Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandie Hardman.
Hi Brandie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I think my love for outdoors is really what led me to the path that I am on now. It started with my love for skiing. After high school I took a job at Alta Lodge while I was interned for Ski Utah. Following that I ended up working for Marker Ski Bindings for a stint of time. I also started my first official events company called Avalanche Productions. The events centered around bringing entertainment to Little Cottonwood Canyon. Something that was almost non-existent at the time. We did fundraisers for nonprofits in the canyon such as Wasatch Back County Rescue and Alta Ski Team.
After spending a few years working and skiing, I chose to continue my education by enrolling in college. Living out of state, leaving the Wasatch was harder than I anticipated. My passion for skiing never subsided. I kept coming back to Utah every chance I had to ski. After being away from Utah for a couple years and ended up returning to Utah to finish out college at University of Utah. During that time, I worked at Wasatch Powderbird Guides and Snowbird Cliff Spa.
After graduating in Communication/Marketing from the “U” I continued to work at Snowbird Cliff Spa while I studied for my GMAT a requirement needed to apply to 1-year intensive MBA program at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. After being accepted into the program about a month after I was headhunted by Red Bull, who were just moving into the US. They made me an incredible offer, and I would become the Marketing Manager for the Northwest. I had two great opportunities and a big decision to make. I told Red Bull I needed a couple weeks to decide. As the end of the two weeks approached, I still was struggling. So, I packed up my truck and headed to Southern Utah to get away from the city and decide what path I was going to take. I ended up in Goblin Valley and after sitting on a ridge during an incredible sunset I made my decision. I started with Red Bull 4 days later.
After a few years being with Red Bull I decided to take a job with Craig McCaw, who was starting up a new statewide wireless internet product in Hawaii and the opportunity to be Director of Marketing and have Maui and Oahu as my first markets with a startup company was too tempting to pass up.
I came back to Utah to ski that winter and that vacation was where I met Ron Johnson, my husband I’ve been married to now for 19 years. After we met, we came down to Southern Utah show each other our favorite spots in Southern Utah and ended up backpacking a few times in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and stayed at the Ranch. The managers ended up shuttling our vehicle for the backpacking trips. Fell in love with the town the few times visiting Boulder and decided to get married on Hells Backbone Road by the bridge. Our wedding weekend, during the Harvest moon, in October was met with a 500-year storm. Luckily, we had a very small wedding because the road washed out to the bridge. Our wedding dinner was planned for Kiva Koffeehouse which was almost cancelled due to power outages. Sarah from Kiva offered her place as an alternative ceremony. An hour before we were to get married. The storm broke, and a triple rainbow blessed the skies. We had our ceremony at the Kiva Koffehouse and our ties to Boulder was yet to be fully revealed.
A few months later we found out the Ranch was being sold. After hearing that we came down and met the buyers who were going to tear down the existing infrastructure and build 2nd homes. Sadly, we believed that would be our final stay at the Ranch.
Low and behold, a year 1.5 later we got a call from the managers who informed us that the deal fell through, and they thought of us. We were down there 2 days later to meet with the owners. And that’s how it all began. I always say the Ranch found us. We weren’t looking but somehow the Ranch called us in. We ended up purchasing Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch.
Our lives would never be the same.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think the biggest struggle has been implementing sustainable practices and working in a traditional, multi-generational Ranching community. Many neighbors did not agree with our practices and our undying protection of the beaver habitat who have been one of the many amazing assets to the Ranch. Of course, growing a business from a run-down old cattle Ranch to where it is now and allowing for natural growth and evolution is a labor of love.
Finding the right people that can live and work in this remote area that connects with the land and our vision, upholding our values of stewardship has been a struggle. It has taken years to find the right staff, a long-term dedicated crew who truly care about what they do and where they work. Building a reputable business, an oasis in the middle of nowhere, is never-ending. It’s one of the places that no matter how many pictures or videos are broadcast it still does not showcase the essence. It takes visiting the Ranch to really understand how special it truly is.
