Learning to be a Cowboy

Riding across the plateau, as the sunset over the distant mountains, snow on the ground, I felt a long way from the daily grind. Okay, so life is pretty special, running wilderness trips in remote areas of Canada and splitting time from marketing and other business matters with some turns on the ski hill....but still, there is a stress that comes from dealing with bills and business administration. Work is still work.

Out on the Chilcotin plateau at the ranch it is a different reality. Feeding horses, axing through the ice over the creek to get water, wrangling cattle, collecting wood for the fire, the list goes on. It is a simpler and wholesome existence that while hard work is very satisfying and rejuvenating.

In the summer we work closely with the Dorsey family and friends that run the packhorses on the trekking trips we offer in Tweedsmuir Park. This December was a chance, for myself atleast, to learn how to ride and as it turned out, wrangle horses and cows.

After driving to the end of a quiet side road, literally miles from anywhere I was met by my friend Aileen, one of the horse packers working on the summer trips. After being introduced to 'my' horse Sandy I was shown how to put on a pair of leather chaps, designed to protect from the elements and also very useful to protect against the brush when riding. We then rode for an hour into the Chilcotin Plateau to the ranch, an old homestead with a horse coral and fantastic views across the plateau to the distant coastal mountain ranges.

I awake the first day to a hearty breakfast, before gearing Sandy up for the days ride. Myself and Aileen then ride out to find a herd of horses that are foraging out on the range. We find half a dozen horses in the top meadow, an hour ride from the ranch. The plan is to herd them back to the coral. It all happens very fast and before I know it we are chasing them at full speed, weaving in and out of the trees through the forest. It is quite exhilirating and I can only liken it to skiing through trees, reacting quickly so as to avoid crashing.

As we near the ranch the herd slows down to a trot and I get time to look out across the plateau to the sunset over the snow capped peaks. As the temperature drops and I look forward to a cup of tea by the fire I can't help but keep smiling to myself. The stuff of boyhood dreams, I really do feel like a cowby.

Ready for Winter

The new office in Nelson, deep in the heart of the Kootenay region of British Columbia, is now fully functioning. We are based in the Building Tree offices, a collective office for business with a green conscience. We are very excited to become a part of this mountain community that thrives so heavily on the outdoor lifestyle. At this time of year the buzz is for snow and skiing deep powder high in the mountains. The winter is creeping ever nearer but the precipiation so far this year has been very low, with only minimal amounts of snowfall recorded and very little since October. It is nothing that hasn't happened before but patience is starting to wear as the locals get anxious to get the skis and boards out before Christmas.

And Wild Earth...? We're reviewing marketing plans for the next two years. Things have expanded with over 10 travel companies and various agents selling our products to their clients. So while we are not moving away from direct sales this is an interesting step for us. Places are going to be increasingly limited on our trips. Of course we are not going to increase group sizes and will be very aware of impacts on the envirnoment. So we'll have new trips to new destinations and changing itineraries for exisiting destinations to vary the trails on which we travel. That way we'll be keeping everything new and fresh whether you're a guest for the first time or a returning friend.

And most exciting, our family of guides is expanding...more highly skilled and knowledgeable locals from the guiding industry that will continue to give you a great insight into our wild places, while keeping you safe and well fed!

That's all for now.

New Canadian Office

We are really happy to have a new office opening in Nelson, British Columbia. Wild Earth Adventures have joined the The Building Tree's shared office space. An office for eco-friendly business, this convenient downtown Nelson location will serve as Wild Earth Adventures operational office while the administartive office will remain in the UK.

Spring Bookings and No Free Time!

Unfortuanately there are still a few weeks left before escaping the office. The last month has been very busy taking bookings for the next couple of years. So there really has been no time to escape. Instead we can enjoy looking at these images and get excited about the summer. The first is of Molly Lake in the Coastal Mountains on the south side of Bella Coola. We run a fly-in alpine trip to this area. The other image is of Turner Lake where we run a fly-in canoe trip. At the head of the lake is Hunlen Falls, the third highest falls in Canada.

In mid-March we had a stand at the UK National Exhibition Centre at the Outdoors Show, the biggest of its kind in the UK. It was a great success and we took a picture of the stand at the beginning of the show. About 40,000 people passed through and by the end of the weekend we could hardly talk but it is always really worthwhile and fantastic to get such a great response to the company - not to mention the bookings!






Paul Webb, UK based sales and marketing, getting ready for the 40,000 visitors.

Kayaking in the Realm of the Orca

We are now working in conjunction with a sea kayaking company on Quadra Island to offer the Johnstone Strait Expedition. Wild Earth Adventures does not run these trips directly but uses the excellent guide services of an affiliate company. This adventure will journey through the Broughton Archipelago and into the realm of the Orca whale.

Winter Wonderland Canada

Nelson, British Columbia is a tucked away town in the Kootenay region of British Columbia. It is far away from the hustle and bustle of the busy ski resorts. Attracting a different kind of visitor, this is a ski town where the community balances work and play to ensure a rare quality of life.

Albarracin, Spain

Perfect conditions greeted us in Albarracin for a few days of bouldering. The plan was simple. Escape the computers for a few days, enjoy good company and climb.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

It's going to be an exciting new year for Wild Earth Adventures with new affiliates in the travel industry both in the UK with Walks Worldwide and in Canada with an adventure travel agent based in Alberta...this will hopefully provide opportunities to develop and expand our frontiers. We are also developing relationships with Kynoch Adventures in Bella Coola, working on a joint adventure package to meet the growing demand and interest that is building from the travel industry in the central coast of British Columbia.

Looking forward to being in British Columbia from mid-January to develop some new trips for the summer - watch this space.

All the best for 2008...see you in BC.