Life on a working cattle spread has its rewards

To stay at the Bull Hill Guest Ranch, perched on an isolated hilltop in Washington's Okanogan highlands, isn't exactly like re-living the Old West -- but it's pretty darn close.

Bull Hill has a 102 year legacy as a working cattle ranch, complete with a 20-acre private lake on 50,000 acres of prime grazing land, plus 1,000 head of cattle, a 2,400-foot private airstrip, and 55 horses. It's 15 to 20 miles from the Canadian border and a six- to seven-hour drive from Seattle, two hours from Spokane.

The guest ranch idea was an early-1990s brainstorm of brothers and ranch owners Don and Pete Guglielmino. After several years gnawing on the idea, they decided to build a guest ranch of seven cabins on property above the original homestead and current ranch operations center. They opened in the summer of 1996, and another investor has since come on board.

The brothers expected word-of-mouth would be good enough to sustain a steady stream of guests with cowboy or cowgirl in their veins. They were right. Return guests are now their bread and butter. Those guests tell others about the ranch, of course, and so on.

Pete, who is usually dressed in his cowboy hat, jeans and cowboy boots, looks more like a wrangler than the day-to-day manager of the ranch.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

The main lodge at Bull Hill Guest Ranch is the place for hearty meals and a good drink.

Don, on the other hand, manages The Skagit Valley Casino Resort in Bow and Semiahmoo Spa and Resort in Blaine, wearing a more traditional coat and tie. Don built an extravagant log cabin getaway for his family overlooking the private lake. Pete's home -- and ranch central -- is perched on a cliff overlooking the precise spot on the Columbia River where it meets Roosevelt Lake, which was created by the Grand Coulee Dam.

The first Bull Hill Guest Ranch guests were lodged in large wall tents -- the primitive precursors to the fashionable two-story, rustic, utilitarian guest cabins that were completed in 1998. The elegant executive cabin, featuring the best view from the highest elevation, includes three bedrooms, two baths, a full-kitchen, hardwood and carpeted floors, washer/dryer and leather furnishings. It was completed a couple of years ago. The brothers nicknamed the cabin Bullagio, a fun reference to Don's casino and hotel experience and to the elegant Bellagio resort and casino in Las Vegas.

Each of the other cabins, located in private settings with tremendous views from their front porches, are named after popular pioneer lore, like The Ponderosa or The Virginian, and decorated in a western theme. My cabin was named after the award-winning 1989 TV western miniseries "Lonesome Dove," starring Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Storm clouds gather over the main lodge at the guest ranch perched on a hill overlooking the Columbia River. Weather forecast for this summer: hot and even hotter.

The roomy cabin was western from top to bottom. First, don't worry about losing your key -- there isn't a lock on the door, just like the old days.

Unfortunately, my first night in the cabin I practically roasted after I stoked up the wood-burning stove against the cold, not realizing how efficient the small stove was. Firewood, kindling and newspaper are provided, as are space heaters. The cabins are very well insulated to maintain the heat. The handcrafted lodge-pole beds in all the cabins are draped with Pendleton Mills' blankets with colorful Native American themes. When I pulled back the covers, I was jolted by the bright red pillowcases that depicted a variety of cowboys at work and play; they didn't keep me awake, however. The window curtains, in true western fashion, are hung on dried tree branches.

Continuing the western theme, the coat hooks in my cabin were fabricated from horseshoes. The loft includes mattresses for three, with two comfortable queen-size beds in the main living area. The cabin also features a coffeemaker, full bathroom and shower, nice desk, but no television, phone or refrigerator -- signs that the pioneer spirit lives on. Lodge pole furniture adds to the western look. Another sign: Cell phone service is spotty at best in that part of the state.

A not-so-western touch: the two hot tubs available for guests -- one outdoors near the Lonesome Dove cabin and the other in the shower house, which also includes showers, of course, and laundry facilities. After a day in the saddle, I bet cowboys of old would have enjoyed a good soak now and then.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

One of the large rainbow trout caught in the private lake at the ranch in Eastern Washington is held by ranch co-owner Pete Guglielmino.

