West Fork Lodge '10

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="043c8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B>  On our August trip, Mark, Doug and I decided to try something new.  West Fork Lodge (4U7) is a fly-in / drive-in lodge in western Montana (somewhat near Hamilton).  The 2,600 ft. grass strip is located right next to the lodge.  It's surrounded by a lot of steep terrain and the elevation is 4,250 ft, so wear your mountain flying pants.</B></div> <div> <B>  The lodge is run by Tex and Heidi Irwin and you won't meet a nicer couple anywhere.   The lodge itself is fantastic and Tex really knows his way around the kitchen.  We were there for 3 days and I must've left at least five pounds heavier.</B></div> <div> <B>   If you're in the neighborhood I highly recommend a visit.   Their website is located  </B><A HREF="http://www.westforklodge.com/index.cfm?websiteid=7358" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.westforklodge.com/index.cfm?w"><U><B><U>HERE</U></B></U></A></div> <div> <B>  </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>John Galban's Flying Site</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Galbans Flying Site"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="16"><B>     </B><A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Flying B Ranch 10"><U><B><IMG SRC="04910100.gif" border=0 width="16" height="16" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>     </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="16"><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Galbans Flying Site"><U><B><IMG SRC="04b100e0.gif" border=0 width="16" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> West Fork Lodge '10</div> <div> <IMG SRC="40ae8bb0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="699" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   View of the strip and surrounding terraing from about 4 miles south.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="40ce8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   Looking down runway 20.  The lodge is at the end of the runway on the left.  Aircraft parking on the right.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="40ee8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   We stayed in a very comfortable three bedroom cabin with a living room and kitchen.   Sure beats living in a tent!</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="40de8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   The main lodge is located right across the runway from the tiedown area.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="416e8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   There is a courtesy van provided for visiting town or going fishing.  As you can see, it also doubles as the lodge's guestbook.  Patrons are encouraged to leave their mark on </div> <div> the van with the indelible pens provided.   Yes, that is a couch in the back of the van.  It's quite a comfortable ride.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="412f4770.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="375" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="413f4770.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="375" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>    My effort was relatively plain (plane?).  Mark, however, felt moved to create a work of art on the right front fender.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="414e8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   The bar / restaurant is amazing.  The walls throughout are covered with aviation memorabilia.  It's like a museum that serves beer!</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="415e8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   Steaks and beers at a backcountry lodge.  It doesn't get much better.  </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="417e8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>    We took a ride in the van to nearby Painted Rock Lake.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="418e8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="1000" height="750" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>   The Bitterroot River is just across the road from the lodge.  If you just want to kick back and relax, this is a good place to do it.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>