“Roughing it, unruffled, in Montana”

Posted: 21 Nov 2010 12:02 AM PST

he campers and I finished up the last of the s'mores, helped put out the fire, and retreated to our respective tents. After a quick trip to the bathroom to wash up and change into PJs, I ran back down to my tent and snuggled into my warm, king-sized feather bed, under the heated blanket covers – after all, it was in the mid-30s that late May evening in Greenough, western Montana.

Why is there a tent big enough to hold a king-sized bed, let alone one with an outlet to plug in a heated blanket? Welcome to "glamping" at The Resort at Paws Up, one of five resorts in the country to offer glamorous camping.

No longer a figment of my non-outdoorsy imagination, glamping is what I always dreamed camping should be:

* Sleeping comfortably beside a river (at the Paws Up resort, it just happens to be the one made famous by the 1992 Robert Redford movie "A River Runs Through It") without worrying about bugs (thanks to the high elevation) or other invading creatures.

* Cabin-sized tents and a camping butler at my beck and call; no cramped confines of a pop-up tent.

* Real facilities; no need to crouch behind the bushes.

* Being able to shower without having to take a dip in the river.

* Having a meal worthy of a fine dining restaurant rather than charred by the campfire.

That's what I experienced at the 37,000-acre ranch resort that opened in 2005. Owners Dave and Nadine Lipson purchased the cattle ranch in 1997, naming it Paws Up after the manner in which dogs give their greetings, and continued to operate the working ranch while hosting friends and a few guests before deciding in 2003 to convert it into a resort. With accommodations for just 150 guests at a time, glamping was a natural fit.

The experience begins with pickup at Missoula International Airport, less than 35 miles west of Greenough. A tan Paws Up SUV awaits with a basket full of snacks and a cooler filled with drinks for the scenic half-hour drive. Check-in takes place at the Lewis & Clark Reception Barn before you're whisked to one of the three glamping campsites (open late May through late September) or a vacation home.

Accommodations

I spent my first night at River Camp. Each of the three campsites has six tents, a dining pavilion and an on-site camping butler.

* River Camp, right beside the Blackfoot River, has three one-bedroom and three two-bedroom tents with a separate bathhouse.

* Creekside Camp, alongside Elk Creek, has four two-bedroom and two one-bedroom tents – all with attached bathrooms.

* Tent City has one-bedroom tents with a separate bathroom building.

Upon arriving at River Camp, you encounter the bathhouse, home to the six private bathrooms (heated floors, a spa rain shower and plush towels) and the butler's quarters. Beyond the bathhouse are four flights of stairs leading down to the tents and dining pavilion (not quite handicapped-friendly, although Tent City is).

The next two nights, I stayed in Beaverhead Rock, one of the 10 newest and biggest luxury homes at Paws Up. These secluded three-bedroom houses offer more than a home away from home, with modern amenities and more room than you need – but then again, it is Big Sky Country, where space is not an issue. It's hard not to hum to yourself "Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam" while you lounge about ranch- and cowboy-inspired décor (you can even see the branding on some of the rooms' cowhide rugs), and deer play in your back yard.

Each home comes with a MilesElectriccar for use within the resort's main grounds (glampers have to rely on being shuttled around in Paws Up's SUVs).

Dining

I'm not a morning person, but while staying at River Camp I was first to arrive at the dining pavilion for an 8 a.m. breakfast, most of which is made to order. Options include omelets, pancakes and a variety of meats, plus coffee, tea and bottled juices. That morning's special was banana bread French toast with huckleberry syrup, candied almonds and caramelized bananas, which proved to be an amazing medley of fruity flavors. I also had a vegetable omelet along with bacon and fresh fruit.

Breakfast and lunch are offered at Trough, one of two restaurants at the main resort property's Cook Shack. It feels like you're dining in one big, homey tent at this casual dining restaurant, whose walls are decorated with pots and washing boards. Bolts are used as napkin holders, while drinks are served in jars (you get the jar's cover if you're taking it to go). Not surprisingly, Trough's menu is filled with comfort foods, like chicken apple or turkey pork sausages, Irish oats and potato croquettes for breakfast, macaroni and cheese and the Soup N' San (tomato soup and grilled cheese) for lunch.

