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Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm

http://www.willmorewilderness.com/

Willmore Wilderness Foundation, 4600 Pine Plaza, Grande Cache, AB (2026)

10/02/2026

Post 3: Passing on the Diamond Hitch

The highlight of our five day Diamond Hitch Camp was teaching the next generation how to properly secure a pack load using a diamond hitch.

Josh Hallock, Mathew Sedore, and Payton Hallock worked with the youth, teaching the diamond hitch, while Kristine Hallock and Susan Feddema-Leonard filmed the lessons to create teaching videos. There were lots of questions and plenty of practice.

These experienced packers also taught mountain horsemanship to the participants. Together, they helped the young people build confidence in saddling, packing, handling horses, tying knots, and working as a team.

By the end of camp, the youth were proficient. They left with skills that have been part of mountain life for generations, as well as memories of horses, campfires, river swims, and time spent learning in the Smoky River Valley.

That is how these traditions continue: one horse, one knot, one young person at a time.

Thank you to Northern and Regional Economic Development, JK Hallock Inc., High Country Vacations Ltd., and the Willmore Wilderness Foundation for supporting traditional horsemanship, youth mentorship, community connection, and 30 years of living Rocky Mountain heritage.

Your support helps us pass practical mountain skills, respect for horses, and backcountry traditions on to the next generation.

09/25/2026

Post 2: Young Cowpokes Learn the Basics

The Willmore Wilderness Foundation believes that introducing youth to these skills early helps build confidence, responsibility, respect for the land, and a lifelong connection to Rocky Mountain traditions.

The camp became livelier when a group of young cowpokes arrived with Josh and Kristine Hallock, ready to learn about horses, halters, saddles, and knots.

Allylee Ingersoll began by teaching everyone how to properly put on a halter and tie a bowline knot. Each young person took a turn, practised carefully, and encouraged one another.

Payton Hallock demonstrated how to put a pack saddle on a horse. The youth each had the opportunity to saddle up, ask questions, and put their new skills into practice. By the next day, the girls and boys were haltering, bridling, tying horses safely, and saddling Friday with growing confidence.

The youth tied horses, took them for water, led them back to the smudge, and tied them up again. These are practical skills, but they also teach responsibility, patience, and respect for the horses that carry us into the mountains.

Thank you to Northern and Regional Economic Development, JK Hallock Inc., High Country Vacations Ltd., and the Willmore Wilderness Foundation for supporting traditional horsemanship, youth mentorship, community connection, and 30 years of living Rocky Mountain heritage.

Your support helps us pass practical mountain skills, respect for horses, and the traditions of the backcountry on to the next generation.

Next, Post 3 will feature learning the diamond hitch.

09/16/2026

Post 1: Diamond Hitch Clinic

Our Diamond Hitch Camp began with a purpose: to pass along mountain horsemanship skills and keep the almost-forgotten art of the diamond hitch alive.

Our crew packed into Kvass Flats with horses, supplies, cameras, and plenty of enthusiasm. Payton Hallock took the lead on the first day, getting the pack train moving while Matthew Sedore joined us a day later.

This camp was a continuation of the Mountain Horsemanship Clinic held at Smoky River Ranch in June. The participants continued building their confidence through the everyday work of camp: rounding up horses, brushing them out, saddling, packing, gathering wood, tending the smudge, and learning to work safely and patiently around horses.

There were hot July afternoons, smoky valley skies, rainstorms, good meals, and many stories shared around camp.

Mountain horsemanship is learned by doing. Every chore, every ride, and every horse teaches something.

More to come in our next post, as a new group of young cowpokes arrived eager to learn.

Thank you to Northern and Regional Economic Development, JK Hallock Inc., High Country Vacations Ltd., and the Willmore Wilderness Foundation for supporting traditional horsemanship, youth mentorship, community connection, and 30 years of living Rocky Mountain heritage.

Your support helps us pass practical mountain skills, respect for horses, and the traditions of the backcountry on to the next generation.

09/12/2026

A rainbow over Willmore Wilderness, with our horses resting below, feels like a beautiful reminder of why this country matters so much.

It has been a full and rewarding summer. We were grateful to host a five-day Mountain Horsemanship Clinic and a five-day Diamond Hitch Clinic, rehabilitate five historic backcountry campgrounds, and complete many days of trail clearing.

Now we are pulling camp and heading home to town, thankful for safe travels, good horses, hard-working hands, and the wild places that continue to teach us so much.

This fall, we will be sharing more photos and stories from the work accomplished this season. Stay tuned.

