The Homestead on Jerked Prairie

THE HOMESTEADR ANCH ON T JERKEDITLE PRAIRIE 158.52± acresRanch of pristine Descriptive mountain Sentence meadow terrain WiseRanch River, Location Montana LEGACY LANDS LLC THE HOMESTEAD ON JERKED PRAIRIE The Homestead on Jerked Prairie consists of 158.52± acres of pristine mountain meadow terrain surrounded by the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest. The property is a unique in-holding within the national forest, which is also a Wilderness Study Area. Few privately held properties offer the wild, natural beauty that is the historic Jerked Prairie. There are roughly 1.5± miles of mountain streams winding through the meadow, holding an abundant population of native westslope cutthroat trout. The property is home to a large variety of wildlife including deer, wolves, black bears, moose, the occasional mountain goat and elk which use the meadow as a calving ground. Structural improvements include two reclaimed cabins. The trapper’s cabin is a one-bedroom, one-bath cabin and the second is the 3,500± sq. ft. log lodge constructed in 1997. Accessed by a U.S. Forest Service road, the property is roughly 20 miles south of the quaint town of Wise River, Montana. 1 LOCATION To reach the Homestead on Jerked Prairie, take the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway approximately 16 miles south from Wise River, MT, then travel approximately 4 miles west on Lacy Creek Road. The property is an early homestead, completely surrounded by the Beaverhead Deer-Lodge National Forest, with access via a US National Forest Road Use Permit. The Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, MT is approximately an hour and fifteen minutes’ drive from the ranch and offers regional air service with Delta connection flights to Salt Lake City. For private aircraft, the Dillon, MT airport has two runways and is approximately the same driving distance from the ranch. 2 The Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway bisects the backcountry of the Pioneer Mountains for over 40 miles between the Big Hole Valley and the Grasshopper Creek Valley. From the north, the Byway begins at the town of Wise River, where the Wise River joins the Big Hole River. Traveling south one follows the Wise River toward its headwaters in the Pio- neer Mountains before crossing a gentle 7,800-foot divide. South of the divide is Maverick Mountain Ski Area which is approximately 20 miles from the ranch. The town of Polaris is approximately 5 miles further near the junction with Highway 278, which leads to the town of Dillon, MT. Maverick Mountain has 24 trails on 255 skiable acres. Skiers often enjoy the nearby Elkhorn Hot Springs after a day on the slopes. This area is also a favorite destination for snowmobilers during the winter season. The portion of the scenic byway between Pettingill camping area and Elkhorn Hot Springs is closed from December 1 to May 15. During that time, the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway is a National Recreation Snowmobile Trail. The nearby Big Hole River is arguably the best blue ribbon trout stream in the lower 48, known for its native population of wild grayling in addition to rainbow, trophy brown, cutthroat and brook trout. The Wise River is also an excellent wade fishing stream and the surrounding Pioneer Mountains are dotted with numerous high country lakes and smaller mountain streams. Lambrecht Creek, which traverses the ranch, is one of those streams which contains a large population of native westslope cutthroat trout and the Bobcat Lakes, accessible by hiking trail from the ranch, offer angling opportunities for native Montana grayling. The Pioneer Mountains are a vast mountain range with impressive big game populations. Elk, moose, deer and bears are common and plentiful for the sportsman. Another nearby attraction located along the Pioneer Mountain National Scenic Byway is Crystal Park. The unique 220acre site has been reserved by the U.S. National Forest for rock hounding. Quartz crystals are liberally scattered throughout the decomposed granite. The crystals can be clear, cloudy, white, gray or purple and may be up to several inches in diameter. 3 DESCRIPTION Jerked Prairie sits at over 7,000 feet in elevation and lies within the West Pioneers Wilderness Study Area in the Beaver- head-Deer Lodge National Forest. Lambrecht Creek meanders through the meadow, which is completely surrounded by mountain forest. The setting is so spectacular and serene that it is hard to imagine that it could be in private ownership. The property is approached by U.S. Forest Service road access from the south. There is a log arch and stacked rail fenc- ing that identifies the entrance to the property. The 3,500± sq. ft. log home overlooks the mile-long stream and meadow. Much of the open meadow is made up of natural wetlands and serves as a natural gathering place for all the local wildlife that reside in the Pioneer Mountains during the morning and evening hours. 