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Classes at Bear Creek Resort

To book a class please go to Rooms - book - add on - add class and meals

May 26 - 30

Wilderness Survival Basics, 3 days class

This course is a hands-on introduction to the skills and knowledge necessary to live through a short-term survival situation. If you have the survival skills and experience to survive at least 72 hours, then you have a much greater chance to find your way out to a better situation.

Topics will include essential survival gear, survival priorities, and most importantly, how to maintain an upright mind.

You will learn these crucial survival skills:

  • Prioritize the seven basic needs of a survivor
  • Building a fire (matches, bow drill, hand drill, and flint & steel)
  • Making a life-saving water prove shelter using natural materials
  • Signal rescue using mirrors, electronic devices, and natural materials
  • Purifying water
  • Navigate using a map, compass, GPS, and natural aids
  • Build an atlatl, bola, rabbit stick, sling, and quickie survival bow, fishing net.
  • Identify and eat seasonal, indigenous wild edible plants
  • Build traps, snares, bows, sling shots, using natural materials, target shooting and practice.
  • Creating your survival kit

June 24-28

Wild Woman 4 days class 

In this unique program you will learn:

  • Human uses of plants and trees for food, tools and medicine.
  • Basic foraging safety tools and advises.
  • Basics of navigation.
  • How to identify, harvest and prepare local plants and learn their edible and nourishing attributes, healing qualities and utilitarian uses.
  • Natural remedies. Food as medicine. Favorite local recipes. During our 4 days class learners will be finding, harvesting local herbs and edible pants, processing, preserving them, cooking meals on the fire and sharing amazing teas and life stories. Students will be able to try different cooking technics on the open fire and learn secrets of the women from the past.
  • Will learn how to prepare, construct, start and maintain a campfire.
  • Traditional cooking methods: steam pits, spit cooking, rock frying and more
  • How to treat injuries and illnesses using home remedies and herbal medicine: teas, tinctures, oils, infusions, syrups. Hands on class.
  • Basics of gardening, orchard planting, canning and preserving food.

Plants found across North America will be highlighted while incredible gifts of localized herbs will also be discussed. Each student will take home harvested plants, handmade remedies.

July 21 -25: Family Survival camp 3 days

In this class you will have a special bonding time for your family, while enjoying beauty of Montana, you will learn:

  • Navigate using a map, compass, GPS, and natural aids
  • Locate and purify drinking water
  • How to prepare, construct, and maintain a campfire, chose right wood, use chainsaw, safely spit wood. Old fashion secrets, recipes and traditions of fire cooking.
  • Construct a waterproof shelter using natural materials
  • Signal rescue using mirrors, electronic devices, and natural materials
  • Identify and eat seasonal, indigenous wild edible plants
  • Build traps, snares, bows, sling shots, using natural materials, target shooting and practice.
  • Learn how to make many important knots and lashings, including bends, hitches, loop knots, tripod lashings, and more. The class includes detailed instruction, handouts, and practical projects. Families will take home samples. (materials provided)
  • How to protect yourself from wild animals: bears, cougars and others.
  • Weave a fish basket trap using natural materials, fishing, cooking and eating fish/meal together.
  • Make cordage using natural fibers from wild plants
  • Make bows, sling shots, practice target shooting
  • Nature craft and games for kids (materials are provided)
  • Gain an understanding of various fire-starting methods
  • Learn the principles of primitive friction fire-making
  • Construct a bow drill kit which you can take home
  • Practice making coals/fires with the bow drill
  • Learn about hand drill and ferro rod (“metal match”) techniques

August 18 -23 

Couples survival team building + relationships work out + romance building camp

Take your-self to the survival camp for the team building skills. Chance to know each other’s strong and week sides, build deeper understanding of each temperament, become really close through our special program for couples. Learn self-regulation tools to reduce stress and increase your resilience

  • Creative listening to create bridges of connection
  • Conflict as a gateway to deeper connection. Find common ground and inspire creative solutions, conflict solving technics.
  • Navigate through the woods as a couple
  • Find and Purify water
  • Build a shelter from natural materials
  • Weave fishing nets and fish together.
  • Find and cook a romantic dinner from nature supply
  • Try old cooking methods (e.g. steam pits, spit cooking, rock frying and more)

September 23 – 29

Country /Wilderness living/ Homesteading. Off grid living 3 days class.

How to be self-sufficient

Natural Shelters/ materials and building technics.

Alternative methods and materials in the house building: straw bale, cord wood, earth bag, log cabins, rocks.

How to build root cellar, smoker, how to collect rainwater and preserve it, how to buy, install, use and maintain solar panels.

