Carie enjoying an afternoon out on Swan Lake during her visit to the Kootenai.
My father-in-law was an adventurer and lifetime seeker of remarkable experiences around the globe. He had this rating system for places: very nice, lovely and special. Special always meant the place was highly memorable, unique, and something that could only be experienced. There is no doubt he would have described the Kootenai Estates as “very special indeed.”
“This is what happens here at The Kootenai. Your cares fall away and your spirit renews.”
As I walk across the sweeping lawns and feel the cool green grass under my feet, I find myself in front of the 100-year-old lodge. I stand in awe as I can almost hear the whispers of the ghosts of frontiersmen and prospectors. I look around and imagine what it was like here in the early 1900s, the 1940s, 60s… I think about the people who came here before jets landed in Kalispell. What did they know? What did they hear to make the trek to this spot along the Swan River? Now, I’m here, standing under these enormous evergreens that I realize are older than the lodge. One step inside the building and I take it all in… the original copper bar (100 % copper!), and the enormous stone fireplace. I realize how much the owners have cherished the history here, preserved it and, also, updated the property with every guest’s comfort and indulgence in mind.
Later in the day, the low-angled sunlight of northern Montana casts beautiful colors in the clouds as my boys fish the clear waters of Swan Lake. I again imagine the number of children who have spent their summers here and made lifelong memories, and now we are doing the same. Often, historical locations make one feel like they are merely an observer of the past. Here, one feels a part of it.
As we make s’mores and gaze at the stars, I recall one of my favorite quotes on nature by John Muir:
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
This is what happens here at The Kootenai. Your cares fall away and your spirit renews. It is the best gift I can ever give my children and grandchildren–to know they can come here when life becomes too hectic. There is a special community growing here and it is a privilege to be a part of it, to be of a part of its history and its future.
Carie Forrester
Atma Adventures
Founder and Fellow Traveler