we slept in, and BARELY made breakfast.
After the hefty meal the previous evening, I went for the rawnola… a mix of raw oats, pistachios, blueberries, dates, cocoa nibs, coconut, and blue magic almond milk.
… and a latte.
… and a pastry.
Around noon we tried our luck at snowmobiling.
I tipped mine over if that tells you anything about my luck.
It was fun, and scary, and REALLY cold (even with the sun shining).
We rode ten thousand feet up the hills to a clearing and played, and sat by a fire, and enjoyed epic views.
I don’t know if I’d do it again (and I’m a daredevil). I just never felt in control over that dang machine.
Next time I’ll send the hubs with the kids and have one of those bomb bourbon cocktails back at the ranch.
After every excursion, we returned to sledding and horseplay…
We doubled over in laughter (and sometimes tears… a snowball to the face will do that to ya).
We searched for the biggest icicles…
… and the deepest snow drifts.
… and hit repeat.
Our final day we took one last stroll…
… the Los Angeles natives that we are, we just don’t get these winter views… and we were MESMERIZED.
Lone Mountain Ranch… you sure are special. Special enough to eclipse some pretty amazing trips we’ve taken (and we’ve been to some pretty amazing places).
I can’t say enough about the kindness of each and every employee and staff member. All of our needs were met (and more), and three days felt like seven full days of vacation.
Can we please come back this summer? I hope y’all will have us 🙂 .
