Kootenai Springs Ranch

Stevensville, Montana
$14,500,000

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This western Montana, ranch an easy drive south of Missoula, is truly exceptional with 1,186± acres, almost 800± of which are deeded. Approximately one mile of the Bitterroot River forms the east boundary offering highly productive trout fishing against a stupendous backdrop of snowcapped mountains. The home and other improvements, totaling 10,000 square feet, have been architecturally styled in wood, stone and glass to blend in with their surroundings and let the spotlight rest upon the rich natural resources. Abundant spring water forms a series of fishable creeks and ponds where wildlife flourishes. The property is a licensed shooting preserve and is considered one of the finest sporting properties in western Montana.

Kootenai Springs Ranch is located in Western Montana’s Bitterroot Valley approximately two miles south of the community of Stevensville. Delta, Skywest, Northwest, United and Big Sky Airlines service the Missoula airport approximately 40 minutes to the North with numerous arrivals and departures each day. Missoula is also serviced by Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, providing both in state service and additional nonstop service to the West Coast.

The Bitterroot Valley is arguably the most beautiful valley in Montana, if not the Northern Rockies. The Bitterroot River runs in a northerly direction throughout the length of the valley. The western edge of the valley is met by the towering, jagged peaks of the Bitterroot Mountain Range while the eastern edge of the valley is graced with the gentler horizon of the Sapphire Mountains. The Bitterroot Valley is one of the more populous valleys in Montana and therefore offers much more in the way of services than many other areas. The valley is dotted with quaint Montana towns the largest of which is Hamilton located approximately 20 minutes south of the ranch. The Selway Bitterroot Wilderness area, located in the Bitterroot Mountains provides the locals a pristine roadless wilderness area that, when taken with two contiguous wilderness areas, account for the largest contiguous block of wilderness in the lower 48 states. Lost Trail Ski Area offers an excellent local ski area without the crowds found elsewhere.

The Bitterroot Valley is one of the lowest intermountain valleys in the Rocky Mountains. The elevation at the Bitterroot River at Kootenai Springs Ranch is just under 3,300 feet above sea level. This location west of the continental divide results in a stronger “Pacific Northwest influence” than that which is found east of the divide. Consequently, the climate is mild by Montana standards. High readings of 90°F occur less than 20 days a year. Summers are pleasant and winters are characterized by steady, but not severe, cold. Extremely high winds are rare.

KSR encompasses 795± deeded acres and 391± leased acres of Bitterroot River bottomland. In stark contrast to the jagged peaks that lay to the west of the ranch, the property is almost entirely flat and useable. The east edge of the ranch is bound by the river itself though a portion of the property stretches across the river near the northeast corner. The river frontage itself is very accessible with a ranch road paralleling most of its length. All but approximately 120 acres lies east of Highway 93. The highway is currently slated for an expansion project (two lanes to four lanes) that should be completed sometime in the next five or six years. This expansion will include the development of a new private highway underpass benefiting the ranch. This will give the new owner access to both sides of the ranch without the need to cross the Highway. At present, there are multiple access points to both sides of the ranch directly adjoining Highway 93 south. The main driveway enters the east side of the ranch and is located approximately one-quarter mile from the south boundary of the deeded acreage. The driveway soon passes one of the true landmarks of the valley — the original homestead log cabin. The driveway continues generally eastward for one mile as it winds its way through meadows and wetlands until it finds the main compound of improvements. The landscape, including stone bridges, seven-acre lake, road layout, stone walls, fixtures and horticulture was designed and installed by nationally acclaimed landscape architect Todd R. Cole.

The leased ground carries much the same description as the deeded acreage minus the improvements. The two properties (deeded and leased) share a boundary of almost one mile. The leased property lays directly south of the ranch’s deeded acreage. This leased ground is encumbered by a right of first refusal in favor of the ranch which shall transfer to the new owner. There is an additional eight acres of deeded ground with a couple of old cabins situated in the middle of the leased property.

Improvements at KSR are extensive and consummately tasteful in design, orientation, construction and functionality. They include the following: The main compound consisting of four magnificent stone, log and glass buildings, manager’s residence, shop and office compound, employee housing and homestead log cabin.

