A fine dusting of sand clings to my lips as a gust of wind sweeps around a dense stand of conifers on the hill ahead. My horse flinches and drops his head to avoid the sting. Below us, the Nemaiah Valley stretches toward the horizon, its forest interrupted by bare patches where trees fell victim to the pine beetle infestation that devastated much of the northwest.
I’ve spent the last couple of days in the saddle with Ian Bridge, ranch manager at Elkin Creek Guest Resort. Without his knowledge of the terrain and his uncanny sense of direction, it’s easy to imagine I might have wandered into Alaska by now. There are almost no man-made landmarks here—aside from elaborate beaver dams that block parts of the wide, cold Chilko River—so Bridge navigates by recognizing mountain peaks, river bends and other natural features.
This deep, expansive wilderness in central British Columbia is the Chilcotin, framed by the Chilko River, the Coast Mountains and the so-called Brittany Triangle. The region is renowned for abundant wildlife, including gray wolves, cougars, grizzly bears and bands of wild horses. In the distance Mount Tatlow thrusts skyward; Bridge warns me against pointing at it, explaining a local superstition that directing a finger at the peak brings foul weather to the valley.
Bridge knows the land intimately. We jog confidently down a gentle slope, past thick conifer stands and silver-barked aspen whose leaves tremble in sudden gusts. As dusk falls and we approach the ranch, the sounds of cattle drift toward us — a disorienting chorus that seems to shift from ahead to behind as the wind shifts.
I sleep deeply in the warmth of my cabin and rise early for a roping lesson after breakfast. Though I trained horses for years in dressage and jumping, I have no experience in Western saddle techniques or in pursuing calves that will predict and dodge a rider’s rope. Local rancher George Colgate joins me for coffee and eggs, then patiently guides me through the finer points of calf roping. He shouts encouragement and practical warnings — most memorably variations of “Don’t let him drag you into the fence!” — and by the time the lesson ends I’m coated in mud, dust and other unidentifiable substances, but grinning from the effort.
Rancher George Colgate shows off his roping skills. © Hailey Milne/Elkin Creek Guest Ranch
Night here is a velvet, absolute darkness. I find the flashlight in my cabin and follow the footpath to the shore of Vedan Lake. A dozen kayaks rest on the small beach; I push one into the glassy water. With the wind stilled, the surface becomes a perfect mirror, studded with reflected stars. Paddling across it feels like moving through the night sky.
The next morning I swap horseback for the coastal leg of my trip. A ranch wrangler drives me to the Williams Lake airport, following stretches of the historic Gold Rush Trail through the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. We pass a First Nations reserve home to the Xeni Gwe’tin, and later stop while a herd of multicolored wild horses crosses the road. Their manes and tails bounce as they trot past, the group led by the band’s eldest mare.
A 2.5-hour drive is followed by a short charter flight to Long Beach on Vancouver Island. I stay at the Wickaninnish Inn near Chesterman Beach, a comfortable base for exploring rainforest and coastline between Tofino, Ucluelet and surrounding villages.
The Wild Pacific Trail, often described as one of the island’s finest hikes, winds along a varied route of gravel paths and wooden boardwalks. The scenery alternates between coastal cliffs that overlook jagged reefs and the Broken Islands, and quiet stretches of old-growth forest. I encounter few people and ample time to absorb salty air, seabird calls and the constant, calming presence of the ocean.
After a sunrise walk on Chesterman Beach — where surfers in full wetsuits face the cold surf — I head to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve rainforest trail. The park contains an array of stony islets and extensive inland terrain, but the Cathedral Grove loop is short and accessible: two compact circuits divided by the main road. The draw here is the rare temperate rainforest ecosystem. Towering ancient trees — red cedar, Douglas fir and western hemlock, some more than 800 years old — rise from carpets of mosses and lichens that blanket the forest floor.
Extremely satisfied, I push deeper into the park in search of the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail. It zigzags over Quisits Point through beaches, bogs and rainforest, starting near the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre. Interpretive signs along the trail share insights into the lives and culture of the First Nations people native to this region. Birdlife and plant species I spot include red-tailed hawks, fox sparrows, falcons, black oystercatchers and shrubs such as Labrador tea and false lily of the valley. The experience is both exquisite and restorative.
Only one item remains on my British Columbia checklist, and I’ve saved it for last. I drive six hours toward Victoria, combining car and ferry travel back to the Vancouver airport, and time my trip so I arrive hungry in the quirky village of Coombs. The Old Country Market began as a roadside fruit stand started by a Norwegian family and has since evolved into an eclectic mix of bakery, Italian restaurant, surf shop, ice cream counter, deli and antique stalls. But what draws most visitors is the living roof: a sod-covered top where a troupe of goats has grazed for decades.
I order lunch and sit outside to watch them. Two goats frolic dangerously close to the roof’s edge, seemingly ready to leap into their own adventures across B.C.’s wild landscapes. I half-jokingly consider offering my roping skills to the market should any of these rooftop explorers decide to make a break for it.
Wild horses running with Mount Tatlow in the distance © Kat Nair/Elkin Creek Guest Ranch
British Columbia Info to Go
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the primary gateway to British Columbia and connects to remote regions across the province. Williams Lake Regional Airport (YWL) is the nearest public airport to Elkin Creek, with flights from Vancouver International’s South Terminal on select days; the ranch offers round-trip shuttle service from Williams Lake. The ranch also accommodates private aircraft on its small private airstrip by prior arrangement. Coastal and remote areas are commonly reached by charter flights, floatplanes and ferries.