Oooops

Oooops, looks like a breakdown in communication. This Blog has been moved to "Echo Valley Guests" since that is what we are really all about at our ranch - bears and all :)
Please see "Echo Valley Guests" for all future Kat Blogs - It is great to have Kat with us at EVR, among other things, Kat is a super blogger :)

Look for the Bare Necessities....

If you go out in the woods today bring your bear spray, a whistle and don't forget your camera. This is the reason we always ask guests to take a dog or 2 with them on their walks. It's bear season folks and these bears are not out looking for a teddy bear's picnic.


Now as nice as these Black Bears are to look at...it's better to have a good zoom on your camera and keep your distance. If you do happen to encounter one and you're on foot, there are a few things to remember. Never run away from a bear or turn your back to him. Do not stalk or follow a bear either. Stay where you are, make lots of noise, talk to him so he realises you're human. Then you can slowly back away from the bear, remember not turning your back to him. Most bear encounters will end this way. Also, don't throw any food his way because you don't want a bear to think you are his food source.
As you can see from this picture, bears around here mainly eat plants and fish from the streams and rivers. Thanks to them our dandelion population is under control!

MOVED to Echo Valley Guests

Kat, our super EVR Blogger, started a new Blog for EVR and has been doing a super job keeping it full of interesting and fun things that happen at Echo Valley Ranch & Spa. The new Blog is called "Echo Valley Guests", which is really what life revolves around at EVR, so, rather than keeping two separate Blogs about the same subject please see "Echo Valley Guests" for our news.

Teepees along the Fraser River

Last week we were asked to help out a local neighbour put up some teepees....and the adventure begins. On the drive there we spotted quite a few animals, this vulture soared right by! We also saw some deer and goats.
Make a right turn out of the ranch and you reach Clinton...turn left and you end up here, along the Fraser River...tough choice with that view...isn't it.
So with Numchuck at the wheel, we reached th reserve in record time and began to work on the 2 teepees. There were many animals there too like horses, dogs and ...mice! One little mouse scurried up Numchai's leg...and eventually up his shirt but I managed this photo before.

The afternoon went by quickly and we all had fun. And off we went back to the ranch again. Hard to leave though as we look back at this breathtaking view... just gives us sometihng to look forward to for next time right!

Pool shark...or Dog?

So here's an average night at the ranch. The day is done and it's time for some down time. What better way than with a game of pool. So check out the spectator on the right there. Yes, that's Jack, watching as Emma takes a shot.

For anyone who's been to Echo Valley before, this is quite normal, but for us girls who are all new employees to the ranch, it made our game even more fun. Watching Jack hoist himself up to watch the game and jump up and down along side the table to try and sneak a peak...it's just something you have to see to believe!

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Hiking Guide Angela and myself (Kat), decided to take on the Rheinhardt trail to see in what shape it was in. On a beautiful day like this...how could we resist. So here we stop at the first lookout and water stop...what an amazing view.

And just so you can see the face behind the camera, decided to take a shot of yours truly for once, me with Angela in the back there.

And no hike would be complete without the company of a few dogs. So Bernie and Jojo toughed it out with us. Luckily there were a few little patches of hidden snow for them to get their cooling off too! We took our time with the trail and took approx. 3 hours. It was a nice end to a gorgeous day!

Signs of Spring

The ice on the ponds have almost completely melted. So this little muskrat decided he'd be the first to test the waters this season.
Ducks and all kinds of other birds are beginning to make themselves noticed at the pond and on the roads everywhere.

These 2 frogs (and water flea) and getting ready for spring. So the animals verdict is...spring is just around the corner guys!

A Final Sprinkle of Snow

The other day we received one last sprinkle of snow. So feeling inspired at 7am that morning, I made a couple of photos before the sun crept up over the horizon. The flakes just dusted the old farm instruments displayed in front of Dove Lodge.
And here you can see the sun creeping up behind the Lookout Lodge. As beautiful as the snow is, only a few hours later it had already evaporated into the air again.
But it wasn't gone before the dogs got to have their fun. For once it's not the puppies goofing around, but our big dogs took this chance to feel like pups themselves again! Elomo couldn't get enough snow in his mouth. Jojo and Bernie couldn't stop jumping and bouncing around.
And Bett and Anna were running all around chasing eachother in a fun game of snow tag!

Great Views from the ranch

As Angela and myself returned from another hike we witnessed this beautiful view of Mt. Bowman with the Lookout Lodge in the foreground.

