One of the key skills to guiding in the outdoors is flexibility… but who would have thought that Pam and I would need to use this skill so much simply by driving to our destination? Yes, 2,700 miles does present a lot of opportunity for things to come up when driving from Montana to Alaska, but in our case, “things” being the road, went away. Flooding added to the heavy water from the spring thaw, washed away part of the Alaskan highway. What an adventure! Fortunately, we caught this at the tail of repairs – which I would like to add, were done with impressive speed and only left the roads closed for a couple of days. We were only held up for a few hours and started our bumpy, curvy, and beautiful drive through British Columbia, the Yukon, and into Alaska.
At one point, we drove over a brand new bridge. The river had completely washed out what ever structure was there before and now there were piles of boulders pushed into the river with loads of gravel layered on top. Over we went, not blind to the leftovers of the road to our left. Less than a foot to the side of the center line was now a 4ft. cliff where the water had stolen the rest of the road.
It was pretty exciting to see both the power of nature and the quickness of people to respond. Even more exciting, was doubling my lifetime bear sightings in a single day! Pam and I saw 15 bears along the drive through north British Columbia and into Yukon. 12 black bears – including one cub – and a mom grizzly with her 2 cubs! It was a beautiful day for munching the grasses along the side of the road and I assume the stop of traffic for the last few days had called them to enjoy it. These bears, along with moose, elk, bison, fox, coyote, eagles, bighorn sheep, marmot, and mule deer sightings have only left us void of caribou. We will keep our eyes peeled to check off caribou from the land list and then will move onto water! Whales, sea lions, otters, and more are all waiting for us on our Alaska adventure vacations to appreciate them for simply being there… and this is our job. Pretty spectacular way to spend the summer if you ask me.
The Guides are here at the ALA office, and to the staff that signals the beginning of the travel season! We have spent the last 9 months talking to our amazing guests about the trips we offer, and with the guides come the reassurance that all the experiences we offer are going to be top notch! I have gotten to know the guides over the course of training and am excited to introduce you to Jenny Young!
Jenny is a natural outdoors woman as she grew up on Lake Erie in Ohio! She translated her love of the outdoors into not only a degree but also into a career! She loves whitewater rafting, hiking, and basically anything that gets her active in the outdoors! She is one of the AMAZING guides that will be leading groups through Yellowstone tours on our Yellowstone National Park Program as well as my personal favorite, the Montana| Big Sky, Yellowstone, & Paradise Valley! If you get cold, (not likely in a Montana summer) she can even teach you how to crochet a hat!
To learn more about Jenny, check out her guide profile!
One of our brand new guides this year is a guy by the name of Corey Meyer or Cowboy Corey as he’s come to be called. Corey may be new to Austin-Lehman, but he’s not new to the guiding business! If you’re lucky enough to sit down and have a chat with Corey on our Yellowstone or South Dakota Adventures, you’ll hear stories of life on a ranch, his experience guiding zip line tours, or just about his explorations in and around the state of Montana. From ski instructor to bike racer, Corey is no stranger to adventure! With a big smile and a twinkle in his eye, Corey is a likeable guy right from the start. Go ahead and check out his guide profile and meet all of our other guides too! All friendly, adventure-loving professionals, you will have friends for life after taking a trip with ALA!
We just wrapped up guide training at the ALA Farm and one of my favorite parts of training is seeing all the guides. Working in the office we don't get to see too much of them during the season, so I enjoy spending some time with them while they are here. But today I want to highlight James Bradbury, this guy makes me proud to sell our trips. His passion for guiding and sharing his love for the outdoors is contagious... James just knows how to make everyone feel relaxed and comfortable, its kind of a gift he has! This season James will be guiding our Yellowstone Tours and Montana Vacations and I couldn't be more excited for our guest to meet James. I'm pretty sure he feels the same way about meeting our guest, he just loves showing everyone a good time.
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up on a truly amazing guide! To learn more about James check out his guide profile.
You can call me “Cowboy Corey,” or to be proper, “Mr. Mountain Man Meyer.” My birth name is only spoken by my mother for it doesn’t have the same adventurous spirit as a title with some twang. I am one of Austin-Lehman’s newest guides, a company for which I am excited to be a part of for the upcoming adventures and lasting friendships. I will be guiding the Yellowstone Family Adventure Vacations and our South Dakota Family Adventure.
