Bar W Ranch Owners Expand with Two New Business Acquisitions 

When Bill and Barbara Wetzel bought the Bar W Ranch near Whitefish in 2021, they had no experience in the industry — they hadn’t even stayed at a dude ranch before. Now in their fifth season, they’re continuing to grow their brand into a comprehensive Montana experience for visitors.  

The Wetzels announced this month that they have acquired two additional Whitefish-based businesses, Whitefish Outfitters & Tours and Great Northern Powder Guides. Bill said that the couple sees the expansion as an opportunity to “expand and enrich” Montana travel experiences for Bar W visitors. 

The idea to expand came to the entrepreneurial couple after they finished four years of renovations to the property. They had gotten the hang of managing the activities that come with the dude ranch experience, so they started “looking to the off-season,” Bill said. But trail rides and rodeo nights are neither fun nor feasible in the blizzards that characterize Montana winters.  

So, the couple started brainstorming. Bill often drove past Great Northern Powder Guides, just 20 minutes north of the ranch, and began to consider cat skiing as a potential winter offering for guests. The business lacked lodging for skiers heading out to explore Montana’s backcountry, and Bill saw an opportunity. He decided that if it ever went up for sale, he’d try to buy it. 

“I was scrolling online at the airport months later, and a real estate ad for the business just popped up,” he said. “It was the perfect fit at the perfect time.” 

Two weeks later, right as they were closing on the sale, Bill got a call from the owner of Whitefish Outfitters. He was also ready to move on. 

“He said, ‘I frequently pick up your guests and take them on tours of Glacier or to the bison range, or they rent bikes from me,’” Bill recalled. “He said he was impressed by how we’ve grown the business, and he wanted us to take over.” 

The couple said they were drawn to the strong products, dedicated staff, and solid reputations of both companies. They plan to retain the existing teams, with both former owners agreeing to stay on for a year to help guide the transition and teach them the ins and outs of running each business. 

But one area both sellers highlighted as needing improvement was marketing. For the Wetzels, that challenge centers on integration and cross-selling: How can they build packages that span the businesses, creating a seamless Montana experience for their guests? 

By expanding the range of excursions and activities, the couple hopes to broaden the types of guests who choose the Bar W. Not everyone is up for cat skiing through Montana’s backcountry, but a scenic snowcat ride through the Stillwater Forest, complete with hot chocolate by the fire, might be just the right fit. 

Summer visitors, on the other hand, often include one or two equine enthusiasts eager to be in the saddle every day, Barbara explained. With easier access to bike rides, wildlife tours, and other adventures through Whitefish Outfitters, there’s now more to keep the rest of the group engaged as well. 

“We try to create a real open, positive experience for the guests,” Barbara said. “No matter what your interests or abilities look like, we want there to be something for you to enjoy.” 

The couple — who are also the driving force behind United Business Mail, a Chicago-based company focused on streamlining mail processing — began spending more time in Montana after purchasing a vacation home in Whitefish. Around the same time, they were looking for a business their six children could co-own to help them build equity for the future. When the Bar W Ranch went up for sale, they decided it was the right fit. 

“We looked at a lot of businesses in the area, and a lot of them are real transactional,” Barbara said. “At this one, families come for the whole week, and we get to spend time with them. It’s an environment that helps people make connections.” 

David and Janet Leishman, who founded the ranch 16 years before the Wetzels bought it, stayed on for several months to help train staff and support the transition. Since then, the Wetzels have expanded and renovated the property, adding 15 rooms for a total of 28, along with a new kitchen and a trading post for visitors. A former riding arena has been transformed into a family-style dining room, where groups of guests gather at long tables to connect over enchiladas and beans.

With the acquisitions comes a need for a larger team. The couple sees this expansion as an opportunity to build a core group of year-round staff who are committed to fostering that sense of connection. 

“Our goal is to maintain an environment that allows for connection — with family, friends, nature, and the horses themselves,” Barbara said. “We want to be consistent in that experience we’re providing for our guests, and we hope this will allow us to keep building a team that can continue to carry this forward.” 

The couple also hopes the expansion will deepen their connection with the local community. 

Most Bar W guests come from around the world, but the Wetzels want to create more opportunities for locals to enjoy the ranch’s serene setting, including seasonal events like a fall family day where locals can bring their kids to sip cider and ride ponies. In the winter, they plan to launch a staff outreach program that pays employees to assist elderly residents with household tasks. 

“Community outreach takes time, energy, and bandwidth, and we hope these acquisitions will help us reach a place where we’re not always completely busy,” Bill said. “We want the Bar W to be a known staple in Whitefish with the positive environment spreading outward from the ranch into the greater community.” 

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