Speaking of the saddle, it's no mystery that most of the Bull Hill guests come to the ranch to ride horses. Experienced riders can even participate in a half-day or daylong cattle drives during May and June, when the cattle are moved to summer grazing areas. Guided trail rides also are available for the less-advanced riders.

Some of the returning guests spoke fondly of the horses they rode the year before and how they hoped they could ride the same horse this year.

(A manly tradition at the ranch: If you get tossed from a horse, that same night you're supposed to drink several ounces of your favorite alcoholic beverage out of a small horn from a bull.)

I wasn't able to ride a horse because of an illness I suffered earlier this year, but I was able to ride a ranch-supplied all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to the private lake with Pete. I had much more control over the ATV than a horse anyway. Horses usually get the best of me. They always seem to catch on quickly that I don't ride very often.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

A mother white-tailed deer closely guards her days-old fawn in the high grass. Wild critters of several kinds can be found on the ranch.

Thanks to Pete, who rowed the boat and loaned me a fly rod and reel, I was able to tie into a few of the smaller (18- to 21-inch) Kamloops rainbow trout that are plentiful in the lake. The fish get much larger according to Pete. He told me he was delighted to see the smaller ones (large ones in my book) flourishing so well. The ranch management closely monitors the health of the lake, too. Only flies are allowed, no gas motors on the lake, and fishing is catch-and-release only.

In the best western vernacular, the ranch "cookhouse" is where all meals are served. The building has a wonderful western feel and wide-open character. Like the cabins, the cookhouse features large lodge pole furniture, along with broad polished-wood dining tables with wood benches, a large bar and full-service kitchen. All meals are served ranch-style (fill your own plate), which I especially enjoyed. Diners can enjoy a view of the valley from a large two-tiered outside deck.

No seven-course, high-priced, gourmet, froufrou meals with large plates and small portions at Bull Hill Guest Ranch. The food is simple but very tasty. Dinners are mostly meat and potatoes of some kind, along with a green salad. Sandwich fillings or cold cuts are set out for lunch. Breakfast, like dinner, is a hearty blend of carbs and protein. Bar charges (believe it or not) are included in the daily lodging rate.

JEFF LARSEN / P-I

Laura Doyle, Bull Hill Guest Ranch office manager and wrangler, rides in the back of the guest wagon as a group of horses follow along.

Other summer activities on the ranch include trap shooting, horseshoes, boating, hiking and wildlife viewing. At 3,200-foot elevation in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Bull Hill Guest Ranch also is earning a reputation as an excellent snowmobiling destination during the winter. Skiing is 45 minutes away at Red Mountain Ski Resort in British Columbia.

Like on a cruise ship, the daily rate -- which is very reasonable -- includes lodging, three meals daily, beverage service, unlimited ranch activities (you have the run of the place), all resort attractions, horseback riding, fishing and cattle drives. The attention you may receive from at least one of the many friendly dogs on the ranch also is free. Because I petted him all the time, a Labrador retriever thought I was his best friend and followed me around during my entire visit.

Cary Simonds from Spokane, a returning guest from last year, told me at dinner that he travels all over the world but by far his favorite spot is Bull Hill Guest Ranch. As he and some friends left the cookhouse after dinner to shoot skeet, he jokingly asked me not to write this story about the ranch because it might stir up enough interest to interrupt their plans for a four-day return visit next year.

To be honest, I hope I'm able to book a fishing trip up there this fall.

Bull Hill Guest Ranch -- 3738 Bull Hill Road, Kettle Falls; www.bullhill.com Reservations: 877-285-5445. All rates are per person, May-October. Ranch cabins: single or double occupancy, $175; three or more, $155; juniors, ages 5-12, $95; children 4 and under free. Executive cabin: single or double occupancy, $650; three to six persons, $225; 10 percent discount for groups of 15 or more. Also 10 percent discount on a minimum five-night stay.

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