Ranch Learning
The Hills Guest Ranch & Spa, located in the Cariboo region of beautiful British Columbia, is a great vacation if you are looking to learn more about horses and how to communicate with them.
Many horseback and spa activities will be part of your day. Join Bryce, one of the Hills top wranglers, on the half day breakfast ride were you are served a healthy cowboy breakfast on the trail, or choose from one of the full day cowboy cookout rides and picnics, or even hourly rides. You can choose from private lessons, horse care, horse safety and horse whispering workshops.
Private western riding lessons help to advance your knowledge, skill and your abilities in horse handling and riding. Balancing in the saddle, the correct posture for safe riding, improving your ability to find the rhythm of the horse, improving your rein skills, and possibly overcoming certain fears are some of the many things you will learn in a one-on-one lesson.
Learn more about what it takes to care for your horse, how to groom, how to clean, what to watch for and how to protect your horse’s health. These and many other topics are covered and will help you to become an improved rider, and a better horseman. How to lift all of the legs of the horse, how to clean a horses hoof, what to look for!
At The Hills Ranch, they also teach riders about the western saddle and all its parts, the different bits they use and why they differ from one another. When you fully understand the equipment, you have a better understanding about riding, and how all the parts come together to form a wonderful, relaxing ride.
Guests at The Hills learn how to communicate with their horse.
The Hills also provide a special program for kids of all ages. The day starts with feeding and grooming the horses. Kids also learn about the chores involved with owning a horse, such as mucking stalls. Kids gain a better understanding of horses and ranch life, plus they enjoy some fabulous games that are focused towards improving their fitness level. The goal is to give kids exciting activities that happen to improve their personal health and wellness during their time at The Hills, and also introduce them to the exciting aspects of ranch life, being around animals and caring for them.
Ranch Dining
Sundance Guest Ranch is located in one of the warmest, sunniest spots in Canada with sweeping, panoramic views of the wide open Thompson River Valley and is only a four hour drive from Vancouver. But that’s not all…they have some of the best ranch food around! One look at their Black Angus burgers will have your mouth watering and your taste buds asking for more.
Dining room at Sundance Guest Ranch.
The dining rooms at Sundance are across the patio from the adult lounge, just past the outdoor barbecue pit where they cook up their specialty – Black Angus burgers and charcoal-grilled New York steaks (if you’re a vegetarian no worries their chef has it covered). Sundance’s licensed dining rooms look out over the pastures where the horses spend the night grazing and cooling off among the sprinklers. Choose some wine from the list and have a glass to sip on as you watch the herd run by on their way to the fields, then sit down to a delicious three-course candlelit dinner. At Sundance, all the outdoor fun builds up quite a healthy appetite.
Breakfast is served a la carte between 7:30 and 9:00 am, with that all-important morning coffee being on from 5:30 am for you early risers. For lunch and dinner, kids 14 years and under eat all together, one hour before adult meal sittings, so they get to know each other quickly, which hugely enhances the fun factor for them! You may also choose to have your children join you for adult meals if you wish, and either request an upgrade to adult meals for $20 a day per child, or have a kids’ meal held over to adult mealtime at no extra charge - whatever works for you.
Adult mealtimes are 1:00pm and 7:00pm, with a more sophisticated menu – and again, everyone sits at big tables together, so it’s a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Whether you’re with a group or all on your own, you’ll quickly become “part of the family” once you’re there. For Sunday lunch, adults and kids all eat together for a big burger barbeque. There’s nothing more mouth-watering than that charcoal-grilled aroma drifting across the patio!
Chef Chris cooks up some tastey Black Angus burgers.
Working Vacation
Through Spring Lake's working vacation, guests learn the in's and out's of ranch life.