4 IMPROVEMENTS Two reclaimed, early 1900s cabins, including the original log lodge built of hand-hewn lodgepole pines harvested on the property. Other early log structures include a trapper’s cabin, shower house and work shop. The first structure built by the current owners in 1996 is a one-bedroom log cabin located near the original homestead structures. The 3,500± sq. ft. custom log home was built in 1997. In 1999 a barn with guest quarters was completed, just behind the lodge. All of the buildings are arranged to the west boundary along both sides of a tributary to Lambrecht Creek. Westslope cutthroat trout are abundant in the beaver ponds along the stream and elk frequently browse in the willows and meadow. There is a solar system and back-up generators that power the structures. A developed mountain spring supplies drinking water or the newly drilled well can be utilized. This self-sufficient system provides the comforts of home in a remote, wilderness setting. 5 6 7 8 HISTORY Initially Benny Osborne, a trapper and gold miner, resided on Jerked Prairie. He would travel by snowshoe back and forth to Wise River some 22 miles in the winter. Eventually old age and the elements caught up to him on one of his winter treks and he was forced to seek shelter at a cabin near Pattengail Creek. Another notable figure at the time in the area was Joe Maurice, a gold miner as well. Joe and Benny were bitter rivals, Joe happened by Benny as he was seeking shelter in one of the abandoned cabins but chose to leave him to freeze to death. Benny was found in the cabin frozen a few days later after being overcome by the harsh winter elements, his heels rubbed raw to the bone from trying to keep moving to stay warm. Charles A. Lambrecht homesteaded on Jerked Prairie as well. He cut hay in the meadow and grazed a small herd of cat- tle there in the fall until the hay ran out or deep snows forced him to bring the herd to lower elevations. The two-story homestead cabin that he built has burned down. In addition to the main cabin, he had a barn, tool and machine sheds that were located on the west side of the meadow where the log structures exist today. In September of 1944 he sold the property to John Hjelmstad of Wise River. 9 FISHERY RESOURCES Lambrecht Creek is densely populated with native Westslope Cutthroat trout. According to a 2008 stream survey, westslope cutthroat are the only trout species in Lambrecht Creek. The westslope is native to western Montana. The only other native cutthroat trout species in Montana, the Yellowstone cutthroat, inhabits the Yellowstone river system. West- slopes are brilliantly colored and have the distinctive red slash beneath their chin which gives the cutthroat their name. They are aggressive feeders and readily pursue a variety of dry and wet fly patterns. The Wise River area provides access to a wide variety of other fishing opportunities. Many high mountain lakes are found in the Pioneer Mountains. Bobcat Lakes are approximately four miles from the Lacy Creek trailhead and contain native Montana grayling. There are several other nearby lakes that hold grayling - such as Lake of the Woods - and support westslope cutthroats. Baldy Lake in the Pioneer Range is know for large rainbow trout weighing up to 12lbs, they are elusive but the opportunity is there. The Wise River is a clear, cold mountain stream that tumbles approximately thirty miles down the Wise River valley to its confluence with the Big Hole River. It is one of Montana’s most rapid tributaries and anglers will find fish behind boulders and logs where they are harbored from the swift current. The river holds rainbows, browns, cutthroat and brook trout as well as arctic grayling and Rocky Mountain whitefish. Dry fly fishing is the favorite technique for fishing the often crystal clear pocket water of the Wise. The Big Hole River is approximately 20 miles north of the ranch. The Big Hole is a freestone mountain stream with three distinctly different sections. The upper section is slower in tempo and meanders through coniferous forests through one of the most spectacular mountain settings that Montana has to offer. This section may be floated in a drift boat or raft during low water season and is very easily waded most of the summer. Below Wise River, the river picks up volume and velocity as it runs through the Dewey and Maiden Rock canyons. This is the section of the river most known for the Big Hole’s famous salmon fly hatch in late June. Below the canyons, the lower Big Hole meanders through ranchland in braided channels that cut through the cottonwood-lined riparian corridor.

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