Montana means land — lots of it. The western state evokes snow-dusted mountain ranges, high meadows grazed by elk and fish-rich rivers. It is embraced by lovers of wide-open spaces and serious sports, a pairing that's an increasingly in-demand narcotic for outdoorsy folks looking to escape the crowds.
Naturally, with all this attention, land values have swelled. In the early 1990s, half a million dollars might have bought you 200 deserted acres and a mile of trout river; today you'd probably have to fork over $3 million to $5 million for the same property. Then there are the headaches: the pickup trucks, horses, cattle, ranch managers and vets, which, at the most awkward times (that is, in the middle of the night), require your attention and your wallet.
In the past few years, an alternative form of land ownership has begun to attract a new generation of buyers in Montana. Called the shared ranch, its principle is straightforward: instead of purchasing an entire ranch, you acquire a parcel just large enough for your home site, with the balance of the land held in common and protected in perpetuity. Expenses (and therefore the aggravation) are shared equitably, and in the end, you can feel like Ted Turner, without the sleepless nights — sort of.
I should know. In 1987, my family and I bought into what was then Montana's first shared ranch. Commanding two-and-a-half miles of a remote river pouring out of the Yellowstone highlands, our singular property provided all the advantages of a large ranch, but with some compromise in the solitude department. At the time of our purchase, 25 percent of the available parcels were languishing for buyers. These days every home site is coveted, and only rarely in the past decade has one come onto the market. It now seems that, through dumb luck, we were ahead of the curve.
LAY OF THE LAND
Not all Montana has experienced the boom. In this largest of the Rocky Mountain states, with only 950,000 inhabitants, the land frenzy seems to be confined to country surrounding prime trout habitat, primarily within 300 miles of Yellowstone National Park. Some rivers, like the Madison and the Yellowstone, are navigable year-round; anyone who owns shoreline along these famous blue-ribbon fisheries will have to enjoy seeing a flotilla of drift boats every summer. But if your property is near water too shallow to navigate, you will usually have more privacy.
WHO YOU'LL MEET
Too much has been written about Montana's celebrities, from Ted Turner to Peter Fonda. Do not expect to meet them; they came here for the same reason you did. Instead, you will encounter other success stories from both coasts, major cities and, more and more often, Europe. Most have families, most are besotted by trout and horses, and most are generally decent, attractive and sometimes even amusing. They like to blend in with the locals: big hats, big belt buckles and sod-busting boots.
RANCHES FOR THE SHARING
FOR FAMILIES: Sun West Ranch
Controlling 2,000 acres and three miles of the Madison River, Sun West Ranch was carefully plotted into fifty-five four- to eleven-acre sites and features a full equestrian center that is the ranch's heart in summer. The developers, Ted and Heidi Gildred, of San Diego, committed to leaving the common land adjoining the river protected. Like-minded buyers represent a rich assortment of Montana's new pioneers: a movie producer from New York, a cod farmer from Norway, a Kenyan-born safari guide. From $825,000; 800-765-6908; sunwestranch.com.
FOR ANIMAL LOVERS: Sun Ranch Settlement
Roger Lang, a high-tech wunderkind from Silicon Valley, chose ten building sites across his 26,000-acre cattle ranch, three of which were sold even before his brochure was published. Once owned by martial arts hunk Steven Seagal, the Sun Ranch Settlement encompasses many habitats, starting with 10,000-foot snowcapped peaks and dropping down to wetlands along five miles of the Madison River. According to Lang, his selection of those ten future homes was critter driven, based on his promise to provide unimpeded travel rights for elk, wolverines and bears. A central lodge, scheduled to open in May, will offer distinguished dining as well as the best in horseback riding and guided fishing and hiking. From $5 million; 406-682-5466; sunranch.com.
FOR PATRONS OF THE ARTS: Ameya Preserve
Wade Dokken left New York with a fortune and a dream. He spent a year prowling canyons in the Rockies before he found what he describes as perfection: 10,500 acres in Paradise Valley, ten minutes south of trendy Livingston and an hour north of Yellowstone National Park. Dokken's mission is to keep 90 percent of Ameya's land wild and to mix artists and explorers with the other residents. When you build a house around Ameya's lodge, you can expect dishes inspired by Alice Waters and created by chef Jean-Pierre Moullé, both of Chez Panisse; open-air concerts starring Joshua Bell; and a dinosaur dig led by MacArthur fellow Jack Horner. Throw in skiing, fly-fishing and hiking and there may not be time to luxuriate in the sight of the towering cliffs that frame the preserve. From $700,000; 866-992-6392; ameyapreserve.com.
FOR ECO-CRUSADERS: Everlands Lone Mountain Ranch
For nearly eighty-two years, Lone Mountain Ranch has been one of Montana's most vaunted guest ranches. Now the active-family resort is part of Everlands, a member-owned collection of eight pristine wilderness retreats around the world, including the Point, in the Adirondacks. (Members can stay at any of the club's holdings.) Everlands founder Robert Burch sees himself as a curator of land and believes that his "stewardship through ownership" model ensures long-term sustainability. A limited number of memberships went on sale in October at $500,000 each, with yearly dues of about $40,000. 212-774-3690; everlandslife.com.
THE POWER BROKERS
For personal service, tap the expertise of one of these heavy hitters in the shared-ranch game.
Jim Taylor, of Hall and Hall. 406-656-7500; hallhall.com.
Dude Tyler and Shirley Layne, of Montana Broker Properties. 406-932-4540; montanabroker.com.
David Viers, of David Viers and Associates. 800-877-1084; davidviers.com.
Eric Ossorio, of Ossorio and Associates. 866-993-2299; ossoriorealestate.com.
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