08/19/2026

THREE ROSIE AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR SPIRIT WITHIN!

We are absolutely thrilled to share that People & Peaks Productions has received three Alberta Film & Television Rosie Award nominations for our documentary series Spirit Within!

These nominations recognize the incredible people who helped bring this series to life through storytelling, sound, music, and a deep connection to the culture and traditions of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes.

Best Narrator – Web Program, Series or Stand-Alone Production
Bazil Leonard // Spirit Within “Episode 3” // People & Peaks Productions

Best Overall Sound – Unscripted Under 30 Minutes
Dmitri Bandet // Spirit Within “Episode 1” // People & Peaks Productions

Best Original Musical Score – Unscripted
Laura Vinson & Dave Martineau // Spirit Within “Episode 2” // People & Peaks Productions

We are incredibly proud of our creative team and are grateful for the talent, heart, and dedication they brought to this production.

"Spirit Within" was created to share the stories, people, traditions, and spirit of our mountain community, and it means so much to see this work recognized by Alberta’s film and television industry.

A huge congratulations to our nominees and to everyone who helped make this documentary series possible!

For more information on the Rosie Award Nominees go to: https://ampia.org/2026-rosie-award-nominees/

07/15/2026

DAY FIVE: 30 YEARS OF MOUNTAIN HORSEMANSHIP IN GRANDE CACHE!

Day Five brought a cold, wet, and rainy June day—but the weather did not dampen our spirits!

Rain jackets, rubber boots, and determination were the order of the day as participants continued working with the horses despite the challenging conditions. Everyone stayed positive, focused, and ready to learn.

One of the day’s highlights was working with Sunny, a six-year-old stud. Handling and training a stud requires patience, confidence, awareness, and respect. Participants continued building Sunny’s trust while learning the importance of calm communication, safe handling, and good horsemanship.

The rain offered an important lesson of its own: working with horses and carrying on traditional mountain skills does not always happen under perfect conditions. It takes perseverance, teamwork, adaptability, and a willingness to keep going.

For 30 years, Mountain Horsemanship Clinics in Grande Cache have brought generations together to share knowledge, mentor youth, build confidence, and preserve the traditions and culture of the Canadian Rockies.

Day Five showed us exactly what Mountain Horsemanship is all about—dedication, resilience, respect for the horse, and a shared passion for keeping these important skills alive.
A sincere thank you to our sponsors:

Northern and Regional Economic Development
New Horizon Co-Operative Ltd
JK Hallock Inc.
High Country Vacations Ltd.
Willmore Wilderness Foundation

Thank you for supporting traditional horsemanship, youth mentorship, community connection, and 30 years of living Rocky Mountain heritage!

07/13/2026

DAY FOUR: 30 YEARS OF MOUNTAIN HORSEMANSHIP IN GRANDE CACHE!

Day Four brought beautiful weather, a great crowd, and another memorable day of Mountain Horsemanship in Grande Cache!

Participants and spectators gathered from across the community, bringing together the young, the young at heart, and every age in between. It was wonderful to see so many people sharing an interest in horses, traditional skills, and the history of the Canadian Rockies.

The atmosphere was filled with learning, encouragement, laughter, and connection. Experienced horse people shared their knowledge, younger participants gained confidence, and spectators had the opportunity to watch traditional horsemanship skills being demonstrated and passed forward.

For 30 years, these clinics have created a place where generations can come together, learn from one another, and celebrate the important role horses have played in the culture and history of Grande Cache and the surrounding mountain region.

Day Four was a beautiful reminder that Mountain Horsemanship is about much more than working with horses—it is about building relationships, mentoring youth, strengthening community, and keeping Rocky Mountain traditions alive.

As we celebrate the 30th year of Mountain Horsemanship Clinics in Grande Cache, we thank everyone who came out to participate, watch, learn, and support this special event.

A sincere thank you to our sponsors:
Northern and Regional Economic Development
New Horizon Co-operative
JK Hallock Inc.
High Country Vacations Ltd.
Willmore Wilderness Foundation

Thank you for helping us continue 30 years of horsemanship, mentorship, culture, and tradition in Grande Cache!

07/10/2026

DAY THREE: 30 YEARS OF MOUNTAIN HORSEMANSHIP IN GRANDE CACHE!

For 30 years, Mountain Horsemanship Clinics have helped keep the history, traditions, and culture of the Canadian Rockies alive—and Day Three was another incredible example of this knowledge being passed on to the next generation!

