A year after reopening in a familiar location across the dusty dirt road a stone’s throw from the old Rafter Six Ranch main lodge, Stan and Gloria Cowley have ‘cowboy’d up’ for a new era of the family business.
The terminology needs no explanation to the small, yet dedicated ranch staff operating without the luxuries of the old famously known ranch with a spacious main wood lodge and other permanent buildings.
The term means perseverance in the face of adversity, and staff will say the Cowleys have done just that.
The ranch work requires more sweat, more muscle and energy to operate, but there is still a glowing passion at Rafter Six to offer guests coming to visit an authentic, world-class ranching experience.
“This last year has been a big learning curve. It has not been easy, of course, but we love horses and we love people and what do you do with a herd of horses? You can’t just not feed them or sell them all, we raised most of them,” said Gloria.
“The effort it requires is way more because when you have buildings and facilities already you (can) turn the tap on and water the horses, you know, you’ve got heat, (and) people come in to eat, but here, we have to haul supplies in and out, (and) haul water up and down just to water the horses, so everything in more effort with less staff.”
You learn a lot when you’re “roughing it,” said Stan.
After nearly four decades in the hospitality business, the original Rafter Six Ranch Resort closed at the beginning of 2014. The property where the iconic wooden lodge still stands was bought just over a month ago after the June 2013 floods made it slightly more difficult sell.
The closing of Rafter Six was primarily due in part to a joint venture with a Calgary resort development company in 2008 right before the financial crisis slammed North America like it hadn’t seen in 70 years.
The Cowleys put their land and buildings in the agreement – including their home, and then things went sour for the development company, which went into a type of receivership. The ranch resort that produced so many smiles and people coming together to experience the Canadian Rockies on horseback, was closed – but not for long.
Arriving at the new ranch site, a noticeable difference for returning visitors and ranch staff is the gated and locked entrance to the old main lodge that displays a no trespassing sign. Not quite the friendly, open armed ranch experience the Cowleys spent 38 years building up a reputation on.
Today, across the road at the new site, three tail-wagging dogs greet guests exiting vehicles en route to see the familiar faces of cowboys and cowgirls near the stables. The hospitality to welcome guests to discover the Rockies while camping and on horseback or wagon rides remains available to the public.
The 2013 flood forced some trails to be rebuilt, but some new trails have been introduced to the mix on the leased provincial land. There are about 40 horses and ponies to take guests out on tours (previously around 80) as well as camping and RV lots features are available.
It’s that experience, the Cowleys say, “people are coming back to our roots for.”
Staff and visitors remember the ranch being a year-round function, but it has about a six-month window for operations now, give or take, because of weather. The Cowleys hope a late fall will help to keep the ranch open as long as possible before the snowboarder’s dream of snow dumps down the Rocky Mountain region.
With no permanent buildings, running water or electricity, the unique experience that offered lodge accommodations has definitely undergone an adjustment. Some small changes such as being able to grab a coffee at the lodge kitchen may have changed at the ranch, but the Cowleys enjoy the visitors and ranch life and with a family, friends and staff they couldn’t ask for anything better.
