Distinctly Montana Magazine

What was it about Montana that touched our souls, leaving us aching to come back, even dreaming of living there some day? holiday: honest hospi- tality and friendship, generously sharing tradi- tions that left us wanting to move tomorrow. Like Cathy Anderson Magida from Red Lodge Vacation Rentals who came bearing keys and a hearty laugh for the mad Aussies locked out of their cabin. Dentist Kelly Reynolds who on New Year's Day squeezed my hus- band, Darren, in for an emergency root canal, when he chipped his tooth on the ice. Lisa Jones of Whitefish who not only shared her favorite ski runs but also introduced us to her annual carolling tradition. We warmed our voices in front of a bonfire before trudging through the snow ringing doorbells, then laughing at the faces of those sur- prised at their doors. Up til then we had only seen that in movies. Usually on Christmas Eve we are in the pool cooling down from another sultry night. Montana delivered on so many levels. Any resort can turn it on in a good year — but when you are whooping through inches of powder on a bluebird day at White- fish, Big Sky, and Red Lodge in what everyone was declaring a 'bad year,' you can see why Montana and its slice of the BEST BREAKFAST Huntley Lodge, Big Sky too tired or out as we did on Christmas Day at the world-class restau- rant. We like to live like locals and so opted for a cabin in Red Lodge and a flat in Bozeman. Nothing beats grocery shopping and moving around a town as if you lived there. We were treated to the Huntley Lodge at Big Sky, which certainly deserved its big breakfast reputa- tion. Big Sky is one of the few ski resorts visited by a president — the Obama Fam- ily came for the fly fishing in 2010 — and we enjoyed hear- ing stories of their visit. Under a BEST RESTAURANT Cafe Kandahar, Whitefish Rockies is starting to appear on the travelling Aussie skiers' radar. When a resort is run by people who live and work in the local communities you can tell there is a real sense of ownership and pride that you don't see at some ski villages boasting mostly seasonal workers. At Whitefish Mountain we stayed at Kandahar Lodge's sumptuous accommodation with the best of both worlds: we had a loft apartment so could eat in when everyone was fantastic moon, covered in blankets, and our ears peeled for the call of the wolves, our trusty steeds, sure-footed under the silvery beams delivered us to a historic cabin BEST PLACE TO BUY BOOTS Kalispell (friendly staff and it has an adjoining candy store for the kids) complete with kerosene lanterns and cowboy music. You know it is a good holiday when you keep talking about it. Montana knows how to turn on hospitality and courtesy: no matter which town we were in, cars would stop and wave a pedestrian across the road. Don't visit Brisbane without talking to me — back here we would run you over as quick as look at you. It's no wonder Where to Retire Magazine has Montana on its recommendation list and you know what — we might just do that. 44 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2013

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