5 Day Grizzly and Black Bear Tracking on Horseback in the South Chilcotin Mountains
Canada Conservation Horse Based Pack Trip
All trips organized by Wilderness Trails are based on six principles: nature conservation, nature connection, personal development, self-sufficiency, consciousness and awareness, and empowerment. These six principles are designed to help you create positive change—for yourself, for others, and for your environment. Embark on a transformational self-development journey with the Wilderness Trails community, discovering who you are and who you want to be. Connect with nature and experience its restorative benefits. Engage in nature conservation and make a real-world difference. Become more self-sufficient as you learn new skills and mindsets. Experience true empowerment as you accomplish things you never thought possible. Gain a heightened sense of consciousness and awareness as you learn to see the natural environment and every aspect of life from a new perspective.
Highlights
- Daily horseback riding
- Grizzly and black bear tracking on horseback
- Explore majestic mountains teeming with wildlife
- Learn about conservation and land stewardship to help preserve wildlife
- Explore quiet valleys and wildflower meadows frequented by bears and their cubs
- Learn about the differences and similarities between Grizzly and Black Bear
- Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- 4 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Accommodation
During this vacation, you will stay for two nights in the ranch accommodation and two nights at the alpine camp.
The ranch house
The historic ranch house lodge is the perfect place to meet the horses, discover a library of inspirational books, and connect with other guests and the ranch community. This is where your wilderness experience starts!
The camps
The mountain camps, many located at treeline, are the ideal base for your wilderness experience. Wilderness cabins, prospector tents, a campfire, and a horse corral allow you to get back to basics. Splitting wood, making a fire, and packing water are all ways to reconnect to nature. From your camp, journey into the wilderness on day rides.
Program
Wilderness Trails will guide you on your journey, offering the opportunity to reach your full potential and achieve your goals. You will be challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally, succeeding in ways you may not have believed possible. Keep an open mind, step out of your comfort zone, and you will be rewarded with a unique experience that has the power to transform your life.
Day 1
- Early morning departure from Vancouver with the Wilderness Trails shuttle or from home with your own transportation
- Midday arrival and lunch at the ranch
- Horse riding orientation – riders are matched to horses, saddles are fitted, and horsemanship skills are practiced. You will learn to saddle your own horse, promoting self-sufficiency, empowerment, and independence.
- Introductory trail ride to familiarize yourself with your horse’s capabilities and the terrain you will be riding
- Dinner and reflection on your day's successes, appreciations, and challenges in the evening review
- Map orientation highlighting the uniqueness of the Chilcotin Ark, the conservation efforts you'll engage in, and the trails and terrain that will be explored. Learn more about bears and their habitats.
- Duffel routine – repack your personal gear into mountain duffel bags that will be packed onto the horses
- Overnight in ranch accommodations
Day 2
- Saddle your own horse and learn from the guides how to pack the pack horses with a hands-on orientation before riding out to camp
- Breakfast at the ranch and set your intentions in the morning review
- Journey through Douglas fir and lodgepole pine forests, climb stunning mountain passes, ride through tranquil valleys, and break for lunch in a wildflower meadow. Connect with nature by collecting Grizzly bear hair from rub trees, drinking water from creeks, scouting for bears, and learning tracking techniques.
- Arrive at a rustic mountain camp and settle in by participating in camp chores like carrying water from the creek, learning how to split firewood and make a fire, and unpacking the horses.
- Ride the horses to their grazing meadows and enjoy a hike back to camp through untouched wilderness. Meadows are 15-20 minutes from camp, where you'll learn how to stake and hobble your horse for the night. Get involved in conservation by identifying different grazes and wildflowers with the Range Record Grazing Sheet.
- Help cook dinner at camp, enjoy campfire cooking, and roast marshmallows. Reflect on your day’s experiences with the evening review.
- Overnight in rustic prospector wall tents, listening to the sounds of nature and counting stars
Day 3
- At sunrise, hike out with your guides to retrieve the horses from the staking meadows, saddle your own horse, and return to camp
- Help make breakfast and pack lunches at camp. Set your intentions in the morning review.
- Day ride from camp to prime locations for tracking bears, enjoying lunch with breathtaking views along the way
- Contribute to conservation by recording wildlife sightings, learning about endangered Whitebark Pine trees, assessing their population health, and collecting Grizzly bear hair for DNA analysis
- Connect with nature by drinking from the creek, learning about different plants, and bonding with your horse
- Return to camp, bring the horses to the staking meadows, and enjoy the hike back to camp
- Help prepare dinner at camp, roast marshmallows, and reflect on the day’s experiences in the evening review
- Overnight in rustic prospector wall tents, under the stars, surrounded by the sounds of nature
Day 4
- At sunrise, hike out to retrieve the horses from the staking meadows, saddle your own horse, and return to camp
- Help prepare breakfast and pack lunches at camp while setting your intentions in the morning review
- Pack up camp and assist in cleaning and packing the horses before heading out
- Ride through striking landscapes, such as valleys and towering ridgelines, as you make your way back to the ranch
- Enjoy lunch on a mountain top or in an alpine meadow
- Arrive at the ranch for dinner, followed by an evening review of the day’s successes and appreciations
- Relax by the fireplace or step onto the deck for spectacular stargazing
- Overnight in ranch accommodations
Day 5
- Breakfast at the ranch and intention setting in the morning review
- Bareback horse riding lessons
- Target shooting instruction and practice
- Reflect on your journey in the Wilderness Journal, considering how the experience has impacted you and what lessons you will carry forward in daily life
- Farewell lunch at the ranch with a review of the Wilderness Journal and certificate presentation to celebrate your transformations during the trip
- Depart for home or Vancouver, arriving in the evening
Important Information:
- For every day: Depending on the trail, you may need to walk downhill on steep terrain for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, as you descend the mountains you climbed on our horses.
- Each trip is a hands-on experience where you will participate in all activities, including horse care, camp chores, conservation projects, daily reflections on your experiences, and more.
- Please note: The trips are subject to unpredictable weather and terrain conditions that come with a mountainous environment. While they do their best to follow the itinerary, there may be times when the current conditions or needs of the group require adjustments to schedules, campsites, and other aspects of the trip. This is part of any true wilderness experience, and we are well-equipped to adapt the adventure to changing conditions.
Location
This pack trip takes place in the South Chilcotin Mountains area, British Columbia.
Food
You will be served a total of 13 meals during this trip.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Things to do (optional)
- Archery (50 CAD per hour)
- Gold mine shaft exploration (based on a group of four with one guide, 400 CAD per truck)
- Horse logging (100 CAD per person)
- Shoeing horses (100 CAD per person)
What's included
- Daily horse rides and activities
- 13 meals
- 4 nights accommodation
What's not included
- Chilcotin Express shuttle ground transport between Vancouver and the ranch (600 CAD per person on regular dates and 750 CAD per person on irregular dates and 1200 CAD round trip per group of four or more) + tax per person
- Private group (extra 200 CAD per day per group - subject to availability)
- Extra charge for horse riders over 230 pounds and restrictions may apply for horse riders over 260 pounds
- Taxes are not included
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Vancouver International Airport
193 km
Transfer not provided
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.