Gordon Baron
Ranches & Rodeos
T
his certainly is a ‘land without limits’ if you aim to satisfy your childhood fantasies of living the life of a cowboy or cowgirl. From Cache Creek in the south, to north of Quesnel, and west into the Chilcotin wilderness, you’ll find an adventure-land of rodeos, rustic guest ranches and resort-style luxury. We have ranches and lodges ready to help you practice cowboy life in whatever fashion you choose. Bunk down in an old-fashioned log cabin, or listen to cowboy tales around a roaring campfire. Relax with a massage after a long day’s ride, or visit a rodeo and marvel at the skills and courage of both riders and animals. Or take your sweetheart glamping for a distinctive ranch escape. The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast is home to the province’s highest concentration of guest ranches. Some have gourmet restaurants, swimming pools, hot tubs, glamping accommodations and full service spas; while others provide rustic Canadian experiences. Gratify your inner cowboy by riding the TchaikazanYohetta Valley Loop or the Chilcotin’s Potato Range, camping at a secluded trailside lake to reel in a fat trout for the supper fry pan. Take a 14-day expedition into the mountains of the Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park, where an archaeological site of particular importance to the Carrier people, has been identified near one
of the obsidian quarries. Guide herds from winter feedlots to summer pasture in spring, or back again in the fall. Aspiring cowhands bunk at genuine working ranches, riding and roping, branding and herding. Horse enthusiasts won’t want to miss a ‘horse whispering’ session, where you have the opportunity to learn how to speak your horse’s language and create the ultimate bond between man and animal.
howl of a distant coyote and the aroma of coffee, beans and bacon crisping over an open flame. April through September, the amateur rodeo circuit focuses on the art, grace
“The first time, it’s a vacation. After that, it’s coming home.”
No matter your dream, ranch hands here are experts at matching horses to riders of all abilities; from family friendly, low-impact trail rides through aspen and Jack pine forests to multi-hour saddle treks to hoodoo pinnacles with vistas stretching as far as the eye can see. It’s the stuff cowboy dreams are made of – poetry, guitars and singing around the fire, sleeping under the stars in a snug bedroll, waking at dawn to the
Just 4 hours north of Vancouver 1-800-553-3533 www.sundanceguestranch.com saddleup@sundanceguestranch.com 1-800-663-5885
| www.landwithoutlimits.com
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