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Seven days in the Grand Tetons
After a day on the trail, it’s
nice to get a massage back at the ranch
by Doug Forshey
for Virginia Business Options
March
2006 Flying into Jackson Hole, Wyo.,
you are struck by the dichotomy of the landscape.
From the left window
of a regional jet you see rolling, green hills with
lush foliage and wide expanses of what the locals refer
to as “high-desert country.” From the right
window the majestic Grand Tetons rise tall, jagged
and snow covered. These natural wonders, separated
by the winding Snake River, are part of the Grand Teton
National Forest, an impressive backdrop for the Lost
Creek Ranch & Spa, which is owned and operated
by the Virginia-based Halpin family.
Like the landscape, the Lost Creek resort is a combination
of contrasts, the rugged rituals of the Old West paired
with cosmopolitan comforts. You can ride the range
like a cowpoke but then get a massage back at the ranch.
Your adventure begins with
the short drive from the airport to the ranch. When
you pull off Highway 89,
the mile-long unpaved driveway takes you through the
ranch’s “front yard,” where it is
not uncommon to see herds of elk or buffalo. From the
rough-hewn wooden fences to the massive corral holding
more than 100 horses, you feel like you are taking
a step back in time to the Old West.
The ranch’s facilities
include a main lodge, dining hall and 10 guest cabins.
Most guests check
in on Sunday afternoon. Bev Halpin and her staff,
all dressed in casual Western attire, hold a welcoming
reception on Sunday before dinner. Bev and her husband,
Mike, live year-round at the ranch with their 13-year
daughter, Nicole.
They explain the week’s
planned activities and encourage you to sign up for
as many
as possible. The list of activities includes an early-morning
float down the Snake River, a mid-week trip to the
rodeo, and a trail ride and campfire lunch served atop
Shadow Mountain.
In your cabin, you’ll be surprised to learn that
your nicely-appointed room has no locks on the door
and no telephone or television. Of course, with the
advent of cell phones and portable DVD-players the
lack of these modern day “necessities” is
not much of an inconvenience. By your second day on
the ranch, however, you probably won’t miss connections
with the outside world. For those that do, the Halpins
provide high-speed Internet in each room and Wi-Fi
in some common areas.
The main lodge at Lost Creek
is a rustic structure in keeping with the ranch’s
Old West motif. The building has exposed log beams,
cathedral ceilings,
wild-game trophies mounted on the walls and large
windows
providing ample views of the Teton Range. Wrapping
the exterior of the lodge is a wide deck overlooking
the corral.
Breakfast and dinner are generally
served in the main dining hall, where guests intermingle
at long tables.
The traditional dinner bell notifies you that dinner
is ready, but the gourmet food probably will remind
you more of a fancy restaurant than your mom’s
kitchen. Lunches vary in their location, based on that
day’s activities.
Each ranch guest is assigned
a horse for a Monday morning ride. That horse will
be “yours” for the
duration of your stay. When you sign up for a trail
ride, staffers saddle your horse and have it ready
when you arrive at the stable. “Most guests who
come to Lost Creek have some familiarity with horses,” says
Assistant Manager Mike Evenson. “They may have
ridden once or twice but look forward to some real
Western riding during their stay.” Because many
riders are inexperienced, the staff takes extra precautions,
offering many levels of riding experiences.
The trail rides are spectacular,
winding through dense forests — many of which are on national park
land — and meandering though high-desert brush.
Ranch hands divide groups of riders by their riding
experience and preference for speed. You can plod along
lazily and enjoy the scenery or proceed at a faster
pace — called loping — and really feel
like a cowboy out on the range.
If your ride on the range proves rougher than expected,
you can take advantage of the spa when you return to
the ranch. The spa, which opened in 1999, offers a
variety of body and skin treatments by certified massage
therapists. The facility also provides fitness activities
such as yoga, Pilates and weight training. There also
is a limited menu of choices for children, 13 years
and younger.
Lost Creek attracts well-heeled
guests from all over, but Evenson says that the majority
come from the East
Coast. Because of its isolation, the ranch attracts
many noted celebrities and politicians. It is rumored
that Virginia’s former Gov. Mark R. Warner — an
avid sportsman — was spotted playing a game of
pick-up basketball with his staff. And Vice President
Dick Cheney, a former Wyoming congressman who owns
property in the area, has been a guest.
Seven days is not nearly enough
time to see everything in the area. Besides the Grand
Teton and Bridger
national forests, Yellowstone National Park is nearby,
just
two hours to the north. Also, the quaint town of
Jackson Hole is fun to explore. By the end of your
stay, you’ll
know every guest like family, having spent time eating,
riding and talking with them all. Many families make
Lost Creek an annual pilgrimage so they can meet
up and vacation with their new-found friends year after
year.
Information
Lost Creek Ranch is 20
miles north of Jackson Hole, Wyo., open from late April
through early October. The
weather in this region can change rapidly so pack accordingly.
The spring brings mild days and cold nights. The summer
months bring warm days and cool nights, and afternoon
thundershowers are common. The fall will bring sunny
days and cold nights and snow showers are always possible.
The weekly rate for a one-bedroom
cabin is $6,015. A two-bedroom cabin goes for $14,120.
A deposit of
50 percent is due when making your reservation, with
the balance due upon departure. The ranch has a small
general store/gift shop and accepts personal checks,
money orders, traveler’s checks, cash and all
major credit cards. The ranch can accommodate special
needs, such as dietary restrictions, health concerns
and access requirements. Let the staff know your
needs when making reservations.
For more information, log on to www.lostcreek.com
History
The original settlers to the
Jackson Hole area homesteaded the land on which Lost
Creek Ranch sits, back in
the late 1800s. Later in the 1920s, the Rockefeller
family
acquired thousands of acres to convert into the Grand
Teton National Park. The ranch’s owner at the
time, Albert Schwabacher, retained private ownership.
The property was sold in 1968 to Gerald and Helen
Halpin of McLean.
Three generations of the Halpin
family remain involved in the ranch’s operations.
Jerry Halpin is the CEO and President of WEST*GROUP in McLean, a real estate
development, construction, brokerage, and management organization.
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