All of our wilderness experiences facilitated by Trails to Empowerment, Chilcotin Holidays, Bridge River Valley Accommodation, the Wilderness Training Academy and the Chilcotin Ark Institute are based on our Three Pillars of Personal Development, Nature Connection and Nature Conservation and Stewardship which immerse you in our supportive community.

The wilderness of the South Chilcotin Mountains, located in the INTERNATIONALLY ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT CHILCOTIN ARK, is a truly special environment for people who want to connect to nature, invest in their personal development and contribute to conservation as a steward, within a community of people who share this philosophy.

Because the wilderness of the Chilcotin Ark is the provider of your experience and is a limited commodity, we have to ensure we aren't over-taxing the environment we are benefiting from. The wilderness is also an environment that isn't for everyone. Nature creates unpredictable challenges, leading to surprises and changes to the itineraries. Immersing yourself in nature will get you out of your comfort zone and the days can be long and hard work. Teamwork, being open-minded, solution-orientated and keeping a positive attitude are essential to ensure the success of your adventure. If you feel that these challenges might keep you from enjoying your experience, you will probably be happier with a different experience. But for those who are ready for the challenge, the benefits are huge.

For whatever reason and for however long you are joining us, every opportunity to connect with nature, contribute to conservation as a steward and further your personal development with our community is available to you. Remember the more deeply you immerse yourself in your experience, the greater your reward will be. Personal responsibility, commitment, ownership, initiative-taking and accountability are key values that will determine how successful your experience will be and how much you will experience personal transformation. We are committed to contributing and creating value in other people’s lives. You can do this too by sharing knowledge, bringing a POSITIVE ATTITUDE and solution-orientated mentality to all that you do and by FULLY PARTICIPATING in every activity.

Everyone in your group, over the age of 10 years old, needs to answer this Wilderness Readiness Survey, to help you prioritize between your interests and responsibilities and ensure that your whole group is well matched for the Three Pillar journey.

This survey is for you to assess your readiness for journeying with us, this is your self-evaluation. For each question, you will score your readiness on a scale of 1-5. KEEP A COUNT of your score and at the end, you will have a final total. Each type of experience, e.g. Accommodation, Pack Trips, Day Rides, Training or Volunteering/Interning with us, requires a different minimum score. This will help you assess if you're ready for that type of experience. If you don't make the minimum score for the experience you are interested in, the challenges of this experience might keep you from enjoying it. So, please review if another experience that matches your score might be more suitable for you. If you are travelling in a group, everyone in the group has to get the minimum score for the trip you are planning. Count your score as you answer each question so you can see which trip matches your final score at the end. 

Refund Policy

Throughout the booking process you will receive lots of information, including the information contained in this Wilderness Readiness Survey, FAQs, itineraries, Wilderness Journal and a contract. The information helps you to prepare for your trip, helps you understand the philosophy better and is for everyone's safety. Everyone needs to read this information before arrival to ensure you are prepared and know what to expect.

You will also receive information from your guides and the ranch community on arrival and throughout your stay with us. Everyone in your group is responsible for following these directions to ensure everyone's safety, so your time at the ranch goes as smoothly as possible. If you repeatedly refuse to follow procedures or the direction of your guides, you understand that your trip/ accommodation stay/ training program / internship will be terminated on safety grounds and you will not be entitled to a refund.

Personal Information

Nature Connection

Nature connection deepens connection to self. We strive to connect with our environment deeply to become more conscious of ourselves and our environment. This leads to personal and spiritual growth.  

The following questions will highlight some of the experiences you will have on your journey with us. Please evaluate if these experiences are what you are looking for on your journey

Personal Development

Nature gives us the opportunity to grow and evolve as a person, to live consciously, get clarity on our interests, goals and purpose and to achieve our goals. So we reflect on our personal development daily and face challenges with a positive and motivated mindset. 

Community

Our wilderness community facilitates a self-sustainable lifestyle. Our community partners come together on their transformational journeys. This unique environment, the challenges of nature and a committed group of people makes our wilderness community a springboard for your personal growth and evolvement – as long as you are willing to invest in yourself.

The following questions will highlight some of the experiences you will have on your journey with us. Read through them carefully as they will give you an idea of what your experience will be like. Please evaluate if these experiences are what you are looking for with us

Conservation

We depend on our natural environment. Therefore we have the responsibility to look after it, not only for ourselves, but for future generations as well.  We strive to actively contribute to our environment by acting for the good of all.

The following questions will highlight some of the experiences you will have on your journey with us. Read through them carefully as they will give you an idea of what your experience will be like. Please evaluate if these experiences are what you are looking for with us

Finish

Congratulations on finishing the survey! You are blazing the trail towards your wilderness adventure!

Now add up your final score. These are the minimum scores required for each type of experience: