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Sustainability: A Way of Life at the Goosewing Ranch

April 20, 2017/0 Comments/in Goosewing Ranch News, Summer at Goosewing Ranch, Uncategorized /by [email protected]

The ranching tradition has forever been built upon the intimate relationship of people and the land. Nowadays we call it sustainability, though the practices of good stewardship have always been a part of ranch life. The more respect and care is shown for the land, the more the people who inhabit that land benefit.

The Goosewing Ranch carries out a philosophy of environmental respect, with a multitude of programs intended to minimize impacts, promote concepts sustainability and live in harmony with the land. The sustainability mission demonstrates the concepts of reuse, recycling and reducing throughout the many functions of the ranch.

“Our sustainability mission is to lessen our daily footprint and leave our environment in better condition than we found it. To leave a lasting impression in the hearts of our guests, but not on the land we call home. To improve the experience of our guests, neighbors, community members for generations to follow.”

So how does a ranch achieve a sustainable operation? Carefully constructed and well thought out plans have been implemented in just about every area of the ranch functions. Reducing waste is a key feature. In the office, the staff strives to conduct as much paperless business as possible. The ranch’s composting program reduces the amount of material sent to the trash, and much of the food scraps are used to feed the pigs and chickens.

Reuse of materials is another method used at the Goosewing Ranch to encourage a lighter impact. Guests are encouraged to use the towel reuse plan and are given a waterbottle for their stay that eliminates single-use water bottles. Used motor oil is used for heating, and in the evenings the ranch switches to a smaller power source generator that reduces propane use.

Recycling is a part of everyday operations and includes an educational component to teach both guests and staff about all of the green practices in place at the Goosewing.

The philosophy of maintaining a peaceful relationship with the land is observed in the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products, utilizing downed and dead trees for ranch projects as well as catch and release fishing. A stay at the Goosewing Ranch provides guests with many enriching experiences, all within harmony and balance of the beautiful landscape.

Celebrate Your National Parks with Goosewing Ranch!

May 4, 2016/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

This year, the National Park Service celebrates its 100^th birthday, and to celebrate, fourth graders are being given free park passes for them and their families.

Yellowstone National Park is the oldest park in the United States. It was established in 1872 as an Act signed by President Grant. It wasn’t until August 25, 1916 that the National Park Service was created to protect and preserve our beautiful parks, and since 1916 over four hundred parks have been created. The NPS has grown tremendously over the years. They rely on 22,000 employees and 221,000 volunteers to maintain the parks—and no wonder they need so many people, as Yellowstone alone draws over 4 million visitors a year, usually between the months of May to September.

Goosewing Ranch makes an ideal location to stay while visiting the parks. Not only can you take advantage of the free park pass given to your fourth grader—visiting the parks with ease from our location—you can enjoy the Bridger-Teton National Forest and the beautiful, untouched wilderness that surrounds the ranch, as well. The UTVs available for guests are a fun way to get off the ranch and explore everything nature has to offer.

This is a historic year for the parks. By celebrating 100 years of service, the NPS campaign has shifted public focus to the future, and preserving National Parks for another 100 years to come. This will be a celebratory year to visit Jackson Hole.

For your child to receive his or her park pass, go to everykidinapark.gov. Passes are valid until August 31, 2016. This year’s third graders are eligible to receive their park pass starting in September 2016.

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This post was written by Sara Massery.

The Whiskey Gentry meets Goosewing Ranch

September 10, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

The Whiskey Gentry

Just over a month ago we had a very special band come visit us at the ranch. The Whiskey Gentry boasts an excellent collection of covers and original songs which they serenaded our guests with while they were here. It started with Jason, guitarist and overall band savant (on occasion referred to as “head honcho” if you will), and his arrival at Goosewing Ranch nearly two months prior. Then, he did not come as a rising superstar, but as one of two sons celebrating their father’s birthday.

Jason with his guitar and cowboy hat

It was easy to befriend Jason and Tim, as well as their enigmatic father, Bob. Soon enough, we learned of the Atlanta-based band, whose music shines a modern and edgy light on the blend of bluegrass and traditional country, and Jason’s casual mention that they would be in the Jackson area in a mere handful of weeks. Bob and his sons departed the ranch a few days later (not without style: never did I imagine my job would include banging on their cabin door at four thirty in the morning so they wouldn’t miss their shuttle to the airport), and three weeks passed before it occurred to me that The Whiskey Gentry should be passing through our area soon.

