Ridin-Hy
Ranch Resort
Year Round Family Fun, Ranch Style!
Phoenix Rising from the Ashes
What is Ridin-Hy Ranch?
When most people hear the word “ranch” they think of cowboys and horse. At Rydin-Hy you’ll see plenty of those for sure, but there is so much more. One of the best things about Ridin-Hy, is that you can partake in ranch-planned or self-planned activities all day and night…or you can do nothing at all and simply relax. As a family run ranch owned and operated by the Beadnell family, activities are built for adults, children, and families alike.
Situated in the Adirondack Mountains on Sherman Lake, the ranch is nestled on 700 acres of pure heaven. Other than for four short weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the Beadnell family takes a well-deserved rest, the ranch is open year-round with activities such as horseback riding, snowmobiling, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snow tubing, sleigh rides, ice skating, ice fishing, fishing boats, pontoon boats, waterskiing, hiking, dancing, volleyball, softball, and tennis. This is all in addition to the horses, cowboys, professional rodeos, guest rodeos…and they even have a petting zoo with various animals such as goats, pigs, donkeys, and alpacas.
Specific details about the ranch, to include activities, lodging, all-inclusive meals, maps, schedules, and of course rates are on their website at https://www.ridinhy.com/ . However, this article is about last year’s tragedy and the resilience and determination of the Ridin-Hy Ranch owners, staff, and guests to overcome the adversities in order to not just pick themselves up but to also dust themselves off and get back on that proverbial horse and seize the opportunity to make the ranch even better than it has ever been.
🔥 FIRE IN THE MAIN LODGE 🔥
On Friday, October 27th 2017 a fire broke out in the beloved and cherished main lodge of Ridin-Hy Ranch resulting in 12 fire departments being called in to suppress the fire. Unfortunately, the lodge was a total loss. Luckily, not a single life was lost due in no small part to the quick thinking of staff and guests who pitched in to sound the alarm in order to evacuate the log cabin style building. One of the owners even braved the fire going room to room to ensure every guest was safe and even rescued a handicapped guest who was on an oxygen tank. Fire officials determined the cause of the fire was due to a guest who carelessly attempted to put out a lit cigar in a paper cup on a balcony.
REBUILDING EFFORTS BEGIN
Inside the lodge at the time were the dining room, kitchen, guest rooms, arcade, main desk/reception, dance hall, and saloon. Utilizing a newer auxiliary building that had been used as a gymnasium they quickly shifted operations there to provide continuity of service.
A new auxiliary kitchen was built expeditiously near the new impromptu dining room. With this and the initial heavy use of BBQ grills, the guests were well fed.
The biggest savior, and perhaps a bit of luck, was that just days prior the office staff had backed up the computer files onto the cloud (aka internet). Without this, all the critical files such as upcoming room reservations and guest payment records would have been lost.
The image below was the planned schematic of what the Beadnell family and designers planned for the new main lodge. You may notice that it isn’t an exact replica of the prior lodge thanks to government construction building codes that have changed that prevent the full log cabin style structure from before. Of course, these building code changes do improve safety to mitigate another fire tragedy with the trade off being losing the nostalgic log cabin look of yesteryear. But something tells me that things’ll turn out just fine…
THE SHOW MUST GO ON!!!
The Ranch owners quickly put into place a plan to accommodate the current and future guests without interruption of service in order to maintain the full Ranch experience.
Guest check-in and reception desk is critical as it’s the primary conduit for arriving guests, departing guests, and pretty much and question that might come up during your vacation.
Providing a high-quality meal was, and always will be, critical to happy guests. The dining room was relocated into a redecorated room previously used as a recreational gymnasium that had a basketball court and a kids bounce house. It doesn’t even look like a gym anymore does it? Well done team!
What kind of meals did they serve? Was it limited to gruel or beans? Not even close! We’re talking about steak, seafood, comfort food, and refined cuisine. The menu is even vegetarian friendly. And if you want to get creative and change things up just ask your server and if they will do whatever they can to accommodate your request. Just look below at my french fries with gravy I requested since I was in the mood for Canadian poutine.
No ranch would be complete without a saloon. As you can see below, their temporary bar was well stocked and at extremely reasonable prices. If you’ve even been on a cruise ship you know how exorbitant the drink prices can be when there are few to no other options. That is not the case at the ranch. Sometimes I wonder if they even make any profit on their drinks. And yes, they even have a happy hour before dinner. 😊
RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS PREVENTING GUEST ACTIVITIES? NOPE!
Continuity of ranch activities and traditions were emphasized as the highest priority. Here are just a few examples from the summer daily activity board:
Guest Rodeo is a weekly tradition help on Thursdays where guests of all ages are provided expert instruction by real cowboys and cowgirls on how to perform the traditional rodeo sport of barrel racing. Then, the guests are broken up into age brackets and get to perform barrel racing in the very same arena that the professional cowboys perform.