This is a hands-on class. Bring your tools (please see list on the booking page). After class you will be very confidents using them.

Northwestern Montana is a charming area of quaint towns, high peaks, lakes, streams, and water falls. The 95,000 acresCabinet Mountains of Northwest Montana are some of the least traveled yet most beautiful in the country. Running roughly 150 miles from the north end of the Bitterroots and almost to British Columbia they encompass some of the most remote and untouched land left. Imagine putting yourself in thy country that may not have seen another soul for months, maybe years. They are encompassed by the millions of acres that make up the Kootenai National Forest and many more adventures are awaiting you there.

Hiking, camping, waterfalls sight-seeing, rock climbing, snowmobiling (miles of groomed trails), UTV and dirt biking, fishing, kayaking, boating, jet skiing, birds watching, peddle boarding, hunting, mushrooms and plants foraging, soaking at hot springs are just few things to choose from.

Local Events 2022

Under The Big Sky Festival July 15th -17th. Music, rodeo, roundup. Whitefish MT

Annual Big Sky Blues Festival August 5th – 7th, Noxon MT

Trout Creek Huckleberry Festival Trout Creek August 13th – 14th

Sanders County Fair Sept. 1st - 3rd Plains MT

15th Annual CFVH Foundation Golf Classic Sept. 4th. Plains MT

Places to visit:

Bison Farm

Glassier National Park

Ross Creek Cedars

Graves Creek and falls are just upstream from the bridge that crosses the road. A mile above Handkerchief Lake you will find a pull-out surrounded by low-hanging brush. This section of the creek is a high quality but very difficult kayaking run. Hiking from the trailhead just up the road leads to the Sun and Moon Falls with series of waterfalls and countless beautiful cascades.

Lolo Pass

Kootenai Waterfalls and Swinging Bridge

Garnet Ghost Town open year-round, daily from 9:30am-4:30pm, wheeled vehicles are allowed on the road from May 1 through December 15, snowmobile and skies needed for the winter and early spring access. $3 entrance fees.

Museum, Placer and Sierra Mine Loop Trails.

Garnet Day June 16, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: sights, sounds and smells of a 19th-century, family friendly includes ice cream social, music, wool-spinning demonstration, a quilt display, old-fashioned games for children, and a pie auction.

Year round over 30 miles of back country roads and trails for mountain bike and UTVs. Roads and trails wind through timbered slopes and climb to elevations of 7,000 feet.

Or over 110 miles of trails for snowmobilers and cross-country skiers. The trails offer a variety of riding conditions, climb to 7,000 feet and offer spectacular views. Most trails are regularly groomed.

Fish Trap Lake easy relaxing trails with the beautiful views of the lakes, wildflowers and wildlife. No drinking water.

Cougar Peak, Engle Peak and Sex Peak Lookouts. Sweeping views, great for photography, fireweed foraging

Frog Pond, Trout Creek (great for kids fishing, swimming and kayaking)

Triangle Pond, Noxon – great for swimming and wishing

Bull River Campground and Noxon Reservoir are excellent fishing (awesome pike and largemouth bass, trout) and birds watching places

Lake Koocanusa has one of the best land-locked salmon fisheries in the northwest. The Kootenai River is considered a blue-ribbon trout stream with trophy-size rainbow trout.

Stone Hill Rock Climbing Area steep quartzite cliffs feature more than 500 climbs from easy, moderate to challenging rating 5.10 and up with the views of a ponderosa pine forest and Lake Koocanusa. Late February through late October.

Thompson River Backcountry and Scenic Byway (begins outside of the Thompson falls and ends at the junction with Highway 2 west of Kalispell and east of Libby.

Kayak Rentals: Kootenai River Outfitters 406 – 2959444, Crazy Moos Kayak and Paddleboard Rental 406 - 8273030

Horse riding and lessons: Rails and Trails Ranch, Haven Stables 153 Faro Ln, Trout Creek 406 - 8274061

For more recreation ideas please visit: visitmt.com or fwp.mt.gov or https://www.fs.usda.gov/kootenai/

Places to eat (hours and days of operation may vary, check before you visit)

Simple Simon’s Pizza: pizza, sandwiches, salads (they deliver if preordered few hours before 406-827-5100

Minnie’s, Thompson Falls

Big Eddy’s, Thompson Falls

Farmhouse, Plains

European Connection Thompson Falls

Angry Beaver, Noxon

River Roadhouse, Trout Creek

Mercantile, Noxon

Champs Chicken, Thompson Falls

Way Side Bar and Grills, Thompson Falls

The Bean Bug, Plains

Ripples Ice Cream Parlor Plains

The Butchers Nook, Plains

Black Bear Deli & Espresso

MT Vine Restaurant, Hot Springs (Sundays only), (5 starts experience, worth driving)

Check out Camas Organic Market in Hot Springs. It has an impressive variety of organic foods and baked goods,including plenty of gluten free options!

