Abilitas Foundation

Activities: Life at the Cold Water Ranch

The Cold Water Ranch is an operating ranch, located in a beautiful valley, 20 minutes west of Merritt, BC. Aside from the abundant wildlife on the ranch, both beef cattle and retired race horses roam the 800 acre property. The mountainous ranch, which includes a private lake, is surrounded by a vast stretch of crown land and provides ample opportunities for outdoor and ranch life activities in all seasons.

The Abilitas Foundation is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and active living at the Cold Water Ranch Lodge, by providing opportunities for accessible outdoor recreation and ranch tourism. Additional recreational opportunities include our Snoezelen room, creativity room (arts & crafts), and a media room.

Please note: The Abilitas Foundation will not run programs at the Cold Water Ranch Lodge; the Ranch is not a camp, but a 24-bed outdoor lodge of rest and respite.

Outdoor recreation
The Abilitas Foundation will prepare the ranch land for accessible outdoor recreation. Accessible walking paths will be created that lead to shaded resting areas with benches and view points for wild life and cattle watching. Trails will be developed for hiking (or snow-shoeing), for horseback riding and for quading or snowmobiling. The lake will feature an accessible dock for fishing. Lastly, there will an accessible campfire pit as well as picnic sites for guests to enjoy.

Rentals, lessons & biofeedback therapy
The Abilitas Foundation is setting up partnerships to offer various paid activities. Abilitas' intention is that 1) guests will be able to take therapeutic riding lessons and make trail riding expeditions on horseback and 2) that quad and snow-mobile rentals will be available, either for use on designated areas on the ranch or for expeditions into the surrounding areas. Other partnerships are being established to hold cattle round-ups and similar events for guests to enjoy. Finally, biofeedback therapy sessions are available on site.

Indoor recreation opportunities
For those rainy days, the Abilitas Foundation is offering other indoor recreational opportunities, aside from enjoying the views from the covered patios. The Foundation is building a Snoezelen Room which can be used by our guests with a disability. A Creativity Room (arts & crafts) will also be open for all to use. Lodge guests are, furthermore, able to enjoy the media room in the lodge for movie watching .

Programs

The Abilitas Foundation will not run any programs or organized outdoor activities for families and groups. It is our intention that families and disability organizations will use the lodge as a comfortable and accessible respite break/holiday destination (as a family or group would use any hotel, for example). The opportunities are offered, yet, any activities that individuals or groups undertake are their own initiative. Families and disability organizations bring their own support staff, as needed.

Power to Be – adventure therapy programs
At scheduled times throughout the year, when families and disability organizations do not use the Cold Water Ranch Lodge, Power to Be (an award-winning BC adventure therapy society and key Abilitas Foundation partner) will use the lodge to run its programs. These include the Adaptive Recreation Program, which is year round and provides people living with a disability access to activities such as kayaking, skiing, rock climbing, gardening and camping.