Spring Lake Ranch is tucked in the heart of British Columbia’s Cariboo country. Unique to many guest ranches, Spring Lake offers a “Working Vacation”. Involved in this, vacations offer free room and board for a minimum of six weeks. Work involves maintenance, cleaning of cabins, yard work, kitchen duty and of course working with the horses. In the early spring, fall and winter, some work involves working with cattle as well. Time off for line dancing, hayrides, fireside cookouts, swimming, canoeing and some short trips including rodeos and Bakerville.
Many of the young work experience guests come back for several years in a row. Two young Swiss work experience girls said, “Right now we are realizing our dream, having a work experience holiday on a Canadian ranch. We are so happy that we have found this beautiful place. The ranch has a private lake and our cabin is situated directly on the lake shore. We’re really enjoying this incredible stillness, the pure nature and our job variation. The work with young horses and also moving cows is exactly what we wanted to do and the work is a lot of fun; we’re laughing all the time. Also to witness a foal be born and to see the four eagle nests when riding around the lake is stunning. The ranch motto: close to nature, far from crowds; that’s what it’s like at Spring Lake Ranch.”
Through the working vacation, guests get some good one on one time with their favorite horses.
Wells Gray Country
Amongst the rolling hills of British Columbia‘s Cariboo Chilcotin, on the shores of Crystal Lake, you‘ll find Crystal Waters Guest Ranch. Established at the turn of the century, the ranch sits in a scenic valley of lakes, meadows, wetlands and forests. It’s home to some of the finest horseback riding back country and fly-fishing that can be found anywhere in Canada and across North America.
The scenery at Crystal Waters is breathtaking.
Since the elevation of the region ranges between approximately 800 and 1250 meter, with a few higher areas and peaks here and there, spring doesn’t really arrive before the months of April and May when flora and fauna then explode into growth and activity. The temperatures are quite mild during the day but could still drop below zero degrees Celsius during the night. The ice disappears from the lakes during the second half of April, in higher elevations it can even be May before the boats can go in the water.
June, July and August are the summer months in the South Cariboo with hot and usually dry days and comfortably cool nights. The lakes reach a pleasant temperature for swimming, canoeing, kayaking and other water sports.
Quite spectacular is the “Indian Summer” during late September and early October, when the leaves of the trees change to colors of yellow to dark red and every shade in between. The days are dry, sunny and can still be quite warm, the nights are getting cooler until snowflakes start to fly in October.
Winter doesn’t really arrive with all its force before late November or early December. The region is soon covered in a white blanket and turns into a Winter Wonderland with cold, but dry, and very sunny days, offering the perfect location for a huge variety of winter activities such as skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating and more, all in the heart of British Columbia’s beautiful and pristine interior.
Crystal Waters is open year long.
Wells Gray Country is a spectacular, pure wilderness area. Known as a world-class destination, it is a must stop on any tour of British Columbia. Within Wells Gray Park, experience stunning vistas of high mountains, deep canyons, volcanic cones, brooding old-growth forests & raging white-water rivers.
Take in the landscapes, forests, wildlife and human heritage of Wells Gray, often known as ‘The Waterfall Park’. Enjoy the sounds, sights and serenity of countless impressive cascades, torrents and rapids – including world-famous Helmcken Falls, a waterfall three times the height of Niagara and North America’s largest canoe only lake, Murtle Lake!
If you’re looking for a summer trip of deep blue skies over deep blue water, where you can wander lush alpine meadows and cool, ancient forests, or paddle and fish big lakes and majestic rivers, then a summer visit to Wells Gray Park has a lot to offer!
In winter, Wells Gray Country is transformed into a very different world: many locals look forward to the arrival of snow and ice, and getting out on their skis, snowshoes, dog-sleds and snowmobiles. In the valleys the snow-cover ranges between a few centimeters and half a meter or sometimes more: up in the mountains it’s more like 3m to 4m of fine powder in the average year. This gives you the perfect setting for all manner of winter fun.
Delicious Cuisine
I don’t know about you, but when I’m on vacation, half the appeal is eating great food everyday that I don’t have to cook. I’m about quality not quantity. The dining at Siwash Lake Ranch is like no other.