Order online httos://www.facebook.com/MontanaReds, home made from scratch pies/gluten free pies: Pecan, Pumpkin, Apple, Blackberry Sour Cream, Cheesecake. Pick up at Hot Springs or Plains.

Hot Springs

  • Big Medicine, Hot Springs MT. It’s geothermal waters have been used for centuries for their healing properties. Even the town’s motto is “limp in…leap out.”
  • Symes Hot Springs Hotel & Mineral Baths featuring hot and cold outdoor pools, dining, live music, antiques, gifts
  • While you’re in town, don’t miss LaRue-Hot Springs Museum. Historic artifacts and photographs give a captivating glimpse of homesteader life in Hot Springs, and early American Indian life in the area.
  • Quinn’s Hot Springs (day use entrance requires booking 2 weeks prior to arrival) features 6 brand new pools, towels and drinking water is provided. Great restaurant.

Welcome to the heart of the Northwest Montana and it’s natural wonders!

To have a fantastic experience bringing together many of the awe-inspiring components of this state please use information provided below. We hope you will build life-time memories!

  • Check out our Classes on our Website or on the bulletin board. 
  • Check out is 11 am, please leave the key in your room.
  • Grilling utensils and cleaning rugs are under the kitchen sink. First aid kit is inside the Lodge (on the wall).
  • Local hiking nearby trail’s map is located on the bulletin board in the Lodge.
  • Babysitting, and childcare service are provided by Shilah Crew. She is certified in CPR and a member of the local Search and Rescue team, school teacher’s helper, background checked, excellent references.
  • Dog boarding and training are available by experienced professional. You can personally present and learn some tricks how to train a pet.
  • Professional car detailing services are available upon request. Have your car detailed and cleaned while you are hiking. We can drop you at the trail head, detail the car and pick you up at evening. Travel fee may apply.
  • Shoes driers are available upon request.
  • Firewood is available upon request. Small bunch $7; big 10 feet wide all evening bonfire $175 (for a big group)
  • Lodge and Game rooms are open for guests. Dogs are not allowed. Please put games and toys back where they belong after playing and please turn heater off or on min. settings in the winter.
  • Bear Creek Resort keeps minimum impact on the environment. We use refillable bottles for soaps and shampoo and washable kitchen towels. Our cups and dishes are washable and reusable. Please wash dishes and grilling utensils after using with soap and warm water.
  • We are on the septic system. Please dispose all hygiene items and paper to the garbage can.
  • Only small breed friendly dogs are allowed at the resort. For the safety of your dog always keep dog on the leash. Dogs can’t sleep on the guest’s beds or enter Lodge and Game Room. We can provide a dog bed upon request.
  • We are bordering National Forest. Please keep kids at your sight. We keep a large, guest friendly dog to keep guests safe and wildlife away, however, be prepared to encounter wild animals while hiking outside of the property, be advised to carry bear spray and to know how to use it. During hunting season (in the fall) wear clothes of bright colors while hiking in the National Forest. Our dog assumes that any guest of the Bear Creek Resort is subject of her protection, so if she follows you on the property – she is on duty of protecting you. Please ignore this caring friendly creature.
  • Please place all the garbage in the bear prove container provided by the entrance. Do not live garbage or food by your cabin.
  • We do not provide daily housekeeping, but we are happy to provide you with the fresh towels if needed.
  • In case of the fire each cabin and common arias equipped with the fire extinguishers. Leave building following EXIT signs and call 911 and the resort Management at (406) 827-4857.
  • In case of the wildfires call 911, leave the resort aria until it’s safe to come back.
  • During summer season using grills, fire pits or any kind of equipment that can produce sparks might be limited due to the Sanders County fire prevention regulations. Check the bulletin board in the Lodge before starting a fire.
  • In case of energy or water outage or for any other help please call (406) 827- 4857

Nearest groceries store: Harvest Foods at Thompson Falls

In case of medical emergency:

Clark Fork Valley Hospital

10 Kruger Road, Plains, Montana 59859

(406)8264800

Thompson Falls Family Medicine

120 Pond St., Thompson Falls, MT 59873

(406)8274442

(406)8274006

Thompson Falls Veterinary

2 Gebhardt Ln, Thompson Falls, MT 59873

(406) 827-1234