We love bloggers who love horses, so we were delighted to chat recently with the author of Writinghorseback.com. As a child, Nancy D. Brown was like so many young girls, dreaming of owning a horse. “ I cleaned out many a horse stall to earn my riding lessons as a child,” Brown admits. “But when my parents saw how serious I was about it, I got my first horse.” That Quarter Horse—Cricket—fired a lifelong passion in Brown. Now, she has combined her passion for horses with her love of travel and created a career.

With her blog Writing Horseback, professional travel writer Nancy D. Brown (at right) guides her readers to the best equestrian-based lodging properties and resorts all over the world. For Ranchweb blog readers, it’s a good additional resource for travelers who love horses. And she notes that she’s enjoying Ranchweb’s redesigned website and its blog. “Horse lovers will find ranch recommendations, and those looking for ranch jobs will find resources, as well,” Brown comments. “Like a good team roping pair, I think Ranchweb/Ranchweb blog and Writinghorseback.com make a great duo.” (We couldn’t agree more!)

Take a look at her blog’s home page and you’ll see a black and white picture of Brown aboard Cricket (look to the upper left). Admittedly horse-crazy in her youth (Brown says she missed out on many high school dances in favor of showing her Quarter Horse in as many shows as her budget would allow), she never stopped loving all things equestrian. So now, Brown travels world-wide in search of the best resorts offering quality riding opportunities. Does that include dude and guest ranches? “I do cover dude ranches!” Brown says. (The photo of her on the fjord horse below is from Big Bar Ranch, a dude ranch in Clinton, BC, Canada.)

She’s clear about one goal: no ‘nose to tail’ riding trips for her. The destinational rides she writes about are always adventurous and cover the globe, from the Argentinean Andes to Perthshire, Scotland and lots of U.S. destinations in between. Her favorite trips so far: riding fjord horses in Norway (see a fjord horse, below) and a trip up to a butterfly-filled valley in Puerto Vallarta, ending the trip with a swim beneath waterfalls.

Nancy Brown on a fjord horse.

Next, Brown heads for Darby, Montana and the Triple Creek Ranch for ‘Clicks for Chicks”. It’s a 4-day endurance ride that she says she’s really up for. And if she gets sore, Brown notes, “I’ll just have to soak my aches away in the Triple Creek Ranch hot tub.” Oh, tough.

What’s on her bucket list? “I’d like to ride in an African safari” Brown says. Another dream trip: “Someday I hope to ride to the Blue Lagoon on an Icelandic horse.” Sounds fab.

Details: When she’s not traveling, she makes her home in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two teenagers. Brown writes the “What a Trip” travel blog and authors a column by the same name for the Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun, a publication of Media News Group. She is the Lodging Editor for Uptake.com. She writes an on-line travel column for Diablo magazine and the “Traveler Making a Difference” column for Escapes magazine.

She is a BootsnAll Insider for California and has contributed to InsideBayArea, Uptake.com and Write to Travel blogs. She is a member of Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW), BlogHer, Matador and Travelwriters.com. She also owns a public relations consulting business.

HOT DEALS

Artistry in Arizona

ELKHORN RANCH

ARIZONA

Open Mid November through end of April, Elkhorn Ranch offers desert and mountain riding insouthern Arizona. Here, the Sonoran desert country has unique and abundant birds and wildlife. Which is why its fitting for them to offer a Photography, Art & Natural History Workshop, Jan. 22-29, 2012. Learn the secrets of digital photograph from equipment to composition and cataloging. Photographer and naturalist Stewart Aitchison, plus artist Ann Kramer, are your instructors. In this, the fourth workshop offered, you’ll enjoy workshop activities along with all the rest of the Elkhorn fun, from riding to hiking and relaxing.
Details: Cost: $1398 per person per week (plus tax and gratuities). Accommodates 32 – 40 people, 20 cabins. Comfortable for singles, couples and families. For the workshop, bring your laptop and camera gear.

