
It's early at the ranch. The day started at 6 am and the quiet ranch begins to come to life. Guides are beginning to tack up and get the horses ready for trip out to Spruce Lake. You can feel the calmness though. It rained heavily over night and the colder temperatures are welcome after the long heat wave. This is exactly what the fire crews needed to win that final battle with the distant fire. The sky is now clear with only a few wisps of cloud - perfect for a day in the saddle.
The horses graze in the meadows and amongst them you can see three does with their fawns having breakfast with the horses. A cow bird is riding the back of "Blue", perched and ready to scurry around the horse's feet to catch any bugs that might have been stirred up.
Early summer is one of the best times to visit the South Chilcotin Mountains. With wildlife to be found around every corner, outdoor enthusiasts better have their cameras ready! The robins are busy pulling worms for their 4 hungry babies in the nest all getting ready to fly.
The Spruce Lake crew has finished saddling horses and are ready to head up and join the rest of the staff and guide school students who are already at Spruce Lake. They'll be busy riding the mountains in the day and mingling around the campfire in the evening.
With all the main roads from Lillooet and Gold Bridge officially re-opened it appears the firefighters have got the situation under control, which will facilitate the arrival of more guests and staff. A celebration is in order to congratulate the hard work of firefighters, and to thank Mother Nature for her help in putting out the fires!

