Day Two in Montana, Riding with Ted Turner
On day two of our visit with Ted Turner at his Snowcrest Ranch in Montana, we woke up early in anticipation of a personally guided tour of the 13,343-acre ranch on horseback. Greg Pole, Ted Turner's equine manager, saddled up the calm and intelligent Quarter Horses, six of the forty horses Ted owns. Ted likes to ride every day when he is in Montana and I was thrilled to have him as my guide. Starting out, we crossed the beautiful Ruby River and headed up to a hilltop in search of antelope. The views of Montana's mountain ranges were spectacular. Ted spoke of his love for the land and what he is doing to preserve it into perpetuity with conservation easements. He is deeply committed to the environment and to its native species. Bison, for example, were nearly extinct until Ted helped stop that from happening. Today, Turner Enterprises manages over 50,000 head of bison across the various Turner ranches. What Ted Turner is doing for this planet is most admirable.
1 On day two in Montana, we got up very early and ate breakfast before beginning the ride with Ted Turner.
2 As you can imagine, there is taxidermy everywhere in the lodge.
3 Such a sweet buck
4 Gary Nardilla has worked with me for fifteen years - he directs, lights, and is also the cinematographer.
5 Chris Meagher was our second camera in Montana.
6 Dave Minerva was one of two grips - they take care of moving equipment, raising screens, creating shadows, etc.
7 Our horses were lined up and ready for the ride. We used Quarter Horses from Ted's ranch.
8 There's Ted on his dapple gray.
9 The equine manager, Greg Pole, was knowledgeable and a really good guide.
10 One of Ted's two black labs - they are very loyal and cuddly.
11 Ted uses a saddle with special leather covers to protect the toes of his boots.
12 The grand vistas in every direction were expansive and beautiful.
13 Some of the numerous film crew waving at us near the bison herd.
14 Ted discussing the trail with Greg
15 The skeleton of a bison - a recent death - the bones were picked clean by coyotes and vultures - there is quite a food chain.
16 This formation is a very ancient bison wallow - the sandstone has been worn away by bison who scratch themselves to relieve biting insects and lice.
17 More of the ancient wallow
18 Greg tracking the path for us - observing no dangerous animals, he let us ride ahead.
19 Our first good glance at the lovely Ruby River where we were fishing on day three.
20 A golden eagle flew overhead as we were getting ready to ride.
21 This pile of driftwood was a good 'hideout' for one of our cameras.
22 We forded the Ruby River several times.
23 I felt very comfortable atop the beautiful, Kootenai, the name of a Native American tribe from the Northwest.
24 We looked just like a trio of cowboys.
25 Gary used a long lens to capture the incredible beauty of the ranch.
26 The life of a real cowboy must be really lonely at times.
27 Dan is an excellent rider and a true cowboy.
28 Kootenay loved to eat any chance he could - a bad habit.
I would love be be there, i think their food is great and healthy to.
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Posted by: remove acne fast | September 1st, 2009 at 5:16 am
HOME ON THE RANGE! I had 'buffalo burgers" at a cookout for the first time last night & I mentioned this blog to my hosts...thanks for even more fantastic pictures.
Posted by: rpm | September 1st, 2009 at 6:47 am
I love seeing "the big sky" in those photos. You can't beat those horizons out west - beautiful!
Posted by: Lynn from For Love or Funny | September 1st, 2009 at 7:27 am
What a beautiful place to be . . .and the horses are absolutely gorgeous. . . I love sharing your adventures and thank you .
nina
Posted by: nina zeumer | September 1st, 2009 at 8:23 am
What a beautiful horse. The Caption below states it's a quarter horse. It is actually a Paint. Thought you would like to know.
Posted by: M.Chema | September 1st, 2009 at 8:37 am
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Martha Stewart!
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How wonderful for you!! ... AND the photo of the cuddly colors coordinated about the caramel creme Pinto...!! Delectable!!
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Could this visit possibly be one of the highlights of your life?
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THIS was LIFE at its LARGEST!!
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Most happy for this, a reward for LIVING your life!
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Love,
The Weimaraner Crew
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Posted by: http://andyjspencer.blogspot.com/ | September 1st, 2009 at 9:02 am
What a wonderful trip to add to all of your other adventures!! I wish so many others could be as fortunate as you and be able to afford such extraorindary experiences!!
Posted by: Sharon Hines | September 1st, 2009 at 9:36 am
It was neat to see pictures of Dillon; I have a nephew and his family living there. In Dillon you'll find a small park celebrating where Louis and Clark expedition had stayed; it is one of the few places that actually have evidence where they had stayed.
What a rare treat you in visiting the ranch; and hat's off for Mr Turner for his preservation endeavors.
Posted by: Ray | September 1st, 2009 at 10:10 am
Beautiful pictures...thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Grace Palazzolo | September 1st, 2009 at 10:41 am
Hi Martha
The last picture really made me laugh! The other cowboys ride on while you wait for your horse to finish his snack. Maybe Ted played a trick on you! Anyway, it’s a good thing there wasn’t a posse chasing you!
