Old Chico Cottage Blog

Montana Steakhouse

2010-06-17T11:39:00.000-06:00

The Raven restaurant in Gardiner, Montana is open for the season! Have you had your steak yet?

Montana Weddings at Old Chico

2010-04-14T09:13:00.004-06:00

I thought I would share a link to some wedding photos that were taken at Old Chico along Emigrant Creek. And in one case, at the cottage. Go to Nashan Photographers, select Chieko- weddings from the "please select a category" drop down box. Select the Colavito.Hoovestal wedding for the session at the cottage and the Wells.Wright wedding for pictures around Emigrant Creek and Old Chico. Both beautiful weddings with a fantastic photographer. She really captured the beauty and some of the history of the area while focusing on the their happy days. Enjoy!!

February

2010-02-01T10:38:00.003-07:00

Here we are, February, and in Montana that can mean a whole lotta winter is left. What to do? Winter hiking, skiing, and maybe a little sledding. We will beat the winter doldrums!

Hint: It is kind of easy when the scenery is this good!

Winter Scene

2010-01-11T20:56:00.002-07:00

The creek

The rocks

Old cabin on the creek

Picnic on the Patio

2009-04-15T11:45:00.005-06:00

Just outside the basement door is a patio overlooking the creek. This spring day was perfect for a picnic there.

The cook grilled up some delicious steaks.

Easter at the Cottage

2009-04-14T12:21:00.004-06:00

We spent Easter at the cottage and had a wonderful spring weekend.

Our stay would not be complete without an egg hunt on the lawn.

Emigrant Creek still has a touch of snow in it, but it is melting quickly and it won't be long before we have flowers and leaves.

Lounging and Cooking

2009-04-01T16:37:00.006-06:00

I purposely designed this kitchen to be quick and effecient. Who wants to spend their vacation cleaning house. It is very easy to work in with plenty of counter space, new appliances, and cooking utensils.

The basement features an area outside the bedrooms for lounging and the french doors open onto the patio that overlooks the creek.

The main floor also has a lounging area complete couches and a television. Perfect for relaxing after a day in Yellowstone.

Bathrooms

2009-04-01T16:25:00.002-06:00

The cottage has two bathrooms, one on each floor. They both have tile showers and unlimited hot water.

This is the pebble floor to massage your feet in one shower.

I really love the claw foot tub. It is cast iron and holds the heat of the water amazingly well. I can take a bath for a half an hour and still not want get out.

Sites from the Cottage

2009-04-01T16:17:00.003-06:00

This is a fall shot of the back porch of the cottage. I love to sit on the porch and listen to the creek while I sip on a cup of coffee.

The front of the cottage and the driveway which has lots of room for parking.

Bedrooms

2009-04-01T16:00:00.003-06:00

The cottage has three bedrooms with queen sized beds. Here is the master bedroom on the main floor. It has a large window that looks over the creek. The bonus is you can hear the creek from every room.

The basement is daylighted which allows for ample light and there are two bedrooms.

This is the loft with the three full sized beds. Children love this space and feel like they are having a sleepover when they are here. For your comfort, two fans are provided.

Cancellation Policy

2009-02-01T14:38:00.003-07:00

The cottage's cancellation policy is as follows. Full refund minus 5% for credit card fees if cancelled thirty days before booked date. Within thirty days of booked date, no refund unless I am able to rebook. That's it, short and simple...

All the Comforts of Home

2009-02-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Fishing and a Wedding

2009-01-29T08:00:00.001-07:00

One of Two Bathrooms

2009-01-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

The shower in this bathroom is very roomy, a full four feet square. As a bonus, we enjoy unlimited hot water thanks to our tankless water heater. I don't have to rush through my shower and everyone else will still have hot water when I am done. It saves energy by only heating the water that is used. Pretty nice since all winter the cottage is pretty much empty for days at a time.

Washington, North Dakota Commenters

2009-01-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

These folks enjoyed the cottage while celebrating their dad's sixtieth birthday. They had a full week with horseback riding, touring the park, hiking the mountains, and exploring Emigrant Creek.

Mid-Winter Shadows

2009-01-26T16:16:00.005-07:00

{Master bed headboard}

Mid-winter the sun is low and we get many clear days to enjoy it. I love how the shadows play off the walls in the cottage. I also love these old doors we salvaged from the original building.