When you’re talking about a relaxing, rejuvenating winter vacation, the words “spa” and “ranch” don’t often come in the same sentence. Yet there are dozens of dude and guest ranch resorts that combine those two fabulous ideas. Imagine taking a dashing horseback ride through the snow, or showshoeing up hill and dale, and then coming back to steamy soaking tub and a massage. Or on a warmer note, heading for a sun-drenched Southwest ranch for a day of riding hrough the saguaros, followed by a facial or a mani-pedi? A real  ranch spa-cation. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

After a tough 2010, you deserve all the pampering you can get; these ranches are sure to help you unwind and rejuvenate. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Snowy ranches

MONTANA
Resort at Paws Up

Look for first-class service, luxury accommodations, gourmet cuisine, and amazing adventures on Paws Up’s 37,000 acres nfear Greenough, MT. Winter spa-cation: If that’s not enough, how about taking a canter in the 74,000 square-foot equestrian center with indoor arena. But perhaps the most popular spot in January is Spa town® at Paws Up, set on the edge of a silent, snow covered meadow. You’ll find eleven large, well stocked tents, in one of the most unique spas you’ve ever seen. Stroll through the snowy woods along a wooden boardwalk that brings you to a little tent town where relaxation lives. Enter the massage tent and you’ll find relaxation for your body and mind.  It’s a great way to end a winter’s day at the ranch.
Fun and fit/winter activities: skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, winter atv, dog sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, winter horseback riding.

The Ranch at Rock Creek

Montana’s Big Sky, and the Ranch at Rock Creek’s Big Luxury. What a combo; accommodations range from the Granite Lodge, the Luxury Tent Cabins, and the Log Homes. It’s near Philipsburg, MT, open year-round. Winter spa-cation: professional massage therapy treatments available in a dedicated five-room spa inside the stone-and-timber Granite Lodge. Swedish deep tissue massage, warm mountain rock treatments, high-tech or all-natural facials, and the signature ‘Rock Creek Ritual’ are always welcome after a vigorous day outdoors. Hair and nail styling is also available. Peruse the inviting options on a daily spa menu, tell them what time is best for you, and their staff will take care of the rest.
Fun and fit/winter activities: Horseback riding, downhill skiing at Discovery Basin with 60+ runs of all skill levels, fly fishing, sleigh rides, sporting clay shooting, ice skating, gourmet ranch cuisine, a spa and luxury amenities.

Sunny ranches

ARIZONA
Tanque Verde Ranch

Just east of Tucson and next door to the fabulous Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest, Tanque Verde is one of the most loveliest Arizona ranch resorts. And now it boasts new, lower rates and a January 2011special: Buy 6 nights…Stay 7 nights. Winter spa-cation: Looking for a special spa getaway, girls spa retreat, or romantic spa escape to soothe the muscles and refresh the spirit? At their La Sonora Spa, you’ll find it all, from spa massages and Arizona body treatments to nail treatments and hair salon services. Ask about their spa packages.
Fun and fit/winter activities: Horseback riding, dancing, desert hiking trails, fishing, mountain biking, swimming, tennis, watercolor painting, and learning in the desert nature center.

Rancho de los Caballeros

An historic guest ranch and golf club with true Southwest flare, Rancho de los Caballeros is a warm winter wonderland. Set near Wickenburg, AZ, the ranch boasts 20,000 acres of rugged trails for horseback riding, championship golf, fine dining, and spa treatments. Winter spa-cation: Take a desert bath, in a soothing herbal bath or an actual milk bath (hey, it worked for Cleopatra). Get a wrap, a scrub, or just chill out with a mani-pedi. A facial or a massage.     Fun and fit/winter activities: tennis, swimming, trap and skeet, Los Caballeros golf club, nature program and birdwatching, exploring historic Wickenburg, evening entertainment. You’ll love taking long rides through the Sonoran desert landscape, or just breathing the warm scented air undisturbed by anything except, perhaps, the call of a cactus wren.

CALIFORNIA

Alisal Guest Ranch

Just north of Santa Barbara, this  famed resort ranch offers golf and horseback riding on 10,000 acres. (it’s also great for families, thanks to its extensive children’s programs).
Winter spa-cation: You should be calmed and invigorated just by experiencing the fresh air, open spaces, and natural beauty of the Santa Ynez Valley. But it that’s not enough, head for the fitness center and spa, where you can work on weights and cardio equipment or join a fitness class (yoga, Pilates, Zumba and ab sculpting). Next step: the spa for soothing Swedish and deep tissue massages, gentle cleansing facials, or a therapeutic mud and herb wraps (great for the skin, some say). Fun and fit winter activities: Horseback riding is big here, but so is golf and tennis. You’ll also find a private lake and some of the best bass fishing in the state (fishing on Alisal Lake is reserved for guests of the Ranch exclusively. All bass are natural spawn wild fish and fishing is catch and release.) Want more? Try bird and nature walks, archery and air rifle range, and a gourmet restaurant.

Wilderness. It speaks to something different in each of us, something elemental that’s hard to get at in the over-protected and all-too-virtual world of civilization. A pack trip puts wilderness within your reach. Consider a wilderness pack trip can be your all-access pass to secret trout streams and hidden fishing holes, to trails into some of the most pristine areas left in the world, and perhaps even to a wilder part of your soul.

Fall is prime time for pack trips, for not only hunters and anglers, but for those hunting up crisp, cool days and photographs of dazzling autumn colors. A pack trip can make it a lot easier to reach those remote rivers alive with fat trout, and hills and vales that hide bears, coyotes, elk and deer.

Traveling to high mountain lakes, river gorges, through mountain passes and meadows, pack trip vacations do not always involve dude ranches, but many extraordinary pack trips originate from dude ranches or are offered in conjunction with dude ranch vacations. Pack trip vacations can be an overnight trip, a weeklong holiday or longer. Generally the packers, or outfitters, pack supplies on sturdy mules and horses and trek into the back country.

Choose a trip that’s fully guided, or a spot pack trip (where your ggear is ferried to a pre-arranged spot and dropped off, then picked up at trip’s end).

The Ranchweb site lists links to 43 ranches and outfitters that offer pack trips. Here’s a quick sampling:

COLORADO
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch
The Cow Camp adventure is a for many a vacation highlight, a true Old West experience (no electricity, no plumbing). Cow Camp is a rustic log homestead from the late 1800s, set in the aspen trees along Cedar Creek. On this overnight pack trip, you’ll enjoy the open air, mountain stillness, and starlight, and who knows, you may just see your friends, family, or co-workers in a whole new light.

MONTANA
Triple Creek Ranch
Whether you prefer extreme sports, a true western adventure or simply the serene beauty of mountain fishing, there is no more scenic backdrop than the Bitterroot Valley. Enjoy a guided trip into the Selway River country, perhaps the most pristine fly-fishing river in America (available through October).

WYOMING
CM Ranch
Take a pack trip as part  of or separate from a traditional week-long dude ranch vacation.  Guests can go to the CM’s base camp at Union Lake, and find glacier-fed lakes are just a short ride away. Or choose a progressive trip and camp next to a different lake each night.  They also drop gear for hikers and backpackers who wish to see the area on foot. Call ahead for pack trip schedule.

The Hideout Lodge & Resort
“We see trophy deer and elk, fox, coyote, lynx, big horn sheep, mountain lion, black bear, and moose,” says the Hideout.  They’ve made efforts to enhance their habitats to ensure the stability of game herds on the Flitner Ranch properties, and hunting is one of the tools used to accomplish this goal. Their motto: “Every management decision made on the ranch takes our hunting habitats into consideration.” They partner with Powder Horn Outfitters, based out of Sheridan, Wyoming, for pack trip through November.

Triangle C Ranch
For a pack trip in the Greater Yellowstone Area, and a real western backcountry experience, Thunder Mountain Outfitters at the Triangle C Ranch can take you there from June through September.

October specials

Triple Creek focuses on cowgirls during “100 Klicks for Chicks” and artistic passion

Known for its spectacular setting in the Montana Rockies, its luxurious accommodations and superb, personalized service, Triple Creek Ranch is an award-winning member of Relais & Châteaux. Set under the Montana Big Sky, the ranch is rated the number one US inn in Travel + Leisure’s 2010 World’s Best Awards. This month’s events:  Klicks for Chicks: Venture into deep canyons, over mountain passes, past crystal-clear lakes and through open meadows to discover the true frontier of the Rocky Mountain West. Cowgirls are invited to participate in a one-of-a-kind horseback riding adventure, created and led by Triple Creek Ranch owner Barbara Barrett.  The first annual Klicks for Chicks 100-kilometer ride is the flip side of the existing all-male 100-mile Los Caballeros and Bohemian Grove endurance horse rides. The ride is for women only and cowgirls will ride rugged all day but return to the luxury of the Rocky Mountain resort at night.   Gourmet evening meals are followed by crackling fires in Triple Creek’s luxurious cabins; a relaxing outdoor hot tub is your reward for a long day in the saddle.

