Many thanks to our guests for sharing the following with us. We reprint their impressions with permission. You can also see their photos throughout the Picture Gallery. Stay tuned as we will be updating this page with contributions from other guests.


Anne Doyle
Artist, painter, product designer

What I enjoyed most at High & Wild was heli-hiking in the high alpine with those spectacular, endless views of wild, rugged mountains and valleys...feeling that ruggedness beneath my feet! And rafting the river while watching the magnificent scenery pass by. Then at the end of each day out in the wilderness, having the beautiful lodge to return to with its warmth and comfort...and the food! Plentiful and very good! I will be back and next time I will bring my paints!



Mary Lean
British writer and editor

What a wonderful experience to step out of one's everyday life into a completely different world; to be 'out there and up there' where so few other people have ever been; and what a relief to go with people who were much more experienced at hiking in those conditions. Heli-hiking was an amazing top-of-the-world experience with the views and wildflowers; could have done any amount of that! The most challenging thing for me were the flights in the small planes, a mixture of delight in the scenery and fear of motion sickness, and a feeling of achievement when it was OK. The service, food and spirit of the staff was outstanding. Kathy, Julie and Sheri made everyone feel welcome and part of a community.

The following poem was written by Mary Lean during her time with us at High & Wild.

Ancient hills, carved by the centuries
Dancing to the beat of millennia
Counting our years as minutes,
Our lives as days,
You tower above our little lives
And lift our spirits to eternity.
Teach me how to pray
Knowing that I am small
As transitory as the flowers that paint your slopes
Yet infinitely precious
To the One who made and loves us all.


Darrell Marsh
Martial arts school, owner

This is definitely pristine wilderness. Heli-hiking drops you right into it's heart. I enjoyed watching the game and I appreciate how the heli-hiking was done with care and respect for the wildlife. It was great to meet new people, other guests and staff. The staff at High & Wild are great to talk with, entertaining and knowledgeable.


Karla Marsh
Business owner/counsellor

The most memorable experience for me at High & Wild was the helicopter ride through the mountains. And I loved the heli-hiking. I also enjoyed hiking from the lodge and river rafting. The location of High & Wild with its scenery and wildlife is superb. The staff are friendly and accommodating and the food is incredible. To have a wilderness experience in total safety and comfort is having the best of both worlds.


Ben Marsh
Taekwondo instructor

I enjoyed the helicopter rides and the food the most. One helicopter ride at 9500 feet was the best! The location of High & Wild is beautiful. I have been to many other mountain parks but none compare to this. The accommodations were great. The service was even better! I was very impressed with what was offered.


Brechin Maclean
Professional photographer

From a photographer's perspective, the opportunities were endless: spectacular mountain scenery, pristine lakes, and an abundance of wildlife. And, you know you're in a wilderness when you wake up in the morning to see a moose walk by your bedroom window!

During the white-water rafting trip to the sheep lick, and the afternoon of horseback riding through the mountains, I experienced both serenity and excitement.

I will always remember the fun I had on that trip! I'd highly recommend an adventure with High & Wild.


Caroline Brown
Student

Upon my graduation from the University of Northern British Columbia, where I was studying Wildlife Biology, my parents decided to gift me with a trip to your wonderful territory. I am writing now to express my gratitude for an amazing adventure!

My vacation time was mostly spent touring breathtaking mountain landscapes, photographing many different kinds of wildlife including mountain goats, elk, moose, and some tenacious little chipmunks, and strolling through alpine meadows full of the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen. Besides enjoying the beautiful view from the helicopter and the adrenaline-charged river-rafting experience, my travels were a delightful mix of invigorating hikes and entertaining horseback rides, during which the resident cowboys often gifted the group with a song! All the people I encountered during my stay were friendly and entertaining, making the overall experience that much more enjoyable. You definitely have some characters working for you!