~
The Ruby River is quite gorgeous with greenery surrounding it along the short banks. It would be fun to sit on the edge and fish. I hope we get to see some footage of the three of you actually fording it – I have never done that although I have ridden before.
~
What Ted Turner is doing for the planet with his 2.2 million acres of land is definitely a good thing! Except for those who might not care about the future of our land, how can anyone not admire him! Trish
Posted by: Trish | September 1st, 2009 at 11:08 am
Aah...where the buffalo play! Very beautiful horses, scenic and the Ruby River is gorgeous...hope you caught some fish!
Posted by: sherey | September 1st, 2009 at 11:23 am
Martha the pictures are just beautiful. Thank you so much. I admire Ted Turner's respect for nature and what he is doing to conserve the land for future generations. You probably have a lot in common. Have you known him long?
Posted by: Pam from Indiana | September 1st, 2009 at 11:56 am
I just wanted to commend you for taking a splendid vacation to Montana, that was a good choice. I lived there once up in the northeast in a town called Plentywood. It's a privilege to be in Montana. Hope you have a wonderful time!
Posted by: Gene Wallacker | September 1st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Thanks for the lovely pictures... your adventure looked like great fun. I LOVE your outfit, so look so cute!
Posted by: NeatNicole from Illinois | September 1st, 2009 at 1:07 pm
RE: Kootenay - Beautiful paint quarter horse. Any chance his ancestry includes Yellow Mount, grand champion paint quarter horse from the 60's? My uncle was the original owner of Yellow Mount.
Posted by: LAR | September 1st, 2009 at 1:38 pm
we just came back from montana-we were in bozeman, yellowstone, glacier park. we drove from nj there and had a great time-if you are in glacier, do the highline hike to the chalet
Posted by: alyssa kaplan | September 1st, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Great photos - big fan of Ted Turner! Adorable horse. Paints can have lots of QH in them as long as one parent is also a registered Paint Horse. You can also have a Paint that comes from two AQHA registered parents and it can be registered as both.
Posted by: Ms Elso | September 1st, 2009 at 3:52 pm
The stirrup guards are beautiful and I love them! Years ago, I was breaking in one of our mares and she bolted when I was getting on her. My foot slipped THROUGH the stirrup as she was running (I was hanging off the side of her). It was a miracle from God that I was able to get my foot back out of the stirrup before falling off my mare. Some days are better than others . . .
Posted by: Ande | September 1st, 2009 at 4:03 pm
What breathtaking beauty nature offers out west! I remarked on Twitter yesterday about the beauty and how different it was from the eastern United States.
You look right at home and in your element, Martha, riding alongside Ted and his guide - it's one quality you possess that I admire in you. You have the celebrity side to you - the glitz, glamour, buff-n-polish... Then, there's the side of you that knows how to go about things in everyday life and isn't afraid to get your hands dirty - you are a 'doer'. (And) although your many homes are grande, they tend to 'speak' and reverberate simplicity with nature in mind. Your excellent stewardship of the land within your own acreage is another quality that has always resonated within me, which I've shared time and time again.
As you informed us on Twitter yesterday, a w-h-o-l-e show devoted to Ted's ranches and prairies - his own stewardship of the land and preservation for perpetuity...well, it's going to be a fabulous show in the next (almost here!) season to come!
Manymany blessings, Martha!
=^..^=
"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it."--Psalm 24:1
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | September 1st, 2009 at 4:54 pm
How beautiful the scenery is. It is understandable why Ted wants to preserve such a magnificent place. You seemed to have a really great time. Thank you Martha for sharing that with us.
Posted by: Sandra (L'esprit Sud Magazine) | September 1st, 2009 at 6:05 pm
That is beautiful country. What a good time you must have had. Did you happen to visit Yellowstone while you were there?
Posted by: Sherry | September 1st, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Martha, decided to try again on 2nd day blog pictures. Yes, there they were. Great, and my you did look very beautiful on that horse, right at home. Stream looked inviting for fishing too.
Martyjean625
Posted by: martyjean625 | September 1st, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I love to read biographies. One of the riveting stories I have read was of Mr. Turner. He is a visionary. You know, we have few true visionaries in this world having said that Mr Turner is great.
Posted by: HBE | September 1st, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Hi,
We too spent some time in Montana this summer, we drove from Nova Scotia, Canada across the northern US and then to Northern BC and back down thru Montana and then East back to NS. Montana was the most beautiful state to us, the mountains were beautiful. We loved it so much we stayed there for 5 days, although it was hot, we did not miss the humidity of the east coast. We did come across an orange wild flower in the Glacier National Forest and we cannot seem to find another picture of it on the web. It was so vivid, I thought for a moment someone had spray painted that spot with flourescent orange paint. I did take a picture of it, but cannot find anything that even resembles it. I was wondering if maybe you knew the name of it.
Posted by: Michelle Pretty | September 1st, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Ted 'n Martha!!!
I love it ... has a nice ring.
All joking aside, this blog post is among your BEST as of yet. You looked very natural on the ranch and I enjoy reading about the great people that you have as your friends.
