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Living and Guiding in the Mountains

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Living and Guiding in the Mountains


Living

Summary: Facing the challenges of living and guiding in the mountains is tough. But for those that preserve the rewards are great.

I arrived at the Ranch at the beginning of May for the first Guide School Program of the season. I came to the ranch to learn English but also for big challenges that can contribute to my personal development. I was one of three students along with Annegret and Adrian. We started to learn how to saddle and to ride a horse. For me, it was mostly an opportunity to practice my English since I already had experience in horseback riding. Nonetheless, I learned how to pack a horse and I improved my horseshoeing skills. We also learned the basics of horse logging. During the first week, thanks to some hunters, we had the opportunity to skin a bear. It was incredible, I didn’t think I would ever have this opportunity someday in my life. 

The second week, we packed two horses and saddled our own and then we went to Leckie Camp. Since it was the beginning of the season we had to clean the trails. Alvis, our guide and mentor, cut the logs with a chainsaw and we cleared the trails after. Once we arrived at the camp, we fixed the tents, fed the horses, brought water from the creek and made a campfire for dinner. Our new life in the wilderness started. The following days, we rode around the camp and we tried to go to Spruce Lake but we didn’t succeed due to the long winter. We always stumbled upon too much snow in some places. I remember one day it was sunny and warm and the next morning when we woke up, it was snowing and there was already snow everywhere. We couldn’t predict the weather in the mountains so we had to take all-season clothes and adapt ourselves to the unexpected events. 

During this week, we learned a lot about tracking and we saw different tracks like bobcat, deer, and bear. We saw mountain goats and we finally had the opportunity to see a mama bear with two cubs during a ride !

Living in the mountains is a very good learning experience. You feel more confident and better spiritually. I think this experience helped me to discover myself. I got out of my comfort zone and tested my limits. I reinforced my ties with the people present. We had a really good team. The nights around the campfire connected us. Living in the mountains helps us to understand people and see how they react to challenges. We can see who is able to stay in the mountains or not. It is a good life lesson. I’m also very grateful for Alvis, our guide, who taught us with passion how to be a good guide. I’m grateful for his patience and his willingness to share his knowledge. 

Doing a pack trip is the best opportunity to reconnect with nature and yourself. For me, it was a revelation. I never feel better than in the mountains. I developed my creativity, my solution oriented-mindset but I also became more responsible and confident. Just one word: try !

Tiffany, 21, France