To be perfectly honest I am no cowboy; never have I ridden a thoroughbred at full gallop into the setting sun as a cloud of dust rises in my wake. I once aspired to be a walking legend of the West, to have my skin baked by the hard sun until I was a real rawhide with hands of leather. Visions of gun slinging outlaws, train stopping renegades, and rough riding ruffians sounded like fun to me, but I just don’t have the true grit personality to pull off the lifestyle. In fact, if I were plopped down at a poker table with Wild Bill Hickok, Jessie James, or Calamity Jane in Deadwood I don’t think I could last a minute under their piercing eyes and would find myself scurrying for the door. Like the cowboys, I enjoy riding into uncharted territories; the wind in my face defines freedom. I just ride upon a different breed of horse, preferring a steed of steel, and have mounted my trusted Cannondale in many breathtaking locations.
I don’t believe I deserve the title “Mountain Man Meyer” either. I have lived for multiple months in the wilds of Montana with only a wall tent for shelter. Like the legendary Jeremiah Johnson, I have harvested big game animals in the Rocky Mountains, but the truth is I can’t sustain a haggard life like that of the legendary John Colter or Jim Bridger. After a few days of roughing it, I find myself dreaming of steamy hot showers, chocolate, and fluffy pillows. If I am not a cowboy or a mountain man…….. Who am I you ask? Simply put, I am a man of adventure, one who is as excited as you are for the upcoming adventure season. I am anxiously waiting to share my knowledge of the West and to create a lasting memory of adventure with everyone. Let’s make the next trip one to remember!
Several years ago, my friends and I were on a quest to discover a new land for us to have the ultimate adventure vacation! It’s easy to imagine why we looked westward, after years of flatland life in Ohio. We all wished to indulge in a two-week, nature based journey to celebrate the thoughts of another summer and the freedom college would soon bring. So what better way to have the time of our lives than travel through our nation’s first National Park; on our own Yellowstone vacation. Beyond the mischief and mishaps that tend to happen on trips of this sort, we were all blown away from our surroundings! Wildflowers that ran until they ran over the hillsides. Mountains reaching heights that were unheard of, and obviously the countless geysers!
That trip will always be kept close to my heart for a number of reasons, one being the way that it has made me go on an endless search of beautiful, wild, places both here and abroad! In the years that have passed since, we all have talked about once again returning to the magical land of mountains, hot springs, and wildlife for another Yellowstone National Park Vacation! Also during those years I have spent much of my time in outdoor pursuits both for personal betterment and guiding. That is why after being granted the wonderful opportunity to join the Austin-Lehman team this year I could barely hold back when I found out I would in fact be working in the inspiring Yellowstone National Park while guiding their Montana Family Vacations! I look forward to sharing the experience of this beautiful place and many others this summer with everyone!
I could really get used to waking up by the ocean (not really practical living in Montana).
We left at dawn to shuttle south to Walvis Bay where we met up with Jeannie our kayak guide. On the water early to beat any potential mid day winds was fine with us.
As we drove to our launch site, we just knew we were on track for a great day. The sun was making what we understand to be a rare appearance along the coast. We passed lots of birds (all of which Jeannie would tell is all about and the occasional jackal.
As we got closer to our "put in" we started seeing huge seal colonies. Jeannie assured us, no need to stop for pictures now as we would get right in the middle of them by water. Since they have no known predators in these parts approaching be sea, it was easy to understand the logic of being able to get close.
What we didn't realize as we paddled up was that to the hundreds of young seal pups, we were a great source of curiosity and amusement. We quickly found ourselves surround by thousands of playful seals. They acted like any "pup" and would follow us and "chew" on anything placed in the water. Including my hand and Andy's GO-Pro camera (Andy should have some great shots)
We literally paddled and played with the seals for hours. When paddling hard they would take it as a challenge and race the kayak. When you stopped, they would surround the kayak and bark for attention. Occasionally one would get comfortable enough for a "belly rub". Yes, they sure reminded us of canine pups, just in mass quantity.
Reluctantly we paddled back to the jeep and headed back to town.
Another "treat" for a Montanan is a beach side grill, today was just going to be a dang good day!!
This PM was again free (something we are not used too) and we took advantage of the time to clean camera gear and just "chill" on the beach.
