DARBY — It's called "a Montana hideaway", and it definitely lives up to its name. Nestled in the Bitterroot Mountain Range, Triple Creek Ranch is a draw for people around the world.
Our activities guide Jack Teichmiller has worked at the ranch for three and a half years, traveling all the way here from Alabama.
"We have spent years trying to curate an experience that specifically emphasizes the beauty that's out here, letting folks get engaged with it, involved in it, learning about it. That's really what makes it a step above,” Teichmiller said.
The season involving Valentine's Day is a time to experience that beauty with someone you love. In addition to cozy romantic cabins and Western decor, it's also a place full of activities outside and inside.
Teichmiller says it's without a doubt an adventure, "I know I've still got some to learn, but from what I've learned, Triple Creek Ranch 100% is a Montana adventure."
Our adventure was indoors to learn how to make unique Valentine's Day gifts that reflect the Treasure State. Teichmiller showed us the art of candle and soapmaking — gifts that can appeal to both women and men.
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The candles come in an array of scents to choose from.
“So, we always encourage mixing, if somebody wants to. There have been guests that have mixed up to four or five of them, so it's been a really cool experience,” Teichmiller told MTN.
We went with Ponderosa pine, wintergreen and peppermint.
We drew out the essential oils from their vials and mixed them. The next step was to pour the mixture into a vessel on a double boiler where soy wax had been melting and stir it for a couple of minutes. Then we lifted the container away from the heat and let it sit for a little bit before pouring the liquid into a decorative jar.
"If you just let that wax cool down naturally for about two minutes and then pour, you're going to find a much even cooling throughout the candle,” Teichmiller said.
A popsicle stick held the wick in place and the end result was a homemade candle for your Valentine.
Next up was soapmaking — but with a Western flair. Some examples of the finished products included more traditional ones like the oval soap mold, but then some definitely represent Montana, including two horses, a trout, and a cowboy hat.
We dumped a soap base into another vessel on the double boiler and stir until it's liquefied. Other ingredients included natural powder for color and essential oils for the scent. That concoction was then poured into the molds to solidify for your Valentine.
Assistant Activities Manager Kelly O’Brien calls Triple Creek Ranch a romantic paradise, and like Teichmiller, she says this place most definitely involves adventure.
“The great thing about this type of Montana adventure is it fully encompasses a perfect combination of luxury and leisure and recreation, and you can get as much out of that as you like."