Main Compound:
The main living compound of Kootenai Springs Ranch consists of four stone, log and glass buildings: the main house, guest house, guest wing and “Boy’s Club.” All buildings in the main living compound are constructed of 5,000 tons of Kalispell stone, custom square logs, custom re-sawn cedar, Doug Fir tapered columns and roofs of core-tin steel or heavy shake shingles. Exterior log columns are scribed to boulder bases. Architecture was designed by the nationally acclaimed architectural team, Cottle, Graybeal & Yaw of Aspen, Colorado in collaboration with interior designer, Luis Ortega of Beverly Hills. The property has been featured in national publications including Town and Country magazine and Western Interiors and Design.

The main house includes 4,292 sq. ft. and contains the master bedroom and dressing areas, the master limestone bath, an office with custom-built solid walnut desk, a custom designed Baultup stainless steel kitchen featuring a butcher block island surrounded by stone and stainless steel, Miele custom built-in coffeemaker, Traulsen refrigerator with backup freezer and extra refrigerator, two warming drawers, two dishwashers, wet bar with separate ice-maker and refrigerator, outside DCS enclosed barbeque, wood burning oven, custom designed ‘round-up’ outside barbeque, kitchen media area with leather banquet and custom walnut table, kitchen fireplace, mudroom, stainless steel laundry room, half bath of stone, log and steel with granite sink, grand stone and log entry through gracious walnut doors, dining room, adjoining sitting area and, finally the grand, 30-ft. high vaulted main room surrounded by stone and steel encased glass Hope windows, custom electronic window shades, stone floor with a Rumsford type fireplace with antique/epic Molesworth firescreen. The full basement includes three mechanical rooms and a 1,200 bottle wine cellar. Heating is in-floor radiant wherever there are stone floors. Everywhere else is heated with a high-tech ground-source heat pump.

The guest wing includes 2,270 sq. ft and is attached to the main house by a covered breezeway. The building contains a living room with adjacent glassed-in porch, two upstairs bedrooms with full baths and walk-in closets, half-bath off the living room and a mud room off the two car garage with custom core-tin steel doors. There is covered parking adjacent to the garage and an enclosed diesel run back-up generator.

The guest house, containing 2,012 sq. ft., features a vaulted 20 ft. high living room with custom designed fireplace and fireplace screen featuring stonework recessed behind glass with views beyond. The full kitchen features custom designed cabinetry and granite counters with counter seating as well as a leather banquet. This home contains three bedrooms with full tile and granite baths as well as three covered porches.

The Boy’s Club (508 sq. ft.) consists of one open room with a half bath and adjacent custom wet bar. The building features an intimate view, captured by floor to ceiling windows, of the arched footbridge crossing the stream situated right outside. Floor material and ceiling material is re-milled, reclaimed antique wood. The focus of the room is a monumental fireplace which also contains a small contemporary wood burning stove.

Manager’s Residence:
The manager’s residence is located south of the main compound. This two-story residence contains 2,600 sq. ft. and consists of two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, dining room, utility room, mud room and living room with stone fireplace and propane stove. There is also a two car garage, unfinished half basement and covered patio. This residence was constructed at the same time as the main living compound and is also fabricated using stone, square logs, re-sawn rough cedar, core-tin steel and heavy shake.

Shop and Office Compound:
Adjoining the manager’s residence is the 6,000 sq. ft. shop and office compound. This compound is constructed using rough sawn cedar siding and core-tin steel. It consists of three adjoining building containing the ranch office and conference room, an auto repair shop containing work benches, sink, overhead/oversize door, and mechanical room with outside entrance. Outside the auto shop is a covered car wash bay with three elevated fuel tanks on concrete. Across from the auto shop is a complete and comprehensive wood shop with overhead heating, ventilation and evacuation systems (tools excluded from sale), wood storage area, mechanical room and sawdust area. Outside of this shop is an attached, covered carport. Next to the wood shop is a gun reloading room, a walk-in meat locker, and a bird plucking room. Adjoining this area is a 20-ft. high covered seven-bay open shed building housing a road grader, dump truck, backhoe, skidsteer and tractor.

There is a 710 sq. ft. bird-brooding house next to the shop which includes a heated bird-brooder room built on concrete slab with a feed storage room. Attached are three 150 ft. long covered bird runs. There is also a heated dog kennel with feed room and four adjoining dog runs next to the bird brooding house.

Employee Housing:
As referenced under “General Description,” the portion of the ranch west of Highway 93 contains two older homes which, though currently vacant, are readily able to house employees. Each of these homes has been fully renovated. One home has two bedrooms and the other home has three bedrooms.