Guests sit around the table for a delicious meal where they interact and share their life stories.
At mealtimes, you’ll be delighted with delicious cuisine and great fellowship in their cozy 20-seat main dining room. Hand-hewn log walls, a rich fir plank floor, casually elegant furniture and candle light combine for a wonderfully warm dining ambiance. Tables vary from large group and family size, to intimate window settings for two that overlook wild bird feeders and horse pasture.
At Siwash, you will start your day off with a wake-up tray that is placed at your door, brimming with home baked muffins and your choice of freshly brewed tea or coffee. Canadian breakfasts in the dining room are hearty, and lunches, served outside whenever possible, feature nourishing homemade soups, pastas, salads, and breads. Later, enjoy chef’s daily hors d’oeuvre, presented on the sun deck or fireside. Dinners are three-course, culinary adventures infused with international flavours.
The ranch offers outstanding gourmet meals, prepared from the best seasonal ingredients and served with Siwash-style flare. Whenever possible, they incorporate organic food produced on the ranch — mouth-watering beef and pork, free-range eggs, and baby greens for your salads, picked right from our garden. Regional British Columbia cuisine, featuring wild trout, salmon and venison are our specialty.
Siwash Lake Ranch uses their own fresh garden greens.
If you’re a true romantic at heart and want to treat your honey, Siwash offers in-suite and alfresco dining in the meadow or on a private balcony is a special treat for couples taking romantic holidays.
Romantic dinner for two.
SAMPLE MENU
Day One
~ Hors D’oeuvre ~
Spicy Crab Bruschetta
~ First Course ~
Baked Chevre, ranch grown organic baby greens, warm honey walnut vinaigrette
~ Second Course ~
Grilled Halibut, sundried tomato, white wine & cream reduction
Wild rice pilaf
Roasted red pepper, pan seared zucchini, steamed baby carrots
~ Third Course ~
Pumpkin Cheesecake, caramel sauce laced with brandy and star anise
Day Two
~ Hors D’oeuvre ~
Wild BC Smoked Salmon, crostini, fresh dill & cream cheese
~ First Course ~
Vine Ripened Roma Tomatoes, Bocconcini, garden basil & balsamic vinaigrette
~ Second Course ~
Filet Mignon, brandy & green peppercorn demi-glaze,
~ grass fed, organic Black Angus ranch beef ~
Garlic whipped gold potatoes
Purple cauliflower & grilled baby asparagus
~ Third Course ~
Dark Chocolate Ganache, wild raspberry coulis
Fine Cuisine
Cast & Catch
When looking for the perfect family vacation, sometimes it’s hard to find a holiday that every member of the family will enjoy. The kids and mom want to go horseback riding everyday, but t dad would like to cast his reel and do a little fishing.
Chaunigan Lake Lodge has some of the best fishing around.
At Chaunigan Lake Lodge in the Nemaiah Valley of British Columbia has the best of both worlds. The kids and mom can go for a guided trail ride on horseback along forested trails with birds, wildflowers and the beautiful vistas the Chaunigan has to offer. Head out each morning on a different trail and you will never get tired of what you see.
Now as for Pa, well the Chaunigan Lake Lodge is best known for its world class rainbow trout fishing. It started as a fishing lodge in 1935 and history has proven that their greatest asset (aside from the breathtaking scenery) is their wild rainbow trout fishing. With careful management and remote location has preserved the rainbow trout lake fishing. The average fish size is 2 ½ pounds. The lake has many weed beds and shoal areas, and cool water temperatures year round. The abundant freshwater shrimp population produces a clean firm rainbow trout.
There are many days when experienced fly fishermen will catch 50 fish a day. Chaunigan Lake Lodge has an angling guide available to take guests out on the water, explain the entomology, or help with casting and retrievals.
For a change of pace try one of the 6 fly-in fishing lakes within a 70 mile radius of Chaunigan Lake. All these remote lakes are equipped with boats.
