Ranch Turns Dudes Green Co-Owner ‘Out Of This Planet’ For Environment

Lou Koszarek arrived at Hidden Creek Ranch last weekend expecting just another dude ranch.

Instead, the retired Boeing engineer found the best-run resort he’s ever visited. He attributes the efficiency and warmth to Iris Behr, whom he described with a grin as “a good old German housewife - with a mission.”

“Iris is out of this planet when it comes to protecting the environment,” he said. “You go on one of her nature walks, and you’re afraid to break a twig.”

Behr and her husband, John Muir, own North Idaho’s only dude ranch in the rolling hills southeast of Coeur d’Alene.

Their guests wash with biodegradable soaps. They get fresh towels only when they ask for them. They drink iced tea that’s steeped in jars on the sunny deck of the lodge.

They ride horses without having to swat at horse flies; tiny wasps that eat flies are imported to help eliminate that nuisance. They learn Native American philosophy as well as trapshooting. They savor wild berries as well as seven-course dinners.

According to state tourism official Karen Fitch, the couple are on the leading edge of an environmental trend in the industry.

“They make it seem easy to do, as well. And it’s not easy,” said Fitch. “It takes a lot of effort.”

The ranch doesn’t go overboard with its ecotourism message, said guest Mary Alcobia. The San Diego forensic specialist came for the riding and the cuisine, having learned about the resort from an article in Bon Appetit magazine.

“I would have been gone by now if the food wasn’t good,” Alcobia told Muir.

He just smiled.

Muir is 37; his wife, 44. This is their third year in what is a second career for each of them.

His name is a famous one. Naturalist John Muir, who died in 1914, was his great-great-cousin.

This John Muir is an accountant from Michigan. He was hired by Behr, who moved from her native Germany in 1984 to run the American operations for her family’s industrial equipment company.

When the company was sold, the couple looked around for something different to do.

In the back of Inc. magazine, they saw an advertisement: “Novelty business for sale.” It was a dude ranch on the Salmon River. After flying into the Central Idaho wilderness, they decided that that property was too inaccessible. But their interest in dude ranching was piqued.

“It has to do with nature and the outdoors,” said Behr. “It has to do with horseback riding, which we love so much.”

Their search for the perfect ranch brought them to Timber Ridge, a former Christian dude ranch near Harrison. Its 570 acres begin four miles east of Lake Coeur d’Alene on Blue Lake Road.

They remodeled the lodge. They added guest cabins, employee housing, a store, a hilltop residence, a “saloon” for cocktail hours beside the corral.

They have 72 horses. In the Maythrough-October dude season, they have 26 employees and, in a normal week, 25 to 35 guests. They may start offering winter weekend getaways.

The hardest part of establishing the business has been selling the location.

Teton County, Wyo., is known for dude ranches. Kootenai County, Idaho, is not.

“Once we get people out here, they are awed by the beauty,” said Muir.

Andrew Phillips vouches for that, though the London financier admitted to having his doubts before booking his honeymoon at Hidden Creek.

“I said ‘Idaho? Isn’t that kind of a flat, dull place where they grow a lot of potatoes?”’

A travel agent had raved to Phillips about the quality of service at Hidden Creek Ranch. Prospective employees must survive a phone interview that’s one hour and 45 minutes long.

The six-page application form includes essay questions.

“The one that got me was ‘What’s your vision of the circle of life?”’ said college student Joe Spidle as he grilled steaks for brunch.

“We give an award each month to the employee with the best idea for living greener,” said Muir.

Behr and her staff have scoured the country for organic cleaners, shampoos and air fresheners.

At a recent Idaho travel conference, Behr explained her philosophy before a standing-room-only crowd.

“It was fantastic,” recalled ReNea Nelson, office coordinator for the state tourism department. “Their mission statement talks about being one with the earth. … It was very impressive to all of us that they were following that, and they were being so successful at it.”

Someday, Behr said, the ranch may evolve into an environmental education center. For now, she’s pleased when guests come back excited from one of her nature walks.

“They know the difference between a male deer and a female deer track, a male and female elk track, and they’re very proud of that.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo: Map of Hidden Creek Ranch area