2008, Comments Straight from the Book

2009-01-26T14:31:00.003-07:00

Emigrant Creek Cabins

2009-01-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

In the immediate area of the cottage are two more smaller cabins. They are both within walking distance, but are far enough apart to offer privacy. Some groups choose to rent all three places and then gather at the cottage for activities, dinner, pictures, etc. It seems to work well for families and groups of friends. Each group can have their own space, while still being able the enjoy the company of the others when they feel like it.

Here is a great link to a recipe a couple enjoyed while staying in the Gulch Cabin http://www.justgoodeats.com/recipes/show.php?record_ID=189

If you are interested in the Emigrant Creek Cabins, please contact me or click on the link on the side bar.

Random Pictures

2009-01-09T09:03:00.003-07:00

{Afternoon sun -in winter- on claw-foot tub in master bath}

{Antique mirror and bistro chair}

Coffee on the Porch

2009-01-06T09:46:00.003-07:00

Hot cup of coffee, enjoyed in the morning sun on the back porch, listening to the birds and the frozen creek. It is the BEST place to be.

Yellowstone in the Winter

2009-01-04T16:14:00.004-07:00

Here is a great blog post about Yellowstone in the winter. It details the skating rink in Mammoth and cross-country skiing the terraces. Brings back some great memories I have of winter visits to YNP. Good times... http://www.nashan.com/2008/12/yellowstone-national-park-in-winter.html and some pretty good pictures!

Speaking of winter, snow, and cold, here is the cottage in the winter.

Memories

2008-11-10T12:01:00.003-07:00

Recently I got an email from someone who lived in the cottage long ago, before we moved it from where it was originally built. She obviously has some great memories from the working cattle ranch she grew up on and the cottage she called home so many years ago. In her own words,

"When I think of when we lived there, we didn't have indoor plumbing and look at it now. I remember the big Christmas parties mom and dad would have. The good china and dishes came out and they always had homemade Tom And Jerry's.

I know daddy and another guy....Tony something or other (Papish) built it in 1937 the year mom and dad were married. Paul Rigler remembers it and he thinks it only took about 8 months to build.

I found out about your house through an old high school friend in Billings. She had gone to a wedding (at Chico Hot Springs) and the brides mother had rented your cottage, so on a whim I looked up vacation rentals in the Chico area and there you were." Ceil from Prescott, Arizona

This Time of Year

2008-09-10T10:26:00.006-06:00

Fall at the cottage means:

fall flowers

apples

yellow. yellow grass, yellow trees, yellow bushes

snow dusting the tops of the mountains

New Photos from Lindsay!

2008-09-09T12:03:00.003-06:00

Go check out some new pictures of Emigrant Creek from Lindsay Wright Photography. She takes some amazing shots and the creek is very photogenic!

Patchwork Garage

2008-08-25T10:35:00.005-06:00

One attraction in Old Chico is the License Plate Garage. In the 1940's, Lundy Counts built the garage and paid kids five cents for each license plate they brought him. Soon, he had enough to cover his garage. Over the years, some plates have been taken while others have replaced the missing. The result is a perfectly patch worked building.

What's in a name?

2008-08-10T10:14:00.005-06:00

Why the Old Chico Cottage? The name comes from the tiny settlement where the cottage sits which was once a mining town. Many families were able to make it here during the Great Depression mining for gold, my mother's family being one of them. The original name for the town was Yellowstone City, but as the town moved further up the creek for protection from Indians, the name changed to what it is currently known by locals, Old Chico.

Chico because, as local historians say, there was a little fellow named Chico who used the hot springs to wash his dirty duds. I am sure most of the miners in town used the hot springs for that, but the man named Chico must have been unusual and the name stuck.

{One of a few old buildings still standing in Old Chico}

The Roosevelt Arch

2008-08-10T09:57:00.005-06:00

Gardiner, Montana was one of the first tourist entries into Yellowstone National Park. In 1903, the railroad came all the way into Gardiner and people entered the park through the enormous arch we now know as the Roosevelt Arch. Roosevelt because Teddy was visiting the park when the construction started on the arch and he placed the first cornerstone. The top of the arch is inscribed with the words, "For the benefit and enjoyment of the people." The arch is still intact today and in great shape.

