In the Heart of the Chilcotin Ark

Verse 1

They left behind their busy days,
Work and home, the ordinary ways.
A call to adventure before their eyes.
With Steel and Castle, Scout and Billy,
Pika and Willy steady and willing,
They saddled up, with hearts so free,
Bound for the wild, a destiny.

Verse 2
The journey began with maps in hand,
Learning the stories that shape the land.
Gymkhana trials to test their might,
Then river rides fading into the night.
They climbed the ridges, they crossed the streams,
Living a life once held in dreams.
Grizzly hair gathered, the pine cones saved,
A forest protected, a future braved.

Chorus
Ride on, riders of the Chilcotin Ark,
Through open trails where the wild leaves its mark.
With courage and laughter, they made their stand,
True mountain women, true mountain men.
Ride on, with spirit and spark,
Empowered forever by the Chilcotin Ark

Verse 3
Up B&F Trail the riders rose,
Past alpine flowers and fields that glowed.
They found a tree where the grizzlies passed,
Collected the hairs to hold their past.
Blueberries sweet on the mountainside,
Where grouse and shadows softly hide.

Verse 4
Morning broke with a coyote’s cry,
Echoing clear in the red sky.
In the staking meadow the horses near,
The riders grew in skill and cheer.
On mountain peaks, where dreams can see,
A thousand colors on every mountain.
Goats in the cliffs stood proud and high,
Watching the humans passing by.

Chorus
Ride on, riders of the Chilcotin Ark,
Through open trails where the wild leaves its mark.
With courage and laughter, they made their stand,
True mountain women, true mountain man.
Ride on, with spirit and spark,
Empowered forever by the Chilcotin Ark

Verse 5
Teamwork shining, the horses staked fast,
Every challenge met, stronger than the last.
Gathering cones for forest’s need,
Guarding the wild with every deed.
Under starlight their purpose grew,
Each helping hand knew what to do.

Verse 6
Homeward they rode through passes green,
Where Eldorado’s ridges lean.
Over Camel Pass the mule deer played,
Their journey traced in the tracks they made.
At the table that night, the harvest spread,
Stories of wilderness gently fed.
With mountain goat, bannock, berries sweet,
The Ark was woven in what they’d eat.

Chorus
Ride on, riders of the Chilcotin Ark,
Through open trails where the wild leaves its mark.
With courage and laughter, they made their stand,
True mountain women, true mountain man.
Ride on, with spirit and spark,
Empowered forever by the Chilcotin Ark

Verse 7
On the final day, with spirits high,
Certificates shone ‘neath the morning sky.
Laughter rose, and the stories flowed,
For every rider had grown and glowed.
Empowered hearts, their courage true,
Guides and companions bidding adieu.
But every goodbye holds something more,
The wilderness stays, an inner core.

Chorus
Ride on, riders of the Chilcotin Ark,
Through open trails where the wild leaves its mark.
With courage and laughter, they made their stand,
True mountain women, true mountain man.
Ride on, with spirit and spark,
Empowered forever by the Chilcotin Ark.

Verse 1
From Bristol’s lights and busy days,
Working in a lab with measured ways,
A longing in her heart for more,
The wild unknown beyond the door.
Funds were tight, meaning unclear,
Still, something called her, loud and near.
She answered, packed her boots and pride,
To Canada’s wild mountainside.

Verse 2
At Wilderness Trails, her spirit new,
Kayleigh greeted her, and with Blue.
She learned the western reins that day,
Gymkhana runs, on her own way.
Up Pearson’s lookout, heart open wide,
Trust blooming by Blue’s side.
Berries on the trail, cool water’s grace,
A mountain woman finding place.

Chorus
With every hoofbeat, every view,
Eve found herself, both old and new.
Between uncertainty and hope,
She learned that bravery means letting go.

Bridge
Yoga on cold mornings, pancakes warm,
Maps and stories, the ranch transformed.
Trail navigation, wind at the top,
Sipping tea, never wanting this to stop.
She picked burrs from horses’ tails,
Small acts of care, the wild prevails.
Evening rides, bushwhacking through,
A single doe, the world anew.

Verse 3
Before the dawn, true courage tried,
Saddling horses with steady stride.
Fourteen deer seen on the winding way,
Grizzly hair gathered for science that day.
Lunch in alpine, paints the mind,
Tasting sweet plants, leaving worry behind.
Reflection with the community, a Wild harvest feast,
Certainty growing, fears released.

Chorus
Returning with the mountain sun,
Knowing now what she’s become.
Skills and stories, strength reshaped,
Eve, empowered by risks she’d take.