The campsites I visited were a perfect range from refreshingly rustic to fully developed resort-style facilities, so that I always felt comfortable, and got many an amazingly peaceful night's sleep. And what a wonderful treat to have drinking water fresh from a glacier-fed stream or mountain spring! (I smuggled some of this back as a tasty souvenir, hope you don't mind...) Overall, I must tell you that this vacation is unparalleled by anything else I've ever encountered, and I would like to express my extreme gratitude for a perfect and absolutely satisfying experience. I will definitely recommend you to any and all who are interested in nature and the great outdoors!


Lulu
Teacher

Blue lake is a place that for my family and me is unique in all the world. There is no place like it on earth! The adventures we've had, the animals, the birds, the flowers, the elements, and most especially the magic of the lake itself, have all combined to bind my family and me to that most precious of places forever. We are all the better for having spent summers there together, and I feel blessed that we were allowed to do so for so many years. The memories I have of Blue Lake come to mind often, and sustain me through the rigors of daily life here in hot, humid, buggy, and crowded Tallahassee.


Hank Bridgeman
Videographer

I will never forget my first visit to High and Wild because it changed my life. It was the summer of '96 and I was really in need of a break from the pressures at work. Just the 35 minute fly in from Fort St. John was incredible! During the flight into this mountain paradise I saw hundreds of elk, moose, and caribou. I have to say I was in total awe! The two weeks that followed were filled with, long hikes, canoeing, including some of the best fishing I've ever done, horse back rides into the mountains, and alot of wildlife videography. Then when I thought it doesn't get any better that this, I went on a heli-hiking trip to the high country, an area of such pristine beauty that I can't even find the words to describe it properly. I found myself walking along the side of a glacier and below me was this blue green lake framed with ice capped mountains. I was told that very few people had ever been to this place, and I knew it was true. I spent the afternoon hiking and had a sense of inner peace like I have never had before. I have to consider myself a very fortunate fellow for having had the opportunity to experience this paradise.

As for the accommodations and staff at High and Wild, they are first rate! And the food! Well, let's just say you're going to eat more than you think you can. The guides are like characters right out of an old western movie! They are alot of fun, and they know their stuff. I always felt safe when in the wilds with them. This summer will be my third time in. The first year I went by myself. The second year I just had to share this with my family. They loved it! I hope to take them many more times in the future. This is truly a wilderness paradise. It's the real McCoy!

Tom Redhead's Diary
Photographer/Oilfield Consultant

Wake up early. Slip out onto the veranda and take a deep breath of the crisp, fragrant mountain air. The birds begin to sing as the sun breaks over the mountain tops. The songs of the birds do not disturb the peaceful silence, rather they awaken your senses to the beauty around you.The sun dances golden across the rippling water and sparkles on the dew laden grass. The valley begins to come to life. You head for the nearby salt lick, a favourite haunt of elk. The moisture on the grass softens the sound of your footsteps as you approach. You are in luck. The elk seem not to have noticed your arrival. You watch them for a short while, then pull back quietly and make your way down to the river. Walking softly...slowly... you come upon a cow moose and her calf grazing in the lush grass along the edge of the river.

The rushing sound of the water throws a blanket of contentment over your soul. Strolling down to the pool below the rapids, you "pull up" a rock and watch as the first insects of the day do their "river dance." A grayling surfaces quietly for its morning feed. Life is good.

The smoke from the cook stove slowly drifts down to the river and reminds your stomach that it is time for your own morning feed. As you climb onto the bench above the river and stroll towards the cook house, you notice a family of beaver out for their early morning swim. You stop and watch them for a while. And you listen. The birds are in full chorus now and how distinct are their different songs! The smell of bacon, eggs and pancakes wafts through the air. Its time for that hearty breakfast. After breakfast you take your coffee out onto the porch and bask in the "new day" rays of the sun.

