Getaway at Chester’s Timber House

Take a drive heading east along the winding creekside highways of 32 and 36, and in under two hours, you’ll arrive at the small mountain town of Chester, California. It’s set between two mountain ranges, the Cascades and the Sierra Nevadas, with Mount Lassen National Park just a short drive away. Its location makes it a prime destination for taking advantage of area hiking trails and even snow sports in the winter. As if it wasn’t already enough, the town is nestled on the shore of Lake Almanor on one side and the banks of the Feather River on the other, so it’s also a favorite escape for camping, fishing, and boating.

Chester’s mountain history is proudly displayed along Main Street with a logging museum showcasing Collins Pine Company’s early commitment to sustainable forestry in the 1940s. The town’s story of its ties to the forest and its bounty can’t be more clearly told than through the iconic Timber House Restaurant first built in 1962. Uniquely constructed of giant five-hundredpound crosscut cubes of pine, this wellknown icon of Chester had been closed and abandoned after many years in business. Locals and tourists alike lamented the loss and wondered what would become of the building. Carol and Berton Bertagna, along with Robert and Toni Vanella, were among those who regretted losing this rare piece of architecture and Chester's history.

Berton and Robert are 4th generation in the area and are lifelong friends who grew up together. Their grandparents had cabins in Lake Almanor and Mill Creek, so the drive up to Chester and all the sights along Main Street are very much a part of their history. They spent winter days snowmobiling on the local trails and summer vacations out on the lake. This love of the area continued into high school and beyond. Carol shares, “Berton and I were in high school, and he took me to the Timber House Restaurant after our snowmobiling date.” This is a common thread shared amongst many who grew up living or visiting the area. Some talk of senior prom dates, first dates, or even wedding proposals at the original Timber House. She says, in 2019, they drove by it and were struck by how sad it seemed. “It was such a cool building in a cool spot, and it just looked abandoned and uncared for.”

The Bertagna’s began thinking about bringing the much-loved quintessential mountain spot back to life. Berton shares, “We thought a brewery and distillery in Chester would bring a lot of attraction to downtown and the community. It would lend itself to being popular with the locals as well as tourists. It would be more than just a restaurant.” This wasn’t something they would do on their own. Their lifelong friends, Robert and Toni, whom they shared a local cabin with, were excited to join them in this venture. Together, they purchased the restaurant and lodge in 2020.

The Timber House Lodge consists of nine themed rooms that Toni and Carol enjoyed planning and decorating. Carol shares that the inspiration came from visits to San Luis Obispo’s Madonna Inn and says instead of doing one common design, they wanted each room to be individual and unique in its style. “Toni and I went to antique and thrift stores. We were spray painting and having so much fun with it.” There’s the Cowboy Room with rodeo art, rustic wood paneling, and swinging saloon doors; the Gypsy Soul Room with crystal chandeliers and Parisianstyle accents; and many others so that each stay gives guests an opportunity to explore all the different designs.

Right across the parking lot from the lodge is the building that started it all, the restaurant. They wanted to preserve the existing construction so that people could remember its history while giving it a facelift. Today, the colossal center pillars—made from tree trunks that are over a thousand years old and large log ceiling beams—have been sandblasted to a beautiful honey tone. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a polished six-inch thick wooden horseshoe bar pulled from cross sections of area timber. It preserves in resin the construction story of the “building unlike any other in the world” written by the man who built it over three full years with just hand axes and chainsaws. Toni and Carol added copper tiles to the walls, antler chandeliers, high-back cream booths, and black metal chairs to complete the restoration. Berton describes the vibe as, “…a little more elegant but still rustic. Someone could walk in there dressed up nice and feel comfortable, or someone could walk in with jeans and a t-shirt and still feel okay.” The menu developed by the partners offers a lot of different fare options and leans towards a brewpub steakhouse table where anyone can find something they like including burgers, fish, pub staples, and everything in between. Directly adjacent to the restaurant is the brewery and distillery. The five-anda-half barrel system brewery is of a size that matches well architecturally with the historic building and is perfect for supplying the restaurant and outdoor taps with their house-made microbrews. The distillery has a 250-gallon still and specializes in clean, crisp vodka for the restaurant.

The Timber House is the perfect place for a getaway, a place to make new memories or relive old ones. The Vanellas and Bertagna’s invite you to stay in one of their beautifully appointed rooms for the night and walk across to the restaurant to grab specialized beers and spirits with your meal and remember the times spent at this unique mountain space. They are open year-round with restaurant hours from 11-2 and 5-9, Thursday thru Monday. More information on the restaurant along with reservation opportunities for the lodge can be found by visiting Timber House's website at www.timberhousebrewing.com or calling 530-816-1426.