B Bar Gazette – November 2025
| Issue #30 November 2025 |
| It feels like October, or even late September, but somehow Thanksgiving is already upon us. For more than four weeks now, Montana has been wrapped in an unseasonably mild spell. Low clouds have lingered without dropping snow, holding pockets of warm air close to the ground. The extended fall has brought an unusual ease to what is normally a scramble toward winter. Our days of replacing lodgepole fencing, cutting and stacking firewood, preparing winter rentals, and advancing lodge construction have unfolded with a quiet steadiness. |
| The lodge itself is undergoing a transformation we’re eager to share next summer. Where the studio once stood, three new bedrooms are taking shape, along with an upgraded bathroom beside the dining room and several other thoughtful improvements. Beginning in June, our retreat experience will be better equipped to welcome larger groups in more comfortable accommodations. The mild weather has been a gift to our builders—no frozen fingertips and windburned cheeks—which has helped keep the timeline on track. |
| Ranch headquarters looking out over Paradise Valley. |
| This is just phase one of our winter work. Next year, we’ll begin building a new kitchen and dining facility, The Gathering, set to open for our Summer 2027 season. Once complete, we’ll be able to provide intimate dining for our retreat participants while accommodating reunions or weddings of up to 50 friends and family. It’s an ambitious, exciting step for the ranch, and I can’t wait to share more as we move forward. |
| View up the draw from the future site of The Gathering. |
| Even as we look ahead to 2027, a few opportunities remain for 2026 retreats. Demand has been remarkably strong, and next summer is nearly booked solid. If you’re considering hosting a retreat in 2026, now is the time to reach out. We’ll also be announcing 2027 pricing and availability in the New Year. |
| Next winter, we’re excited to welcome all-inclusive retreat groups back into a newly renovated lodge. Until then, this year’s winter season has brought a surge of interest in vacation rentals. The West Bunkhouse is already fully booked on weekends, so we’re opening the West Skully Cabin and West Wing for winter stays. Both cozy hideaways—with direct access to our XC ski trails—are two-bed, one-bath accommodations with full kitchens. More details are available on our website, and we’d be happy to help you reserve your stay. Learn More about Winter at B Bar Ranch |
The cozy West Wing vacation rental is now open for booking.
This morning, I stepped outside in just a fleece and searched the sky for any hint of frozen precipitation. We’re calling on Ullr now, hoping winter arrives with intention. I’m reminded of Christmas 2003, a year when winter took its time arriving. The early season had been slow and dry, with barely enough snow to convince us the mountains would open at all. Then, seemingly overnight, everything changed. My dad, brother, and I drove up Jackson Creek Road to Bridger Bowl, only to find the mountain closed beneath 68 inches of fresh snow, still the biggest 24-hour dump in its history. Maybe winter is saving its strength for a grand entrance again. We hope so, for our ski season, for our snowpack, and for the groundwater that sustains us all.
Warmly,
Jackson
| Our B Bar Family Maryanne Mott - General Manager and Owner Annie Statham - Assistant Guest Ranch Manager Jackson Stewart - Marketing and Sales Manager Amy Berndt - Ranch Administrator Kenney Berndt - Maintenance Foreman Troy Lerwill - Maintenance Technician Mark Rose - Land & Livestock Manager Naomi McCormack - Horticulture Lead Claire Beimel - Horticulture Wyatt Reed - Guest Services Brandon Schmidt - Guest Services El Stone - Bookkeeper Mary Malley - Tom Miner Office Assistant Mihail Kennedy - Production Manager Shea Kennedy - Cattle & Grazing Coordinator Randy Mesce - Maintenance Technician Kristian Mesce - Big Timber Office Assistant Esme Wessel - Big Timber Ranch Hand |