You pack a small nap sack with food and water and follow the river upstream. The light is sparking on the dew of the wildflowers. You pull out your camera and begin to record the beauty around you for those who will not find the time to visit this pocket of serenity. Butterflies slowly stretch their wings before the sun, drying them for another day of life. You skip some rocks across quiet pools of water. Turn over a couple of rocks and logs. Investigate. Take off your boots. Dip your tired feet into the cool water. Continue along the river for a hour or so. Climb up onto the side of a knoll. Enjoy the view over lunch. Lay back and close your eyes. Absorb the sun's warmth.This is the best 10 minute nap you've ever had. Invigorated, you hike on.

You return to camp in time for supper. Another hearty meal awaits you. After dinner you settle down around the campfire and swap stories with the others. Like the deer which jumped out and startled you. And the elk calf you came across hidden in the tall grass beside a log. Everyone is eager to share their tales of adventure.

The sun goes down behind the mountains, the air becomes crisp again as the last light ebbs into darkness. The sparks of the campfire fly through the air like miniature fireworks. The stories continue for a couple of hours until a healthy fatigue sets in. Then, as the croaking of the frogs fades away, and the stillness of the night takes over, everyone wends their way to their cabins for a goods nights sleep. You pause on your veranda to watch the moon reflecting off the river. Is this heaven on earth?

Day 2: Today you take a horseback ride and, as your horse clamors along the trail, you feel a closeness to the spirit of the pioneers and Indians. Small willows and alders brush against your legs keeping you alert! As you break out of the woods into an alpine meadow, the shrill warning of a marmot sends the entire colony into their tunnels. A sweep of wildflowers across the meadow look painted on, like an artist's canvas.

The squeaking of the leather saddles creates its own kind of peacefulness, as the horses plod on through the alpine foliage. Your mind wanders through a dome of peace and quiet. You realize how all stress is now gone. This is total relaxation. Your mind wanders back to camp where you will be able to share stories with the others again tonight.

Day 3: Today you go for the helicopter trip. You see in a new way, the grandeur of the Canadian Rockies. As the chopper rises above the razor sharp peaks you look in all directions... and see nothing but the tops of the mountains for as far as the eye can see. Some are snow covered, some are not. What comes next makes your adrenaline rush! You are flying just above the peaks, when suddenly you break over a ridge and a vast seemingly endless valley is revealed, 3000 feet below. It takes your breath away!

Crossing the valley you come to the entrance of a box canyon. The pilot hovers there as you wonder, "What is beyond?" Your excitement mounts! You fly over a few more peaks and valleys and finally set down on the top of one of the mountains. This is your chance to wander and stretch your legs. As you look down, you notice tiny alpine flowers, some no bigger than the end of a pen, but of exquisite beauty. You wonder, "Are you the first person ever to walk here?"

Off again, this time crossing razor-back barren mountains. There wouldn't be any life here you assume. Suddenly you spot a small herd of mountain caribou picking their way along the top of a mountain ridge. How can this be? There isn't any vegetation in sight for them to eat. But there they are. You wonder.

Further on you set down into a small alpine valley. The grass is a rich emerald green. There are many different types of flowers and plant species here. You pull out your binoculars and are rewarded with the sight of a bear crossing the lower meadow. A small mountain stream breaks over an outcropping of rock, dropping 20 feet onto the rocks below. From there it spreads out into a spongy moss carpet, which, when you hike down to it, feels like springs under your feet. You watch the stream sparkle where it leaves the moss and rushes on down over the rocky slopes to disappear into the river.

The helicopter tour isn't finished yet. Next stop is a glacier. This is a vast section of ice, hundreds of feet thick. You see small specks moving on the landscape below you and realize they are other guests, heli-hiking at the base of the glacier. Your mouth drops open in awe at how small a person is, in comparison to this glacier. Enroute home to camp, you feel deeply reflective and moved by the grandeur of what you have seen this day.

Postscript: Although I was able to spend relatively few days at High & Wild, the experience was so powerful and healing, it has continued to fill my heart and soul. I am not a religious man, but this was akin to a spiritual experience for me.