Working at Echo Valley

On the left is our wonderful new hiking/fitness guide Angela accompanied by Wrangler Flint. The 2 of them, along with myself Kat, are checking out all the trails to make sure they're ready for guests. And lets not forget to mention all 7 dogs who lead the way on every hike for us!

Preparing the Horses for Another Season

Angela our new hiking guide, brushes down Moonwalker. Time to get the horses out for some riding!

Willow stands waiting patiently by the stables. Bet he can't wait to go out for a ride.
Flint taking the horses over to the ring. Beside him is his dog Pocket...do wranglers always color co-ordinate their animals...?
Flint and Willow out in the ring getting ready for all the eager riders waiting to come out to Echo Valley this season.
Wrangler Julie (in front on Moonwalker) with Hiking Guide Angela (in back on Adonis).

Seven eggs!!

Brian gave me an updated me on the number of Gyrfalcon eggs that have been laid so far -- SEVEN!

Wild life all around

Today we took a drive down to the High Bar Indian Reserve in the Fraser canyon to see Tom and take another look at some horses we are figuring on buying. This location is 9 miles as the crow flies and it is quite common to see all sorts of wild life that many others have to go to great lengths to see. Today we got to see California Big Horn sheep as well as a Golden eagle - without a doubt we were observed by cougars, coyote, bob cat, as well as many other local inhabitants - perhaps next time we will see them too :)

Rising sun, setting moon

Rising sun, setting moon
These two shots were taken within minutes of each other, to the east is are the signs of the rising sun and to the west the moon can be seen sinking down below the horizon. These photos are from yesterday, the day after the lunar eclipse.

Ice fishing derby

A sold out fishing derby was held at Big Bar Lake today with over 200 participants trying their luck for the big prize. We chose not to drive out on the lake this time and instead visited with Bill and his wife who have a place at the end of the lake.
Big Bar Lake is one of the lakes that we take our guests to in the summer to try their hand at catching a Rainbow trout, trout weighing over 5 pounds are quite common.

Valentines Day at Echo Valley Ranch

A very special Valentines Day for Nan and Norm this year, they booked the entire Echo Valley Ranch for the occasion and enjoyed the peace and solitude of the place. The meal was not too shabby iether, cheffed by Norm and Nan, moose steaks, onions & mushrooms, white asperagus tips, specially fried potatoe slices - wine was real special too, Torbreck, Borassa Valley 2002 Descendant - we drank the whole bottle followed by an excellent Port with our cheese.
What made the experience so special though, apart from Nan being so wonderful :), is the feeling you get from being in such a remote location. It is peaceful and you connect with nature in a more intimate way - hard to explain but it helps to tune you in to dimensions that are far more meaningful that what you can view on the CNN News; BBC too coming to that :).
When we go outside and wander arround under the stars for sure it becomes clear that nobody should worry about anything that may be whizzing around in ones mind.

I am Silver

Silver is an outdoor wild cat which trusts us enough to come inside from time to time - our guess is that he is 17 years old, at least!
Koda is our fearless kitten that still takes chances when messing with Silver - he thinks that just because he can terrorize all of our dogs, except Bett, that he can take on another cat - WRONG! :)

At a local trapper's pad

To quote our friend Chuchit, "...I feel like a stranger in paradise" - well, something like that :)
The picture is of the home of one of the many colourful characters that we have the pleasure of knowing in our area. This place is on the Fraser river where gold prospectors came through in the late eighteen hundreds.

Winter in the canyon

A good freind of Norm & Nan, Chuchit, visited enroute from Florida to Bangkok and yesterday we took him to see the Fraser Canyon. This is quite a change in scene compared with the streets of Bangkok - change in temperature too :).
The Fraser canyon is a complete change of scene from Echo Valley Ranch as well and very rarely has as much snow as this year, it is basically desert type terrain with sage brush and cactus being the predominant plant - and to think that the canyon is just three miles (5 km) from the ranch!

EVR Winter office

One of the guest dining table serves as a first class office desk during the winter months when Norm and Nan have the place to themselves - well, almost to themselves since as you can see the kitten takes up residence any place he wants! :)

Silver comes in from the cold

Sliver is a Cariboo wild cat that has learned to trust us and every week or so turns up to be fed and on the rare occasion actually comes into the lodge. Today Silver came in and our kitten Koda decided to check him out, meaning grab at Silver's tail. Well, that resulted in lesson one from Silver (..abt 18 years old incidently!) - a swift boxing of the ears with claws kept in. All is well between them now that Koda knows who he was messing with :)