Echo Valley Ranch and Spa has a new addition to its team.  Meet “artist in residence” Michael Blackstock, who has been contributing artwork to the luxury ranch resort for the last year or two, and keeps on making more.

Michael Blackstock at Copper Drop Spring near the trout fishing ponds.

In truth, Michael is not a staff member nor does he live at the ranch, so he’s not really “in residence.” His home is in Kamloops, where the professional forestor also maintains a studio. When not on his frequent visits to the BC ranch to install his new artwork, he’s busy at home producing more. His first work to appear at the ranch was Adams River Salmon Run. A hand carved wall sculpture found in the Games Room of the Dove Lodge. It’s carved from red and yellow cedar and cherry, as well as the more exotic zebrawood and walnut.

Michael’s next installation was the quartet of aboriginal masks hanging on the walls in Room 12 of the Lookout Lodge. The Chief mask is made of maple, copper, human hair and cedar bark. The layered cheek images are strong features that the artist saw in an image on the wall, and inspired him to create a new carving technique that  required careful cuts with a power saw to create the initial cheek design. The red cedar bark was collected on Vancouver Island.

The Warrior mask is found hanging on the walls of Room 12.

Lynx Woman was the second image on the wall to catch the artist’s eye. The mask is made of maple, copper, and human hair. The design includes a copper lip labret. The Warrior mask is made of black walnut, copper, a diamond in each eye and human hair. The Water Being is made of ash, copper and human hair. The ash was chosen because the wood grain resembles ripples in the water, and the under-cut cheek design is a wave.

Michael holds up the Water Being mask in Room 12.

Last summer Michael began carving and installing “living sculpture” on trees in the forest around the ranch. The first was Copper Drop Spring, near the fish ponds. Several more living sculptures have since appeared. These were subsequently followed by Tree Faces, hidden in the forest. Soon to be installed is the Mount Bowman Flowform Fountain, carved from Brazilian soapstone. Who knows what art Michael will create next?

Echo Valley ranch and Spa is located just outside the hamlet of Jesmond (population 3 people) about a 45-minute drive west of the village of Clinton in the southern Cariboo. In short, it’s very remote. If you want peace and quiet at a wellness retreat or eco-lodge, this is certainly the place to come. Getting here is half the fun. You have several options.

There are many ways to get lost in the wilderness, so it’s best to have a map with you.

If you happen to own a plane, or want to charter one, it’s a quick and easy one-hour flight from Vancouver. The young pilot below will be happy to fly you, just for milk and cookies.

This is not the actual pilot; he’s just the co-pilot and navigator and co-cookie monster.

Norm does not have a commercial licence to fly passengers into the ranch from Vancouver, but charters are available.  The landing strip is approximately 3,500 feet so you can’t land your jet here, but small planes are just fine.

Norm can fly from his condo in North Vancouver to the ranch is just one hour.

Driving a car is the most popular option for guests, but if you are looking for a rail package as part of a BC spa package or rail vacation, the Rocky Mountaineer is a spectacular ride.  Norm or one of the ranch staff will be happy to pick you up at the town of Kamloops, where it’s a brief two-hour drive to Jesmond.

The Rocky Mountaineer train ride provides spectacular scenery along the way.

Guests to BC’s top adventure lodge (according to TripAdvisor, Echo Valley Ranch is now listed as the #1 Small Hotel in Canada) have various accommodations options, ranging from lodge to cabins. Larger or corporate groups may wish to book the regal Ban Thai pavilion, the most scenic BC venue for conference and business meetings.

The Baan Thai pavilion was designed by the personal architect to the King of Thailand.