This is a vacation for the whole family! There’s always something new to try each day. Go for a ride, or cast your reel and catch the big one.
Catch of the day.
Building a Guest Ranch
The Big Creek Lodge is classified as a Canada Select Four Star "Country Inn".
If you’ve ever visited a guest ranch, you may have had this overwhelming feeling that there would be no better job in the world than to own and run a guest ranch of your own. The benefits are countless – live in a beautiful part of the world with animals of all kinds, working with horses on a daily basis, live in a gorgeous log home and get to meet people from all over the world. But what does it take to start up a guest ranch? It’s no piece of cake that’s for sure.
Take Big Creek Lodge for example. Owners Joe and Sabine Hoessl started out with the traditional cattle ranching on a range of more than 25,000 acres in the beginning of the 80’s. They then decided they wanted to share this once in a lifetime experience of the land with others, so they built their first cabin for guests to stay in. It was a huge hit! The guests loved the fresh air and the absolute peace and quiet of the cabin.
The Hoessl’s soon encountered a dilemma. The cabin was always booked full because the guests would always book for the following year. So they decided it was time to think bigger in order to satisfy their many guests. That was the beginning of the Big Creek Lodge.
The Big Creek Lodge consists of massive white cedar logs, that were found on the Pacific Coast of BC. From the first cut to the last nail, it took the Hoessl’s a good four years to build their vision. In this time everyone worked from dusk till dawn. Skilled carpenters were few and far between, so they were forced to employ the help of the local natives who were unskilled in this area of expertise. Joe’s solid German education as a carpenter became invaluable.
The lodge has been classified as a Canada Select Four Star “Country Inn” and it is the only four star Country Inn in this region. It accommodates ten guests in five comfortable rooms. All rooms have a cozy interior, floor heating and a private bathroom. There is also a roomy lounge and a dining area warmed by a massive stone fireplace. Their homestyle country kitchen serves you breakfast, lunch and dinner in a relaxed atmosphere.
Additional cabins were also added, which are nestled among the trees lining the Big Creek, giving guests a feeling of remoteness and comfort. There are two bedrooms for four guests or a family with kids, private bath and equipped with a living room in every cabin. From the porches of the cabins, where comfortable seats surround a massive table, guests overlook the creek and the breathtaking wilderness.
Guests can enjoy sitting on their cabin's porch overlooking the creek and surrounding wilderness.
History Lesson
Big Bar Guest Ranch is nestled in the rolling hills of the Cariboo where time has no meaning. The ranch dates back to 1933 when Harry Marriott and George S Harrison purchased the ranch (back then it was a cattle ranch) and started the OK Ranching Co Ltd.
The Harrison House, (where today’s guests enjoy relaxing in front of the stone fireplace) was built for George Harrison in 1936 to house his family, as well as any guests who may come visit from the coast.Harrison and Marriott sold the OK Ranch in the 1950’s to a family from Vancouver, the Squarrey’s. The family built the two older cabins that still remain at Big Bar today. They were originally built to accommodate their friends who came to visit.
The Harrison House is where Big Bar guests gather and enjoy each others company.
As the Squarrey children grew and married and moved back to the coast, the ranch was left to a caretaker until Brian Gunn and his wife bought the ranch in 1989. Brian was an engineer and he and his wife were looking for a slower pace for themselves and their two boys. Their dream was to own a guest ranch, so they quickly built the Sagebrush inn and added two more cabins and four tipi’s to accommodate guests. In 1997 Brian Gunn sold the ranch to Anne Freeman, who ran the ranch for 10 years before selling it to Elise-Marie and Kresten Vestergaard, who lived in Denmark.
Elise-Marie and Kresten made their first visit to the Cariboo in 2006 where they stayed at Big Bar Ranch, which at the time was up for sale. Like so many others, the couple fell in love with the Cariboo, the land, wildlife and the ranch life. For them the ranch is about the passion for the cowboy way of life, and getting back to a simpler way of living. With the purchase of Big Bar Guest Ranch, the Vestergaard’s feel that they found their own little corner of heaven, which they want to share with people from all over the world.
