Heavy Rains bring welcome Assistance for Fire Crews

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!

Ranch Update

As the sun rose over Gun Creek Road near Gold Bridge, the sound of horse bells tinkles through the cool clean morning mountain air. The staff are all hustling about with purpose, tacking up horses for a pack trip up to spruce lake side hills where the flowers area nearing their peak. The Balsam Root is amazing in this area and seeing them in the height of their bloom is a sought after experience.

As the pack trip heads down the trail - a helicopter whirls overhead to monitor a distant forest fire that is cleaning up the forest floor providing valuable wildlife habitat next season.

Next week the wilderness guide school starts!

Interns are quickly learning the ropes, grizzly sightings are happening daily, and guest ranch clients are learning new horse skills. The alpine camps are not yet free of snow but soon the summer sun will melt the last patches of snow, making way for a summer of alpine wildflower blossoms!

Wildfire Update June 6th

The day began at 5 am. We awoke to a thick smoke from the wildfire that had settled in the valley overnight. Two groups of eight guests and staff loaded into two vehicles and headed up the slim valley to our Leckie camp for a day ride to the spruce lake side hill meadows. The goal was to capture the beautiful alpine meadows filled with Balsam Root blossoms as well as to bring the horses home to prepare for the busy week ahead. By noon, just as the smoke was clearing, the gang reached the alpine. In the end it was a hot summer day. Under clear skies, we rode amidst the blooming alpine flowers. The four bears and the mountain goat spotted was the cherry topping to an already perfect day. Back at the ranch, a light rain was settling the dusty roads, calming the fire, and providing the necessary moisture for new growth in the small burned area.

Careless Campfire Will Benefit Forest Floor Health

1 June 2009
Gold Bridge, BC
As the forest fire, started by a careless campfire on May 29 in the Lillooet/Squamish forest district burns itself out, Chilcotin Holidays staff only see a small plume of smoke on the horizon amidst the snow-capped mountains. Thanks to the tireless efforts of BC firefighters on ground and in the air, the fire is self-contained and in the process of burning itself out having left nearby communities with the inconvenience of power and phone outages where power lines were damaged.

As owner, and outfitter, Kevan Bracewell of Chilcotin Holidays explains, “Fires naturally occur in almost all ecosystems and can be used as a land management tool.” The carelessness of handling campfires is a threat to people and wildlife each year. Without the immediate response of fire fighters, it could have been a different story in Gold Bridge. As Bracewell explains, “The cycle of nature will soon see revegetation and result in better mule deer wintering ranges in the areas scorched around Mowson and Pearson ponds.”

Once hydro crews get the power back on the grid, Chilcotin Holidays is prepared and looking forward to a busy season with guests arriving locally and internationally for the unique wilderness vacations they provide in BC’s South Chilcotin Mountains.

To book your next wilderness experience, or for more information, contact:
Chilcotin Holidays
Tel: 250 238 2274
Fax: 250-238-2241
Email: adventures@chilcotinholidays.com
Or visit: www.chilcotinholidays.com

Whitecap – Quiet and Willing to do Anything

Seven years after a car accident cracked her back, Amber is happy to be in the saddle again. Having picked Whitecap from Chilcotin Holidays’ herd of Cayuse mountain horses for sale – those having paid their dues in packing riders and gear to the tops of the South Chilcotin Mountains – Amber has found a calm and trustworthy companion while she gains her balance and core strength back.

Her ferrier loves her. She trailers awesome, making it easy for Amber to take Whitecap anywhere. And she’s responsive to leg and anything you ask of her. Amber points out, “Whitecap just does what she asks of her and is quiet about it.”

Amber’s thankful for the fantastic job Chilcotin Holidays did in training their horses. Often away weeks at a time, she returns to ride Whitecap in the same disposition that she left her horse – calm, stable, and reliable. No surprises – which is just what she wants.

27 May 2009
A. Knickle, Prince George, BC

One Log at a Time

A handcrafted log cabin will last for generations. Building it yourself is an exciting adventure, but, when reality sets in, it often becomes a frustrating venture if you’re neither familiar with all the steps nor have the time to explore your options. We do more than build log cabins. We incorporate your personal touches from start to finish and create your dream cabin from the ground up. Having over forty years of experience harvesting logs and building log structures, building your dream home is accomplished in four easy steps. We simply:
1. Design a log cabin to your specifications
2. Build it
3. Transport it to your site
4. Set it up for you
We can create your Canadian log cabin using one of these log species: Engelman Spruce; Lodge Pole Pine; and Douglas Fir. Prebuilt log packages are available onsite at our ranch in Gold Bridge, BC. Call or email us today.

SLPBL Opening Soon

Spruce Lake Park Backpackers Lodge is equipped with everything you need to enjoy an exciting wilderness holiday. Our historic cabin is located on the north end of Spruce Lake with accommodation facilities set amongst the pines. It includes eight 10’x12’ walk about tent cabins with flooring, wood heaters and two single beds each, and a sleeping loft in our lodge cabin. The camp is equipped with two campfire areas, picnic tables, a shower house with hot water, and a corral and tack area to service horses.
During the days you can head out on your own to hike or bike around the area. Or you can just kick-back and enjoy the beauty of the lake. Chilcotin Holidays offers services for those, who would like to have their own gear brought into camp via packhorse. Contact us for more details about our full guiding services.