Transfer and Other Options:

Sunday: A 9:30 am flight (be there 45 min early to check in please) on a 12 passenger aircraft takes you from Vancouver across the magnificent glaciers of the coastal mountains to Chilko Lake, where Karen McLean greets you at the private landing strip of the ranch. After lunch and a short introduction you get a chance to test your horse on a 2-hour ride. Upon return some cool drinks on the porch and then a delicious dinner with fine wines await you.

Monday: In the morning of day two you start your pack trip which will eventually be returning in the afternoon of day seven after spending 6 days in pristine wilderness.
The ride goes high up into Goat Country. It is rugged, wild and absolutely beautiful! You ride along Chilko Lake for the day spending the first night at Moose Lagoon.

Tuesday to Friday: Then you cut up into the Goat Valley where you spend four unforgettable days riding over mountain tops and through breathtaking valleys. Towering 11,000 foot peaks surround the base camp with three large glaciers rising out of the valley floor at the south end. No roads, no phones, the perfect get-away and a chance to get back to the essentials of life. The abundance of alpine flowers throughout the valleys and surrounding mountains is overwhelming. The whistle of the plentiful marmots accompany you on each day to new mountain peaks and wild valleys. Goat Camp is named after the majestic Mountain Goats that call this area home. Often wild deer visit you in camp to nibble on the grain. We use a pioneer tent with cook stove, table and benches for a warm, relaxing evening dinner. We might tell some tales while sitting by a roaring bonfire watching the many stars or the Northern Lights. This trip offers plenty of time to relax, hike, photograph wildflowers or wildlife.

If the group so desires, the last day offers an optional fast return ride to the lodge on Saturday. Overnight and farewell dinner at the lodge.

Sunday: Morning flight back to Vancouver - arriving early afternoon. Do not book a flight out before 4 PM!!

-Subject to change!

Due to weather conditions or other circumstances this trip may alternate to our popular Wild Potato Mountain ride.

Wild Potato Mountains offer a multitude of different kinds of scenery and riding styles: Ride through high alpine plateaus, hidden valleys, deep mountain passes, and open sandy beaches. Enjoy the splendid views, the immense variety of wildflowers, ancient fossil beds, and the companionship of your fellow riders.

The months of May, June and September are usually warm during the daytime, but can still get cool in the evenings. During July and August you can expect temperatures in the low 70's to mid 90's Fahrenheit (18 to 30 C) and evenings will normally stay rather comfortably warm.

The Chilcotin Region
It has taken Mother Nature millions of years to carve out the jagged peaks of the Coast Mountains; creating hidden valleys to explore, waterfalls and roaring creeks and sweet mountain springs to drink. To top it off she sprinkled over the land lush grasses and multi-coloured wildflowers, she inhabited it with the Grizzly Bear, Mountain Goat, Moose, and the Mule Deer. She filled the rivers and lakes with thousands of fish and the sky with millions of stars.

The Chilcotin is wild, remote and fairly isolated. It is a land peopled by those with a strong sense of independence, strength of character, good humor, and a lot of determination. A land of log cabins and wood smoke, snake fences and pick-up trucks, slower time zones, and a never empty coffee pot. Seldom visited and largely untouched, the Chilcotin is like a rare gem. Few people have discovered it, but once discovered, it is rarely forgotten. There are a few areas in the world as beautiful to explore.

Our Seasons...

Spring – A fresh start
Spring is a burst of new energy and the warmth of the sun. It is new vibrant colours from the first blade of green grass, to the budding of a new leaf, crisp blue skies, and snowcapped peaks. With the spring the river gains in size and large migrations of Sockeye Salmon fry and smolt take place. With a billion one-year old Sockeye heading to the Pacific Ocean and billions of minute fry hatching and making their way to Chilko Lake, the Rainbow Trout and Bull Trout congregate in the river for a feast. Steelhead are spotted spawning in the shallows and leaping out of the Chilko River to have a look around. Wild roses and Sunflowers are starting to bloom on the side hills, giving the land more and more colour.

Summer – Warmth and Beauty
Summertime means big hatches, blue skies, warm days, alpine trips and wildflowers. Dry fly fishing on the river starts and the laughter can be heard from trail where the riders are cantering through the trees along the water. Life does not get any better than this!

Indian Summer – "When the river turns red"
Indian Summer in September and October is a very special time of year at Chilko. It is an explosion of autumn colours, an abundance of wildlife, and an orchestra of sounds. With the changing seasons the Sockeye & Chinook salmon return in vast numbers, spawning on the river and lake. The water wiggles with red spawning fish, bringing down the Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Herons, Ducks, Ospreys, and other wildlife to feast on the dead salmon that have already laid their eggs for the cycle to begin all over. This is a wonderful time to visit Tsylos Park Lodge!

Winter – A time to rest
Soft falling snowflakes bury the earth and silence falls within our valley. The Trumpeter Swans move into Chilko and add their grace and beauty to the splendor of the frozen land. Only the running water of Chilko River reminds us of earlier times, and the seasons to come.

To make this trip most memorable you need to be prepared for all weather conditions.

All riders are part of a team and need to be able to depend on each other. Everybody helps out and is in charge of his/her own horse and gear.

Proper clothing is essential. The equipment list below is meant to be a loose checklist only. Feel free to add things, or leave things out, just keep in mind everything you bring has to fit into one duffel bag and a maximum of 25 lbs.