The day featured hands-on work with two green horses, Forest and Sunny, a young stud. Forest gradually warmed up to the group of young people brushing and handling him, and the team successfully introduced him to a pack saddle and boxes.

Sunny also made excellent progress as participants learned how to safely approach, brush, halter, and handle a young stud—building trust through patience, confidence, and respectful horsemanship.

Jaely, an advance Mountain Horsemanship participant worked with a young mare that was in foal, teaching her to follow pressure and respond to a "feel". She even had the opportunity to ride the mare ba****ck!

Three-year-old Hazel was also started during the clinic. She required patience and extra time before accepting the saddle, but the team continued working steadily and respectfully to build her confidence.

Youth participants and spectators also enjoyed a trail ride around camp, where they learned the fundamentals of horse safety, proper handling, and basic riding techniques.

These clinics are about so much more than training horses. They are about mentorship, confidence, patience, community, and preserving the living heritage of the Canadian Rockies.

As we celebrate the 30th year of Mountain Horsemanship Clinics in Grande Cache, we are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped carry this knowledge forward.

A sincere thank you to our sponsors:

Northern and Regional Economic Development
New Horizon Co-operative
JK Hallock Inc.
High Country Vacations Ltd.
Willmore Wilderness Foundation

Thank you for supporting traditional skills, youth mentorship, horsemanship, and the living heritage of the Canadian Rockies!

07/08/2026

Celebrating 30 Years of Mountain Horsemanship in Grande Cache

Day Two of the Mountain Horsemanship Clinic – June 27, 2026

Day Two of the Mountain Horsemanship Clinic was a powerful reminder of why this tradition has lasted for 30 years in Grande Cache.

The day started out warm and beautiful in the mountains, but by afternoon, heavy showers rolled in. True to the spirit of Rocky Mountain horsemanship, the clinic did not stop. Participants kept working with horses in rubber boots and rain jackets, showing the grit, patience, and determination that have been part of these clinics for three decades.

Young horses continued to make progress, participants built confidence, and spectators and youth enjoyed multiple trail rides around camp. Rain or shine, the learning continued — along with the laughter, stories, and friendships that make this clinic so special.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to Allylee Ingersoll for the wonderful meals. Allylee is an awesome cook, and her food helped bring everyone together after long days of learning and working with horses.

This day was about more than horsemanship. It was about relationships, mentorship, culture, history, and keeping the traditions of the Canadian Rocky Mountains alive for future generations.

As we celebrate the 30th year of Mountain Horsemanship Clinics in Grande Cache, we are grateful to everyone who has helped carry this knowledge forward.

A sincere thank you to our sponsors for supporting this important training:

Northern and Regional Economic Development
New Horizon Co-operative
JK Hallock Inc.
High Country Vacations Ltd.
Willmore Wilderness Foundation

Thank you for helping support traditional skills, youth mentorship, horsemanship, and the living heritage of the Canadian Rockies.

07/06/2026

Celebrating 30 years of Mountain Horsemanship Clinics in Grande Cache!

Day One of the Mountain Horsemanship Clinic — June 26, 2026

Day One was all about building trust, confidence, and strong foundations with young horses. A number of colts and fillies were started, and it was inspiring to watch both horses and participants grow throughout the day.

A special highlight was seeing our youngest participant, 10-year-old Konnor Hallock, work with Chester. Konnor showed focus, patience, and courage beyond his years as he continued learning the traditions of Rocky Mountain horsemanship.

Mathew Sedore took on the challenge of working with Sleepy Joe, a three-year-old gelding with a big, explosive personality. With steady handling and thoughtful guidance, Sleepy Joe began to settle and respond to the process.

Throughout the day, Jules Desrochers, Markus Hofer, and Amber McDonald worked closely with participants, teaching the foundations of respectful, practical horsemanship. Their knowledge, patience, and calm leadership helped both riders and horses make meaningful progress.

The young colts and fillies responded well to the training, and it was a powerful reminder of what can happen when tradition, patience, and good horsemanship come together.
We are proud to see these important Rocky Mountain skills being passed on to the next generation.

We want to thank our sponsors:

Northern and Regional Economic Development
New Horizon Co-operative
JK Hallock Inc.
High Country Vacations Ltd.
Willmore Wilderness Foundation

We are so grateful for everyone who came out, shared their knowledge, supported the participants, and helped celebrate the traditions of horsemanship in the Alberta Rockies.

Willmore Wilderness Foundation

10/02/2026

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09/16/2026

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Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm