Montana's ranching life.(Brief Article)

THERE'S NOTHING IN THE WORLD of Nordic skiing like a guest ranch in the Rockies. Nothing! Not the marvelous dining of Quebec's inns, the gentle flow of Midwestern trails, or the beauty of the Alps. The Rockies are arguably the most spectacular mountains in the world; ranch trails run from pacifistic to zingers; and the cuisine wins rave reviews in Gourmet and Bon Appetit plus the most important award: repeat visitors.

While Colorado has the greatest number of winter ranches, Montana can claim the largest, most famous and longest-lived. Thanks to the vision and good taste of owners Bob and Vivian Schapp (they'll get a kick out of this description!). Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky is the only one of the genre so committed to skiing that it began with the focus on being a top quality winter destination for cross country skiers. Summer operations were initially considered to be secondary to the skiing. That's a lot like a golf club consortium …