travelandleisureindia.inCOURTESY OF THE LODGE AT BLUE SKY, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
corporate events. In 2017, they partnered
with Auberge Resorts to bring their hotel
vision to life. The lodge debuted in May
with 46 rooms and suites, a restaurant,
an expansive spa and pool, and all the
activities of their original venture.
I arrived via helicopter —you could just
drive in, but if you have the option to make
an entrance, I say go for it—and as we
descended, we spotted a herd of elk. The
animals weren’t doing much besides
standing dumbly, chewing and staring up
at us, but I was awed. Coming from a place
where the wildlife is mainly limited to
pigeons and rats, I found the sheer density
of animal life—there are also coyotes,
moose, and eagles—thrilling.
The wonder of Blue Sky doesn’t reveal
itself immediately. The landscape, while
beautiful, lacks the showy, epic quality of
Yellowstone or Moab that makes your
breath catch in your throat. But the air
smells like sage, and the lodge cocoons you
in the comfort of little luxuries. In my
room, I was greeted by a tableau of
house-made snacks—jerky, maple-
candied bacon, chocolate bark—and
Old-Fashioneds made with whiskey from
High West Distillery, just up the road.
Each night, some bauble appeared: a shoe
from a horse I’d ridden, a bundle of dried
sage picked on the property.
Blue Sky is the rare place where
everything is done a certain way merely
because that’s how things should be done.The Phillipses run it as a wildlife sanctuary,
and an on-site farm serves as a refuge for
downtrodden livestock: steers cast off by
dairy farmers; horses saved from abuse,
now spoiled with organic carrots; even
rescue chickens. When complete, the farm
will host a kids’ programme and supply
produce to the kitchen. You’ll fi nd all the
hallmarks of an eco-friendly resort, like
glass instead of plastic, but there are
subtler gestures, too: on the sporting clay
course , the ammunition is imported, since
shells with biodegradable wadding are a
rarity in the US.
I stayed in one of the fi ve Creek
Houses, standalone suites overlooking
Alexander Creek. It was bright and breezy,
with a fi replace, wood panelling, and an
accent wall made of stone quarried
nearby. A carved relief map of Blue Sky
hung in a corner, the creek slicing through
in a ribbon of copper. Outside, the terrace
was just the right size for, say, a cowboy
cookout of fresh-caught rainbow trout
with white asparagus and fry bread. You
can fi sh from your backyard for
Bonneville cutthroat, a native trout.
Fourteen-foot-high windows ran the
length of the southwestern side of the
suite, and when I opened them, the sound
of rushing water fi lled the air. But with so
many adventures at hand, the cosy rooms
are merely a bonus. The lodge makes even
rugged pursuits feel elevated. Shooting is
done European-style: the instructors wear
tweed and ties in lieu of camo. Trail rides
start in a massive indoor arena, where you
learn to curry, tack, and warm up your
horse before setting out. Even my fl y-
fi shing excursion culminated in a shore
lunch with fur-draped chairs and tomato
soup poured from thermoses. You’re
shepherded by genial, attentive staff ers,
each of whom appears to have stepped out
of a Patagonia catalogue.
One morning, I headed to one of the
outbuildings for yoga. Mats were unfurled
around a vignette of singing bowls,
antlers, and crystals on a sheepskin. I felt
my shoulders relax as instructor Rocky
Lavoie alternated guidance with gentle
guitar playing and soft singing, her voice
ethereal and reassuring. Outside, the
breeze in the aspens sounded like rain.
My brain was quiet but for one fl ickering
thought. I should really move to Utah.The lodge’s 22 Earth
Suites are built into
the side of a hill.GETTING THERE
One-stop fl ights to Salt
Lake City, Utah are
available from New
Delhi, Mumbai, and
Bengaluru. The Lodge
at Blue Sky is 65
kilometres west of
Salt Lake City.
Guests can rent a
car at the airport and
drive to the resort, or
the hotel can arrange
transfers via car or
helicopter. Doubles
from `67,300 ;
aubergeresorts.com