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To apply for Elk Creek Ranch, simply complete the form below and indicate your session and optional activity preferences. A deposit of $1,500 is required to reserve your spot. Please mail your deposit to:
Elk Creek Ranch, c/o Melissa Stanley, 5400 Jackson Creek Road, Bozeman, MT 59715.
If applying online, please ensure your deposit is submitted within 10 days, as we cannot process payments online. The remaining balance of tuition is due by May 1. For applications received after May 1, full tuition must be included with the application.
Refund Policy: Deposits are refundable if we receive notice of cancellation before February 1. After February 1, the deposit is non-refundable.
Early Bird Discount: Applications submitted with deposits before January 1 will receive a 10% discount on tuition, which will be applied during invoicing.
Agreement
Elk Creek Ranch is aware of the safety challenges involved in our programs. Although we stress “safety first” in the best western tradition, we cannot assume responsibility for accidents or illnesses, both of which can occur even under the most vigilant supervision. It is required that you accurately complete and sign the Elk Creek Ranch medical form and medical release permitting hospital care. This information and authorization will allow us to respond to medical emergencies in the most effective manner possible.
By signing this application, you acknowledge that the use, handling, and riding of a horse involves the risk of physical injury. You understand that a horse, irrespective of its training and usual behavior, may act unpredictably based on instinct or fright, which is an inherent risk assumed by horseback riders.
In signing this application, you expressly assume such risk and waive any claim against Elk Creek Ranch for physical injury incurred in these activities, except to the extent that the claim might be based on the sole and exclusive negligence of Elk Creek Ranch. You further agree to hold the camp harmless for physical injury to others, or for property damage, resulting from your child’s use of a horse in violation of camp rules or the terms of this agreement.
The use or possession of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or other drugs or drug paraphernalia is prohibited and constitutes grounds for dismissal without a refund.
Elk Creek Ranch welcomes campers of any race, religion, national, or ethnic origin and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national, or ethnic origin. In our mission to create a close-knit community, we do not tolerate bullying or discrimination of any kind. If your child’s behavior proves harmful to the ECR community, the directors reserve the right to send your child home without a tuition refund. All travel expenses will be covered by the parent or guardian.
By signing this application, you grant Elk Creek Ranch permission to use photographs, addresses, and emails of or including your child in brochures, newsletters, websites, social media (including Facebook), and slideshows.
This agreement shall be effective and binding upon the parties hereto for the duration of the child’s stay at Elk Creek Ranch. The parties hereto acknowledge having read and understood this agreement.
By signing this application, you understand that, under the Wyoming Recreation Safety Act, Wyoming Statutes #1121-1123 (1993), your child’s participation in dude-ranching activities, swimming, alpine skiing, snowboarding, mountain climbing, river floating, fishing, backcountry trips, horseback riding, or other equine and recreational activities implies that you have assumed the inherent risks of injury associated with such activities.
Finally, by signing this application, you confirm that, as the parent or guardian, having reviewed the information provided about the Ranch program, you have judged your child capable of safely and fully participating in all Ranch activities.
Other Financial Information
Discounts:
A 10% discount is available for applications received before January 1. A 10% discount is also available for the second and third children from the same family during the same summer. Please note that only one discount can be applied per Rancher.Sales Tax:
Tuition includes Wyoming State Sales Tax.Deposit:
To reserve your spot, we require a completed application and a deposit of $1,500. If you notify us of a change in plans before February 1, the deposit is refundable. For applications received after February 1, the deposit is non-refundable.Tuition Refund:
The balance of tuition is due by May 1. No refunds will be made for cancellations after this date. If applying after May 1, the full tuition must accompany the application.Canteen Account:
We ask for a $125 deposit in our ranch store (Canteen) to cover expenses such as laundry, spending money for trips, and personal purchases. Those participating in target and skeet shooting will be charged for the ammunition they use. Any unused funds will be returned at the end of the summer, and if the account has been overdrawn, the Ranch will bill the parents directly.
Transportation
We work with a travel agency to organize each camper’s trip to and from the Ranch. Once we receive your application and deposit, we will provide the agency with all necessary information. The agency will then notify you regarding final travel plans. This arrangement allows Ranchers to travel as a group, while we coordinate surface transportation between the airports and the Ranch, which is included in the tuition.
Some families choose to use travel miles for their child’s transportation, but it’s important to coordinate these flights with those arranged by the travel agency. Please keep in mind that Billings, Montana, is 120 miles from the Ranch, and individual travel arrangements can be difficult to accommodate.
Arrivals to Billings should be scheduled between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM MDT, and departures should be between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM MDT. Parents of Ranchers under the age of 15 should check with our designated travel agent or their airline regarding any “unaccompanied minor” restrictions.