Price, quite happy about the double rainbow

A few emails later, and we shook electronic hands that they’d come stay with us for two nights and give our guests some good entertainment. The ranch quivered with excitement; most of the staff recalled Jason and Tim with fondness, and knew the company he kept couldn’t be that bad. We were greeted with grins, and quickly introduced to the five strangers spilling out of the van after Jason; Lauren and Rurik, Price, Sammy, and Jeremy. Their energy was infectious, snaking through the ranch as they took it all in; it carried through to their performance.

Lauren and Jason

We took them on a trail ride; besides being good musicians, they were funny, kind, and easy to get along with. They took goofy pictures and one brought home a souvenir: a baby elk leg we found along the trail next to some wolf prints. Overall, these were some pretty cool dudes, and you should check them out.

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This post was written by Sara Massery, who is experiencing her first season at Goosewing Ranch,as the Office Assistant. She hails from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and has just completed her B.A. in English Writing and Literature at Emmanuel College. She was looking for an adventure, and she found one.

Survival of the Fittest

June 3, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

Gros Ventre Slide seen from Shadow Mtn.

On June 23, 1925, a landslide on Sheep Mountain dammed up the Gros Ventre River with a high tower of rocks and dirt. Lower Slide Lake was born in the following flooding, only six miles from the town of Kelly, Wyoming. Over the next two years, the lake filled in, and the nature-made dam held. But in May of 1927, just before a huge election between Kelly and Jackson, a portion of the dam broke. The town of Kelly—which was favored to win—suddenly found itself under six feet of water, at least temporarily, and Jackson “won by a landslide.”

When you drive by Slide Lake, the scar of earth is still apparent on the mountain; an ugly welt of naked dirt among a landscape of crisp green pines. At the edge of the road above the lake you can see the gravel and rocks that were pushed as far as they would go and then abandoned, broken and forgotten about. Long-dead trees stand in solidarity near the center of the lake, barren and eerie but still very much present. There were things interrupted here, and the land can’t forget it yet.

Coming to Goosewing Ranch, I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to fall in love with the area, but I wasn’t sure if it was possible. I dreamed of being so happy here that I would stay, and that has a lot to do with where my life is headed: straight into a tunnel of Unknown, where thinking of my future is exactly like being caught in a landslide. When I got here, it almost felt like this was life pushing the pause button. Work here… and then what?

There is a group of trees at the base of Sheep Mountain that were not always there. Their place of origin was at the top of the mountain. When the landslide happened, the trees went with it. But instead of dying, uprooted, they replanted themselves. And we’re not talking a few trees, but a square mile of them. They found a safe place and stuck with it. The trees you can see today are the same ones from 1925, and that says something about these trees’ commitment to existence.

That’s the thing about sliding down a mountainside, or flying across the country to live in a new place: it’s foreign, it’s terrifying, but it’s most definitely survivable. And maybe it’s better than where we started, even if we don’t know how long this haven is going to last.

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This is Sara Massery’s first season at Goosewing Ranch, where she is the Office Assistant. She hails from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and has just completed her B.A. in English Writing and Literature at Emmanuel College. She’s very excited for the summer ahead!

The Beginning of a Journey

May 26, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

I graduated from college on May 9^th, and six days later I was on a plane headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The time I spent in the airport—a total of about four hours across two layovers—didn’t feel real, and my impending adventure was suspended above my head. I had flown alone before to visit family, and this didn’t feel any different. When the plane touched down in Jackson—that was when it hit me: I was in for one unique summer. I walked off the ramp and almost stopped short.

Growing up in the western part of Massachusetts, I was used to the way the mountains encircled the town. We were in the foothills of the Appalachians, after all, and I liked their rounded tops and the way they protected my town from bad weather. These were different. These mountains were so sharp they could cut the sky if it got too close. Home, spring was in full bloom. Here, the air was crisp and light and there was still snow on the mountaintops.

