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Thanksgiving Weekend at Echo Valley Ranch

Monday, October 10th, 2011

The days get shorter. The nights get longer. And soon, it will be winter. But for now, it is still autumn – and this weekend, we got to celebrate Thanksgiving at Echo Valley Ranch.

It is simply breathtaking: At the moment, the landscape around Echo Valley Ranch presents itself in the nicest fall colours. The trees radiate in warm shades of red and yellow. The horses have already grown some of their winter coat – and look like big teddy bears. The barn kittens are trying more and more to find a warm place for the night in one of our rooms. And our Border Collies can hardly wait for the first snow. It has become autumn. Winter is just around the corner. However, there are a few more gorgeous days to come. Up to now, the weather has been perfect. On Thanksgiving weekend, we were thus able to enjoy trail rides, hikes and relaxing in the sunshine at Echo Valley Ranch.

Sleeping through dinner
Thanksgiving was all about spending quality time with guests and friends, while enjoying a perfect turkey dinner – yet again splendidly prepared by our fabulous chef Jason. The atmosphere was great. It was exactly as it should be on a Thanksgiving evening: delicious food, interesting conversations at the dinner table, a round of cards or two with the kids. Although, our youngest guest slept through most of the evening: three-month old Freddy is not too interested in turkey dinners yet and rather relies on his mom in terms of nutrition.
All in all, we enjoyed the evening with our guests very much and we are already looking forward to our next turkey dinner at Christmas.

Joyous moments: Nan with our youngest guest Freddy.

Enjoying the delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

Cute: little Freddy slept through his first turkey dinner.

Part of the Echo Valley Crew at the staff table.

Quality time: playing cards with our younger guests.

Tags: Dinner, Fall, Thanksgiving
Posted in Dining, Events, The Ranch | 4 Comments »

Kids Weeks at EVR – Just a Bit of Fun =)

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

It started one week ago. I will go on for another two weeks. The Kids Weeks at Echo Valley Ranch keep everybody on the go. With lots of fun and laughter, they are an adventure for kids and parents alike.

Echo Valley Ranch is usually a quiet place where our guests can forget about the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For three weeks in summer, however, everything is a bit different. It is a little louder; the guests definitely run around a little more, and plenty of laughter and action going on. The 2011 Kids Weeks at Echo Valley Ranch have begun and the kids are the center of attention.
Kids Weeks at EVR are anything but boring. There are many activities for the little ones, with horseback riding at the top of the list, of course. Whether in the form of riding lessons and pony games in the arena, or on a guided trail rides through the great outdoors with their breathtaking scenery, the kids will feel like little cowboys or cowgirls riding one of our 24 guest horses.

Scavenger hunts, badminton, barbeques and campfires
Apart from horseback riding, Taylor, our kids’ counsellor, has a great repertoire of kids’ games and activities ensuring that the parents will have some time to enjoy one of our great spa treatments, take a quiet walk, or simply relax as well. One of the weekly kids’ activities is the EVR Scavenger Hunt, the perfect opportunity for the little ones to get to know the ranch and the other kids and do lots of running in the process. Other options include volleyball, badminton, swimming or games in the pool, or playing Frisbee with the eight Border Collies.
The highlight of the week is the two barbeques and campfire nights. The kids get to stay up a little longer, hang out with their new friends at the fire, make music, and roast marshmallows.
Whichever activities the kids like, one thing is for sure: they will go home with many new friends and great memories. At Echo Valley Ranch, we are looking forward to spending another great week with our little guests. Yihaaa!

Tags: Games, Kids Weeks, Scavenger Hunt
Posted in Events, News, The Ranch | 1 Comment »

Kelly Lake: Once to the Mars and Back

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Echo Valley Ranch is at the heart of nature: fairytale-like forests, green pastures, crystal clear lakes. Who would expect extraterrestrial life forms in the midst of this beautiful Canadian countryside? The answer: NASA.

Usually, Kelly Lake is just a regular lake. One of many around Echo Valley Ranch. Usually…
That this is not always the case was proven last weekend. A great number of scientists made their way to Kelly Lake. Even NASA representatives were present. The reason: Kelly Lake is quite unique. Findings in the depths of the lake may give scientists new clues about extraterrestrial life within our Solar System.

International science project
It all started at Pavilion Lake, where scientists discovered fossile microbialites a few years ago. This is why the international, interdisciplinary science and research project is called «Pavilion Lake Research Project». In the meantime, the same structures in all different morphological forms, e.g. cauliflower, chimney, artichoke and coral, were also found in the Kelly Lake. Microbialites are carbonate structures, which form in the water with the help of microorganisms. They have been found in a few lakes on Earth; however, what sets Kelly and Pavilion Lake apart from the other sites is the unusually great diversity of the microbialites.

