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Wapiti Ride As on all Renegade Rides, if the skies are clear we will be able to see all the way to Montana! That’s a long, long way. This is a good ride, with a large variety of scenery, a bit of camping , two days staying at cabins in some high country, and hopefully, we will see plenty of Wapiti (Shoshone for Elk). We will also, as always have some fun, fast riding along the way.
Arrival Day: Guests are picked up at the Worland Airport, or Cody and transported to Ten Sleep, pop. 304. There you will be taken to the Renegade Bunkhouse, 2.8 miles south of town We will get settled in and have orientation at this time and many of your questions will be answered. We will also have a look at the horses and tack. Delicious meals will be served at the bunkhouse. The sunset from the deck, in the backyard offers great dining views. Day Two: After everyone is assigned a horse, the wrangler will demonstrate saddling and help riders to tack up. We will be packing a lunch. Horn bags are provided for each rider, however you need to bring your own water bottles; 2 – one quart or liter bottles. We begin the ride from the bunkhouse. We will be riding in some rough country with hidden cutbacks and some rocky ridges. It is a good place to familiarize yourself with some of the natural hazards we will encounter during the week. There are also some fabulous views of giant red cliffs and the Big Horn Mountains rising beyond them. It reminds you of a western movie, at times. The pace will vary according to terrain, but there are some great places to open up the horses and make some fast tracks. There are also some places that are steep and brushy with scrub cedars, which might make you want to hang onto the horn. We will stay at the bunkhouse the second night.
Day Three: We will have breakfast, pack lunches, saddle up, load ourselves and our horses for a short drive to the beginning of the days ride. Our destination is high up in an area called the “Dry Farm”. At the turn of the last century there were people up here doing dry farming. They raised hay here. There were families and even a school. That is all long gone. All that is here now is the wildlife, such as deer, antelope, sage grouse, elk, and eagles. Black Angus graze along the sagebrush covered hillsides. We will travel through a variety of land, with some breathtaking views along the way and some steep climbs. There are some places that we have to be really careful and trust out horses to be surefooted and there are some places we can open them up and have a good run. Camp will be up high in grassy country with great views. In the distance we can see rocky ridges, covered with pines and junipers. Guests will stay in spacious Cowboy Teepees (2 per teepee unless requested). As always, we will have a big, western style dinner with the coffee pot on (or tea). We will end up sitting around the campfire, gazing at the stars and recounting the day. Day Four: We continue riding up through the sage and grass. We will hit the “Stock Drive”. This is a trail that has been used to herd livestock, from winter and summer ranges, since the late 1800’s. It is still in use today. We may encounter herders, trailing sheep or cattle, as we ride along. As we climb higher, the air is crisper, and always, there is a tremendous view to the west. You can see a hundred miles distant, to the Rocky Mountains, near Cody and Yellowstone.
We are riding to the Red Fork. Camp is on the Lyman Place. Dwight Lyman has built some nice guest cabins, along with a beautiful new lodge. The cabins lie at the bottom of a pine covered mountain. There are many elk in the area. It is very likely that we will see and hear them bugle. It is quite a sight to see these magnificent animals, sometimes in herds of a hundred or more. We will stay at the cabins two nights. It will be cool at night here. It is good to have cabins to sleep in. Day Five: Our second day at Dwight’s is a casual day. We will have a late breakfast, allowing guests to catch a few more z’s. Then we will saddle up and ride around the mountain to a lake that is full of trout. Guests may fish and you are guaranteed to catch a few trout if you do. A Wyoming fishing license is required, if you want to fish. These are available in Ten Sleep. Dwight can set you up with a fishing pole. Wyoming trout are pretty tasty, I must say. Day Six: We leave Dwight’s, to ride back down to the red dirt country. It is a scenic ride down. We ride down to Otter Creek. As we head down, there are breathtaking views into Otter Creek Canyon. It is a deep, narrow canyon, rugged and remote. Not many people go down there. There are only a few places it is accessible. At the bottom, the canyon ends, the creek flows on, and it is a nice grassy spot. We will ride a few more miles, to our pickup point. We will load up, and head back to the bunkhouse, for the night. Day Seven: We leave camp and ride to the top of a giant red rim. The view is, once again, breathtaking, as we look down to Canyon Creek and up to the Big Horn Mountains. After taking it all in, we ride to Ten Sleep, passing up and down red hills, covered in Junipers, with different views coming up as we top another hill and see some new sights. After lunch, we ride to Ten Sleep, where we tie our horses up to the waiting horse trailer. It is the last day and riders usually have built up quite a thirst by now. We can go to three different places according to your tastes; the bar, the soda fountain or the coffee shop. One way or another, your thirst will be quenched. It’s back to the Renegade Bunkhouse for the night. The last night is usually a good night with toast all around and days in the saddle recounted and plans for the future discussed under the bright Wyoming canopy of bright stars above. Day Eight: Time to load our things up and head to the airport. You will have a sense of accomplishment as you step on the plane, knowing you did a ride that many people only dream of and fewer ever do. Included are all meals at the bunkhouse and camps. Horses and tack are included. Not included is lunch the day of arrival *Please note that routes or itineraries may vary due to unforeseen events or circumstances. PACE: SLOW TO FAST |