Today was a good day, experiencing this with my son has made it one of my favorite family adventure vacations I have done so far.
Now, I may be biased, because and I was born and raised in Montana, but I truly believe it is the last best place. Every time I travel I am so happy to know that I get to come home to Montana!
If you are not lucky enough call Montana home, then you should consider it for one of your next Family Adventure Vacations! Not only do you get to explore the areas in Montana, but also Yellowstone Park! We hike, bike, horseback ride, and raft our way through the World’s first National Park and the surround areas! Watch as Old Faithful Geyser shoots thermal waters sky high, examine the bacteria mats that make Grand Prismatic so beautiful, and wake up early to see wildlife exploring for food. Nothing says Montana like bears and bison in the morning mist.
Yellowstone tours are not the only draw to this area. On the Montana program you will also get to explore Big Sky, a glacial carved valley, and Paradise Valley, a river carved valley, pair those with the volcano caldera that is Yellowstone National Park and you will find yourself examining each geological area and experiencing firsthand how Mother Nature can create such varied terrains.
I sincerely hope that Montana Vacations make your list of ‘must see’ destinations! Contact your trusted Adventure Travel Companies to find out the offerings in the area, they truly are endless!
Something we really pride ourselves on here at Austin-Lehman is working as a team. Whether it's in the office or in the field, working as a team is essential to our success. In the spirit of this we decided to make an adventure team for some upcoming adventure races here in Montana. Our team consisted of Kasey Austin, Ryan Morrissey and myself. First we took on the Grizzy Peak adventure race, a 2 mile ski, 6 mile bike and a 2.5 mile run. We were all in the top 10 in our divisions and it was a great race. As you can see below we got a little dirty on the biking section.
Race #2 and to help celebrate Earth Day this past weekend we competed in the Peaks to Prairie triathlon. The race consisted of a 9 mile run which Kasey did, a 50 mile bike ride by Ryan and a 23 mile Kayak by myself.
There's always that point during a race when you are pushing as hard as you can, you don't think there is an end, you're tired, dehydrated and sometimes you think "what am I doing?" But then when you cross the finish line and you see your teammates there with big smiles on your face you can't help to think how worth it was! Also it's not too bad when you see the results and your team gets 3rd place in your division.
Like most great things in life, you need to work for it. A saying I've heard that I really like is "conquerors of the useless", it really doesn't matter how many hiking vacations or cycling tours you do, its what you take from them that matters.
That's why I love working with this amazing team here at Austin-Lehman, in the office, in the field or in a race. I know we all working together to to help share these amazing opportunities to be "conquerors of the useless" and help make memories that will last a life time.
What will you conqueror? Leave a comment at let us know what you get from adventure vacations!
Montana vacations provide an impeccable way to explore a beautiful place untouched by nature with majestic wildlife roaming freely in their beloved home. Explorers who appreciate the water can experience fishing, kayaking or rafting in the spectacular white water of the Yellowstone River. Animal lovers will love looking out for elk, bison, bears and eagles.
Kids will enjoy snacking on delicious fruit kebabs on the lovely shore of a glacial stream in Beehive Basin, where they can dip their feet in an alpine lake surrounded by wildflower studded hillsides. If you dare, raft the Yellowstone River, the longest free-flowing river in North America. To unleash your inner cowboy, saddle up for a gentle horseback ride up Pine Creek to the Absaroka Mountains and enjoy awe inspiring scenery unlike anything else in the world.
Austin Lehman adventures are the perfect choice for families looking to create lasting memories with each other. Plan your family’s trip to Yellowstone Park this year by visiting our online catalog to learn more about all of the activities available in our vacation travel itineraries. Get ready for the vacation of a lifetime.
Yellowstone Park is one of those destinations that every family must visit at least once in their lifetime. Imagine a big blue sky, soaring mountain peaks and acres of lush backcountry seemingly untouched by the outside world. Then multiple that by at least 5, and you begin to understand the enormity and magnificence of this stunning national park.
With so many activities and sights to see, it can be a challenge to get everything in, but our Yellowstone tours offer all the enough excitement and fun to deliver a full and exceptional family adventure that won’t ever be forgotten. Here are the top 3 adventure activities every family will enjoy while on an Austin Lehman tour of the park.
