Martin McNamara, Ottawa ON, Canada (2018)
My two-week Expedition in the glorious Muskwa-Kechika Conservation Area, in July, 2018, was truly the trip of a lifetime!
The spectacular mountain scenery along with the many sightings of wild animals (several grizzly bears, in particular) and numerous crossings of the fast flowing, pristine rivers, generated a level of continuous excitement that I will always remember.
Equally impressive during the entire experience was the excellent leadership and daily assistance provided by Wayne Sawchuk and his very capable wranglers, Alex and Michelle.
Last but not least, was the total confidence and safety I felt riding Toni, one of the many outstanding and reliable horses, ultimately responsible for such a wonderful Expedition.
Thank-you all!
George and Liz, Kitchener ON, Canada (2018)
We were away in northern BC near the Yukon border the past three weeks… crossing the Rocky Mountain Divide on horseback. Amazing, exhilarating, sometimes terrifying and unquestionably the most physically and psychologically demanding odyssey for most of the seven paying participants have EVER done. That includes fairly arduous off-the grid-developing country travel Liz and I have done, including high altitude trekking in the Himalaya and Andes, climbing Kilimanjaro, Machu Pichu, assorted marathons, et cetera.. The guide and two wranglers were a calm, confidence-inspiring, endlessly good humoured, remarkably intelligent and indefatigable trio – Wayne, an enviro-cowboy-philosopher; Alex, a bright introvert, who also is a farrier and heads up search and rescue operations in his region in the off-season; and Michelle, the strongest woman I have ever met, an amateur equine vet. who has ridden across America on a horse, and later New Zealand. All three utterly fearless, unflappable and impressive in their own way. Remarkable strength of character (x3). Emotional anchors for all seven of us, two of whom were seasoned riders who acknowledged being out of their depth at times.
Breathtaking vistas, impossible climbs and descents, often on horseback, but just as often leading a 1200 pound horse (Liz was on Levi, Kemela on Tony, Al on Cassiar and me on stalwart Percy) up or down steep, narrow trails on the edge of a cliff, too many river crossings to recall, all ice cold and fast moving water, eerie swamps. We had rain, sleet and snow co-mingled with nice weather… wait 20 minutes and it changes in the mountains.
10 horses with riders and 13 heavily loaded pack horses at the start, all incredibly sure footed and each one with a personality. These are very large, serious working horses, not the stall bound version we did our piddly 12-1 hour lessons on earlier this year. They are also enormously well-cared for and loved, so no PETA concerns, despite the inherent risks.
Took all of us to the edge of our mental and physical stamina at points pretty much every day, but turning back simply was not an option. You just kept moving forward.
Never say never… initially my sense was not likely again, but there’s something that keeps pulling me back. This was a trip that eclipses anything else we have done. Never felt more conflicted about a holiday, or more alive when in the midst of it. We shall see… .
“Okay everybody, get to your horses and mount up.”
Bettina and Bjarne Kallehauge, Copenhagen, Denmark
Thank you for an absolutely extraordinary adventure, crossing the Rockies!
It was an experience that we will never forget, the endless open spaces in the mountains, the rocks, the glaciers, the rivers, the woods and the swamps. All that combined with “fun with horses,” camping in a tent, cooking on an open fire, and last but not least, great travelling companions!
P.S. Could you give Comet an extra treat at Christmas from me? He is also an extraordinary horse and I am very happy that I got the chance to ride him!
Peter von Tiesenhausen, Demmit AB, Canada
Travelling by horse with Wayne into some of the most pristine alpine landscape left in North America on three separate occasions has only made me want to do it more. Were it not for the Gortex one could imagine living in centuries past or to have Gandalf appear around the next bend. It’s an inspirational and unforgettable experience.
Katherin Edwards, Kamloops BC, Canada
Maybe you’ll fly in by bush plane, land on a strip bordered by wild potentilla in a scrubby land that pulls you apart before you start, and as you struggle to set up your tent you’ll wonder what you’re doing in a place you’ve never heard of. Or maybe you’ll arrive by river boat, on a wild ride that jets you to the prettiest lake you’ll ever encounter where you’ll hunt for Native artifacts and listen to talking birch trees.
You’ll be given a horse, a Toni, Levi, or the good beast Percy, an animal that will carry you over mountain passes, and you’ll fall in love all over again as you relearn trust. You’ll ride into a landscape that you’ve only ever seen in a painting or National Geographic, and be that girl on a horse that you’ve envied for years. You’ll pass quietly beneath rock cathedrals certain you will see nothing as spectacular, until you turn a corner, the land falls away, and your mind cracks open again with beauty.
