ENTERPRISING COUPLE OFFERS PEACE, WHOLESOME FOOD IN GORGEOUS SETTING
The pristine wilderness area of the Hunter Peak Ranch is a delightful respite from the ravages of contemporary life. |
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
Over supper, Louie told of a bear chasing a grasshopper. The bear danced, the hopper escaped. His stories are part of the fun of a stay at Hunter Peak. |
Cookie enters the spacious accommodation at Hunter Peak. |
The proprietors are characters! Louis ("Louie") and Shelley Cary are hardworking, down-home people with an obvious love of the land and what they do.
Autumn is in the air! Bees make the most and there's snow on peaks near Hunter. |
A corral houses horses and pack animals, with bear-proof garbage cans. |
WE CHOSE a two-day retreat at this laid back Wyoming spot because we were tired. Nearing the end of an arduous remodeling project, we longed for a quiet place, surrounded by beauty.
Friends recommended Hunter Peak. It was perfect.
Louie and Shelley are the third generation to operate the ranch, and pride themselves in their old-fashioned work ethic and sense of hospitality.
Cookie, Nick and Nora enjoy the dog-friendly digs. |
Five minutes from our cabin, this lovely scene awaited! |
Suites and rooms are named after the nearby mountains. |
THE ROOMS range from a grouping of bunkhouse-type cabins (where we stayed, because they are pet friendly), to individual cabins near the water, some with fireplaces. If we return, we'd love to stay in one of those because having a private fireplace would have been icing on the tasty cake!
The scenery was called "a celestial paradise" by one writer, and it truly is.
Shelley and Louie Cary. |
After a torrential rain, complete with rainbows, Louie leveled the road early the next morning. |
THERE ARE pet friendly rooms!
As mentioned, this is a must for us!
Keller enjoys a wade in the waters near our cabin at Hunter Peak Ranch. |
During our stay, we met neighboring summer people from Santa Barbara and Ashland, Oregon, and visited with a family spending several days at the ranch, and a three-generation group from Nebraska. All of us enjoyed the dazzling peaks and lush mountain valleys northwest Wyoming provides.
THE BEAUTIFUL Chief Joseph Scenic Highway gets you there, or you can do what we did, weather permitting: go in via the spectacular Beartooth Pass out of Red
Lodge, and you'll drop into the valley and Hunter Peak Ranch, just a few miles away. Then we went home to the Beartooths through Chief Joseph, stopping at the much photographed bridge to enjoy a picnic.
To book, call 307 587-3711. Or go to www.hunterpeakranch.com
To our delight, there is no cell service in the area, but you may use a calling card on the ranch phone for emergencies.
COMING UP: Why we enjoy "road tripping." The joys of short and long car journeys together. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com
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