Comfort
The guesthouse at the ranch is an ideal place to get together, enjoy the scenery of the foothills and experience western hospitality. Set on 522 acres in the foothills, the ranch is a beautiful place to enjoy the true colours of Autumn in the Rockies. With aspen forests that shine golden yellow leaves while snow-capped mountains stand majestically behind them, you will feel like you stepped into a photograph. “The Barn” equally reflects the atmosphere of the foothills with a cozy and unique space to relax in at the end of the day. The guesthouse offers room for a total of 8 guests in 5 bedrooms.
Service is limited with WIFI available for you to connect to the outside world.
Meals
All meals are homemade, using fresh and local ingredients. Meals are served communally, with everyone sharing the same large table.
If you have a special diet or food allergies, please specify when booking as menus can be adapted to vegetarian, lactose-free and gluten-free menus (supplement of $ 10 per day for a gluten-free menu)
We feature local wine and beer from chosen distributors if you would like a beverage to accompany your dinner. Any alcohol purchases can be added to your stay.
Climate
Calgary experiences long winters and short, hot summers. The climate is very influenced by the elevation of the city and the proximity of the Rocky Mountains.
Calgary experiences summer day temperatures above 30 ° C about four days a year.
Summer evenings can be quite cold; the average minimum in summer is 8 ° C and frost can occur in any month of the year.
Most of the precipitation falls from May to August; June sees the heaviest rains on average.
Autumn is the driest period. The averages for this period are around 20 ° C. Night temperatures; however, frequently drop below 0 ° C.
Although the cold winters of Calgary can be very uncomfortable, the hot dry wind, called "Chinook", blows regularly over the city from the Pacific Ocean during the winter months.
These winds have sometimes raised the temperature by more than 15 ° C in a few hours, and can last for several days.
More than half of the winter days have a maximum temperature above 0 ° C. On occasion, the temperature in winter can even approach 20 ° C.
The temperature drops below −30 ° C five days a year on average; however, periods of extreme cold generally do not last very long.
Guide and local team
Our lovely guide Neil first founded the ranch in 1991, where he combined adventure and nature, with his love for history and horses. He is passionate about his region, and takes pride in showing riders the beautiful country and horses. His philosophy? Respect the magnificent nature that surrounds the region and the fantastic team of horses that will take you there. During the camps, Neil and his team do their utmost best to preserve the natural environment for the future generations to come. His wife Undine is also part of the team and looks after the guesthouse and helps train the horses.
Tips
In Canada, it is customary to leave a tip - primarily in restaurants and other service-based establishments. Expect to leave around 10-15% of the bill.
At the ranch, your hosts are usually tipped around 100- 150CA$ per rider.
Packing list
Please note that laundry services are available.
Head
- Helmet - mandatory
- Sunhat for when not riding
- Sunglasses - with a cord attached so they don't fly off when riding
- Buff or bandana
Upper body
- Long sleeved shirts provide protection from the sun and keep you cooler
- T-shirts
- Lightweight fleece or jumper
- Warm fleece or jumper
- Waterproof jacket - it can rain and there are frequent thunderstorms
- Swimming costume - for the Jacuzzi
Legs
- Lightweight, comfortable riding trousers or jodhpurs - we recommend riding in them at home before taking them on holiday to ensure they don't rub
- Casual trousers for the evenings, such as jeans
Hands and Feet
- Comfortable riding boots. We recommend short boots with half chaps but you may wish to take long chaps as an extra layer against inclement weather. We don't recommend taking your favourite long leather boots in case they get damaged
- Trainers or equivalent light shoes for moving around the ranch in the evenings
- Several pairs of socks
- Gloves - your hands are particularly exposed to the sun.
Evening wear
- Casual clothes for the evening
Nightwear
- Pyjamas or nightdress
Other useful items
- Camera and high capacity memory card. Spare battery
- Bumbag for carrying your camera and small items whilst riding you can put them in your saddlebag
- Ear plugs (for light sleepers)
Medical kit
- Any medication you regularly take
- Sunscreen and lip balm - should be high factor
- Insect repellent, preferably containing deet
- Blister plasters in case of any rubs
- Antiseptic cream, plasters, aspirin, anti-histamine, insect-bite salve etc...
- Spare prescription glasses/contact lenses
- Rehydration sachets
Our Recommendations
- Backpacks cannot be worn whilst riding. We recommend a small bumbag or a coat with pockets so that you can carry small items with you during the day (passport, camera, sunscreen, lip balm etc)
- We recommend travelling in your riding boots and carrying your hat and some riding clothes in your hand luggage - then if your luggage goes astray you are still able to ride!
- We recommend taking a copy of your passport and insurance documents with you just in case.
