Sometime, somewhere back in the 1970s, Ron Livsey inherited a 1947 Teardrop trailer from a grizzled old prospector buddy of his. He can’t recollect for certain when the exact year was, but he remembers that he loved that travel trailer for its sleekness, aerodynamics, and practicality.

For more than five years the trailer provided Livsey a comfortable, sheltered and protected place to sleep away the nights, while he spent his days panning and prodding for gold in California.

“I’d set it up in the spring, and I’d haul it out in the fall,” says Livsey.

“I’d stay out there six or seven months out of the year and set it up between the trees and have it canvassed and covered. It had a potbellied stove in the back, and I’d read in the evenings. To me, it was home. I never got rich prospecting, but I had a lot of fun doing it. I probably had that trailer until 1993.”

In February 2006, Livsey’s nostalgic memories of the Teardrop tugged at his sentimental side so greatly that he decided he needed to do something about it by starting his business. Economic idleness played a role in the business’s origins, too.

“I was unemployed and I had to do something; making my own Teardrops is what I chose.”

Teardrop camper trailers date back to the end of World War II, and were originally constructed with materials obtained from surplus markets. (The exterior skins were usually made from the wings of World War II bombers.) While much of the country’s transportation infrastructure has changed since the introduction of teardrop trailers, the reasons for owning a teardrop trailer are similar today as they were in years past: Teardrop trailers are economically viable and functionally practical. Depending on the model, a teardrop trailer can sleep up to three adults and several children, providing the means for people to have their own mini-mobile home on a journey or a vacation without relying on costly hotels.

Livsey’s handcrafted trailers are replicas of original 1940s era Kenskill and Kit productions, and they reflect his commitment to producing a high-quality, innovative line of products. He acquired much of his nuanced knowledge from George Wilkerson, a local friend who owns a Teardrop supply shop based in Missoula.

“What I did with George’s help was take three original 1947’s, tore them down, took all old aluminum off, took the hardware off, discarded the body, and then built new bodies, and put them on the frame. They were identical to the originals.”

“The first one that I finished, which included a handmade frame, took five months. Total, I’ve put 15 months’ worth of work into five trailers, or basically about three months apiece.”

From start to finish, a Teardrop requires a dizzying array of artistry. The chassis needs to be welded; the interior wood that forms the cabinets and kitchen has to be cut, trimmed, and triple coated with paint to prevent rotting.

“There’s a lot of welding and woodwork involved,” says Livsey. “And there’s some assembling, caulking, sealing, framing and insulation work that needs to be done.”

Livsey says that the prospective teardrop builder must take an honest look at his skills, resources and motivation.  None of the individual methods are too difficult in their own right, but there are a lot of steps involved.

“It’s very time-consuming, but nothing really threw me for a loop. There’s always something to do. It’s really just basic building, framing, insulation, and siding. It’s easy to put the aluminum in. That was a lot easier than I’d expected,” says Livsey, who surrounds himself in his Victor shop with standard power tools: a table saw, a circular saw, a jig saw, drills, screw guns and palm and belt sanders.

Most of the tools Livsey uses are simple, with just a few specialty tools.  In fact, he says, those lacking welding skills or equipment can do the cutting, fitting and cleaning; then have the chassis welded for them (as Livsey now does), and complete the bulk of the project with standard woodworking tools. (Livsey did the woodwork for the first replica that he worked on, but now contracts the mostly oak and poplar interior design work to a cabinet maker.)

Travel trailers and caravans vary from small basic models which may be little more than a tent on wheels (weighing around 400 pounds) to those containing several rooms with all the furniture and furnishing and equipment of a home. The Teardrop replicas produced by Livsey weigh about 1,060 pounds each and are equipped with extra amenities, including an ice box, a mattress, a heavily insulated sleeping area, bonus storage draws and cabinets, and even a spice rack.

“The trailers are sound, and easy, and economically affordable to tow,” says Livsey. “You hitch it up and you can go anywhere. During the summer time it’s nice and cool in there. It’s best for camping, stock up on dry goods, load it up and you’re ready to go. Just keep the propane tank full and the battery charged.”

Putting together a Teardrop, says Livsey, requires skills, a patient temperament and the availability of a flexible budget.

“The insulation work done to a Teardrop is like framing a house. You also need to do electrical work, and should have a lot of tape measures handy. I use every bit of space that I can get out of this thing.”

Teardrop trailers have a long and illustrious history of home builders and craftsman, like Livsey, constantly refining, tweaking and perfecting designs, something that gives teardrops their timelessness. 

