41 River Ranch Lodge
Story & Photo by: Dana Greig
Long story short – Becky Robinson has opened 41 River Ranch Lodge, a bed and breakfast, next to her home at Twin Bridges on the Salmon River south of White Bird.
Long story long – The land her lodge sits on is much more than a business plot. It’s a space that is near and dear to her heart as it has been the livelihood of her entire life. She is a fourth-generation rancher, with three of those generations primarily on the Salmon River.
Becky’s parents, Ernie and Judy Robinson purchased the ranch homestead in 1961 from his father’s second cousin after having started a cattle herd in New Meadows with the support of a dear friend, Ed Raney. That herd, still in operation today, wears the 41 brand.
Becky and her two brothers, Sam and Craig, were raised on the 41 Ranch. During her upbringing, Becky’s passion was for all things cowgirl - wanting to be nowhere but on a horse and with the cows.
“Mom tried to get me to sew, garden, cook and clean, but those were the last things I wanted to do,” admitted Becky with a laugh.
As an adult, her ideals shifted when she had an idea for a steakhouse that could streamline the ranch’s farm to table process.
“Selling the calves for a low base price and comparing it to what beef was sold for at the store didn’t add up,” Becky explained. “I wanted to cut out all the middlemen by directly serving people the beef we raised.”
With that dream the Grangeville icon of the early 2000s, Ernie’s Steakhouse and 41 Club, was born. Judy’s hope for Becky’s learning to cook manifested in a glorious way as she became the queen of roasting beef on an open fire in the steakhouse.
The restaurant thrived despite the dream of serving only their own beef not working as well as Becky had hoped. The high demand for prime rib and lower demand for burgers not matching the high supply of ground beef vs. prime cuts produced per animal made the mission of only serving 41 beef out of the question.
And yet, the locals loved it. After the restaurant suffered a devastating fire in 2010, Becky made her way to Lewiston to start over with a new Ernie’s which is still in business today. After having run it for 10 years, she sold it to move home.
“I missed living on the river and being with my family,” reminisced Becky. “I sacrificed too many years with them. I was ready to come home, help work the ranch, and enjoy being a grandma.”
All those years spent in the hospitality industry had become engrained in her being, and as many people know, ranchers never really retire. Her idea for the lodge came when her late husband, Kipp Massey, brought her plans for a shop he wanted to build beside their house. At first, she added living quarters for Ernie to have a space of his own when he came to visit. After that space was added, more ideas kept coming and the shop turned into a full-blown four-bedroom motel-style lodge with a large common living space and industrial kitchen.
“I have had my outfitters license for years and I felt it was time to give the hunters their own space to stay instead of the rooms downstairs in our home,” explained Becky.
Naturally, Becky realized how short hunting season is compared to the whole year and decided the lodge could be used for much more.
“There’s a lot to do down here on the river,” smiled Becky. “Jet boating on the Snake and Salmon Rivers, rafting on the Salmon, scenic drives on national forests, drift boat fishing, our private beach on the ranch, and just relaxing, taking in the views.”
The 41 River Ranch Lodge is located on what fishing guides call “The Golden Mile” for fly-fishing on the Salmon River, has four rooms, with additional space of up to eight rooms if needed for an event. Becky’s property is available to rent for short and long-term stays, business gatherings, weddings, and other family gatherings of 100 people or less.
The lodge offers its guests a getaway experience unlike any other, with a hostess who is more than just a multi-faceted entrepreneur. The 41 River Ranch Lodge is a place that feels like home no matter where you’re from, thanks to Becky’s warm, thoughtful, caring hospitality. Guests say they can feel the love there, because the service is delivered by a woman doing what she loves in the place she most loves to be.
Guests can book their stay online through www.41riverranchlodge.com or by calling 208-874-5042. Additional information and photos can be found on the website.