Fishing and Boating go hand in hand on Sherman Lake. Of course, there’s also water skiing, and banana boat rides. The ranch organized fishing tournaments as well where participants can fish from the pontoon boat, row boats, or from the shore. If you’re here in the winter there’s ice fishing too. 🐠 🐟 🛶 🚤
Horseback Riding, cowboys and cowgirls are a staple of any good ranch experience. Riding is all included and there are different levels of rides based on prior riding experience. And of course, the staff will provide instruction and recommendations as necessary to ensure that everyone has the safest and most enjoyable experience possible. 🐎
The Beach is a perfect place to take a dip in the lake or relax with a book. Use of those kayaks and rowboats on the shore are also available for guests to use as part of the all-inclusive package. 🏖
Cornhole, a country favorite, is available all day long for casual games and to practice for the real competition when the guest tournaments are held at various times during the week.
Shuffleboard and Giant Chess are centrally located for a quick game when you’ve got some time to spare between events or just because you enjoy it.
Ping Pong (aka Table Tennis) is a ranch favorite whenever rain hits. Open tournaments match new-found friends of all ages in a family-friendly competition where the winner takes home a custom Ridin-Hy Ping Pong paddle and the bragging rights of “Ping Pong Master”.
Rain or shine: there are plenty of activities to keep everyone happy 😊
Summer Stand Up Bar by the temporary pavilion for when a refreshing drink was needed and the 600-foot walk to the temporary main bar was a bit much. Plus, it was only 200 feet from the ranch’s beach 😉 🍹
Petting Zoo is never closed and has so many animals that even Noah would be jealous. Many of the animals have indoor/outdoor enclosures allowing them to choose where they feel most comfortable. And yes, the animals are accessible from both indoors and outdoors.
Arnold the pig just overheard the kitchen staff say that the New York bacon-lovers group is arriving later today and is a bit worried. 🥓 Luckily for him zoo pets aren’t on the menu.
Having a bad hair day? No worries at all…just stand next to Tina, one of the ranch’s resident alpacas, and you’ll look better. This normally wooly alpaca had just been sheared for the summer and is feeling a bit shy without her coat on.
Yoga classes are available for those who want to relax at a deeper level. The class is taught by a certified yoga instructor and is open to all ages. Yoga mats are provided so you don’t need to bring your own unless you want to.
Bounce House and Indoor Ping Pong was relocated to the ski lodge to accommodate the temporary dining room.
Children’s Play Area (which wasn’t impacted at all by the fire luckily) is always popular with the little tikes.
Impromptu Pizza Party!!! For a late-night snack there’s something special about hot and fresh pizza straight from the oven.
Country Line Dancing Lessons are open to all skill levels. If you’re like me and have no dance skills that’s okay too…everyone is just on the dance floor having a good time.
NEW CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS
So far it looks like Ridin-Hy Ranch has done an outstanding job remaining open after the devastating loss. But, they still need to get the old lodge cinders cleaned up and the new lodge constructed. And that is exactly what they did using by thinking both at the macro level with regional lumber and logs as well as the detailed micro level by bringing in woodworking specialists such as the proprietor of Charlie’s Workshop to ensure that fine details weren’t overlooked.
Google Maps timed their sky view perfectly early in 2018 to show the lodge’s new earthen foundation before the above ground work began and the new lodge began to take shape.
Construction efforts were well on their way by June 2018 with the construction team working 6 days per week. The fruits of their efforts were beginning to take shape.
Photo Credit: Charles Nordell Sept 3rd 2018
Photo Credit: Charles Nordell Sept 3rd 2018
Exterior walls and windows are finally in place. Now the focus can shift to the interior refinement.
The lodge had a wee bit of snow as early winter settled in on November 26th, but the staff continues towards the goal of opening in just one month.
Just a few weeks before Christmas and Sherman Lake is still not frozen. Luckily the lodge’s new roof is already built so Santa can land his sleigh on top of it. 🎅🏼
The interior touches of the lodge are falling into place with the gift shop, new carpet (which nostalgically matches the previous carpet), and a new cozy fireplace.
Photo Credit: Ridin-Hy Ranch Dec 2018
✨ 🌟 SUCCESS!!!!🌟 ✨
On December 26th after 425 days of tireless planning and construction, the new main lodge officially opened up to the guests of Ridin-Hy Ranch. Keeping with the laid back and relaxed atmosphere of the Ranch, it was a relatively quiet event, but one that demonstrated the dedication and determination of the entire extended Ranch family.
Photo Credit: Rita Gullion Dec 26th 2018
Without a doubt, the interior turned out even more impressive than the prior lodge with a balcony and grand staircase that would rival that of the RMS Titanic.
Photo Credit: Matt Grynewicz Dec 2018
Guests will be able to catch the sunsets from the new upstairs dining and seating areas that overlook Sherman Lake.