Verse 4
Softer now, with winds in her hair,
Self-sufficient, deeply aware.
The wild is simple, nature tough,
Her place within it, strong enough.
Protecting pine, tracking bear,
She found the meaning waiting there.
No longer restless, no longer alone,
The wild’s embrace, forever home.

Outro
She leaves this mountain knowing she is strong,
Empowered for life’s next leaps, where she belongs.
Inspired to help others discover their path,
Eve carries the wild, and gives back what she has.

Verse 1
From city lights of Berlin town, she felt the mountains call,
Left behind the noise and rush, to find her truest all.
On Nean, her steadfast partner, beneath the western sky,
She saddled up with open heart, to let her spirit fly.

Chorus
Ride on, Christina, through the peaks so bold,
Across the wild rivers where the stories are told.
With courage and with kindness, you left your mark,
In the heart of the Chilcotin Ark.

Verse 2
Through gymkhana’s circles, and the river’s steady flow,
She learned the ways of horse and land, with every step did grow.
Kayleigh and Emely by her side, guiding steady hands,
Together trekking higher still, across the rugged land.

Chorus
Ride on, Christina, through the peaks so bold,
Across the wild rivers where the stories are told.
With courage and with kindness, you left your mark,
In the heart of the Chilcotin Ark.

Verse 3
At Eldorado’s meadows green, she staked the horses down,
Learned to read the grasses deep, where hidden truths are found.
The morning sun rose golden bright upon the mountain’s face,
She breathed it in with steady strength, and matched its quiet grace.

Verse 4
She spotted goats on ridges high, the coyote running free,
Collected cones from ancient pines to plant for what will be.
Through silence wide, reflections came, a deeper self she knew,
Empowered by the wilderness, her roots in courage grew.

Chorus
Ride on, Christina, through the peaks so bold,
Across the wild rivers where the stories are told.
With courage and with kindness, you left your mark,
In the heart of the Chilcotin Ark.

Verse 5
From marmots in the valley low to sunsets painted wide,
She shared in work and laughter both, with steady friends beside.
The feast of ancient flavors told of land and lives preserved,
Each moment held a lesson deep, each step the Ark deserved.

Verse 6
Returning down the mountain trails, her spirit shining bright,
Christina faced each challenge true, and brought her own new light.
With bareback strength and steady aim, she claimed the final day,
Empowered now to carry forth, the wilderness her way.

Chorus
Ride on, Christina, through the peaks so bold,
Across the wild rivers where the stories are told.
With wisdom and with fire, you lit your spark,
Forever part of the Chilcotin Ark.

Verse 1
Wayne was looking for adventure, something new,
A mountain man’s heart and a Western cayuse soul.
Swapped city skies for Castle, his bold bay,
He answered the call, let the wild lead the way.
No stranger to outdoors, but this felt brand new,
He saddled up with his brother Terry, along side guides Charlie, Lisa, and Kayleigh too.
With a growing ache and a restless spark,
The journey began, from the ranch to the heart of the Ark.

Chorus
Riding high where the rivers run clear,
Castle’s steady beneath him, the wild drawing near,
Through the lupine, paintbrush and meadows in bloom,
Each sunrise a promise, each challenge a tune.
Wayne lived a transformational journey,
Horse and mountain in harmony,
In the South Chilcotin Mountains Park,
Out in the wild Chilcotin Ark.

Verse 2
From the River Ride’s teaching of rope and rein,
To the sweet soopalallie’s crimson stain,
Each mile forged trust, Wayne’s confidence grew,
Saddling Castle, taking in every view.
Evenings brought stories of nature’s course,
Tales of wildlife and mountain horses.
Learning of Ark and its wild, vital cause,
End of the day, Wayne took time to pause.

Chorus
Riding high where the rivers run clear,
Castle’s steady beneath him, the wild drawing near,
Through the lupine, paintbrush and meadows in bloom,
Each sunrise a promise, each challenge a tune.
Wayne lived a transformational journey,
Horse and mountain in harmony,
In the South Chilcotin Mountains Park,
Out in the wild Chilcotin Ark.

Bridge
Up the B&F Trail to Eldorado’s gate,
Collecting bear hair, leaving no trace.
Helping with chores, staking horses in line,
Wayne proved his grit, left doubt far behind.
Greeted at dawn by the grizzly’s roam,
He watched silent meadows, with wonder he’d grown.
To the mountain tops, where views wouldn’t end,
Wayne’s spirit soared, on the land he’d defend.

