- Hosts: Co-owners Brenda Murdock and Terri McKinney.
- Overview: Wild Deuce Retreats & Outfitting is 45 minutes from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, and just over three hours from Calgary. It offers everything from day rides to women’s retreats, horsemanship clinics, and wilderness pack trips. It also holds an annual Working Mountain Horse Competition and Sale. Its scenic trail system encompasses more than 340 square miles, which take in the picturesque Clearwater and Ram Rivers.
- Lost Guide Lake: One top ride at Wild Deuce is Lost Guide Lake. To get there, you’ll ride up a valley with stunning views. Just above tree line, the most incredible turquoise color slowly comes into view: a pristine glacial lake embedded in
a circular valley. Lunch on lake banks, and watch diamonds dance on the water as the sun bounces from ripple to ripple. After lunch, hike to the waterfall on the other side of the lake and dive in. - 40-Mile Ridge: Another highlight is 40-Mile Ridge. Beginning along the river’s edge, the trail takes a sharp left and heads straight up. Climbing above the tree line, the view gets wider and wider until the entire sky opens. The 360-degree view includes the border of Banff National Park.
- Upcoming events:Partnership Clinic, May 19-20; Foundation Clinic, May 25-26; Mountain Horsemanship Clinic, Course I, July 19-21; SaddleSore Pack Trip, August 15-19; Ladies Retreat & Wine Tasting, August 22-26; Fall Ladies Riders Retreat & Wine Tasting, August 29-September 2; Ultimate Obstacle Course & Focus on Trust Clinic, October 4-6, 2013.
Contact: For more information, call (403) 651-6142, or visit www.wilddeuce.com.
As the owner of Clix Photography, Shawn Hamilton travels worldwide to cover equestrian events and capture images that appear in top magazines. She lives with her husband, four children, and five horses on a farm in Ontario, Canada.