On the day I arrived, the trees clung to the fog. The tops of the mountains were obscured by fat clouds that yearned to touch the ground. We passed Slide Lake and the Grey Hills, and around every corner I kept wondering, how close are we?

I know the distance of forty miles. On a highway, it would take less than forty-five minutes to drive. I thought the wilderness of the Gros Ventre River Valley and the Grand Teton National Park might be exaggerated, but nothing could have prepared me for the trek to Goosewing Ranch. The road passes the small town of Kelly and climbs upwards into the park. From there, it could be equated to a mild roller coaster ride. Sometimes you can see the road extend into the distance for a mile; other times you might question if it even continues after this hill; it is always winding and twisting. And my perception of forty miles changed—it took nearly an hour and a half to drive that distance here. Finally, there it was: the ranch spread out in front of us, as glorious (even in the rain) as the pictures that I had pored over during the previous months.

I wake up each morning excited for the day ahead, for the work we’re doing to make this ranch the best it can be for our guests. I am nearly bursting with excitement waiting for the guests to arrive, because they’ll make my new home come alive with activity. I’ve been here for almost a week, which is the same amount of time most of our guests will be here, and I know that’s not enough for me; I’m not done with this place yet. And I can bet you will feel the same.

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This is Sara Massery’s first season at Goosewing Ranch, where she is the Office Assistant. She hails from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and has just completed her B.A. in English Writing and Literature at Emmanuel College. She’s very excited for the summer ahead!

Winter in Wyoming

February 18, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

Goosewing Ranch in Jackson Hole Wyoming may be closed during the winter months, but that doesn’t mean we are not enjoying the beautiful area. The ground is covered with feet (yes, feet) of snow, the air is a bit frigged, and the rivers and lakes are all frozen solid. So you might ask what we are doing here… Well, we are not just surviving we are living life to the fullest. The feeling of riding a horse in the snow is like no other. It is almost like swimming, but with a lot more clothes on. We are watching the wildlife fill the valley, we are snowmobiling in and out of the ranch, and we a enjoying the cozy warm fire. With both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks in our back yard we have great wildlife viewing and snowshoeing or cross-country ski trails.

Winter in Western Wyoming doesn’t have to involve cabin fever. You just have to get up, get dressed and go out and enjoy this beautiful time of year. Yes, we do have days/weeks of negative temps, but that is what makes us strong and gives us the cute rosy checks. Our horses survive these cold days and nights by growing long, thick coats, and enjoying lots of rich hay. Horses stay warm from the inside and require more roughage on these cold days to keep their body warm.

We hope you are enjoying the winter to the fullest. Don’t worry summer isn’t far away. Cozy up next to a warm fire and book your sunny summer family vacation at Goosewing Ranch, in Jackson Hole Wyoming.

Team Penning at Goosewing Ranch in Jackson Hole Wyoming!

March 10, 2014/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

Goosewing Guest Ranch Adds Exciting New Activity

Starting in the 2014 season, Goosewing Ranch, located in Jackson Hole Wyoming, will offer guest a thrilling new cowboy sport, Team Penning. Grab your cowboy hat and jointhe fun.

Guest will now have the opportunity to experience the exciting sport of Team Penning. Along with trail rides, archery, shooting, line dancing and numerous other ranch activities, this timed event will challenge guest to improve their horsemanship skills, in a fun and safe environment. Wranglers will give helpful instruction to improve guest’s abilities.

Team Penning is a horse event to preserve the traditional skill sets of working cattle on horseback. Humanely separating cattle from the herd using athleticism and horsemanship.

In the herd, all cattle are numbered. Three are marked with the same number, because each team of riders will need to sort all from the herd with a particular number.

A mounted team of three riders cross the starting line. The judge lowers his flag and a number is called out to the cowboys. The cattle marked with that particular number are the ones the riders will cut from the herd. When the correct cattle are separated, the riders maneuver them into a pen at the opposite end of the arena. Once all are in the pen, time is stopped!

There is no particular horse breed used in this sport but one with “cowiness” (cow sense) is always beneficial. The riders on a team are allowed to call out to their teammates signally the position, speed or location of desired cow.

