Our two-week program offers unique adventures in amazing nature, unforgettable horse rides, and a priceless learning experience. The course will teach you how to survive in nature, provide first aid and lead a tour group.
Our alpine training program is a great combination of theory and hands-on practice in a relaxing atmosphere with plenty of opportunities for personal development. Whatever your level, our training will allow you to push yourself and become an expert in the field of wilderness tourism.
Day 1 Arrival and Horsemanship
Today, we’ll introduce you to Outdoor Adventure Tourism and discuss the specifics of the tourism industry.
We arrive at our beautiful ranch in the wilderness of the South Chilcotin Mountains. It’s a spectacular area with alpine meadows, lakes and mountain peaks, and a sanctuary for grizzly bear, bighorn sheep, and Wolverine.
We’ll also do practical tasks, including a horse riding orientation. We’ll match riders to the right steed for them and practice your newfound horsemanship skills. We’ll also go on an introductory trail ride which is both entertaining and challenging!
After a hearty ranch-style dinner, we’ll discuss key issues concerning bear and cougar safety. We’ll also go through a map orientation allowing you to familiarize yourself with the main trails in the territory.
We’ll spend the night camping in tents on the ranch property.
Day 2 Horseshoeing and Bareback Riding
The first part of the day is all about practical horsemanship knowledge. You’ll get to know our four-legged companions, build trust and become comfortable around them.
Our experienced guides will demonstrate how to shoe steeds, trimming hooves and fitting horseshoes. Working with these smart and trusty animals is challenging, but it’s also very rewarding, as you’re sure to find out.
Get ready to step out of your comfort zone, today we will practice the challenging skill of riding bareback.
Day 3 Packing Techniques
Equine care is an extensive subject that people spend years mastering.
Building on yesterday's practice, today's focus will be on safety precautions on the trail. We'll also learn how to shape and nail on horseshoes. Our guides are very passionate about the subject and have accumulated substantial knowledge over the years. Make sure to take full advantage and ask many questions!
Today you’ll learn different packing techniques and how to fit pack saddles. It’s an important and useful exercise as working in the wilderness, you often have to pack heavy loads of firewood and camping gear.
Most excitingly, today you’ll have a chance to try out your newly acquired skills! A guide will be by your side as you saddle up and prepare your horse, making sure you’re comfortable with all the tasks and that everything goes smoothly.
Day 4 Practice and Veterinary Techniques
On day four you’ll be improving your shoeing skills through more practice and additional training. We’ll cover the essentials of the equine care, including staking, hobbling, belling and tail tying.
Learn basic colt training methods and equine veterinary techniques that you may have to use in the wilderness. Nature provides a lot of medicinal plants and it’s important to know how to use them properly.
Our discussions will include range management and how it influences campsite procedures. Being a wilderness guide comes with many responsibilities, one being to treat nature with respect and care making sure upcoming generations can enjoy the great outdoors as we do today.
Day 5 Exploring New Mountain Trails and Bareback Riding
Today you’ll learn horse logging skills, safe transportation of the animals and bareback riding. There are many techniques for riding steeds and you’ll discover the one that suits you best. It’s important to feel comfortable riding a horse, and the best way to do it is to try out different methods and get to know your preferences.
We’ll cover the theory of Firearm Safety for Target Shooting Practice. It’s a fun and exciting exercise, so prepare yourselves for a good time!
In the afternoon, we’ll ride along new mountain trails, which can sometimes be rather challenging, so it’s a great opportunity to hone your horsemanship.
Day 6 Tests and Active Discussions
Test day! You’ll be tested on your new horsemanship abilities.
Our experienced trainers will lead discussions on procedures related to food, inventory handling, meal planning, and wilderness cooking. As a wilderness guide, you might get to prepare food for groups of campers, so it’s very useful to learn a few tasty recipes and tricks for campfire cooking. Our guides will be happy to share their little cooking secrets!
You’ll have a chance to discuss your career opportunities after our training program with one of the professional wilderness guides. Take this chance to learn as much about the industry as possible.
We’ll also pack supplies and prepare the horses for tomorrow’s trip to the alpine camp.
Day 7 Riding to the Camp
We’ll pack and saddle the horses for our trip back to camp. The trail leads through some breathtaking landscapes of the rugged South Chilcotin Mountains. We’ll pass some amazing glacier-fed streams, evergreen Douglas fir and Lodgepole pine forests. The area is rich in wildlife, home to wolverines, lynxes and grizzly bears.
Having arrived at our location, we’ll set up the camp and prepare the steeds for the night. Enjoy a warm meal prepared on a campfire, after a day full of memorable, beautiful sights.
Day 8-12 Exploring Nature and Learning New Skills
For five days, we’ll explore the scenic South Chilcotin Mountains. There are dense forests, blooming alpine meadows and glacial streams hidden in the majestic mountains. We’ll ride around the area and enjoy the breathtaking sights of wonderful nature.
This is a perfect setting to learn and practice new skills, such as trail blazing, maintenance, and first aid. These are some of the essential skills to have in the wilderness and can be adapted to various situations.
In the evening, gathered around a cozy campfire, we’ll discuss risk assessment and management, learn about edible plants and the wildlife in the area. We’ll also focus on adherence to wilderness regulations and standards.
Day 13 Graduation Ceremony and Departures
We’ll start the day with a tasty backcountry breakfast, take down the camp and pack up for our ride back to the ranch.
As our course draws to a close, we’ll have a graduation ceremony to celebrate everyone’s achievements. Then it’s time to part with our four-legged loyal companions, and head home, ready to take on the world of wilderness guiding.
