1st Overnight Packtrip of the Season is This Weekend

Join us this Saturday for a true cowboy adventure…an overnight pack trip!

Cow Camp horses1 1st Overnight Packtrip of the Season is This Weekend

We’ll mount-up at the Sylvan Dale stables and head west into the back country for a 3 hour ride of awesome scenery and views of the valley and beyond.

Cow Camp is a 1930′s homestead…very rustic.

We’ll enjoy a hearty steak fry followed by a friendly campfire and s’mores.  Sleep out under the stars and awake to the smell of cowboy coffee, sizzling bacon and eggs.   

Then enjoy a morning ride back to the main Ranch.

Everything is provided:

Horse, gear, guide and grub included… $210 per person

-Departs Saturday at 2… returns Sunday at 11

Don’t forget your camera!

Just a few saddles still empty! We’d love to have you join us. 

Call  970-667-3915 to reserve your space.

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High Park Fire Update

high park fire update High Park Fire UpdateLarimer Country GIS Landscape & Imagery Explorer

July 2, 2012 @ 11:10a

The High Park Fire is 100% contained at 87,284 acres. … Hot spots will continue to exist within the perimeter during the containment phase and residents should expect to see smoke for days and weeks as the fire moves from containment to control.

June 29, 2012 @ 11:38a

The High Park Fire is estimated at 87,284 acres, meaning the fire has not grown since June 27th. Containment is now estimated at 85 percent. The estimated containment date has been moved up from July 15th to July 1st. (source: Larimer County Emergency Information)

June 26, 2012 @ 8:22p

The High Park Fire is estimated at 87,284 acres with 65 percent containment. The current cost of the fire to date is estimated at 33.1 million dollars. There are 1,805 fire personnel assigned to the firefighting effort. Equipment resources include: 10 Type 1 hand crews, 18 Type 2 hand crews, 156 engines, 11 dozers and 24 water tenders. Air Resources include; 7 Type I (heavy) helicopters, 3 Type II (medium) helicopters, 6 Type III (light) helicopters, 1 Type II helicopter with a radiometric imaging system attached, fixed wing support aircraft, and available heavy air tankers. … The total of homes destroyed to date remains at 257. (source: Larimer County Emergency Information)

June 21, 2012 @ 10:00a

The High Park Fire is estimated at 68,200 acres with 55% containment. The current cost of the fire to date is estimated at $19.6 million dollars. There are 1,978 fire personnel, 18 helicopters and 135 engines fighting the fire at this time with a 24-hour work schedule in place. Larimer County Emergency Information

June 20, 2012 @ 10:30a

The High Park Fire is estimated at 65,738 acres with 55% containment. The current cost of the fire to date is estimated at $17.2 million dollars.

June 18, 2012 @ 9:00p

The High Park Fire is estimated at 58,770 acres with 50% containment.

http://www.larimer.org/emergency/emergency_detail.cfm?nam_id=85

June 17, 2012 @ 7:30a

The High Park Fire is located approximately 15 miles west of Fort Collins and has burned 55,050 acres to date and is estimated 45 percent contained.

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2904/

June 16, 2012 @ 10:59a

Statistics about High Park Fire

  • 54,232 acres (84.7 square miles)
  • 20 % contained
  • 1,553 staff
  • 103 engines working in the fire area & 112 assigned to High Park Fire
  • 16 helicopters
  • $9.1 million is current cost of fighting the fire
  • Citizen briefing scheduled for 3 p.m. at The Ranch

http://www.coemergency.com/2012/06/high-park-fire-map-june-16-highparkfire.html

June 14, 2012 @ 5:05p
High Park Fire Perimeter Map. (The map will take a moment to load.)

June 14, 2012 @ 11:27
The High Park Fire is still at around 10+% containment as of this morning. The skies are clear this morning at the ranch. View thew latest fire update: coemergency.com/2012/06/high-park-fire-update-june-14-at-1027.html

clear skies at sylvan dale High Park Fire Update

You can view the most current map of the High Park Fire here.