Hoping to meet E.T.
The questions remains: why is NASA interested in the findings at Kelly Lake as well? Well, normally, it is not surprising to find carbonate in the form of lime stones. Under special circumstances, however, it is possible that carbonate forms unique and unusual structures – mostly when life forms are involved. The special microbialites in the Kelly Lake contain single-celled microbes in contrast to the usually found dead stalactites. A unique occurrence. These microorganisms form special structures, which leave specific biological signatures behind. Up to this point, these microbialites had only been found in places without life, e.g. on Mars. The Kelly Lake structures though live in a «normal» lake under normal circumstances. Moreover, the microbiliate structures in question are very similar to the ones that existed on Earth 2.5 billion years ago.
The scientists involved and NASA, thus, hope to find answers regarding life forms in our Solar Systems based on the new findings in Kelly Lake.

A look behind the scenes
Last Saturday, the people in and around Kelly Lake got the chance to get a look behind the scenes of the exciting research project. Many enthusiasts came to the Cariboo Lodge in Clinton to listen to the scientists giving an outline of their work.
As you can see, Echo Valley Ranch is not only located in one of the most beautiful parts of Canada, it is also one of the most exciting areas of the world when it comes to future research.

One of the microbialites from Kelly Lake.

The «Pavilion Lake Research Project» scientists at work.

Many visitors made their way to Clinton last Saturday to find out about the project.

Tags: Clinton, Kelly Lake, Pavilion Lake Research Project
Posted in Events, News, Special events | No Comments »

Summertimes

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Last week, we celebrated Canada Day. This week summer arrived. Finally. Along with the arrival of summer, we welcomed two lovely new members on Echo Valley Ranch: barn kitten Clinton and a new calf.

Scratched up fingers. Bloody hands. Loud hissing. And a lot of commotion in the box. Somehow, we had imagined it differently – our first encounter with the new barn kitten Clinton. After all, the little one is only four weeks old and fits into one hand. Nobody would have thought of him as such a fighter since, with his red and fluffy coat, he is as cute as a button. And, those big eyes. Just like Puss in Boots from the movie Shrek. However, looking at the little guy’s past, it becomes clear that we are the first people that he came in contact with. Clinton was found on the street all by himself and without his mommy.

Now the little cat has settled into his new home and roams the barn. Carrie-B is very happy to have found a new playmate as well after her brother Chilco died a couple weeks ago. Sometimes, things do take a turn for the better – and we haven’t gotten any more scratches lately…

Canada Day at EVR
And so it happened that little Clinton spent his first Canada Day at Echo Valley. We didn’t have our very own ranch parade, but we had lots of fun at the campfire. A starlit night, guitar music and 27 guests ensured that nobody missed having a guest ranch parade. The atmosphere and, of course, the food were yet again exceptional. We had great guests including Norm’s daughters, who spend a few days with us at the ranch. It was evident from the beginning that it would be a great campfire night and even the weather was good – sort of…

One more baby
By the way, little Clinton is not the only new ranch animal. Last Sunday, a new calf was born. It is a boy and he is healthy, strong, and full of energy. And with him, the summer finally arrived. It was about time. We are already looking forward to more warm summer days, long trail rides, BBQ dinners, and campfire nights with our guests. Let the summer begin.

Carrie-B is thrilled that she found a new friend in Clinton.

Celebrating Canada Day at the campfire.

And yet another new calf for the ranch.

Tags: Calf, Canada Day, Kitten Clinton
Posted in Events, News, Pet Friendly | No Comments »

Spotlighting Echo Valley Ranch and Spa

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is why this June Echo Valley Ranch was the location of a three-day photo shoot with well-known photographer Martin Tessler.

It is obvious that a ranch has to be maintained well – inside and out. Only through loving care and attention to detail will a beautiful ranch like ours become a true oasis of relaxation in the midst of nature, a place where people and animals alike feel at ease. Those who have been to Echo Valley know that it is a truly beautiful place. However, taking high-quality pictures of the ranch is very important to show future guests what they can expect when they come to stay with us. This is why it was time to put the spotlight on Echo Valley Ranch again this June.

Thanks Martin Tessler
The photographer arrived with his assistant and a tremendous amount of equipment. We were all very excited to see how Martin Tessler would set up for the photo shoot. Not surprisingly, very little had to be changed or adjusted for the shoot. Echo Valley Ranch was perfect the way it was. However, the correct lighting was crucial. But we were lucky: the sun was shining. At least, for the most part…
Since Echo Valley Ranch and Spa is a classical Canada honeymoon destination, it was self-evident that we had to shoot some wedding pictures as well. Overall, we had a great time and shared lots of laughs during those three days.

We were very happy to see that Martin Tessler applied his professional skills to make sure that Echo Valley Ranch looked as beautiful in the pictures as it does in real life. Now we just have to wait patiently for the new pictures, which will appear on our web page for you to see very soon. We can’t wait!