According to the United States Team Penning Association (USTPA), the sport is, “…committed to creating a fun and family-oriented atmosphere that supports the welfare of all animals and fair competition.” They go on to state, “They are more than cowboys and cowgirls chasing calves. We are a family of horse men and women who truly value the lessons learned from riding as teams and taking ownership of our results.”

Goosewing Ranch, Wranglers are knowledgeable and can match the right horse to the skill level of each guest who wants to participate in this new activity. Team Penning is as entertaining to spectators as it is fun for contestants.

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For further information contact Goosewing Ranch Toll Free: (USA) 888-733-5251

Uniquely Wild

March 3, 2014/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

Looking for a unique vacation experience filled with adventure, activity and western hospitality?
Even before you arrive at Goosewing Ranch, you get a taste of the beauty and glimpse of the wildlife the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has to offer.
Turning off of Highway 89/26 onto the Gros Ventre Junction Road, herds of “buffalo” (American Bison) roam leisurely through the grasslands on either side of the road. Bulls weighing approximately 2,000 pounds make a memorable and somewhat intimidating sight. You have entered their homeland as a welcomed guest. The numbers of these massive animals are on the increase after almost becoming extinct due to over hunting for their hides, horns and other valuable trophies. This is the start of your family’s adventure, a step back into the time of mountain men, Indians and the creation of this remarkable wilderness.
On your drive to the ranch Pronghorn Antelope are spotted in abundance, welcoming you to this land rich in history and unspoiled beauty. But this is only a small taste of what is waiting for you at Goosewing Ranch. Life slows down and you are engulfed in the magnificent surroundings.
While dining in the lodge you get a panoramic view of the splendor of the area. Horses leisurely graze in the lower pasture. Behind that is the Gros Ventre River, home to cutthroat trout and various river fish. Beyond the rapidly flowing water is a meadow, nestled between tree covered mountains. It is common to spot herds of Elk sauntering down out of the foliage to graze in the flat, grassy field. Then stroll back to the cover of the dense, lush vegetation. If you are lucky, you might spot a bald eagle perched on a tree branch, or fence post watching the activity in their territory.
At night, sit under the stars and listen to the wolves as they break the silence of the night. Imagine what the calls mean to their pack and to other woodland animals.
While horseback riding or exploring the area on your ATV, it is not unusual to see a moose and her calf. Or a bull lingering close.
The Bighorn species of sheep generally inhabit dry upland areas, from craggy mountains into semi-deserts. This species’ colors range from white to grey and dark brown. During the summer the males travel apart from the females and their young.
Bears are a little more difficult to find but are residents in Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, the Gros Ventre Wilderness and the Bridge-Teton National Forest, all surrounding Goosewing Ranch in Jackson Hole Wyoming. Black bears are likely to be spotted in forested areas near the edge or in clearings. Grizzly Bears are more prone to be found in large or open meadows. Last summer a mother Grizzly and her two cubs were seen several times in grazing land around the ranch. Remember if you see a bear, never approach it, keep your distance, they can run 25 miles an hour. The general speed of a horse is 25 to 30 miles an hour. That really isn’t a race you want to risk losing.
Don’t forget your camera. The opportunities to capture the presence of wildlife around the ranch are endless. Wyoming supports an abundance of wildlife in national parks, forest and wilderness. The geologic processes that resulted in varied terrain of Yellowstone and the Tetons have also determined where plants grow that feeds the wildlife.
Plant eating animals, survive where their food source can be found. Meat eating animals, follow their prey. Millions of years of geologic activity created the wilds of the Rocky Mountains and in the Jackson Hole valley, and account for the abundance of wildlife and plants found here.
The staff at Goosewing Ranch never tire of opportunities to share this wilderness experience with our guest. Are you ready for an experience of a lifetime?
Jay, Goosewing Ranch