Elise-Marie and Kresten still live in Denmark where they run their farm and a breeding facility for American Paint Horses. They come to their dream ranch as much as possible. They wish everyone a good time, with good food, good riding and great memories.
Big Bar tipi's.
So You Think You Can Ranch?
Free Rein Guest Ranch is situated amidst some of British Columbia’s most beautiful Canadian wilderness on 285 acres. Opening day for the season was May 1st, but there was a lot that had to be done prior so everything was ready and up to par for arriving guests.
This year Free Rein implemented a new way to get ready for the season, an idea that formed So You Think You Can Ranch. The concept was three-fold, first to generate revenue outside the ranch’s main season, second to give guests an opportunity to see behind the scenes and get involved, and third to help the ranch prepare for the up-coming season with some extra hands on deck. This package was of course offered to experienced riders only as the horses can be a little “fresh” in the spring. With a successful first year, Free Rein hopes to continue to offer this package, one that is a win win for everyone.
All tack at Free Rein is cleaned upon guests arrival.
The list of things that need to be done around the ranch before opening day are long; fencing, painting, clearing trails, laundry, cleaning and of course preparing the horses to name a few. When it comes to preparing the horses, the first thing is to have them all checked out by a vet to make sure they are in tip top shape. They are 5-way vaccinated, dewormed and teeth floated if necessary. Then comes the ground work training for a week before riding to reestablish boundaries (which they sometimes tend to forget over the winter months). The horses are lounged to take the edge off and get them in shape. They are then rode in the arena before heading out onto the trails.
Once everything is cleaned, cleared, painted and tidied the doors are opened to another season of memory making experiences for Free Rein guests.
Horses are "tuned" up before opening day at Free Rein Guest Ranch.
Curly Joe
The horses at Chilcotin Holidays are reliable with sweet temperaments and intelligence. Several of their horses come from wild stock, meaning they are great for mountain riding and sure footed. One of Chilcotin’s most memorable horses was Curly Joe.
Curly Joe was caught by a Native Indian on the north slope of the Chilcotin Mountains on a cold January day. He was only a year old then and was still running with his mother in a small herd of 12. Winter was in full force dropping to -40 and two feet of settled snow. Food was only to be found in the swamp meadows. The deep snow had to be pawed away to reach the grass hidden below. This is an environment where only the tough survived. Wolves scout the meadows hoping to pick off on old or a young horse from the herd, but leave quickly when the smell of the wild horse hunter approaches.
Curly Joe’s first introduction to man was being roped by the wild horseman as he tried to race for the big timber and safety from the rope. Snubbed up to the saddle horn, a halter was slipped over his head, the short lead rope clipped into a ring on the tail of the spare riding horse and followed back to camp in the foot steps of his leader. The year was around 1970. In May 2004, Curly Joe sadly passed away of old age.
Curly Joe giving a Chilcotin guest a ride.
Curly Joe lived an adventurous life. He chased the wild horses on the North slope of the Chilcotin Mountains and could weave in between the pine trees at a full gallop while his rider tried to rope one of his relatives. Curly Joe had another life that he was able to be good at, that was one of a ranch horse, where chasing cattle on the open range was the work of the day. It was a job that he did well but tolerated, leading horse pack trips into the mountains seemed to be his favorite work. The fresh grass in the Alpine Meadow, exploring new country, then the special treatment from the new guests each week and their generous portions of oats made the job all worth it.
For nearly 40 years, Curly Joe ruled the Chilcotin Mountains, working first from the north side with Tee Pee Heart Guest Ranch then from the south side with Chilcotin Holidays. Curly knew every trail through those mountains, all the shortcuts and the places not to go. He put in 3000 miles a season on these trails and with 30 years work over 90,000 miles of travel in the Chilcotin Mountains, this is a record no horse will ever match.
Curly Joe was a great pack horse.