Artists’ Workshop Weekends: (Oct. 7-10, Oct. 14-17, Oct. 21-24) and David Stoecklein Photography Weekend¸ (Oct. 28-31). Arts-loving guests will have an opportunity to fine-tune their skills alongside some of the West’s most accomplished professionals. The series of four-day/three-night workshops each features three celebrated artists leading morning and afternoon hands-on workshops.  The all-inclusive weekends include luxurious accommodations in a mountain cabin with wood-burning fireplace and hot tub (in cabin or nearby), gourmet meals and complimentary house wine and spirits, ranch activities, artists’ welcome reception, a guided tour of the Ranch’s art collection and farewell art exhibit.

Mountain Sky focuses on food

MONTANA
Mountain Sky Guest Ranch

This month’s Flavors Out West event (Oct. 15-19) promises to be a world-class culinary experience. Head chef Brian Bielen and pastry chef Pam Comstock open their kitchen for the first time to share the secrets behind thier cuisine.  Learn the how-to’s of each gourmet dish, or let the sommelier guide you through the perfect pairing of wine with each dish.

Join in on hands-on workshops, or simply revel in luxurious accommodations, cast a line into Big Creek, take a hike through Paradise Valley’s fiery foliage or follow the wranglers to the ‘top of the world’ on horseback.

Details: Flavors Out West; October 15 – 19, 2010; $1475/person. Package price includes: lodging, all meals, on-ranch activities, use of all ranch facilities and amenities, and  complimentary wines with workshops. For more, go to
http://www.mtnsky.com/specialpackages/Flavors%20Out%20West.aspx

Dudes and wranglers herd cattle at the McGuinness Ranch

A nice vacation can thoroughly relax you—and be forgotten in a week. A really memorable vacation can actually transform you. That can happen on a dude ranch. Since the late 1800s, dude and guest ranches have taken city slickers, put them atop gentle horses and into the great outdoors, and, in the process, unlocked their inner cowpoke.

And some dude ranches give you the ultimate in involvement—the chance to be a real cowboy or cowgirl for a time. A number of ranches offer you the chance to saddle up and actually work with cattle—driving them across high pastures and helping out with all manner of cattle work. Finding a dude and guest ranch with the option of joining a cattle drive is easy on Ranchweb—just click the Selecting a Dude Ranch button and toggle over to Cattle Drives.

Below, we’ve listed six ranches from Colorado to Ecuador that offer cattle drives in fall or spring; some let you take a hand in all manner of ranch work throughout various seasons. It’s more than a good idea to be physically fit and able to ride fairly well in order to participate on most cattle drives. And just for fun, before you go, rent a DVD of the John Wayne classic film Red River. You’ll get a sense of what adventures the old time cowboys faced on their cattle drives (most of which, hopefully, you’ll avoid).

But then, after a week or so of playing cowboy, you’ll feel right at home on the range. And thoroughly transformed.

COLORADO
Chico Basin Ranch
This 87,000-acre ranch, near Colorado Springs, remains one of Colorado’s largest historical cattle ranches. It is said that famed cattleman Charles Goodnight grazed his cattle herds in the region of the Chico Basin Ranch in the late 1800’s. Today, the ranch offers ‘active participation for guests interested in hands-on’ experiences: cattle herding, natural horsemanship, cowboy traditions, land positive range management, and the chance to see wildlife in its natural habitat. WHEN: Fall and spring, plus other various times; call ahead.

Vista Verde Ranch
Don’t wait to sign up for their Fall Cattle Gather, one activity where luxury meets rustic. Guests enjoy all Vista Verde’s fabulous amenities, meals, and accommodations, but will be doing the hard work of cowhands during the day.  The week begins with a quick review of cattle work during clinics in the arena; the rest of the week is spent riding to find and gather the cows and calves on more than 16,000 acres of forest land.  WHEN: cattle gather weeks are September 12-19 and September 19-26.

