HORSE PACK TRIPS & TRAIL RIDES

BRACEWELL'S ALPINE WILDERNESS ADVENTURES Tatlayoko Lake, British Columbia Canada www.bracewell.com
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Overview

Mother Nature has outdone herself with it comes to Tatlayoko Valley and the area surrounding the lodge. As you drive down into the valley, you find yourself saying, “Oh my goodness, this is incredible.” Those at Bracewell find themselves saying that quite often.

Bracewell’s is a third generation pioneer family-run business. The lodge is nestled against the south end of Potato Mountain in Tatlayoko Valley, and each of the 24 rooms face the Coastal Mountains. There are four valleys that run out from the ranch. Bracewell’s like to think of it as a wagon wheel with the lodge being in the center, and all the spokes being the valleys.

The beautiful lawn runs down to meet the open hay meadows, with Cheshi Creek running through the entire 400 acres. On the other side of the creek is another hay meadow, joined by Pine, Spruce, and 400 to 700 year old Fir trees. Your eyes sweet up to “Alf Bracewell Mountain”, a 9,000-foot snowcapped mountain with an ice field to the right arm of it.

From the deck in front of the lodge, using the spotting scope, enjoy watching goats negotiate the extreme faces of the mountain cliffs and also on the sister mountain, Marmot. Bracewell’s has counted up to 57 goats in the shale basin of Marmot. This mountain is to the left of the lodge, west of Chilko Lake.

The Bracewell Lodge is located at 4,200 feet. They are surrounded by snowcapped mountains, with a gentle breeze coming off the Homathko ice fields. Bracewell’s has a 4,200-foot gravel air strip for those inclined to fly. The 10,000 square foot all log lodge (was harvested off the property, milled in the lodge’s own saw mill) had 19 guest rooms, all with their own private bathrooms. The electricity is supplied by the lodge’s own generator and water is from the well just off Cheshi Creek. There are three out cabins, which are very rustic (pack water and wood and use of the out houses), with two cabins are located on beautiful Wilderness Lake, just a ten-minute walk from the main lodge. The third cabin at 5,400 feet is up on Potato Mountain, where Bracewell’s takes guests for the Pioneer Trip, or excellent Nordic hiking.

Bracewell’s lodge has a licensed dining room and all meals at the lodge are served family and buffet style. Bracewell’s offers locally grown produce and alpine feed/mountain raised beef. Eggs are from Bracewell’s own chickens, and they offer fresh cow’s mils for you to try. Bracewell’s prides themselves on serving the best home cooked meals, either off the grill, out of the kitchen, or out on the trail. You might be lucky and arrive on the night that the chef serves up the lodge’s famous BBQ ribs, with their special sauce (here’s a hint … that’s Friday nights), with a sing-a-long around the campfire. Check out the “melt in your mouth” baking powder biscuit – you won’t be disappointed!

For those rainy days, Bracewell’s has a wide range of reading material about the local area and of the pioneer families that helped sculpt this beautiful Chilcotin area, that locals are so privileged to live in. Bracewell’s also has a games room and a gift shop, featuring gifts from local artists.

Bracewell’s specializes in horse pack trips and excellent alpine Nordic walking in the beautiful Coastal Mountains in British Columbia. They do day horseback rides and hiking out of the lodge as well, if you’d like to spend the day in the alpine and the night in a comfy bed. Additionally, guests can take part in lake or river fishing.

Bracewell’s has a wide variety of sure-footed mountain horses to suit your horseback riding abilities. After they help you with your saddle, adjusting your stirrups, you then go to the riding area. Here, Bracewell’s makes sure you are comfortable with your horse and your horse is comfortable with you, as you are in the mountains and on horseback for some time.

Tatlayoko Lake is excellent for wind surfing. On its windy days, the surfers say "surfing on Tatlayoko Lake is rated the same as Hawaii and Mexico" and it has been said "that it is the color of turquoise and at other times you'd say it was emerald green". This is because it is fed by gladiers.

Bracewell's has beautiful secluded fishing lakes that can only be reached by horseback or hiking. The fish are Rainbow and Dolly Varden trout, and the taste is out of this world. Add a little bit of lemon juice, a side of wild rice, a tossed salad, and a nice bottle of white wine and you have yourself a wonderful meal.

• ATV Tours
• Ladies' Retreats
• Photography Workshops
• Painting Workshops
• Kids Summer Camp, Corral Corner
• Cow Herding and Ranch Days in May and June
• Big Fall Round Up in September

Bracewell’s family and qualified staff have made it their number one priority to maintain an atmosphere in which all guests can find comfort. They specialize in being flexible with your individual or group’s needs and interests in mind. Bracewell’s hopes you have a wonderful and memorable stay at their lodge.

Come share Bracewell’s little piece of heaven...

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