Homestead Log Cabin:
At the main entrance of the ranch (east of 93), the original homestead log cabin is strategically located as a sentinel of sorts. This cabin has been completely renovated and restored on a new foundation. It contains two bedrooms, living room with wood burning stove, kitchen and bath.

Personal Property

All personal property (including any items described above and herein) is excluded from sale although a significant inventory of personal property may be available for purchase outside of a purchase and sale agreement for the real estate.

Fishing is probably the most important attraction to the Bitterroot Valley. The Bitterroot River is a well-respected world class fly-fishing river. It has an exceptionally long season with fishable hatches from early March through early November. Highly productive riffles and runs can be found at every turn on the ranch. Rainbow and brown trout up to 27 inches are occasionally landed here as well as cutthroat trout up to about 20 inches or more.

Kootenai Springs Ranch enjoys diverse recreational use and includes forested areas, irrigated cropland, abundant spring creek and pond waterways as well as over one mile of Bitterroot River frontage on the deeded acreage alone (excluding additional leased acreage frontage). The diversity of the property provides healthy habitat for a variety of wildlife and waterfowl including black bear, whitetail deer, bobcat, mountain lion, moose, bald eagle, great blue heron, sand hill cranes pheasants, ducks of all variety and possibly the largest bird population in the valley. The forested land is a combination of deciduous and coniferous trees dominated by cottonwoods and ponderosa pine.

The ranch also enjoys the benefits of holding a shooting preserve license. This license allows the ranch to raise, release and harvest game birds beginning September 1st all the way into March of the following year. This is considerably longer than the general bird season and serves to greatly enhance the already extreme wingshooting amenity of the ranch. By the manager’s estimation, the ranch is winter residence for anywhere between 2,000-5,000 ducks in addition to 250+ Canada geese.

1,186±

Deeded acres: 795± acres
Acres leased (private with right of first refusal): 391± acres
Total acres:   1,186± acres

Kootenai Springs Ranch enjoys extensive water rights which consist of Statements of Claims and Ground Water Certificates out of multiple sources of which are: Big Creek, the Bitterroot River, McCalla Creek, ground water and other unnamed tributaries. These water rights include priority dates as far back as 1886. Water is distributed through pressurized (2-20 hp and 1-60 hp site) sprinkler systems (wheel lines and hand lines) and by flood-irrigation.

Real estate taxes are approximately $28,000 annually.

MANAGEMENT SERVICES – Hall and Hall’s Management Division has a very clear mission – To represent the owner and to ensure that his or her experience is a positive one. Services are customized to suit the owner’s needs. They often begin with the recruiting and hiring of a suitable ranch manager or caretaker and are followed by the development of a management or operating plan along with appropriate budgets. Ongoing services include bill paying, ranch oversight, and consulting services as needed. Even the most sophisticated and experienced ranch owners appreciate the value of a management firm representing them and providing advice on local area practices and costs. Wes Oja and Jerome Chvilicek at (406) 656-7500 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (406) 656-7500      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Randy Clavel at (303) 861-8282 are available to describe and discuss these services in detail and welcome your call.

RESOURCE ENHANCEMENT SERVICES – Increasingly the value of a ranch is measured by the quality of each and every one of its resources. Coincidentally the enhancement of a ranch’s resources also increases the pleasure that one derives from the ownership of a ranch. Our management services have included the assessment of everything from wildlife habitat to bird habitat to water resources and fisheries and the subsequent oversight of the process involved with the enhancement of these resources. Wes Oja or Jerome Chvilicek at (406) 656-7500 are available to describe and discuss these services in detail and welcome your call.

SPECIALIZED LENDING - Over the past 59 years Hall and Hall has created a legacy by efficiently providing capital to the intermountain west. In addition to traditional farm and ranch loans, we specialize in understanding the unique aspects of placing loans on ranches where value may be influenced by recreational features, location and improvements and repayment may come from outside sources. Our extensive experience and strong relationships with our lenders allows us to quickly tell you whether we can provide the required financing.

Competitive Pricing ● Flexible Terms ● Efficient Processing
In-House Appraisals ● Common Sense Underwriting
Dave Roddy ● (406) 656-7500
Mike Hall, Judy Chirila, or Randy Clavel ● (303) 861-8282
Monte Lyons ● (806) 698-6882