You may sit in a field with an old friend and visit values and beliefs, or dangle your feet in a clear mountain stream and talk Plato, wondering how you came to be this age without knowing. You may do a lot of thinking, erase your past, or just be, but this I guarantee. Long after you’re back home, your body leaner, your mind fatter, your view on life will be forever altered and four months later, you’ll sign on to do it all again.
John Leonn, Leamington Ontario, Canada
The two weeks (Aug 2013) I spent at Mayfield Base Camp, with the two three-day outrides, were just what I needed. Hospitality and camp staff to guest ratio was great and so was the “pack string”. Particular thanks to “Cassiar” for taking good care of me and responding in a way that made me believe he knew what I was thinking even before I asked him. Particularly enjoyed very early morning silent canoe trips with Michelle to observe waking & stirring wildlife. I’ll be back with friends… .
Connie Haist, Lasqueti Island BC, Canada (2015)
Here is a piece I wanted to share with you. I wrote it over breakfast with my son the other morning. I really wanted to share some of my 2015 MK experience with him. A 66 yr. old grandmother trying to explain herself to her 31 yr. old son needs some creativity. So, while he looked at the photos in your book, I wrote this account of how I felt about my trip. You are more than welcome to use it in the alumni section on your web site. Thanks for the trip of my lifetime! I’d really love to do it again in 2016.
This Wilderness
This wilderness, this wildness, seeps into me with the smell of boreal forest duff kicked up by horses’ hooves, with the plaintive calls of plover, sandpiper and loon, with the texture of coarse sand from this pristine riverine beach running through my fingers, with the majestic sweep of these glaciated valleys opening in front of me.
This wildness awakens me, speaks to me of its people. Flakes of stone left behind in a native camp, I see them gather around their fire near the lake, buffalo robes pulled close about their shoulders. A pile of sticks, still arranged just so, to trap a wolverine, brings a vision of the trapper who came through here 80 years ago on his long snow-shoe trek from Fort Ware, with his ice-frosted beard and his Trapper Nelson pack loaded down with gear, furs, rifle.
I didn’t know that I needed to breathe this air infused with the breath of Wooly Mammoth, shiver in this morning chill, watch these caribou, elk, moose, sheep, goats, wolves, grizzlies and porcupine on hillsides and shores.
I didn’t know that I needed to immerse myself, breathless, in a numbing glacial river as my horse carries me, surging against the flood of rushing, deep, roiling, milky water.
This wilderness awakens the wild in me, pushes me up steep mountain sides to stand in awe before the raw beauty of this desolate pass. I stand here as frozen rock glaciers silently witness the retreat of millennia of ice; as wind and water gently erode this iron-infused shale, hosting an autumnal palate of lichens.
This wilderness, this wildness inhabits me, will never leave me alone. It claims me, calling me, compelling me to come back.
Guy Waddell, Sydney, Australia
I first heard of Wayne and the M-K back in 2008 via a National Geographic article which showcased the M-K, Wayne’s history and his significant contribution to the creation of the
M-K Management Area. The story was inspiring and the images shown in the article were breathtaking and I could not get them out of my head.
In 2011, I finally got around to signing up for one the expeditions – heading out from Tuchodi Lakes with Wayne and crew, accompanied by my brother, James. In 2013 I returned to join Wayne once again, this time departing from ‘Wayne Central’ i.e. Mayfield Lake. The image shown here is at ‘Trout Central’ i.e. Tetsa Lake, from the 2011 expedition.
In every respect, the Northern Rockies are an amazing place and the expeditions with Wayne literally an experience of a lifetime – hard work, but very rewarding in all respects. I found my travelling companions to be universally friendly, with the team bonding very quickly and working well throughout.
Jakob Hjuler Christensen, Copenhagen, Denmark
By the time I had the pleasure of riding with Wayne and the MK expedition, I was working as a self-employed theatre technician in Copenhagen, Denmark. I needed some time away from all the working hours, and I decided to go to Canada. The wildlife experience was easily chosen, considered my many years of scouting; I needed some fresh air.
I really didn’t know anything about horses, but I guess I thought, “Why not…” and I am happy that I did! Those horses are very well trained, and you cannot avoid getting fond of them. I was on the trail crossing the Rocky Mountains divide, July 2012. Going on this expedition, meeting Wayne and all his horses, is the best thing I have ever done to myself.
It’s obvious that the nature in Canada is a whole lot more rough than in Denmark, but not just the nature was stunning. Experiencing how the horses work out there, and feeling that special bond Wayne and his horses have is rather unusual, and I still hope to get back there one day!