IDAHO
McGarry Ranches

The McGarry Ranch is a working cattle outfit that’s really three ranches. They’re all in spectacular locations in southeastern Idaho, in the upper Snake River Valley and along the South Fork of the Snake River (some 90 miles west of Jackson Hole, Wyoming). Owner Theron McGarry is a fourth-generation rancher and the real deal: a lifelong cowboy.

And when you stay at the McGarry guest ranch, you can (at various times of the year) become cowboy or cowgirl for a spell, helping out with the cattle operations. Join the cowboy crew and help with whatever: branding, calving, doctoring, gathering the herd to move to the mountains or on the drive from the mountains back to the valley for the winter. Plus, there are always fences to mend, roping to do, and other jobs around the ranch. As the family says, “Thank you for your interest in our way of life. Come share a bit of the cowboy dream with us.” WHEN: Various times, call ahead.

MONTANA
McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch

Outside Libby, MT, you’ll get lots of riding in (not the boring head to tail chain of horses kind, but real riding). Cattle drives start during the third week of May; you can drive cattle all summer long throughout 75,000 acres of spectacular country surrounding Lost Trail Wildlife Refuge in Northwest Montana. You can help with moving cattle to new pastures, riding for strays, and pushing cattle up to the high country. The wranglers at McGinnis will teach you about the ways of cattle, and even add tips about proper land management. WHEN: The ‘Fall Gather’ runs through all of October and throughout the peak of fall color. You’re welcome to participate as much as you wish.

NEW MEXICO
Burntwell Guest Ranch

Near Roswell, you’ll find the real deal: at an authentic working ranch, join authentic week long cattle drives. You’ll sleeping, eating and living with the cattle—just like John Wayne in Red River. WHEN: Their fall drives will be October 3-9, 2010 (Bonney Canyon Ranch Drive) and October 24-30, 2010 (Kerr Ranch Cattle Drive).  They have no details yet (go to the webpage for more). Details and dates on the spring 2011 drives will be posted later on.

QUITO, ECUADOR
Hacienda La Alegria

Okay, Quito is a bit farther West than John Wayne ever got, but they know horses there. And this is a family-run organic farm in the heart of Ecuador’s “Avenue of the Volcanoes”. Join a South American-style cattle drive, true horseback riding adventures (even a volcano ride), delicious food, and a warm family environment. The Cattle Round-up Ride lasts 10 days and the riding difficulty is listed as: Moderate to Advanced (the itinerary can be customized for non-expert riders). WHEN: Call ahead for dates and details or write to info@alegriafarm.com.

Get a kick out of a great boot

A really great pair of cowboy boots, like a great vacation, can also be transformative. Just check out the Share Your Boot Stories archive on the Justin Boots site (http://www.justinboots.com/en/bootstories_archive.html) and you’ll see how people feel about their boots. (One writer even related how his boot saved his foot in an accident on the ranch!) The story of the Justin Boots company itself began in 1879, when founder H.J. Justin left Lafayette, Indiana to ‘start a new life’ in Spanish Fort, Texas. Today the brand is so well respected for quality and tradition that the firm was purchased by Berkshire Hathaway, managed by financial genius Warren Buffet. (According to the company, it takes more than 100 steps and over 16 square feet of leather to produce one pair of Justin Boots.) To see their new fall line, due soon, check www.justinboots.com.

Ask anyone who knows about footwear and chances are they’ll have heard of Lucchese boots—considered by many to be the Ferrari of cowboy boots. They’re sleek, stylish, distinctive—and they often have a price to match. It’s no accident that Lucchese  has a line of boots called Diva. Those are the kind of boots you might see on the red carpet at a film premier. They also have the rough, rugged, and ranch ready Resistol line of boot under the Lucchese umbrella. Sam Lucchese started the brand in 1883, and the company is still making hand-crafted quality boots to this day. The new Fall 2010 Lucchese Collection is coming soon; go to www.lucchese.com

Getting the right boot fit is about more than style. Hint: the boot should fit properly in the instep, ball, and heel of your foot. Here’s a complete explanation.