We highly recommend bringing your own “down” sleeping bag; we can/will supply a duffel bag and sleeping mat. Extra items can be left at the lodge during your ride.

Tents are provided (dome tents) - possibly some cots in the high mountain camp - but not guaranteed. You need to bring your own sleeping bag!

SADDLE BAGS are provided for riders.

On the first and last night of this week long trip you are accommodated in our very comfortable tent camp near the lodge, or if available, we will give you one of the lodge cabins!

Your guides are experienced horsemen and love the outdoors; they will ensure that your trip is the best that it can be. With most trips there is one guide and one camp cook for the group. The group size ranges from 4-12 people.

Our campfire gourmet meals are prepared over an open fire and are delicious and plentiful. Camp chores, such as fire building, chopping wood, getting water, staking out horses, making lunches and salads, washing dishes, and setting up and breaking down camp are a group effort; we encourage everyone to lend a helping hand when needed. Accommodations are 2-person dome tents with a comfortable sleeping mat...or you can choose to lie beside the fire and watch the stars. The photo opportunities are some of the best in the world, amidst rugged glaciers, mountain meadows, alpine flowers, crystal clear lakes and streams, and wildlife. The vistas and settings are too beautiful to put into words.

This is a pack trip with very limited or no vehicle support. All equipment and food will be transported by pack horses, so pack light!

Passports
Passport valid for at least one day beyond the intended departure date from Canada required by all nationals referred to in the chart except the following:
(a) 1. Canadian citizens holding a Canadian Certificate of Identity, Canadian birth certificate or a certificate of Canadian citizenship;
(b) permanent residents of Canada with proof of status, ie Permanent Resident Card, Record of Landing, Returning Resident Permit or a Refugee Travel Document issued by the government of Canada to refugees who have been resettled in Canada;
(c) 2. citizens of the USA holding proof of citizenship (eg US birth certificate or US naturalisation papers).
Note: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport or other approved document when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced as early as 1 January 2008. For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.
(d) persons entering from St Pierre & Miquelon or the USA who are legal permanent residents of the USA and hold a US alien registration card (Green Card);
(e) 3. citizens of France who are residents of and entering from St Pierre & Miquelon.
Note: (a) Children under 18 years must have information with them on the people responsible for their welfare, if travelling alone; this includes a letter of permission to travel from guardian(s), and also a letter from the custodian in Canada. (b) Depending on circumstance and nationality, certain applicants may need to undergo a medical examination in order to receive their visas; this must be carried out by a physician on Canada's list of Designated Medical Practitioners.
Passport Note
Visitors to Canada must satisfy an examining officer at the Port of Entry that they are genuine visitors, in good health, with no criminal convictions, and have sufficient funds to maintain themselves during their stay in Canada and to return to their country of origin, as well as evidence of confirmed onward reservations out of Canada. Persons under 18 years of age who are unaccompanied by an adult should bring with them a letter from a parent or guardian giving them permission to travel to Canada.

Identity/travel documents issued to non-national residents of the country of issue, refugees or stateless persons are recognized for travel to Canada.

Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in chart above (visitor or transit) for stays of up to six months except the following:
(a) 4. holders of passports endorsed ‘British Subjects’ and ‘British Protected Persons’;
(b) 5. nationals of Bulgaria and Romania;
(c) those visiting Canada who, during that visit, also visit the USA or St Pierre & Miquelon (a French Overseas Territory) and return directly to Canada as visitors within the period authorised on their initial entry (or any extension thereto).

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the high commission to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
The Government of Canada refuses admission to: (a) holders of passports issued by the UK Government entitled 'British Temporary Resident's Passport'.

(a) A single-entry visa is still valid if used to visit the USA. (b) Persons wishing to attend a course of six months duration or less, at any level, do not require a study permit. However, if there is the possibility that you will extend your period of study in Canada, or if you are a full time student and wish to work on campus, you may apply for a study permit.
Types of Visa and Cost
Visitor: C$75 (single-entry); C$150 (multiple-entry). Family: C$400 (for families of six or more persons). Transit: free. Transit visas are necessary for all nationals who require a visitor visa. Although transit visas are not required by British citizens, they may be required by foreign nationals with British passports; check with the embassy or high commission for details. For further information on payment methods, contact the high commission. Prices are subject to frequent change.
Validity
Up to six months depending on circumstances of individual applicant. The determination regarding length of stay in Canada can only be decided by the examining officer at the port of entry, but visas cannot exceed the validity of the passport and cannot be longer than five years. If no actual departure date is indicated within the visitor’s passport, then the visitor will be required to depart within three months from the date of entry. Visitors must effect their departure from Canada on or before the date authorised by the examining officer on arrival. If an extension of stay is desired, an application must be made in writing to the nearest Canada Immigration Centre at least three weeks before the expiry of the visitor visa. Multiple-entry visas cannot be valid longer than passport. Transit visas are only allocated if a national's flight/onward journey is continuing within 24 hours. Single-entry visas can be used multiple times by nationals of St Pierre & Miquelon and the USA.
Applications to:
Consulate (or consular section at embassy or high commission)
Working Days Required
10 days are required from receiving applications, but applications should be made at least one month prior to the intended date of departure. Certain nationals are subject to longer processing times. For urgent applications it is advised to apply in person. Same-day processing is available for applications made in person and 24-hour processing for those using the drop-in service.