Ted Turner is a genuine American Icon.
There is nothing phony about Mr. Turner. I look forward to watching your new season show with him.
And if Mr. Turner is reading this ... Thank you for sharing your ranch with Martha's fans!
~Gloria
Posted by: Gloria Brown, Winterport, ME | September 1st, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Hello Martha,
This particular photoblog captured my attention. I don't think I have ever seen any of your show's segments shot in Canada. I would love for you to take your talented crew and come visit us in Manitoba. We have beautiful vistas whether it is cold or hot. Our capital city, Winnipeg, is known to be the multi-cultural and epicurial centre of Canada. Gimli is the largest Icelandic settlement outside of Iceland. I dare you to come visit us during Folklorama or during our Festival du Voyageur...maybe the Trapper's Festival is more to your liking or perhaps the Morden Corn and Apple Festival. Manitobans are also known for their wedding socials where the food is also good and served with good fun.
Posted by: Lianna | September 1st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Hi Martha, Thanks again for another wonderful blog about your fantastic trip to Montana to visit Ted Turner's fabulous ranch. I love all of these photos, also. Once again, everyone look like they were having a wonderful time. Ted Turner is to be commended for all he is doing for our environment and for the nearly extinct bison. Kudos to him and to you for filming this visit to show us all on your new season of The Martha Stewart Show. I can hardly wait to see it. Thanks again for all that you do for all of us. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | September 1st, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Thanks Martha for sharing your big Montana Ranch adventure. Like your TV show, The Martha blog has your stamp of excellence about it. I read it and feel like Im there:)Last time I saw Montana was so long ago on a trip to Yellowstone. I miss all that so this post was very nice
I have always loved horses and once to the mule ride at Yosemite which goes way up to the falls. Reading your blog reminded me how fun that was. The ruby river is beautiful. That was awesome and I'm so happy TT is saving part of the earth! Yay
Can't wait to see this episode on the show
michele
Posted by: michele gallagher | September 2nd, 2009 at 1:41 am
Martha,
Great to vacation vicariously with your photos of the Turner Ranch, etc.
Regarding bison herds, my son and I saw a herd in Wyoming and we saw something precious and tender among them. They were all walking in one direction as if going somewhere. There were hundreds of them, but in one obvious group there were about 6 of them surrounding a smaller/baby bison who had a gimpy leg and could not walk fast or easily. They were shielding the baby from the other passing bison and letting it makes it way to the destination....wherever that was. It was so tender and so neat to see this protective instinct among them for the baby.
Posted by: Sandra McCurry Chitty | September 2nd, 2009 at 7:06 am
I'm glad you made it to our beautiful state Martha! I moved to Montana back in the summer of 2000. I think it is one of the most beautiful places I've ever lived in. It looks like you had fun! Come back anytime!
Posted by: Tari | September 2nd, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Oh Martha you look so cute up on that horse with your cowgirl gear!
Posted by: Beth | September 2nd, 2009 at 6:50 pm
WOW thanks for the breath taking pictures Martha
looking forward to seeing more,Betty-Lou
Posted by: Betty-Lou Swanson | September 3rd, 2009 at 1:20 am
Martha, Seeing photos of you and Ted together was like a dream come true! I so greatly admire both of you for your longtime conservation work, your love of wildlife, your charitable endeavors, your insatiable curiosity to learn and then to teach, and for the countless ways you have each made this planet a better place.(Not everyone would know that it was Ted Turner who 'encouraged' Bill Gates to begin his charity.) Since then, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars for global health and education, with billions more to come. Thank-You for allowing us all to 'experience' Montana with you! You seem so natural in that environment and have never looked more beautiful!!
Posted by: Kate | September 4th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Martha:
Did Ted get you into fly fishing?
That would have been the ulitmate!
Posted by: Marty Seldon | September 5th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Martha, what an opportunity for you and your crew to sit on the mountains and rivers next to heaven. - Montana. I am so proud that Ted Turner and others with the financial ability to respect and tend our environment. Thank you. Please come to Ted Turners, Philmont Ranch in Northern New Mexico. I would love to meet you there!
Posted by: Isabel M. Gallegos | September 25th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I have visited Upper Canyon Outfitters several times. The ranch and surrounding areas are absolutely beautiful! The ranch is one of my favorite places to visit, with all of it's exciting activities! On our last trip we spent 3 days backcountry camping. While there we went horseback riding, fly-fishing, and enjoyed the amazing scenery. I love this area of Montana!
Elizabeth, Pennsylvania
Posted by: Elizabeth Heuston | October 4th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Really enjoyed The Montana Show. Cudos to Ted and his team for their environmental, conservation, and preservation of what life is truly all about.
Posted by: Deb | October 6th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Ted made an awesome comment about
reaping what you sow.....but that is NOT what he said...
does anybody recall his statement, about hard work
& success??
Posted by: Nancy Verel | October 6th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I caught your visit to Snowcrest Ranch by chance while channel surfing with the remote. Awesome !! Heaven's gotta be outa sight...
Posted by: Roger Vice Ada OK | October 11th, 2009 at 1:24 am