Giddy Up at Goosewing Ranch

September 15, 2012/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

Many guests that come to visit Goosewing Ranch have seen a lot of western movies and have seen the silver screen cowboys racing across the plains at a gallop and they want to do the same. They often do not know, however, that there are more than just two speeds for a horse. A gait is the rhythm that horse’s legs move at. It determines both the speed you are traveling at, and how you need to position your body to make riding more comfortable and controlled.
The slowest gait that a horse has is one everyone is familiar with, the walk. In a walk, the horse picks up one foot at a time and follows a four beat rhythm. An average speed for a horse to walk at is around four miles per hour.
The next fastest gait is the trot. The trot is similar to a jog and the horses’ hooves hit the ground on a two beat rhythm. The hooves move diagonally to each other. An example of this would be front right hoof and rear left hoof on the ground at the same time, and then switching to front left and rear right. As you can imagine, alternating between two sets of legs rapidly can cause the rider to get bounced around on the horses back. In Western riding the rider ‘sits’ the trot, which means the rider stays down in the saddle and lets their lower back absorb the shock. Sitting the trot is not particularly easy, or comfortable, so at Goosewing Ranch we encourage guests to learn how to post. Posting is an English riding technique where the rider falls into rhythm with the horse and rises out of the seat rhythmically to keep from bouncing off. An average speed for a trot is eight miles per hour. Contrary to what you see in the movies, people travel on horseback at a trot and not a faster gait because horses have a hard time maintaining a faster speed over long distances.
The lope is a three beat gait that is faster than a trot, and slower than a gallop. It is also known in English riding as cantering. A horse will propel itself forward on one of its hind feet, catch itself on the opposite diagonal foot, and then on the final beat catch itself on its remaining front foot. Basically the horse alternates between two feet on the ground and one foot on the ground. While this might sound more complicated, loping is much smoother than trotting and many people prefer it. The key to staying in the saddle while loping is to ‘sit deep.’ In layman’s terms sitting deep means ‘keep your butt in the saddle.’ You have to find the rhythm of the horse and fall into it while focusing on not letting yourself come up and out of the saddle. Loping speeds can vary quite a bit, but average between ten and seventeen miles per hour.
The fastest gait a horse can manage is the gallop. Galloping involves the horse driving themselves forward with all four feet leaving the ground. It is a very fast smooth gait, and requires an athletic horse and rider. It averages between twenty five and thirty miles per hour and can only be sustained for short distances.
There are other gaits that only certain breeds of horses can do, or horses with special training. Pacing, fox trotting, racking and running walks are some examples of these gaits. Hopefully this helps you understand a little more about how horses move, and how to make yourself move with your horse. We would be more than happy to help you learn more about all the gaits mentioned when you come to visit us at Goosewing Ranch.

English vs Western, Whats the Difference?

August 10, 2012/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by [email protected]

Guests often ask us what the difference between English and Western riding is, but the answer often isn’t as straightforward as they would like because there are many similarities between the two schools. One big difference is the saddles used in each discipline and why they are used.
Western saddles are designed for comfort and utility because they are a working saddle. Cowboys would spend their entire day in the saddle, and so their saddles were made as comfortable as possible while still giving them plenty of places to tie their ropes, and hang their guns. The most prominent feature of the western saddle is undoubtedly the horn. To the surprise of most novice riders, the horn is not a handle or place to rest your hand. The horn is used to dally(wrap) your rope around when catching cattle, dragging objects on horseback, tie things to, and for many other uses. Western saddles typically have high cantles, and pommels, which create a deeper seat to help you stay secure at faster gaits over uneven terrain. They also have large fenders which keep the stirrups from moving around unnecessarily. Saddle bags, tied on behind the cantle, are a common accessory for holding things while you are out on the trail. We provide pommel bags for our guests, which slide over the horn and secure under the gullet for holding lunches, water, cameras, and anything else they would like to take out on the trail.
English saddles are much lighter and have fewer bells and whistles than their western counter-parts. There is less leather between you and the horse, and therefore you can ‘feel’ the horse more. The lack of additional leather also gives you more mobility so you can maintain the proper posture for jumping. The stirrup leathers are very thin, so it is very important to keep your weight in your stirrups so they don’t flop around.
There are many other differences between the two disciplines from the typical clothing that is worn to the bits and reins used. One style is not better than the other because they are both trying to accomplish different things. If you are an English rider looking to be exposed to the Western style of riding, or if you have never ridden and you think that you would like to try Western riding, Goosewing Ranch is a great place to test it out and see if it is for you!