When you’re riding at the Ranch, there’s a lot to do. Novice and advanced riders practice western mountain riding skills at the gymkhana grounds, learn the art of bareback riding, how to work a team of horses, how to fly-fish, and even how to shoe and pack a horse. For the novice rider, it is the staging ground to becoming competent mountain riders. The Ranch Trip is for those with little or no riding experience, negative riding experiences, or no desire to stay overnight in “the bush” at our permanent alpine base camps. Guests stay in our 9 bedroom ranch house with a two story fire place. It is “at the end of the road,” but easily accessed by car. Here is a “typical Ranch Trip. On day one, we match saddles, try horses out, go through riding instructions, and practice horse sports in the gymkhana grounds.

After supper, we change saddles and/or horses if necessary, then do the river ride. On day two, we ride to the horse range and circle high on the mountain for a view of Carpenter and Gun Lake, and the mountains. We continue down past the beaver pond for a display by the resident beavers. Day 3 is a full day. We follow game trails that switch back through the old growth forest to the alpine. Lunch is below tree line in an Alpine meadow, with a view of the coast Mountains and glaciers. We then ride to a saddle on the shoulder of Eldorado Mountain. From here we glass for goats, deer and Grizzly. Mount Sheba, Castle and Open Heart can be seen. Heading across the mountain top at 7,000 feet, we glass for wildlife then head down through alpine flowers and the horse range to the Ranch. On the 4^th day, riders have the option to chase horses up to the range, do some biathlon target shooting, or join in a woodlot tour. The most popular activity is the bare back riding lessons. All Guest Ranch Trips are customized. We start off easy and then progress to whatever level is desired. Riding options range from a 2 hour ride along the glacier fed river to a 14 hour goat viewing trip in the high alpine. It all depends on the interests and abilities of the riders.

Chilcotin Holidays incorporates wilderness, historical and cultural experiences into every activity.