Photo Credit: Kristina Nordell Dec 27th 2018
The new saloon is looking amazing. I can’t wait to return and belly up to the bar, whether it be for a whiskey or an ice-cold old-fashioned sarsaparilla. 🥃 🍷 🍺
Photo Credit: Kristina Nordell Dec 27th 2018
And yes, by the grand opening, Sherman Lake finally froze over in time for the start of their winter season. ⛸ 🥌
If you listen closely you can almost hear someone singing
🎼 “Let it go…The cold never bothered me anyway” 🎼
Some parting thoughts and words of wisdom from speaking with Ridin-Hy Ranch Co-Owner, Troy Beadnell:
December 26th was chosen as the new lodge’s opening date because it coincides with the traditional start of the winter season.
The long-term goals and plans of the ranch are:
- Keep up with the times
- Complete the new lodge
- Remain a family run business and not a stereotypical corporation that puts profits above people.
There used to be 50 to 75 dude ranches in the Adirondack State Park, covering 6 Million acres, which is three times the size of Yellowstone National Park. Now there are only three ranches. Ridin-Hy Ranch realizes they must invest and update guest rooms and barns. In addition, they must invigorate their maintenance programs and renovate instead of rebuilding.
The areas of excellence that set them apart from the other ranches and resorts is that they are family run. The family members don’t just run operations from an office in the back but they also serve as cowboys, cooks, fishing boat drivers, bartenders, and even play in the guest vs staff softball games. In other words, they’re approachable and are honest with expectations of guests. That is a direct reason why there is an 85% rebook rate by guests.
Some of the biggest challenges at Ridin-Hy Ranch are:
- Day-to-day operations such as staffing and keeping employees focused
- Maintaining the big picture while adapting to a non “business friendly” location, legislation regarding zoning and permits, and changing employee regulations.
The Beadnells have maintained Ridin-Hy Ranch as a family owned operation since 1940 and have no intention of changing that since, while they do work a lot, they get to work with their family doing what they love…and they cherish this quality family time.
Ridin-Hy’s plan for the future involved adapting to new generations of guests via adding DJs, paintball, and getting updated WiFi. Of course, as with all activities at the ranch, guests can partake in these modern activities or they can partake in more traditional activities that are less modern.
Just 10 years ago cellular reception was spotty at best, but now signal strength has improved significantly. In fact, Verizon Wireless has recently initiated talks with Ridin-Hy Ranch to install a cellular tower on the ranch’s peripheral property high atop a hill for maximum regional coverage. The goal is for an inconspicuous tower that blends in with the trees. In addition to improving cellular communications for guests and staff, it’ll also come with a lease paid by Verizon to Ridin-Hy Ranch. This revenue would help keep guest fees lower and thus further improve the proverbial “bang for the buck” for the ranch guests.
While many other ranches have gone out of business, what keeps Ridin-Hy Ranch operating? Plane and simply, it comes down to not resting on one’s laurels and maintaining flexibility and variety. This includes updating facilities and keeping people busy with various options such as horses and water activities that appeal to both adults and children.
The one major activity that could not be continued during the lodge re-construction were the professional rodeos. This was due to the temporary kitchens and facilities. During the summer professional rodeo season, the number of people who arrive at the ranch for that one night per week increases exponentially and there simply aren’t enough resources to accommodate the rodeo attendees and the guests. Professional rodeos will return to Ridin-Hy Ranch in the summer of 2019.
For future guests, Ridin-Hy Ranch would like to highlight their new beautiful facilities and their open mindedness in looking for areas to improve.
Many people ask when is the best time of year to visit the ranch. With so many things to offer from summer lake activities to their own winter ski hill and ski lifts, it’s up to the guests to pick their own favourite season based on what appeals to them most. For many guests they not only return every year but they return many times throughout the year.
While obviously nobody wanted the fire to happen, the Beadnell family has remained optimistic and prefers to look on the bright side of life. Firstly, there were no injuries in the tragic fire. Secondly, the ranch gets a brand-new lodge with updated facilities and has more room for expansion.
One thing that I did notice during this visit to Ridin-Hy Ranch was the high number of foreign workers on the staff, mostly waiters and cooks. While, there are local young people working at the ranch there just aren’t enough to fill all the positions during peak season. This is where the foreign workers come in. But they don’t just fill a temporary gap. They also provide an international flavour to the ranch with workers from various countries eager to learn about the USA and in turn are more than eager to answer guests’ questions about their respective home countries. In other words, it’s melting pot that brings us all a little bit closer together.
Now that Ridin-Hy Ranch is back to full operations with their brand spankin’ new lodge, I highly recommend that you stop in and check them out. Reservations fill up fast so don’t delay too long. I’m going back again for sure in the summer of 2019 so I hope to see y’all there! GIDDY UP!!!!
For direct inquiries about Ridin-Hy Ranch, contact them via the information below:
PO BOX 369
Warrensburg, NY 12885
Phone: 518-494-2742
Fax: 518-494-7181
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The new building looks very nice. Best wishes to the family and staff for the new year. Looking forward to seeing everyone next July.
The Murphy/Argiriou Families
A true story of hope teamwork and inspiration best wishes for a successful year
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