{Photo by Lindsay Wright Photography}

Gardiner also includes other historic sites such as: the Engineer's office, designed in 1903 by Hiram Chittenden of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Scottish Rite Chapel, 1913; Capitol Hill, former site of Superintendent Norris' headquarters blockhouse; Kite Hill cemetery, 1880s, containing graves of early settlers and employees; Reamer House, designed in 1908 by well-known architect Robert Reamer, an example of Prairie-style architecture; Haynes Picture Shop, photographic studio used by the Haynes family; old roads, railroad beds, bridges; and historic structures in Gardiner.

Mammoth

2008-08-05T20:50:00.006-06:00

A view of the boardwalks and the Mammoth hotel and buildings.

Mammoth Hot Springs is located just inside the Park from the North Entrance. It takes about fifteen minutes to drive there from Gardiner, Montana. Mammoth is unique in that the hot water dissolves limestone under the ground then deposits it on the surface when it evaporates to make these delicate limestone travertine terraces. Really quite beautiful.

Mammoth also has wonderful boardwalks to hike and enjoy the different formations. It is a great way to get out of the car and stretch tired legs.

View the live web cam of the Mammoth area.

Day trip to Yellowstone

2008-08-05T18:50:00.005-06:00

Friday we had a day trip into Yellowstone and went to the Boiling River (a must for all vacationers) and the Mammoth Terraces.

The Boiling River is a !hot! spring (130 degrees F) that dumps into the Gardner River. There are pools made from stacked rocks where the hot and cold waters meet and is very enjoyable to swim in. These are located just inside the Park between the North Entrance and Mammoth. Parking is available on both sides of the road.

More about the Mammoth Terraces in the next post.

Guest Comments

2008-08-05T18:44:00.002-06:00

Some wonderful comments by a family in 2006. I love the letter from Erin. So cute!

Guest Comment, 2006

2008-07-30T14:10:00.004-06:00

These guests were very nice people that must have ran into my dad somewhere on the creek. Mom and Dad's house and where I grew up is near the cottage.

From Sheep Sheds to Furniture

2008-07-29T10:24:00.005-06:00

I really like the rustic furniture in the Sundance catalog, but lets be honest and ask, "Who can afford those prices for an end table?" My wonderful and talented husband had a solution! They were tearing down the old sheep sheds at a neighboring ranch and it was full of great, rustic wood. Here is the result:

He also made a tv stand, a bench, and a vanity all with the same beautiful Doug Fir that was harvested locally and used to build the sheep sheds sixty years ago.

Wood

2008-07-28T15:03:00.005-06:00

I love this floor. It is the original fir floor that was through the entire house. There were many holes for vents, no floor where there were walls and some damage. So, I ripped up the entire thing and we laid the good stuff back down in the living room, dining room and kitchen. On part of the wood there was a horrible linoleum glue we had to get off and some of the floor had been under carpet for years and years. The end result is a beautiful floor with some character and scars. I love having a piece of the old house with all the new things we have done here.

Water, Water Everywhere.

2008-07-24T16:15:00.007-06:00

The cottage finally has a sprinkler system, which will save on energy and some time on my part. This upgrade will ensure everything is watered properly and I should not lose many more bushes to lack of water! The lawn is actually a drought tolerant mix of yarrow, roman chamomile, clover, rye grass and fine fescue, so it requires quite a bit less water than a conventional lawn. I mail ordered the mix from Nichols Garden Nursery . The dryland ecology mix is for this zone and they offer many other options for other parts of the country. I love the feathery, soft look and do not mind the occasional, dare I say it, dandelion.

Here is another guest comment I received by email from the same people that I posted about yesterday.

Guest Comment

2008-07-22T09:52:00.003-06:00

July 2006

These were some of our first guests and they came back the next year for the week of Thanksgiving.

New to me

2008-07-21T17:22:00.001-06:00

We became the proud owners of the cottage in November of 2004. Immediately we began destruction/construction and two years later, we were ready for our first guests. The time into the project was well worth it and we have loved staying there and sharing with others.

Over the next few posts I would like to show some of the adventure that remodeling this old house has been.

Thanks for coming over!