“In seventy years of riding I have been privileged to know some superb horses,” says Bayard Fox. “They are a glorious part of my life and have enriched my existence immeasurably.  If I ever get to heaven, it could hardly be that great a place unless horses are there too.”

You gotta love a guy that loves horses. That’s Fox riding through the picture at left (in front, in the dark blue shirt). And it’s not a terribly surprising sentiment, coming from a dude ranch owner like Bayard Fox, who has since 1971 operated the Bitterroot Ranch outside Dubois, Wyoming.

It’s the rest of the story that you almost can’t believe. Horses, career accomplishment, and a passion for adventure are woven through the fabric of Bayard Fox’ incredible life. Hollywood screenwriters could not have made this tale up—you’d never believe it. But it’s all in his bio. Read on…

Bayard Fox began life in 1929 on a farm in Chester Country, Pennsylvania; then in 1943, Fox headed west for a horse packing trip through Yellowstone Park and southern Montana.  Soon, Fox began a pattern of cramming several lives into one, working variously as a seaman, a forest fire fighter, and a longshoreman in Alaska before graduating from Yale in 1951.  He did some work as an advertising model (in a DeBeers ad, shown below), and learned to fly fish (bottom right). He also biked through Europe, lived and worked in Germany, France, Switzerland, Poland, Iran, Congo, the Central African Republic, Kenya and the Solomon Islands, becoming fluent in many languages along the way.

In Iran (while working as an agent for the CIA), Fox spent a couple of years riding and hunting with the local people.  It was while practicing lancing from horseback (for some pig sticking with the Bakhtiari) that Fox had a life-changing accident. His horse cartwheeled on him, smashing up his left hip and the lifelong horse-lover was left to move about on crutches for two years, unable to walk or ride.

For some that would mean tragedy. But for Fox, that was simply a motivation to work hard to recover. Along the way, he set up a langouste fishing business in the Solomon Islands. Of course—swimming was something he could still do.  Fox spent over two years roaming about the remote parts of the Solomons, diving for langoustes with the natives. Because he was swimming so much, and working in the water, he eventually began to recover. Tentatively at first, and then with greater strength, he began to walk and ride.

In 1971, Fox bought the Bitterroot Ranch. With his family, Fox runs Black Angus and Highland cows plus horses, including purebred Arabians which they raise and train.  In due course, Fox and his family began running it as a dude ranch catering to an international mix of guests. For 25 years, the Foxes also ran a wilderness hunting camp behind the ranch. Today, the Bitterroot is “more a destination for equestrian vacations than it is a typical dude or guest ranch,” says the ranch website. “We focus on providing our guests with quality riding and are especially proud of our Arabian horses, many of which have been raised and trained on the ranch.”

Soon, the Foxes found new projects. East Africa was a logical place to grow new aspects of the business, since Bayard’s wife, Mel, grew up on a farm near Mt. Kilimanjaro, worked in Kenya’s national parks, and speaks fluent Swahili. In 1980, Mel and Bayard embarked on a new horse-related venture, escorting a group of former ranch guests on a riding safari. Their venue: the spectacular Masai Mara in Kenya, Africa’s famed game country.  The excursion was a smashing success, heralding the creation of Equitours Worldwide Riding Holidays—now the largest riding tour company in America. Headquartered in Dubois, Wyoming, Equitours organizes and sells rides in 30 countries today.

Ask him how his international travel has influenced him and he’ll say it has, for one thing, helped him be a better dude ranch owner/host. It also inspired him to start Equitours. “One of the things I appreciate the most is travel on horseback,” notes Fox. “You see things from the back of a horse you can’t see any other way. Equitours fits in well with the dude ranch business,” he says, “because I often ride with folks I’ve met on my travels.” Fox, his wife Mel, son, and daughter-in-law have all traveled and experienced various riding techniques and riding gear from all over the world, so much so that it has expanded what they know about riding beyond what’s practiced in the American West. One thing he learned on his travels that has helped his dude ranch: “There’s more to riding than what most other classical Western dude ranches offer,” Fox says.