When I got back to Denmark it seemed that something was wrong, and I had to reconsider what I wanted to do with my life. I can never be sure whether I would have made some changes without going to BC, but meeting the horses and Wayne, who is an excellent storyteller by the way, in some way gave me the fresh air to start thinking. Today I have almost finished my studies to be a teacher, and I love bringing the teenagers out of the classroom and into the forest to make a bonfire. There we can talk of something else than their iPad.
Cathy Hooper, Fort Nelson BC, Canada
Growing up in Newfoundland, I watched CBC television sign-on each morning to our National anthem, and with it a multitude of Canadian images that spanned “from sea to shining sea.” For me, the most captivating images were the Rockies, and I knew then that I would one day be amongst it.
Having settled in Fort Nelson in 1993, I’d been aware of the Muskwa-Kechika Special Management area since 1997. I met Wayne while working on a project for a local business in 2007. Wayne supplied over 400 of his images of the Muskwa-Kechika, and I was tasked to select 12-24 images for reporduction as giclee prints. All of the images were spectacular, which made selection a difficult process, and it was an image of Heaven’s Pass that put a Muskwa-Kechika Adventure on my must-do list.
During the entire two week horseback adventure, the ethereal beauty of the Muskwa-Kechika was never lost, not for one second. Each day presented an excess of visual gifts, earthy aromas, and a feeling of connectedness that words fail to describe; it must be experienced. As gracious hosts, Wayne and the wranglers engaged the riders in campfire dinner conversations that were a wonderful and entertaining way to end each day on the trail.
I believe that a Muskwa-Kechika Adventure allows a person to “turn on” and “tune in” to the random beauty and purposeful importance of nature, while achieving a remarkable internal re-boot.
Stephanie Grand, France and Michigan
I was born and raised in France and lived in British Columbia from 2001 to 2011. I currently live in Michigan where I work as an environmental scientist on soil and air quality.
I am always looking for adventures and riding with Wayne Sawchuk in the Muskwa-Kechika is definitely one of my most memorable experiences. I heard of Wayne by chance while studying resource management at the University of British Columbia; I wrote to him and was thrilled when I heard that I would be able to join a ride. I was completely blown away by Wayne’s knowledge of the land and of the ecosystems in which we travelled. The MK is truly a special place, one that reminds us of the awesome power of nature. It is something rare nowadays, to be able to look 360° around yourself and see no trace of man as far as the eye can see, save for your own tracks.
My favorite time on the ride was going to get the horses in the morning. The herd almost always wandered further away than I expected and we had occasionally epic bareback rides back to camp. Giddyup!
David Walker, Vancouver BC, Canada
I have worked on international development projects focused on education, environment, agriculture and health in many parts of the planet for the past thirty years. I had ridden horses in some of countries I have visited but have always wanted to do an extended ride in the wilderness. I read about Wayne and the MK several years ago and felt it was exactly the experience I was looking for.
Seeing a pristine wilderness and learning about it through Wayne and his vast knowledge of the history, land and wildlife was a unique experience and went well beyond my expectations. In the MK you step back in time to how it must have been for first nations peoples and early explorers in a land free of infrastructure and technology. To me visiting the MK demonstrated that determination, cooperation and planning can be the most effective tools to limit the human impact into unique ecosystems. Areas like the MK are vital in providing future generations a window into a world that once was and the need for vigilance to maintain it.
Palle Steen Christensen, Copenhagen, Denmark
I’m a 38 years old set designer living in Copenhagen, Denmark. I’m deeply connected to my Scandinavian roots and have always enjoyed traveling the nordic landscapes. Hiking, canoeing, and roundtrips by car. Mostly confined to the Scandinavian region and Iceland, where I have been many times.
This time I had the time and the means for an even grander adventure. I had considered Alaska and Greenland for a while when I heard of the Muskwa-Kechika expeditions. I’m not a trained horesback rider, but after hearing more from a previous participant who assured me it would not be a problem, I decided to go. I took the time to see Vancouver for a week before heading north for the expedition.
One thing I brought home is the Canadian Rockies. The vastness, magnificence, the overwhelming beauty of the place itself was well worth it. This is a landscape that leaves you speechless when you clear the trees of a valley pass and the whole valley opens up right in front of you. Even in rain – I wouldn’t miss it. And when you cross the leftovers of a winter avalanche, it really shows you what this place is made of. How the slow transformation of the landscape has happened over a timespan you cannot imagine. It’s just huge. It’s a way to experience time itself.
But going by horse was the big experience for me, and I came home with a renewed respect for the animal. Sitting on Percy’s back as he lifted me up a mountain side, and feeling his muscles working under the skin was simply amazing. Or going the hourlong stretches over the valley floors and finding a rhythm. Or simply saddling up in the morning and getting ready for a day’s ride with him. Looking at the map afterwards and seeing the distance the horses brought us made me very grateful to them. Although I felt the whole trip on my body, I know the horses pulled the bigger load.