Right now, Livsey is hoping that his foray into the Teardrop trailer business takes off, er, without a hitch, but if that’s not the case it’s not too outrageous to suppose that he’ll somehow be just fine even if it doesn’t. He does, after all, have the opportunity to one day, once again, take to those hills in search of glittering gold and to spend his nights in a Teardrop asleep beneath a towering bowl of stars.

“I might not sell the first Teardrop I made on my own. You know, I’ve got to say that looking at it makes me want to throw my dredge in the truck and go prospecting.”

For more information, contact Ron Livsey at Teardrop Trailers. Phone: 239-0946.

With its red cedar and Douglas-fir forests, sublime canyon corridors, blazing blue waters of backcountry lakes, and rugged summits, the Bitterroot Mountain Range supplies infinite possibilities for recreational rousing. Indeed, the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness stretches out for more than 1,240,000 acres, making it an alluring and all-encompassing destination for those tourists who are looking for more than just a sheltered view of Montana’s longest chain of mountains from inside their pretty Saabs.

Adventure tourism has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism industry. With exotic locales, embedded excitement, affordable price tags and activities designed to foster not only great memories but heightened levels of endurance and empowerment, these trips have a growing attraction.

But vacationers need to be mindful of three issues that could sour their experience: Qualifications of tour guides, attributes of a quality program or experience, and the risks, whether they are real or perceived. Negative adventure-based experiences could range from mild disappointment to catastrophe.

The Bitterroot Valley beckons visitors craving cool, rugged, or relaxing experiences – and businesses such as Wildlife Adventures heed the call. By offering adventure trips suiting to every ability and interest, Wildlife Adventures, based in Victor, endeavors to make every experience uniquely exciting.

Debra and Mike Caniglia purchased Wildlife Adventures in 1999, and have since added new amenities to business. (The business was established in the early 1970s and had mainly served as an outfitting business until the Caniglia’s purchase.)

In fact, in addition to horse packing and hunting expeditions, their services have expanded into a variety of activities geared toward family vacations, including a bed and breakfast, youth programming, and holiday parties.

Wildlife Adventures is situated on 380 plus acres bordering the Bitterroot National Forest – which itself covers more than 1 million acres of recreation.

“Our guest ranch isn’t a motel or a hotel, but a home away from home,” says Debra. “We enjoy serving our guests by sharing our western lifestyle with them.”

The Caniglias offer a log guest lodge with over 6,000 square feet of western hospitality. The upstairs lodge includes four upgraded rooms that are fully self-contained with a pair of double beds in each room. Downstairs, there are two upgraded suites with a large king bed in each room.

The lodge has a neatly arranged great room, which includes an authentic massive rock fireplace, a pool table, and a ‘no-host bar.’

Outside guests can enjoy the hot tub and the redwood deck that’s furnished with a barbecue pit and picnic tables.

The real adventurers have the opportunity to stay in a recently remodeled four room bunkhouse. Each room sleeps a minimum of four people, and all of the bunk beds and furniture are derived from hand-peeled logs harvested in Montana. A common door connects two of the bunkhouse rooms; this allows a large party the ability to sleep up to 10 people.

All meals are homemade and are served in the dining room, which is located adjacent to the great room, or barbecued on the patio.

“Our ranch meals and services have been rated by guests who’ve traveled the world as the best to be found anywhere,” says Debra.

The food, lodging, and the vast and magnificent views are only enjoyable interludes to whet the appetite; the truly unforgettable experiences are those rooted in the myriad physical and leisure activities that the Caniglias encourage their guests to partake in during their visit.

Montana rivals any Western state for stunning landscapes per square foot. Indeed, after leaving the lodge, you can take your daypack and hike up to a rustic lookout, or go picnicing along the scenic, deep expanses of Bear Creek’s drainage, or fish the Selway-Bitterroot hinterland, or, perhaps even better, contemplate man, God, and law while ogling the wildlife and mighty mountains surrounding the property.

“There are numerous trails to hike and we can furnish a guide,” says Debra. “If you just want to be on your own, you’ll enjoy everything the Bitterroot has to offer.”

It’s easy to miss the details when surrounded by sweeping views, but the Caniglias feel that beauty can be appreciated on a small scale, too.

“If someone spends the day sitting in front of the bunkhouse or just relaxing,” says Debra. “We think they’ll treasure those memories forever.”

For more information, visit www.wildlifeadventures.com.