The international ride the he finds most inspiring? “The first ride, into Kenya’s Masai Mara (for advanced riders),” he answers, calling it the best not only for wildlife, but the ride itself, past the colorful Masai tribes and for the splendid polo ponies who at times race the wild zebra and wildebeest.

One of Fox’ main concerns now is with the future of dude ranching, especially in a society more involved with the virtual than with the real. “Video games, computers, TVs those don’t let you get connected to the land,” Fox contends. “A visit to a dude ranches requires real participation. I’d like to see more ranches go back to the old style horse and cattle ranch, and emphasize riding over heated swimming pools and TVs in every room.”

And for ranchers wanting to attract more of the international crowd, Fox suggests learning another language or two, educating themselves on foreign cultures, add website translators, and find good overseas tour operators.

Fox’ point of view about computers and gadgets on the ranch is understandable; he carved out a life that emphasizes the real over the virtual in every sense. Bayard Fox has lived a life of adventure, travel, and accomplishment. Through it all, he made sure he was never too long out of the saddle. In fact, the dude ranch owner estimates he has spent over 40,000 hours on horseback, riding enough miles to circle the globe six times or more. “People more likely to accept you when you ride up on a horse,” Fox contends.

With a life like that, the guy should write his autobiography. We hope he is. Thing is, it may be tough to find a title that adequately sums up Fox’ incredible life. The title would have to include words like “Joie de Vivre” to convey his zest for life,  “Quest” or  “Adventure” to convey the Indiana Jones nature of his roaming, and both “Fearless” and “Hospitable” to convey his personality. And then the title should somehow work the ideas of family, ranching, Wyoming, and world traveling into the title. Oh heck, maybe the Bayard Fox story should just be called The Man Who Loved Horses.

When you want to really explore and head deep into Canada’s backcountry, there are outfitters ready to show you the way. Some, like Alberta’s Warner Guiding and Outfitting Ltd. (shown in photo, above), and Tsylos Park Lodge & Adventures, have been in business for years. Others, like Tod Mountain Ranch, in British Columbia, are brand new.

“We ride in almost 30,000 hectares of mountain trails, forest and alpine that surrounds the ranch and is home to bear, deer, moose and coyote,” notes Tracey, of Tod Mountain. “Look up and you just might see a bald eagle or hawk flying overhead.”

Tod Mountain Ranch is a small, cozy facility accommodating up to 16 guests in a setting that is both luxurious and rustic. Buildings have a natural look to them and the services and amenities are high quality with a touch of luxury.

“Our cabins have all the comforts you would expect to find in a luxury hotel,” Tracey adds. Each cabin has a private bathroom and is furnished with custom-designed log furniture and and high-end amenities.

Tsylos Lodge (pronounced sigh-loss) has been around since 1957, set at wild Chilko Lake in British Columbia. It offers wilderness adventures from fully guided fly-fishing trips to pack trips and grizzly adventures.

Warner Guiding and Outfitting Ltd. has both in-town rides (ideal for those with just a day or so), plus longer backcountry trips along the Bow River, or up onto Sulphur Mountain. “Our backcountry rides are perfect for people of all ages and abilities, who have a little more time to spend in the Rockies with us,” contends Jill. They offer tenting or lodge stays from two to six days and horseback packtrips deep into the heart of Banff National Park.

“We’ll take you to the perfect spots for capturing once in a lifetime photos and viewing wildlife in its natural habitat,” says Jill, of Warner Guiding and Outfitting Ltd. “Bring along a fishing rod for a chance to cast in some alpine lakes or mountain streams.”

Warner’s specialty trips, dubbed Holidays on Horseback, offer a number of interpretive trips each summer featuring leading authorities on wildlife and their habitat, environmental issues, conservation, mixed with both fun and history. Choose topics like Mountain Photography or Year of the Grizzly.

One added benefit to a Holiday on Horseback is that you’ll know that you’re helping the local environment: a portion of your trip cost is donated to continuing wildlife research and conservation in Banff National Park through the University of Calgary Grizzly Study, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Friends of Banff programs.

Just outside Cordoba, Argentina, Estancia Los Potreros is a horse and cattle ranch run by the Begg family. Its small size (12 guests) belies the estancia’s world-class reputation, honed by Robin and Kevin Begg and their wives Teleri and Luisa.