Hiking
Spring vacations in Yellowstone offer guests such a natural setting for hiking that they might not ever want to stop. The fresh air and exercise as families venture out on the trail is only the tip of the iceberg. Hiking as a family really brings everyone together in such an awe inspiring and peaceful place.
Whitewater Rafting
No experience is needed to participate in this cool (and wet) river rafting experience. The Yellowstone River is the longest free flowing river of its kind in the U.S. (lower 48 states) with inspiring scenic views.
Horseback Rides
A gentle walking horseback ride takes everyone up Pine Creek as they venture on their four legged friends into the Mountains of Absaroka. The incredible views of the mountain top lookouts as the family ventures out with 4th generation Montana cowboys will create long lasting memories sure to be spoken of for years to come.
Don’t wait to experience this family trip of a lifetime. Visit us online to find out how to book your vacation today.
Austin Lehman’s Montana vacations are the best! Our whole family loved the sights, food and guides. Everything was outstanding. The guides were very professional and informative. Katie, in particular, had such a high energy level that my boys just went crazy for her! It was so much fun that my sons did not want to leave at all. Thank you for giving us such a perfect family vacation. We can’t wait to journey with you again!
Name: Tina Dykes City: Cliffside Park State: New Jersey Country: USA
Our family vacation to Montana and Yellowstone Park was our first experience with Austin-Lehman, and we definitely plan to be back! The guides were great. The itinerary was perfect. We ate very well. As a matter of fact, we were treated like VIPs and loved every minute of it. I noticed from the very beginning that you guys treat your customers like family, and it shows throughout the entire trip. And talk about great food! It was diverse and tasty. The Chico Hot Springs Resort was our favorite, and I think our dinner with them was the best! The guides were very friendly and professional. Keep doing what you are doing. Don’t ever change a thing – it was perfect!
Name: Sam Shaw City: Hillsdale State: New Jersey Country: USA
There’s no better time to see Yellowstone National Park than well…just about any time. Yellowstone Park is one of those destinations that offer an incredible adventure vacation any time of year. Each season in the park provides a unique experience for travelers.
As you might imagine, the busy time of the year is in the summer between June and September with the busiest months being July and August. Of course, our adventure vacation packages bring our guests to backcountry locations where crowds are few so that the magnificence of the landscapes and unique natural features can be fully appreciated.
An abundance of wildflowers greet visitors in June and July, and June, in particular, brings plenty of wildlife for travelers to see and snap photos. In September the fall flowers are in bloom and the elk come calling their mates. The winter brings an abundance of snow along with opportunities to snowshoe and glide through the trail on snowmobile.
Our Montana vacations offer summer travel times to Yellowstone to experience all the nature and wildlife that this season brings. We also have a five day wintertime journey in February for those ready to hit the scenic slopes with cross country skiing and snowshoeing, and of course, no winter adventure is complete without ice skates and snow mobiles too!
Call today or visit our website to learn more about visiting Montana and Yellowstone this year.
If you missed our Big Sky Winter Getaway this month then it is time to definitely start planning now for next year’s Montana vacations in the winter season. Our wintertime family excursion to southwest Montana lasts 6 days and gives families all the soft power, ski slopes and stunning scenery that you could ever need for good winter fun.
This hiking vacation offers a little something for everyone. Ski or snowboard lessons from the Big Sky Resort will have your skills in tip top shape so you can make a run on the slopes or cross country in Yellowstone Park. Some in the group may want to try their luck on a snowmobile touring the picturesque winter vista of the park or snowshoe in the backcountry of Moonlight Basin.
The whole family will want to try their hand on the dogsled as it speeds through Moonlight Basin as well, and photography buffs will want to have the camera at the ready to snap shots of the indescribable big sky country that is Montana. Spending time with the family on vacation has never been so fun, and really, where else can families dine in a dinner yurt?
Learn more about winter family adventure vacations to Montana and other destinations by visiting our online travel site or giving us a call to request a catalog.
My family and I dreamed about visiting Yellowstone Park so I was thrilled when my husband surprised us by booking our trip last summer. We had never been on a guided tour before, and I have to say everything about the trip was excellent. The travel plans were executed perfectly from start to finish including the yummy snacks. Thanks again to the professional folks at Austin Lehman for a wonderful Montana adventure!