Verse 3
Painting the cabin, recalling Tom Sawyer’s tale,
Long days, stories and laughter on the trail.
He pressed on past comfort, discovered new heights,
Embracing each moment, through long days and nights.
Grass assessment in the meadow, fire weed tall,
Giving back to the wild that provided it all.
Wild harvests for dinner, with tales to be spun,
Wayne savoring lessons, his journey well-won.

Chorus
Riding home where the ridges descend,
Castle and Wayne, changed men in the end,
With the Ark’s sacred wisdom and friends at his side,
He carries the six principles, a compass to guide.
From challenge and teamwork, new skills and belief,
An empowered return with stories to weave,
Wayne, your journey’s just begun,
Out in the wild Chilcotin sun.

Verse 1
Fayçal left the world in motion, passports stamped and stories spun,
Responsibilities like satellite stars, always turning, never done.
He felt a call through the maples, through the mountains and the mist,
To Canada’s wild heart, where connection can exist.

With the ranch community, his newfound crew,
He stepped through the ranch gate, uncertain but true,
Ready for quiet mornings, ready for mountains high,
Trading busyness for clarity beneath the open sky.

Verse 2
First week, leaning in, online learning, ranch maintenance at break of day,
Saw in hand, Fayçal tackled burdock, pushed the plants away.
He saw challenge in the field, roots twisted in the sod,
Then pulled and harvested for healthy tea, respecting what grew from the land.

He took the sprinkler program, learned the lines and every bend,
Fixed the gravity water system, became the ranch’s friend.
Wrote a procedure with intention, made it simple and clear,
So others could feel empowered, efficiency year to year.

Chorus
Fayçal, the mountain man, with dirt beneath his nails,
Turns each test to opportunity as he ventures through the trails.
What he doesn’t have, he doesn’t need, what he does, he’ll share,
Purpose found in wilderness, new purpose everywhere.

Verse 3
Preparation laid the path for seven days up in the heights,
Sheep or goats, horses Willy and Blue, campfire nights.
Skills for mountain riding, survival in the wild,
Created cowboy coffee commercial, let his spirit run wild.

Lost the soles from his shoes but not the will to go on,
Jumped a fence in flip-flops for a grizzly by the dawn.
A sore back, a hurting foot, the power to adapt,
Patience, flexibility, curiosity kept him on track.

Verse 4
Fayçal cleaned the rooms, cooked meals, greeted every guest,
Learned the trades for hotel work, bringing forth his best.
Harvested pears and apples, menu added with banana ice cream,
Encouraged lake swims in the hot sun, with all of the team.

Changed tires, cared for animals while guides were out on rides,
Fixed tack with Emely, tracked horses when they’d hide.
Connecting deeply with Jessie and Owen, sharing stories round,
Built community with his energy and laughter, kept everyone spellbound

Bridge
He lived the Six Principles: conservation and connection,
Growth and empowerment, the drive for perfection.
Faced every challenge with spirit and initiative,
Daily reflections shaped his visions, in how he wants to live.

Chorus
Fayçal, the mountain man, with dirt beneath his nails,
Turns each test to opportunity as he ventures through the trails.
What he doesn’t have, he doesn’t need, what he does, he’ll share,
Purpose found in wilderness, new priorities everywhere.

Outro
Fayçal came for rest, for time untied from what was planned,
But learned that life needs purpose, wherever one may stand.
Now empowered and inspired, with clarity anew,
He’ll guide others on their journeys, find his destiny through.

Thank you, Fayçal for your laughter, your care, your drive,
For all your contributions and who you are,
good luck on your new adventure, both near and far.

Verse 1
From the highways and cities, he roamed far and wide,
’Til the call of the wild pulled him deep inside.
Benjamin traded the road for the trail’s embrace,
A mountain man’s dream in a wide-open place.
With Bubbles beneath him, Tirajeh beside him too,
Under Chilcotin skies of endless blue.
Charlie and Manon to guide the reins,
He felt freedom running through his veins.

Chorus
Ride, Benjamin, ride, through the valleys and the snow,
Taste the berries where the mountain breezes blow.
From the riverside camp to the high alpine sky,
You found your spirit’s wings, and you learned to fly.
Ride, Benjamin, ride, with Bubbles by your side,
Through the Ark’s wild heart, on this wilderness ride.

Verse 2
Day one brought the saddle, the rope, and the ring,
The River Ride taught him what the wild can bring.
Bushwhacking paths where the riverside bends,
Eating berries where the sunlight descends.
That night by the fire, he heard the land’s song,
Learned how to keep the wild strong and long.
The Ark told its stories in the flicker and flame,
And he knew he’d never leave here the same.

