Equipment List & Fact Sheet Be certain to label your things!

 

Most of the items listed below can be purchased in Cody if the need arises. Be certain to label all clothing and equipment. In all cases the more rugged the equipment the better its chances of surviving the rigors of a Wyoming summer.

RANCH - REQUIRED

  • compressible mummy sleeping bag with stuff sack (good to at least 20 degrees. please, no cotton or flannel)
  • Thermarest or similar sleeping pad
  • sheets (1 set)
  • blankets (2)
  • towels (2)
  • riding boots with heel and smooth sole (western or eastern boots will work)
  • sneakers
  • warm jacket (down recommended)
  • hiking boots
  • socks (8 pairs)
  • wool socks (4 pairs)
  • blue jeans (4 pairs)
  • shirts (10) (mixture of long and short sleeved shirts)
  • underwear (10 sets)
  • long underwear, top & bottom (polypropylene recommended)
  • pajamas (2)
  • laundry bags (2) (labelled with name)
  • toilet articles (including sunscreen)
  • shorts (gym or quick dry)
  • heavy wool sweater, fleece jacket, down or fleece vest (combination of 2)
  • fleece pants
  • work gloves
  • warm hat & gloves
  • waterproof rain jacket (no ponchos)
  • waterproof rain pants
  • swimming suit
  • water shoes/boots/Crocs
  • 32 oz water bottle (2)
  • flashlight/headlamp
  • western hat/baseball cap

RANCH - OPTIONAL

  • musical instrument
  • fishing equipment (licences should be purchased in advance at wgfd.wyo.gov/apply-or-buy)
  • pocket knife
  • camera (Ranchers should not rely on their cell phones as cameras)
  • books
  • writing/drawing supplies
  • pillow/pillowcases
  • day pack (30 to 35 L) (for hiking or fishing)
  • cell phone (for travel days)
  • dress/skirt (for girls)
  • camp chair (Crazy Creek or similar)
  • dress clothes for square dance and town trip

 

BACKPACKERS - REQUIRED

  • hiking boots (well broken in, with cleated soles)
  • backpack (large capacity, 65L to 75L)
  • moisture wicking shirt (2)
  • light socks (4 pairs) (polypropylene recommended)

 

Please, no hair dryers, straighteners or curling irons.

Please call if you need suggestions for new equipment.

 

Optional Activities

Fishing of all sorts is available in the Sunlight country. The Ranch provides short afternoon and evening stream fishing trips with longer overnights to the lake country of the Beartooth Mountains. There is no Ranch charge for fishing, but a state fishing license is required and can be purchased through the Ranch or online in advance of the summer. A Rancher will need to have his or her Social Security number to make the purchase.

Our Backpacking program has become very popular in recent years, in part because of the proximity of large national wilderness areas. We offer short day and overnight trips, and end each session with your choice of a challenging four-day backpack or horse pack-trip.

The Yellowstone-Teton Caravan is a three-day, 400-mile car trip through Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. The Caravan also includes a white-water raft trip on the Snake River. It is recommended primarily for those who have not visited Yellowstone. Please note that due to space limitations in vehicles, participation in the Caravan will be limited to the first 15 children to be signed up and is an additional $375 charge.

Leadership Experience at Elk Creek Ranch

When Emily and Doc Ridgway first started Elk Creek, they envisioned an experience for young people between their youth-camp years and their first summer jobs. Elk Creek was to be a place where young people faced more challenges and took on more responsibilities while at the same time enjoying an authentic western ranch experience. Over the years many Ranchers have actually graduated to leadership positions as Junior and Senior Counselors. In 2013, we established a process to enhance the leadership opportunities Elk Creek offers young people. The Ranchers can look ahead to a progression of challenges and responsibilities.

  • All Ranchers participate in the Work Crew Program, creating a sense of responsibility and personal accomplishment, and will receive a refund of up to $100 at the end of the summer in recognition of their efforts.
  • Ranchers who have attended Elk Creek for at least two sessions over two summers and who are at least 15 years of age can choose to return to the Ranch in the Leadership Program. They will arrive before the other Ranchers for orientation and will be given increased responsibilities in the different Ranch programs. Those Ranchers interested and who meet the qualifications above should indicate their intent on the application and include a letter of interest.
  • Elk Creek has been very fortunate to have developed our staff from past participants in the Ranch program. First-year Counselors pay half the normal ranch tuition, and Second-year Counselors pay no Ranch tuition. Senior Counselors are salaried.

Transportation

We make arrangements with a travel agency to organize each individual’s trip to and from the Ranch. Upon receipt of your application and deposit, we will contact the agency giving them all the necessary information. The agency will in turn notify you regarding final travel plans. This arrangement allows all Ranchers to travel as a group while at the same time enabling us to coordinate our surface transportation between the airports and Sunlight. Some families opt to use their travel miles for their children’s transportation, but it is important to coordinate the flights with those arranged by the travel agency. Please remember that Billings, Montana is 120 miles from the Ranch, and individual travel arrangements are very difficult to arrange. Arrivals to Billings should be scheduled between 11:00am and 2:00pm MDT and departures should be between 10:00am and 2:00pm MDT. Parents of Ranchers under the age of 15 should check with our designated travel agent or their airline on any “unaccompanied minor” restrictions.

References, Communication, and Further Information

The Ridgway Reporterlists the names and cities of all last summer’s Ranchers. If you would like to contact someone on that list as a reference, we are happy to connect you or provide additional references.

We have one telephone line at the Ranch. We ask that Ranchers use this only in an emergency. If you would like to call, you will most likely reach your child at meal times (8:00am, 12:00pm and 6:00pm MDT). Dinner on Saturday is at 6:30pm and Sunday meals are at 10:00am and 4:00pm MDT. Parents can also reach Ranch personnel via phone or email at the addresses listed in our contact infomation.

Elk Creek Ranch Cell Phone Policy: Cell phone usage can be very detrimental to our efforts to immerse Ranchers in a western experience and to create a close community. We understand that having phone contact during travel is often important, but Ranchers will check in their cell phones (and we recommend their other valuables) upon arrival at the Ranch. Ranchers should not rely on their cell phones as cameras or music devices.

As we all know from painful experience, the airlines are charging much more for baggage. Some families have turned to UPS and FedEx, but that option has turned out to be even more expensive and difficult for the Ranchers on their final day. We recommend pre-paying the baggage fees through the airlines (but making sure to send us the pre-paid receipts). Sometimes other family travel plans require non-airline shipping in which case the address listed below should be used.

Letters and packages sent USPS should be addressed your child at Elk Creek Ranch, PO Box 1476, Cody, WY, 82414. Packages sent UPS, FedEx, etc. should be addressed to your child at 114 Sunlight Road, Cody, WY, 82414.