As a small business we struggle competing with the larger resorts and hotels, owned by corporations or investors that have unlimited funds to keep developing and market. Possibly not having a connection with this pristine and amazing area.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Owner/Operator and events Director for Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch (BMGR). The Ranch is a multi-faceted Ranch that sits on 170 acres in Boulder Utah. Besides lodging the Ranch has an Amazing, made from Scratch high quality, organic as possible restaurant, Sweetwater Kitchen. BMGR also has an event center, a yard game/outdoor music instrument area, hike to a waterfall on property and gorgeous unobstructed views.
The Ranch has provided opportunities to become sustainable stewards of the land. Learn and implement permaculture practices, focusing on whole ecosystems. Reviving damaged lands destroyed from overgrazing and use of fertilizers and pesticides. After learning about soil then attending a lecture from Dr Elaine Ingham, I had my ah-ha moment, realizing the necessity of the benefits of healthy soil. I became focused, almost obsessed with creating healthy soil and ended up studying under Dr Ingham. That knowledge led to her hosting a 5-day intensive class at the Ranch and workshops. The knowledge gained sparked a progressive implementation of various practices such as keylining, compost tea application and yes…cattle. After 4 years of researching benefits of rotationally grazed cattle, my husband and I became Regenerative Ranchers in 2019. Organically raising Grass Fed-Grass Finished cattle on our private land. By moving the cows daily (rotationally grazing) to different paddocks. We provide a constant source of dense nutrient grass, they in turn help us build healthy soil. Raised with love, calves are weaned naturally and not branded. Only 3% of Ranchers in the US follow the same practices.
In addition to the soil, we have reconstructed depleted wetland ponds, mimicking the beavers that flourish in our arroyo, completed instream remediation allowing for year round flow, planted over 7,000 lbs of native plants and grasses, planted over 900 trees (500 which are a part of our new orchard), and a garden that produces food for our restaurant, Sweetwater Kitchen.
Sustainability is just one of many aspects of the Ranch. Events, given my background, are also a big part of what we do. Our event center boasts a meeting space/concert venue, a recording studio, and a lounge area with a back deck, and an incredible sky deck which has been blessed with numerous wedding ceremonies. We continue to host weddings, yoga retreats, educational classes, music-based workshops, corporate gatherings, etc. I also curate events, including but not limited to, speaking engagements, dance/movement lessons and performance, art workshops, concerts, and many community-based events.
The Ranch has been an evolution throughout the years. It’s allowed me to continue to educate myself, be creative. Even reflected in the lodging which is a juxtaposition of cabins, traditional Mongolian yurts and lodge rooms, each with their own deco and design. Providing a one-of-a-kind experience for all that visit this lush landscape. A serene setting with much to offer from the land to the amazing food. A place to disconnect from the city and reconnect with nature.
The Ranch is what I am most proud of, becoming a devoted steward of land, connecting with the plants wildlife, trees, water, and the skies. Curating and hosting meaningful events that speak to a wide range of people. Providing a sanctuary. This land, this place has given me an unbelievable canvas, a playground if you will that intertwines my love for the outdoors, events background and the desire to grow and create.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Based on the trends of the last 3-4 years, resort-based and large chain hotels will become the norm. Small businesses will struggle to survive although they may become iconic based on their offerings. Chain restaurants will become more prominent in rural areas. UTV access will become widespread, creating roads and byways, that negatively impact environments and don’t connect people to the land. Less people hiking, climbing, exploring and minimizing amercement into wild nature. On the flip side (I hope) see an opportunities for tour operators flourishing, preservation/educational institutes emerging based around the wonders of the landscapes, highlighting fields of study such as science, geology, paleontology, indigenous history and culture, and eco systems.
Pricing:
- Cabins: 2-3 bedrooms, Full Kitchen $265-330/night
- Traditional Mongolian Yurts: 20-26ft diameter, beautifully decorated, sleeps multiple people/families $177-$200/night,
- Lodge Rooms: Suites, Private rooms, Bunk room $110-$150
- Sweetwater Kitchen: Delectable menu choices, signature cocktails and paired wines, featuring our Grass Fed Grass finished beef. Indoor/outdoor dining $20-$55
- Unobstructed views, dark skies, 170 acres of amazing landscapes, waterfall on property: Priceless
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bouldermountainguestranch.com
- Instagram: bouldermountainguestranch
- Facebook: bouldermountainguestranch