Name: Bridget City: Cincinnati State: Ohio Country: USA
Lifelong Austin Lehman traveler here – you guys are 5 for 5 on another outstanding adventure trip! We had such a great time at Montana’s Glacier National Park, and I can confidently say we have another set of lifetime experiences all created in just one week away! I loved the view at the hotel, and the Lake McDonald Lodge had great cabins with unbelievable views. And as with every other adventure vacation, your guides made great connections with the guests. I think it is the personalization of services that make them so great. They truly make everyone feel as if they are the only guest on the trip, and that means a lot these days! I will definitely only use Austin Lehman for all my vacation planning and highly recommend their services.
Name: Henry Lacosta City: Maui State: Hawaii Country: USA
To celebrate my one year anniversary of living in Montana I decided to have a little winter survival test. Every winter I spend a good amount of time snowboarding in the backcountry and have gotten myself into some pretty serious situations, but lucky enough I have gotten out without having to spend the night in the backcountry. I decided it was time to put myself into a winter survival situation to be prepared if the time ever came where I really had to survive. The plan was to head into the backcountry with only the gear I would bring snowboarding: snowboard clothes, snowboard, snowshoes, space blanket, a bottle of water and a few granola bars. I headed up to the Beartooths, which is about 30 miles from Yellowstone National Park and hiked 3 miles to where I decided would be a good spot to set up camp for the night. Once I decided on the spot I found some tracks from a Lynx, that seemed like it had been following a deer. But I wasn't afraid of a little kitty so I decided to go ahead and start building my snowden. I had never built a snowden before, but I ended up building a pretty sweet one. What I did was dig a hole about 3 feet deep, then laid logs across the top and to insulate it I covered in pine branches. No doubt I have watched an episode or two of survivorman. It took me about 3 hours to build the snowden, it was a lot of energy walking back and forth in the soft snow to get all the logs and branches.
I ended up choosing a great night for this challenge since it wasn't too cold, it only got down to around 25°F and it was a crystal clear night. The Milky Way was brighter than I have ever seen it and I spent the evening stargazing by the fire. When it was time to retire for the night I crawled into my den and slept on my nice bed of pine branches. Using pine branches to sleep on kept me a little dryer and gave me some insulation from the snow. At first I was a little worried I might be cold using just a space blanket, but it worked pretty well. Definitely something everyone should carry with them incase of an emergency. When the morning came I got up and enjoyed the sunrise over the Beartooths. The only real problem I had during the whole excursion was putting my frozen boots on in the morning, that and the fact I had to hike 3 miles back wearing frozen boots...
That's it! I made it and it was a great experience. Now I am already looking forward to my next adventure! Below is a little video I made while I was out there.
If you have any ideas for my next survival test leave a comment and let me know! I am always up for a challenge!
I’ve never shared a story online before, but with the outstanding Montana vacations that Austin Lehman arranges, I just had to tell others about my family’s experience. I have to say that the trip was outstanding in every way. I could never have planned such a trip for my family. They were right on the mark in their planning from start to finish. Our three guides were very patient with my teenagers and the younger kids on the trip, and you couldn’t ask for more kind and responsive guides for all the families attending. I was personally impressed with the lunches that the guides prepared for everyone – in a word, excellent. There was no reason for concern the whole week because every detail was taken care of. So, if anyone out there is considering an Austin Lehman adventure trip, I’m here to tell you to go for it! You will be so happy you did.
Name: Frank Hendrickson City: Sacramento State: CA Country: USA
After my son-in-law passed away two years ago, my grandson has really had a rough time dealing with the loss of his father. My daughter and I thought a little one on one time with grandpa would be a great way for us to connect. One of her coworkers told her about adventure trips from Austin Lehman so after looking through your catalog we thought a Montana family vacation would be just right.
I really have to commend your company on a trip well done. As a matter of fact, my grandson didn’t want to go home at the end, and his time spent white water rafting really brought a smile to his face. With horseback riding, rafting and time at the pool while at Chico Hot Springs, it was really hard to pull him away. I was just glad to see him full of excitement and joy of living again. Our guides really made the trip fun for everyone, and I couldn’t be more pleased at how the entire trip turned out. Thank you so much for bringing such joy to me and my family.
Name: Bill Sherman City: Rochester, State: NY Country: USA
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