Mountain Guide Training is a Great Personal Development Investment
We hope your 2023 is going well and you’ve already taken the time to get out in nature and enjoy the benefits of time outside. If you’re ready for more, check out what we have to offer below.
Wilderness Mountain Horseback Guide School
Do you want to develop your horse skills, spend more time in nature, learn about conservation or learn how to guide guests in the mountains? Our guide school covers all this and more. So whether you’re looking to get into the guiding industry, want to learn a new skill or just get outside more with a wilderness adventure we have the school for you. Choose from our two week programs in the spring or our one week programs that run throughout the summer.
Learn how to saddle and care for your horse in the mountains
Learn how to pack your horse in the traditional style that has been used by pioneers for hundreds of years
Navigate trails and learn about the local flora and fauna
Learn about the Chilcotin Ark and how we contribute to its conservation on every trip
Learn how to teach your guests all these skills and more to create a hands-on wilderness experience
Check out this blog story from one of our past students to find out what being a mountain horseback guide is all about.
Ready to invest in your personal development?
Does this sound like the opportunity you’re looking for? Check out more information on our website [https://www.chilcotinholidays.com/wilderness-training-programs/wilderness-horseback-guide-training/], then complete the Wilderness Readiness Survey to begin your journey.
Looking for a different wilderness experience?
Mountain cabin adventure
If you can’t wait for the warmer weather for a nature connection, a winter cabin rental may be just what you need. Our ranch based Ranger and Honeymoon Cabins are available year round and give you the opportunity to take a break from the city whatever the weather. Find out more here
Self-guided mountain biking cabin circuit
Are you an avid mountain biker with back-country riding experience? Are you looking for a way to explore the South Chilcotin Mountains in the Chilcotin Ark in an environmentally sustainable way without contributing to the negative impacts of heli-biking such as carbon pollution and wildlife displacement? Our 7 day hut-to-hut self-guided cabin circuit allows you to explore the Chilcotin Ark all under your own pedal power, spending each night in a secure cabin. You also have the opportunity to further contribute to the conservation of the environment you are benefiting from by filling in wildlife sightings forms, which has a real-world impact as this data is used to influence wildlife management strategies. Learn more about the circuit here
Community update
We have been busy training some of our less experienced horses so by the summer they will be calm, stable, reliable mountain horses like the rest of our herd. We train our horses by riding the trails so they get to know what to expect from mountain riding. By riding with our more experienced horses, they learn from each other and see how it’s meant to be done.
Winter is the best time of year to see predators as they are concentrated at lower elevations and the snow makes their tracks easy to find. We have already seen lots of wolves and cougars as well as a few coyotes and bobcats. These illusive animals are usually hard to find, but we were surprised to see one cougar walking down the road! We are also looking out for our ungulates. We’ve seen a herd of eleven California Bighorn sheep with two of last year’s lambs and several yearlings from the previous year. With threats such as Bighorn sheep pneumonia complex and vehicle collisions on the road, this herd of sheep are particularly vulnerable, so seeing large groups is a positive sign.
Stay up to date with what’s going on at the ranch by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as Trails to Empowerment and LinkedIn as Chilcotin Holidays.
Another world
Far away from world chaos, is a place in nature called the Chilcotin Ark, a real and achievable connection to nature where there is no fear in drinking water from mountain streams, breathing crisp clean mountain air, harvesting berries, nuts and grasses from nature’s larder, catching fish in the alpine lakes and being a contributor to nature’s natural order. There’s no cell phone service, no traffic, it’s off grid and self-sustainable. You can join us in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Join us as a guest, an intern, a community member or as a community business partner.
Our community philosophy
Our community is built on our Three Pillar philosophy of personal development, nature connection and nature conservation. These Three Pillars are how we embody environment, social and governance factors, taking responsibility for our environment, both natural and cultural. We treat everyone as equals where women and men take responsibility and initiative to be leaders, guides and mentors. You can work in this community from horse care, mechanics, office and kitchen to horse logging, sustainable forestry and conservation projects to name a few opportunities. We’re a diverse business and you can get involved in any aspect from intern to management. Take a look at our intern page on our Chilcotin Holidays and Chilcotin Ark Institute websites and if you’re ready to join us, take the Wilderness Readiness Survey on Trails to Empowerment’s website.
In 2023, as every year, we will be carrying out a variety of consvation projects that we get everyone – guests, students and interns – actively involved in. Not only will you contribute to nature conservation, you will learn new skills that will make you a wilderness steward everywhere you go.
You can connect to nature, learn new skills and be a wilderness steward in every season. We look forward to being part of your next personal development wilderness experience in the Chilcotin Ark.
Your Chilcotin Holidays team