Retreats We all know how the West was won. But why? So a man like you could one day own a piece of it

One of the benefits of owning a rustic pied-à-terre is being able to wake to a buzzing BlackBerry in New York yet be picking your way down a craggy riverbed, fly-fishing rod in hand, by late afternoon. With The Club at Spanish Peaks, located in the southwestern Montana hamlet of Big Sky, the terre in question is particularly untrammeled, looking much the same as when the first explorers ambled through in search of ways to tame the West at great profit.

That’s not to say that the development lacks top-notch amenities, or the associated expenses; a five-bedroom home with 6,578 square feet of rough-sawn pine flooring, granite-slab countertops, ski storage, wine storage and wide windows framing the distant mountains sells for around $4.35 million (home sites start at $700,000, and full membership carries a one-time fee of $85,000, plus annual dues). A clubhouse at the center of the property provides seven spacious rooms for guests, a pro shop and a dining room serving alpine cuisine. So far, the Club’s 320 initial members have built some 33 houses on the land, and to the east of the clubhouse, a lodge — due to open in 2010 — will more fully connect members to skiing at the adjacent Big Sky Resort.

The risk of all that development, of course, is your pastoral hideaway mutating into an overdeveloped monstrosity, complete with high-rise condos — a fate the area’s dealmakers seem determined to avoid: Six landowners, including Club founder, owner and CEO Jim Dolan, control an overwhelming portion of the local acreage not already set aside for parkland, and none seems anxious to turn Big Sky into another Vail.

“Once you introduce man into the equation, you have to deal with land management,” says COO Steve DePetro. “We have 3,500 acres and plan to keep 70 percent of that as open space.” That means no clearing of vast tracts of pines and no homes in violation of the local architectural guidelines (think lots of wood).

Still, things can’t stay too rustic — or there would be no golf. And considering the superb new 7,200-yard Tom Weiskopf signature course at the heart of the property, that would be a shame. Here, at this demonic minimalist design, bunkers quickly become the golfer’s best friend: Aiming for them spares one’s ball from hurtling into the routing’s many trees, chasms and wetlands. “I’m thinking of designing a shirt for those who walk the course that says i survived,” jokes Chip Swanson, the Club’s director of golf. “Tom chose areas because of the natural features and topography that he didn’t have to move.”

Indeed, the majority of activities here involve facing the wilderness — whether hiking, horseback riding or fly-fishing on the nearby Gallatin River. The Club even offers a three-day riding excursion into nearby Yellowstone, accompanied by a gear-carrying mule and a host of wranglers and fishing guides; a camp chef prepares lobster and steak for dinner on the trail, ensuring the Old West vibe doesn’t become too authentic for comfort. Because giving up on civilization can be invigorating — so long as you don’t have to give up on any of its benefits. 877-995-3100; spanish-peaks.com

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