Many years ago, I had glimpsed the ranch from the air while landing at the nearby public wilderness airstrip, and while hiking upstream on the tumbling creek that flows by it. I never dreamed at the time that I would have an opportunity to live there for a summer. A friend mentioned that the Conservation Fund was looking for someone who would work on maintenance, cut weeds, keep the water system flowing and prevent vandalism for the ranch, and my husband jumped at the offer. It is a volunteer position, but the perks include fishing in a world-class trout stream, quiet mornings sipping coffee on the broad front porch, a multitude of birds to watch, and glimpses of at least 4 moose that visit daily.
Our first official visit to the ranch was almost two months ago, when we were introduced to the man in charge of selecting a caretaker. He showed us through all the old buildings that are chock-full of antiques as well as modern equipment and supplies. Everything on the ranch had to be flown in, and because of its remote location, all failing equipment is repaired on site. There are tractors, including a Caterpillar D-4 (how did they get that into an airplane??); irrigation, mowing, and raking equipment; generators, including a water-powered monster; a sawmill for making the lumber that built the huge barn; propane refrigerators and cooking stove; wood stoves in all the buildings; a 120-gallon tank for storing the hot water produced by pipes running through a large wood stove; washing machines; and of course, a complete modern house that was built in the 1960's with materials hauled in by air. We were overwhelmed by the accumulation.
A little research into some records in a file at the ranch uncovered a bare-bones history. It began as a claimed homestead in 1923, was promptly sold, then sold again to a couple who operated the ranch as a hunting and fishing camp from 1926-1952. A family then purchased the ranch and used it for a summer retreat until it sold to the Conservation Fund. We are hoping to talk to a member of the family to flesh in more details. After the Conservation Fund purchased the property, it sat vacant for a year, and the mountain pack rats took over. We have been cleaning and airing out the buildings this summer, and waging war on the smelly little critters.
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