Dinner is served at Pomp, the fine dining eclectic Americana restaurant also at the Cook Shack. Glampers can opt to have dinner here rather than at the campsite's dining pavilion for an additional $25 per person. Guests can also bring Pomp to their homes, as the staff will not only deliver your food but also set the table and serve the first course (including the requisite bread and caramel butter). Of course, given the bumps and winding roads, your meals might get messy en route to your home, but the menu listings, which include salmon sashimi, pan-roasted squab, seared elk loin and prairie harvest bison rib eye, will be delicious nonetheless.

Activities

While you can opt to do absolutely nothing but soak up the vastness of the sky, the coolness of the air or the vistas of nature, there is much to do (for a price, of course). Since I was there just three days, I could experience only a handful of the activities: exploring the Blackfoot River, getting a rubdown at Spa Town and shooting clay targets.

My favorite was Sporting Clays, since I'd never held a rifle before, let alone shot anything. After meeting at the Wilderness Outpost, the base for all the recreational activities, instructor Curtis Davey drove us to the Sporting Clays course about 20 minutes northwest near a cow pasture. After getting fitted for my rifle and ammo belt, we had a lesson on the equipment (including headphones and glasses), proper positioning and safety. We spent an hour shooting at the biodegradable bright orange targets, each a different size and in different flight patterns to simulate duck, pheasant and other game. Lots of hilly walking through the woods is required, but you are rewarded with great views and the exhilarating, invigorating and empowering feeling that comes with shooting. And yes, I did discover that I'm pretty good at it.

That same day, I spent the afternoon on the four-hour "A River Runs Through It" Blackfoot float trip to get to know the river featured in the movie. I put on my splash suit, wet shoes and life vest (which made me look like an astronaut) before driving to the drop-off point 20 minutes northeast. We left our things in the van (which Paws Up staffer Zach would be driving back down the river, stopping to take pictures of us along the way – and be sure to leave your socks and shoes, as you'll want to change into them for the drive back to the resort). Once in the raft, our guide Brad explained the few terms ("all forward" and "all stop") he'd be using to instruct the rowers; since there were six of us including Brad, I didn't need to handle the paddles but was in charge of taking photos.

While there were some rough spots, Brad was great about keeping us calm, sharing fun stories and making us feel comfortable and safe. About 11 miles later, we made a pit stop for snacks at the Chuckwagon Site, with its covered wagon, which provides for a fun photo op, picnic tables (one of which had a spread of cheese and crackers, plus a variety of drinks, including soda and beer) and porta-potty. Three miles later, just after passing River Camp, the trip ended; our van was waiting with fresh towels before we put on our dry socks and shoes.

If you want to relax, try a spa treatment at Spa Town, a collection of 11 tents (one of which is a Fitness Tent filled with machines and weights – yoga/yogalates classes are also offered). It was raining the day I visited, so after checking in, I bypassed the women's "locker tent" (where I would have normally changed into a robe and slippers) and went directly to a "treatment tent," complete with a space heater. Instead of the usual new age music, my hour-long Hot Stone Massage was accompanied by the soothing, steady pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the tent.

Having free time after my treatment, I drove my MilesElectric to the Reception Barn to get some computer time in and was offered hot chocolate and hot mulled cider (of the instant variety) by Kristin at the front desk. I then headed to the Paws Up General Store to stock up on Montana goodies for those back home: huckleberry candy sticks and huckleberry tea.

My short sojourn in Big Sky Country helped me realize why the Lipsons have trademarked Paws Up's motto, "The Last Best Place." With so much to do and see, it's a place you'll want to call your own (and can, through private ownership), a place you'll want to return to, a place you don't want to leave.

TERECILLE BASA-ONG/STAFF

You're in Big Sky country when you enjoy glamorous camping at The Resort at Paws Up in Greenough. This expansive view is just part of the 37,000-acre resort ranch, where you can camp in a tent on a king-sized bed with heated blankets and enjoy fine gourmet dining.

No longer a figment of my non-outdoorsy imagination, glamping is what I always dreamed camping should be:

If you go

GETTING THERE: Flights are available to Missoula via Denver on United Airlines and via Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City on Delta.

WHERE TO STAY: The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough, Mont. Rates are $700 to $3,205 per night, based on double occupancy, and include three daily meals and round-trip airport transportation. The resort is closed Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 and Feb. 1 through April 14; glamping available May 23 to Sept. 30.

INFORMATION: 800-473-0601, pawsup.com.

— Terecille Basa-Ong