A thin deposit of sand glazes my lips, delivered by a sudden gust of wind as it rounds a dense copse of conifers edging the hill ahead. My horse shudders, dropping his head in an effort to evade the sting. Around us, the Nemaiah Valley rolls across the forest floor toward the horizon, dented by sudden bare openings where trees succumbed to the pine beetle infestation that swept through the northwest regions of this continent.

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been logging long hours in the saddle, accompanied by Ian Bridge, ranch manager at Elkin Creek Guest Resort. Without his expert navigational skills, it’s entirely possible I’d have unknowingly crossed the Alaska border by now — save for the elaborate beaver constructions that block sections of the Chilko, a wide, cold river flowing from Chilko Lake, there have been no structures to use as landmarks. Instead, Bridge relies upon his familiarity with specific mountain peaks and other natural landmarks as guides.

This deep, grand wilderness region of central British Columbia is known as the Chilcotin, defined by the Chilko River, the Coast Mountains and the Brittany Triangle, legendary for wildlife including healthy populations of gray wolves, cougars, grizzly bears and herds of wild horses. In the distance, the peaks of Mount Tatlow reach toward the clouds, and Bridge cautions me against pointing at it. Local legend, he explains, dictates physically pointing to the mountain generates ghastly weather throughout the valley.

Bridge knows this wilderness like the back of his hand, and we jog with confidence down a gentle slope, past stands of thickly branched conifers and silver-barked aspen, their leaves fluttering in the sudden gusts. As dusk descends and we near the ranch, the sound of cattle carries toward us. The mewing and shuffling shifts eerily in the wind, seeming to come first from in front and then from behind.

I sleep the sleep of true exhaustion in my warm cabin, rising early and in time for the roping lesson that awaits after breakfast. Though I trained horses for years in the disciplines of dressage and jumping, I have zero experience in a Western saddle chasing calves that know full well what to expect from a rider swinging a rope in their direction. Local rancher George Colgate joins me for coffee and eggs, then walks me to the barn, soon revealing a spectacular depth of patience regarding the finer points of calf roping. He shouts words of encouragement to me, most of them variations of “Don’t let him drag you into the fence!” By the time we finally call it a day, I’m covered in layers of mud, dust and substances I’ve decided not to examine too closely.

Rancher George Colgate shows off his roping skills. © Hailey Milne/Elkin Creek Guest Ranch

The version of darkness that falls over this corner of the world is velvety and absolute. I locate the bedside flashlight in my cabin and find my way to the footpath leading to the nearby shores of Vedan Lake. There are a dozen or so kayaks resting on the small beach, and I push one out into the still water. The wind has entirely abated and the water transformed into a large expanse of mirrored glass so filled with reflected stars there’s a powerful sensation of paddling through them.

In the morning, I trade in my horse for the coastal phase of my journey through B.C. One of the ranch’s wranglers transports me to the airport in Williams Lake, following portions of Canada’s historic Gold Rush Trail along gravel roads in the heart of the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. We pass a First Nations reserve, a community made up of the Xeni Gwe’tin, and later come to a stop, waiting as a herd of multihued wild horses crosses the road in front of us. Their thick manes and tails bounce as they trot across the dirt lane, led confidently by the band’s oldest mare.

The 2.5-hour drive is followed by a slightly shorter charter flight to the minimalist airfield at Long Beach on Vancouver Island. I’m lodging at the Wickaninnish Inn in nearby Chesterman Beach, a comfortable base for exploring the rainforest and oceanside trails in the triangle between the villages of Tofino, Qualicum and Ucluelet.

The Wild Pacific Trail, touted as one of the island’s best hiking trails, takes me on a scenic, meandering route that’s a mix of gravel path and wooden boardwalk. The views change frequently, in places following a line along the coastal cliffs overlooking jagged reefs and the Broken Islands, in other areas dipping into old-growth forest. It’s quiet, and I meet few people along the way, leaving me to soak in the crisp, salted air and cries of seabirds.

The next day, following a sunrise walk along Chesterman Beach, where surfers in head-to-toe wetsuits brave the rocky coast and frosty waves, I follow the road to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve rainforest trail. While the park itself is extensive — encompassing more than 100 stony, toothed islets making up the Broken Islands, along with substantial inland terrain — the trail into Cathedral Grove is quite short, two loops of less than a mile each divided by the main road. The reason it’s made my list of B.C. must-sees is the rare ecosystem found here. Many of the spectacular ancient trees that comprise part of this temperate rainforest are more than 800 years old: towering red cedar, Douglas fir and western hemlock trees rising from vast beds of dense mosses and lichens that swathe the forest floor.

More than satisfied with the experience, I head farther into the park in search of the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail. Zigzagging over Quisits Point among coastal beaches, bogland and rainforest, the trail begins close to the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre near my hotel. Along its length are numerous informational signs that provide insight to the lives of the First Nations people native to this area. The flora and fauna I encounter include red-tailed hawks, fox sparrows, falcons, black oystercatchers and unfamiliar shrubs and plants such as Labrador tea and false lily of the valley. It’s both exquisite and soothing.

There’s only one box left to tick on my B.C. adventure list, and I’ve deliberately left it ’til last. I’ve decided to make the six-hour trip to Victoria on my way back to the Vancouver airport by car and ferry, and head out on the long and winding road after limiting myself to a cup of tea for breakfast. I want to be certain I’ve got an appetite when I reach the quirky village of Coombs and its renowned general store. Originally a roadside fruit stand opened by a family from Norway, the eclectic Old Country Market now houses a bakery, an Italian restaurant, a surf shop, an ice cream parlor, a deli and a selection of antiques from China. It’s an intoxicating mix, indeed — but it’s what’s outside that’s drawn me here. On the enormous sod roof, a tribe of live goats happily grazes, the current incarnation of the first family of rooftop goats that took up residence above the store some 30 years ago.

I order lunch and carry it outside, where I have a good view. Two of the goats are frolicking pretty close to the edge of their green world and look as though they’re fully capable of leaping down and starting their own expedition into B.C.’s lovely wilds. I consider letting the management know that should they find themselves needing any goat escapees lassoed, rounded up and returned, I’m most definitely their girl.

Wild horses running with Mount Tatlow in the distance © Kat Nair/Elkin Creek Guest Ranch

British Columbia Info to Go

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) provides access to British Columbia and connections to remote areas of the province. Williams Lake Regional Airport (YWL) is the closest public airport to Elkin Creek, with flights departing from Vancouver International’s South Terminal on Mondays and Thursdays; round-trip shuttle service to the ranch is available from Williams Lake. Private planes and charters access a small, private airstrip on the property through arrangement directly with the ranch. Coastal and remote areas of B.C. are accessed via charter, floatplane and ferry.