June 12, 2012 @ 16:07
Thank you to all who have called to check on us regarding the High Park Fire west of Fort Collins. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has been touched by this tragedy.

Fortunately for the ranch the fire is not near and there is currently no cause for alarm. There was some haze from the smoke this morning but it has cleared significantly.

high park fire High Park Fire Update

The Heart-J logo above indicates Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch’s approximate location.

A summary of the status of the fire can be found here. For updated fire conditions visit www.inciweb.org/incident/2904/.

We’ll let you know via our website and on Facebook about any developments that might affect the ranch.

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Fly Fishing Story: "Wake-up Call"

There is something about the gentle rocking of a pontoon boat on Mother Lake during the warm, mid-afternoon hours. Maybe it’s the doldrums of the feeding action or simply the slow digestion of the noon subway sandwiches, chips and beer, as the body starts to think that a brief nap might be in order. Such was the case last Thursday as Tommie Thompson kicked his flippers to propel his craft in the middle of the lake.james boys 2008 0112 550x412 Fly Fishing Story: "Wake up Call" I remember watching the strike indicator rest motionless on the surface, when suddenly it plunged downward and the drag sounded like a siren. Tommie’s quick reaction brought the hook to a holding position and the fight was on. I maneuvered my guide boat alongside Tommie’s pontoon and swiftly managed to net Mr. Thompson’s catch. A chunky rainbow had taken the suspended damsel nymph to the delight of yet another Sylvan Dale angler.” ~Ranch Guide Ted Meredith 970-215-2816

 

 

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Fly Fishing Report 2012/05/30

by Glen, Season Member

I went to Sylvan Dale Ranch yesterday from about 11:30–7:30pm. All the lakes in both Upper & Lower Valley, trout and bass, are fishing great! I caught about a half dozen on damsel fly dry and calibaetis emergers on Mother Lake from my pontoon boat and from shore up until 3pm.

There was some surface activity starting about 12:30, but it was kind of sporadic. I tried down and dirty for a while (meat whistle, wooly bugger, beadhead pheasant tail) with no results. [Ranch note: see previous report a few days ago that did have success "down & dirty"... fish are so finicky!]

I then caught another half dozen or so in Island lake near the inlet and in the area to the east that has been deepened, with a variety of flies – Chernobyl ant, bugger, clouser minnow. There are fish all along in that area. Then I fished Big Lake from shore and caught one nice bass, a big crappie, a bunch of smaller bass. Finally, ended up fishing Pump Lake with a popper from about 6 until 7:30. I caught over a dozen bass including a couple pretty good sized ones and some big bluegill/pumpkin seeds on a bass popper there.

Fly fishing for bass was good when it was windy and riffly, helping make the fish less wary. All in all a good day with a lot of variety of flyfishing and types of fish – but, alas, no 30 inchers.” [Ranch Note: We know you'll be back to go for those big lunkers, but glad you had fun with "regular" sized trophy trout & any fish big enough to bend the rod! :-) Thanks, Glen!]

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Fly Fishing Report 2012/05/27

by Wallace Westfeldt

“Sylvan Dale Ranch is one of those rare places where you can take a large group, in this case a family of eight, and enjoy flyfishing on a variety of waters with great fish. Both the lakes and the river fished well all day except or the mid-afternoon lull on Mother Lake. Fly of the day on Mother Lake was the Jumbo Rojo chronomid. 

Other flies that took fish on Mother Lake were:  Damsels, red and black chronomids, Meatwhistle, Blank Saver leech, Grasshopper.  Water temp 1 foot down in the morning was 58 degrees warming to 62 in the afternoon. The Main Ranch River took a variety of nymphs, but fish also vigorously rose to a Chubby Chernobyl.”

Visit Wallace’s website for stories & photos of his fishing adventures at the ranch!