Verse 3
On the B&F Trail to Eldorado’s crest,
With the alpine wind filling every breath.
Wild raspberries sweet, thimbleberries red,
Grizzly hair collected where the old bear tread.
Worked at the meadows, staking the line,
Letting his worries drift into the pine.
Though three days with strangers had made him unsure,
He found in their friendship a trust that endured.

Verse 4
Morning of pancakes by a crackling flame,
Ridge Ride adventures called his name.
Found goat tracks and hair on the rocky climb,
Saw marmots dancing in the alpine time.
Nights by the fire, his hammer ringing clear,
Tying strong knots that would hold through the year.
With each log he stacked and each stake driven deep,
The land taught lessons he’d always keep.

Verse 5
Packed up Jack for the long road down,
Through green ridges and an old mining town.
Tasted sorrel, found berries once more,
Every step a story, every mile an open door.
That night’s feast was the wild laid bare,
Deer, moose, bannock, the land’s own fare.
Bareback riding at the journey’s end,
With a mountain’s truth as his lifelong friend.

Verse 6
From the mountain peaks to the alpine floor,
Benjamin found what he’d been searching for.
He learned the land’s rhythm, the language it spoke,
Felt part of a story much greater in scope.
He’ll carry it forward, this truth he’s found,
Helping others to walk their own higher ground.
With Bubbles, the Ark, and the wild in his soul,
He’s a mountain man now, and the trail is his goal.

Chorus
Ride, Benjamin, ride, may the wild always call,
Through the sun, through the snow, through the seasons all.
You’ve faced the wild’s tests and you’ve learned its song,
Now you’re part of the land where the brave belong.
Ride, Benjamin, ride, with Bubbles by your side,
Through the Ark’s wild heart, on this wilderness ride.

Verse 1
At Chilcotin’s edge, beneath mountain skies,
Henry and Valerie, ready for adventure entwined.
For two days they joined, letting stories unwind,
Balancing city days and wild trails to find.
Scout and Bubbles, sure-footed and true,
Carried them onward where the fresh west winds blew.
Through Pearson’s Creek and the whispering pines,
They found freedom and wonder, just letting life shine.

Chorus
Spending time in the wild, through the meadows and the pine,
Breaking from the city to let their hearts climb.
With berries on tongues and wildflowers in view,
Every moment outdoors made adventure anew.
The wind whispered stories, the mountains stood grand,
Henry and Valerie riding the land.

Verse 2
Around the barrels, their courage would grow,
Learning Western riding in fields aglow.
Trading the city for saddle, in sun’s embrace,
Discovery and laughter set their own pace.
Tasted saskatoon, raspberry so sweet,
Saw forest fire where new forage meet.
From Pearson’s Lookout, swept in the view,
Gun Lake, Carpenter, world bright and new.

Chorus
Spending time in the wild, under endless blue sky,
Letting worries drift silent and dry.
With the wisdom of wild and new tales to pursue,
A day’s adventure refreshed and renewed.
Leaving footprints and laughter in the Chilcotin land,
Henry and Valerie riding the land.

Bridge
Learned more than riding, learned roots run deep,
Community’s wisdom, memories to keep.
Empowered together, their spirits would say:
Even one day can change you this way.

Chorus
Spending time in the wild, with horizons so wide,
Riding back to campfires with the sun as their guide.
Hearts full of wonder, freedom so true,
Two days in the wild brought adventures anew.
We’ll remember this promise wherever we stand,
Henry and Valerie, riding the land.

Outro
So here’s to adventures, to trails yet unfound,
To horses and laughter all around.
We hope to see you again in this wilderness grand,
Henry and Valerie, riding the land.

Verse 1
From the busy life back home, with the weight of crowded days,
Sue heard the mountains calling, and she chose the wilder ways.
With Scout and Castle waiting, and her spirit brave and true,
She saddled up for adventure, with Christina riding too.

Chorus
Oh Sue, rider of the Chilcotin sky,
Through rain and wind, you let your spirit fly.
With kindness, grit, and laughter, you carried us along,
A mountain woman’s story, now sung in campfire song.

Verse 2
From Spruce Lake’s shining waters to the Brett Creek alpine trail,
Through raspberries and pinewoods, her courage did not fail.
She packed the gear, she tied the knots, she staked the horses down,
Each step she proved her strength of heart, no fear could make her frown.

Verse 3
She rose each dawn to lend a hand, made lunch with care for all,
Peanut butter, cabbage, salt, she heard each rider’s call.
She mentored Emely by the fire, when the rain fell cold and gray,
With patience, skill, and honesty, she lit the camp that day.

Chorus
Oh Sue, rider of the Chilcotin sky,
Through rain and wind, you let your spirit fly.
With kindness, grit, and laughter, you carried us along,
A mountain woman’s story, now sung in campfire song.