Chris Gale, Fort Nelson BC, Canada
My name is Chris Gale. I’m a wildlife and nature photographer from Fort Nelson, British Columbia. The first time I heard about Wayne Sawchuck was in 2005 when I received his book called the Muskwa-Kechika. I was a beginner photographer at the time and was amazed by his photographs of Nature and Wildlife in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
It was 2013 when I finally got to meet Wayne. After talks on the phone and conversations on Facebook, I had my trip booked with Muskwa-Kechika Adventures, so on June 19th we left Summit Lake on the Alaska Highway and headed up into the high country with about 15 pack horses and five riders. During my two weeks on Horseback I got to experience majestic mountains, wild rivers, campfire stories and old cowboy trails that I hope will lead me back there again someday.
I now understand why we need to keep protecting the MK. There aren’t many places left in the world as pristine and wild as the Muskwa-Kechika. I recommend this trip to anyone who wants to get away from it all and experience life on the trail. Enjoy!
Maryann Emery, Golden BC, Canada
I’m a grandmother and a retired elementary school teacher living on a rural acreage near Golden, BC. Since my teen years, experiencing the wilderness and outdoor life, and wilderness conservation have been of prime importance to me. Until I read about Wayne and the M-K this involved hiking, backpacking, camping, extended wilderness canoe trips and skiing. From the first time I learned of the M-K during the campaign to protect the Northern Rockies I had dreamed of going there.
I have been privileged to participate in five different 14-day horseback expeditions into the Northern Rockies with Wayne. It has been an experience like no other! Heading off into a pristine wilderness with the horses feels like a journey back in time, when all the earth was wilderness. The trips combine everything; physical challenge, beautiful mountain peaks, alpine meadows, river crossings, animals such as grizzlies, caribou, elk, stone sheep and moose, friendship and camaraderie around the campfire and in working together with the horses and the thrill of riding along wilderness trails day after day seeing very few signs of human activity. Wayne’s good nature, love of wilderness and knowledge of the ecology and history of the Northern Rockies, and conservation ethic have made these expeditions some of the best and most memorable experiences of my life.
Michael Coon, Victoria BC, Canada (2003 – 2022)
My name is Michael Coon. I am a marine biologist and former Director of Land Use Planning for the Province of BC. I met Wayne in 2000 during the negotiation of the Mackenzie LRMP, which added the last third to the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. In 2003, the year I retired, I started riding with Wayne, and I look forward to many more years of trail-riding adventure with him.
The pristine wilderness of the M-K must be directly experienced to be appreciated. For me it is as spiritual an experience as it is a physical one. Interacting with all the elements (geological, biological, atmospheric, etc.) of this untrammeled wilderness wakens my senses. The silence lying under the sounds of wind, water and wildlife is huge and deep. Immersed in the M-K I experience the natural world in a way unavailable in most of this man-modified world.
I treasure the memories of each expedition, including the joys of sharing them with such fine trail-riding companions (human and equine).
Wendy Bush, Canmore, Alberta
Professional writer, collector of regional folklore, dog-driver, teamster and outdoor guide/naturalist, Wendy brings character to all her projects, whether books, guiding events or… making antler buttons with her multi-tool on the trail. She lives in Canmore, Alberta with her partner, Doug, two dogs and five horses.
Brian Jungen, Moberly Lake BC, Canada
I’m Brian Jungen, and I am originally from the Peace country of BC. I have been out in the MK since before it formally existed. I travelled in the backcountry in the Sikanni, Halfway and Graham rivers with my uncles years ago, but I had never ventured so deep and so remote as with Wayne and his horses.
The MK is pure wilderness and it is a privilege to be able to experience this treasure on horseback with my friend Wayne and his endless knowledge.
*Brian is one of the world’s foremost Indigenous artists. [editor]
Sheri Bakes, Vancouver BC, Canada
My name is Sheri Bakes and I’m a Canadian landscape painter living and working in Vancouver British Columbia.
I rode along with Wayne through a leg of the Muskwa-Kechika to experience
pristine, untouched wilderness painted in nature, by nature. It’s hard to put into words what this experience meant to me as 2+ years later I’m still processing the incredible depth and richness this adventure offered. Have to go back to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Deryk Houston, Victoria BC, Canada
I am a Canadian artist living in Victoria BC, and the idea of an adventure into the Northern Rockies was impossible to ignore.
Much of my artwork is focused on peace and few things compare to the pleasure of travelling by horseback through high mountain passes and star filled nights.