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Fly Fishing Report 2012/05/24

by Wallace, Master of Fish Acquisitions

“Mother Lake: A lot of fish taking smaller midges from the surface and below. Damsel Nymphs working near shore. Mid afternoon, complete shutdown as fish move towards center and down. Best catch of the day, 21 inch rainbow taking on a #20 Mother’s Lake midge on top.

Main Ranch River: Great level for the River, but unusually slow around Dining Hall. Many fish taken at the Devil’s Elbow, down deep on Poison Blue Tung and Girdle Bug. Concurrently, there was a massive PMD hatch, but no risers and no takes on nymph imitations. Go figure.”

Thanks, Wallace!  Check out his website & photos… Fish Acquisitions by Wallace Westfeldt, www.MudBugCo.com

 

 

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Introduction to Fly Fishing

fly fishing in big thompson river Introduction to Fly FishingWe’re holding an Introductory Fly Fishing Clinic this Saturday, May 26th, 2012.

The fishing clinic presents a unique opportunity for local folks who have always wanted to learn how to fly fish..

Instruction will be given by Ted Meredith and Bill Franz, professional fly fishing guides.

Instructions will include the physics of casting with a demonstration on how to "load" the rod and let it do the work for you. Over head casts will be taught and practiced, as well as the "roll cast".

Instructions on tying knots will be demonstrated plus reading the conditions of the water and the flies to use. Proper handling of the fish will be shown, as all of our catches will be released to fight again.

Read more on Introduction to Fly Fishing…

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Fishing Report – May 15: “Holy Cow!”

HOLY COW! Jason V. of Loveland switched to his sink-tip line as the refusals on the dry fly made him wonder what the fish were taking. He ran a two fly rig with an olive bead head fly on top that guide Ted Meredith had given him, and a special damsel nymph that Jason had in his own box.

Fish jason v ted client may 2012 SML 250x187 Fishing Report May 15: Holy Cow!

“Holy Cow! Look at the size of that fish! I need a bigger net! Wow! It’s a Donaldson! Holy Cow!”

While seeing the fish take him into the backing, Jason landed the fish after a short battle.

Although the fish was not officially measured, it was certainly in the 10 pound range and measured at well over 27 inches long.

~Ranch Guide, Ted Meredith

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Happy May Day!

Hard to believe but Spring is well under way and Summer is anxiously nipping at Spring’s heels

The weather has been absolutely marvelous! Recent temperatures have been mostly in the 70s. We hit the 80s too! Current weather: a perfect 75 degrees in the dale!

We’re looking forward to the upcoming 2012 dude vacation season and the opportunity it will afford to reacquaint with old friends and develop new friends too.

If you haven’t made your vacation plans for summer, there’s still time and several Dude vacation weeks available.

Hope to see you soon!

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Forward to the Past!

Lock-in your 2013 Dude Ranch Vacation at 2012′s Dude Ranch Vacation Rate!

The 2013 Dude Vacation Season is Official…can you believe it will be our 67th year!

key art back to the future Forward to the Past!

Image Source:  www.hulu.com/back-to-the-future

Remember the movie Back to the Future? Well we want to take you “Forward to the Past” by helping you to secure next year’s Dude Ranch Vacation at this year’s vacation investment.

There’s 10 weeks of summer Dude Ranch fun to choose from, from June 16th to August 18th, 2013.

At Sylvan Dale our specialty is taking you “back in time,” so to speak, and this little time trick will save you money!

As always, we’ll be providing the same quality, western fun and adventure that you’ve grown to love, plus something new … for more details on the Dude Ranch Vacation experience, check-out the Dude Ranch Vacations section of our website.

Just $100 will hold your reservation, so lock in your 2013 Dude Ranch vacation before August 15th, 2012 and take advantage of 2012 rates!

Call Karen at (970) 667-3915 or email Karen at karenb [at] sylvandale [dot] com

30% deposit is due by December 1, 2012. Not combinable with any other offer.

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