Bridge
At Jade Road’s peak she scouted sheep, with wildflowers at her side,
In sorrel green and strawberry sweet, her spirit opened wide.
She learned the Whitebark pine’s great worth, she cleared the forest floor,
And found that she was stronger still than she had known before.

Verse 4
At camp she brewed the cowboy coffee, pine tea in the fire’s glow,
She cared for Fortress, calmed the herd, she let her wisdom show.
Content within the mountain air, her spirit felt so clear,
And with her friends around the fire, her heart was free and clear.

Chorus
Oh Sue, rider of the Chilcotin sky,
Through rain and wind, you let your spirit fly.
With courage, laughter, and wonder, you found where you belong,
Your journey etched in mountains, forever in our song.

Outro
So here’s to Sue, her open heart, her hands that always give,
In the Chilcotin Ark she found, the wildest way to live.
She’ll carry home the mountain’s calm, the courage she has grown,
And share the wild’s great wisdom, so its seeds are freshly sown.

Verse 1
Lilli left comfort and routine behind,
Answering adventure’s uncertain call,
She journeyed far from all she’d known,
Braving fears to stand tall,
Seeking confidence and a path anew,
Ready to become her true self through it all.

The ranch became a doorway to the wild,
Nature’s rhythm and animal calls set the scene,
Lilli stepped in, an intern with hope and heart,
Embracing chores and sketches by sunbeam,
With each new trial, she learned and gave,
Finding her place in the ranch routine.

Chorus
Out where the wild winds call her name,
She found her courage, shed her doubt,
With every challenge, never quite the same,
This ranch revealed what life’s about.
Hand in hand or standing strong on her own,
Lilli learned by heart how much she’s grown.

Verse 2
With Emely by her side, the challenge grew less tall,
Winter’s chores once daunting, now clear in each list,
Together, step by step, they tackled it all,
Moving furniture, tents, and not a task missed.
From digging trenches to wrapping every beam,
Lilli learned the strength of working as a team.

Humour turned the hardest days so bright,
Determination kept their spirits strong,
The wheelbarrow rolled with laughter and grit,
A trusted helper as they worked along.
They wrote a song, filmed memories in the sun,
Finding joy together until the work was done.

Chorus
Out where the wild winds call her name,
She found her courage, shed her doubt,
With every challenge, never quite the same,
This ranch revealed what life’s about.
Hand in hand or standing strong on her own,
Lilli learned by heart how much she’s grown.

Verse 3
Learning skills with every passing day,
Purpose and intuition found their place,
Nature’s peace brought her mind to sway,
Choosing her work at her own gentle pace.
Time outdoors restored her soul within,
And caring for the animals taught her discipline.

When the goat was hurt, they faced the test
Showing up strong when times were tough,
Teamwork deepened as they cared and pressed,
Supporting each other when days felt rough.
Accountable hands and hearts combined,
Their actions spoke of strength they’d find.

Chorus
Out where the wild winds call her name,
She found her courage, shed her doubt,
With every challenge, never quite the same,
This ranch revealed what life’s about.
Hand in hand or standing strong on her own,
Lilli learned by heart how much she’s grown.

Verse 4
Empowerment paved her journey each day,
Facing challenges turned doubt into light,
Solutions found and successes marked her way,
Celebrating wins and growing in might.
Letting go of fear and uncertain thought,
She found self-trust, confident and present in all she sought.

Self-sufficiency became her guiding flame,
She winterized water as cold winds blew,
Harvested potatoes, canned under her name,
Baked sourdough, pride rising as she grew.
Driving tractors, leading horses from wild terrain,
With a chainsaw in hand, she learned and gained.

Chorus
Out where the wild winds call her name,
She found her courage, shed her doubt,
With every challenge, never quite the same,
This ranch revealed what life’s about.
Hand in hand or standing strong on her own,
Lilli learned by heart how much she’s grown.

Verse 5
Their final project, tables sturdy and true,
Emely welded strong as sparks softly flew,
Lilia smoothed the edges, iron shining bright,
Side by side, they worked into the night.
Two capable women, skillful and keen,
A team like no other the ranch had seen.

Returning home, Lilli knows her strength within,
Purpose renewed and lessons carried deep,
Clarity and confidence mark where she’s been,
She’ll keep nature close and dreams to reap.
Active in spirit, positive each day,
Surrounded by those who lift and guide her way.

Chorus
Out where the wild winds call her name,
She found her courage, shed her doubt,
With every challenge, never quite the same,
This ranch revealed what life’s about.
Hand in hand or standing strong on her own,
Lilli learned by heart how much she’s grown.