Rancher Reflections
At Elk Creek Ranch, the memories made and the friendships formed last a lifetime. In Rancher Reflections, our alumni share their unique experiences of camp life, from breathtaking wilderness adventures to the camaraderie built through hard work and teamwork. Whether you spent one summer or many at Elk Creek, we’d love to hear your story! If you have a memory to share, please submit your story using the form below.
Ted Ladd
Rancher & Counselor
Although Elk Creek Ranch helped me gain admission into Cornell University and the Wharton Business School, I hold more value and gratitude for the ranch's influence on my character.
First, I'm not kidding about Cornell and Wharton. My essays and interviews focused on my ranching history. Perhaps cohabitation with grizzly bears while backpacking for a month in the mountains of Wyoming distinguished me from the other applicants. Maybe pictures of the two-story log cabin we constructed from nearby pine trees illustrated perseverance. Or perhaps my inconsistently successful attempts to introduce a rambunctious colt to a saddle (sometimes with me in it) made them smile.
But these are not the influences of Elk Creek on my character that I cherish most. Instead, I look to the camaraderie of a crew that developed another motivation to work hard: one based on shared pride of toiling and trying and pushing together to achieve something tangible, enduring and worthwhile. Building a fence, irrigating a field, loading horses for a pack trip, we did all of these side by side, because there is no other way.
Summers at Elk Creek brought a supervised but unstructured environment in which to develop and maintain friendships with both boys and girls. It is where I learned how to show respect for other people, animals, and the environment because of their inherent worth, as opposed to blind adherence to parental edicts.
Finally, even on the first day of my first summer, Sunlight Basin resonated with me. I now call Wyoming my home, and return to the ranch for a few days every summer to reinvigorate my connection to my friends and idols, the almost impenetrable mountains and seemingly undiscovered creeks, elk and bear, surprise thunder storms and surreal sunsets, a Western heritage that is already part of legends, and is now a part of me.
Annie Tucker
I was ready for something different; I just didn’t know what that "something" was. When I heard some friends were heading to a real “cowboy” camp out west—far from the drama and chaos of city life—I convinced my mom that this is exactly what I needed for the summer. After an initial phone call to Elk Creek Ranch, I anxiously waited to hear if there were any openings, and I still vividly remember the moment I got the letter confirming I’d be heading to Wyoming in July 1972.
I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension as I left Boston and boarded a plane to Wyoming. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was greeted at the airport by Chip Ridgway, a member of the family that owned the ranch. The drive from Cody to the ranch is etched in my memory, as is my first glimpse of Elk Creek Ranch. It was beautiful, remote, and far from any of the insecurities or teen issues I had back in Boston.
When I stepped out of the car and looked up at the vast, star-filled sky, I felt an overwhelming sense of awe. As we unloaded our gear, a light snow began to fall, symbolizing what I was feeling inside—letting go of Boston and stepping into a fresh new experience. It was pure exhilaration.
I spent two unforgettable summers at Elk Creek Ranch as a camper, and later returned as a counselor for nearly 10 years. What I learned there had a much greater impact on my life than I ever imagined when I first thought about playing cowboy for the summer.
Like many who have been to Elk Creek, the work projects were an eye-opening experience for me. It wasn’t just about learning physical skills; it was about becoming self-sufficient and realizing that each of us had something important to contribute. At Elk Creek, teens are encouraged to find themselves through these experiences. The counselors are always there for support, but it’s often the first time many campers are asked to fully participate in a meaningful way.
I’ll never forget the moment when, as a counselor, I saw campers realize that they needed to “pony up” and how much they valued being a meaningful part of the group. Each project was like a building block—if one person didn’t complete their task, it affected everyone else. It was a powerful lesson in responsibility and teamwork.
I look back on my time at Elk Creek Ranch fondly. It shaped who I am, and I’m proud to say that my two daughters have also attended Elk Creek Ranch, continuing the tradition. I still spend time with close friends I met there over 30 years ago, and the memories of those summers remain some of the best of my life.