Winter Beauty at the Ranch

Hi All! Here are a couple of pictures of what things look like here at the Ranch right now. People say that winter is drab and dull, but personally I find it full of beauty and majesty - especially when the sun hits it just right on the way down!

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Functioning “Off-Grid”

Power: How do we generate it?

Every summer, there is a list of most common questions asked by guests. One of the top questions on that list is: Where does your power come from?

While most of the Stehekin Valley residents enjoy public power (provided by Chelan PUD, but generated by a pelton wheel here in Stehekin), the Ranch has always been “off grid”. Since the PUD lines end several miles short of the Ranch, we have to generate our own power, and have burned diesel since our inception.

Burning diesel is obviously not an ideal choice – it is not particularly environmentally friendly, and it is certainly not cheap. Left to our own devices, we would use a Micro-Hydro system (similar to the pelton wheel used by the PUD, but on a smaller scale) which would have a low impact on the environment, and be nearly free. However, in the grand wisdom of our government, hydro has been deemed “non-green” in Washington State, and thus banned as a power source unless grandfathered in.

How our system has worked historically:

We have a “Hybrid” system which has been used for 30 years. A hybrid system is where you use components of an alternative energy such as a battery bank and inverter, but your main source of power is still fossil fuels. Ours system consists of a diesel generator which runs up to 16 hours each day. When it is not running, we use energy stored in batteries to run our lights, and energy stored in super cooled glycol to run our refrigeration.

Becoming more “Green”:

NEW FOR 2013: Cliff and Kerry (owners) have installed a new solar power system for their house. The Ranch will be able to tap in to that solar installation so that when there is abundant sun we can use the excess power. On a sunny day this will cut up to 10 hours off of the time we need to run the generator. Other things we are doing to make our system more efficient include a switch from the now antiquated fluorescent bulbs to LED lighting, and to install a more efficient pump and kitchen exhaust fan.

How does this affect the visitor?

Truly it is fun to visit eco-tourism establishments and to be a part of supporting a system that is striving to be more efficient. Unfortunately the “green” that is being saved is not cash. Alternative energy (except for the aforementioned micro-hydro which bureaucracy has essentially blocked) is very expensive. It also does not deliver the copious amounts of power that can be generated with fossil fuels. Consequently, with all alternative energy systems conservation becomes a key element.

Doing your part:

As a customer you are probably asking, “how does that affect me?” or perhaps a better question, “what can I do as a client to make this system work out?” The biggest change will be that with the generator only operating around 6 hours per day, all of our large loads need to be timed for that time. Those times are projected to be from 6am to 9am and from 5pm to 8pm. Large loads such as hair dryers would need to happen during those brackets. We hope and trust that our clientele will support and understand our desire to be more responsible with our energy supply and will be willing to make the small sacrifices necessary.

Let me be clear here: the above mentioned time restrictions are for large electrical loads. Many electrical items may still be used the rest of the time. The lights are on all the time, and we also have power to run CPAP machines or other small devices. And rest assured, we do make sure the kitchen has all the power needed to run the refrigeration and produce plenty of tasty home cooked meals!

Let us talk a minute about the much used hair dryer as an example of items we take for granted. The high setting on a hair dryer is often 1500 watts. The average LED light bulb is 10 watts. It is obvious then that to run your hair dryer on high it is the equivalent of running 150 LED bulbs! We understand that hair dryers are nice, but truly we do not mind if you show up for breakfast with wet hair, and it certainly will help us keep our system working.

Living “off-grid” certainly adds an extra sense of adventure, but with a basic understanding of where the power is coming from, a little planning ahead is all that is required to make the system work. We greatly appreciate the positive attitude of our guests. We are blessed to have a clientele willing to make some minor changes from their normal routines while visiting our Ranch.

Fall is in the Air…

Fall is certainly in the air now in the Stehekin Valley. After a couple weeks of blazing sunshine with temperatures in the 90′s, the weather has now cooled off to a more standard September feel. Temperatures are in the 60′s-70′s during the day, and leaves are starting to fall.

The Kokanee Salmon are running in red streaks up the river, apples are ripening in the orchard, and gardens are coming to the end of production. Guests at the ranch enjoyed fresh berries and veggies from several garden patches this year, including “the garden” owned by Karl Gaskill.

Regular season Ranch dinners will end Sept 24. After that we will cater to our own guests before closing on October 7th. You still have time to come and enjoy the beautiful fall season here in Stehekin – we will be looking for you!

Deer in Buckner Orchard

No shortage of Deer in the Orchard today!

Great Fishing in Stehekin now!

North Fork of Bridge Creek

Hiker on the bridge at the North Fork of Bridge Creek

Stehekin – the jewel of the North Cascades

Recently, we had a travel writer visit Stehekin, and she wrote an article about her stay in our neck of the woods. Here is a link to the article found in the Woodenville Weekly. Enjoy!

Stehekin – the jewel of the North Cascades

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Splash of News

“When I grow up I want to live at Stehekin”  – Ben  (Ranch Guest, 6 years old)

Highlighted Activities and Events

The river is high and the holes big.

The snow melt has made for an unusually exciting June and is still going strong for July. Looking up there is still plenty of snow to melt to make for an amazing season of rafting. For those of us who live to be on the river, this year has had some ideal conditions and looks promising to stay put for a nice season into mid-August. However, you never know what the weather will do. Get here while the water’s good!

Spin Spin Spin!

Last weekend was our annual spinning weekend where wool went flying and yarn was spun. Wheels turned impressively and in their spare time they worked in some other great arts and crafts projects. See this picture of this group making necklaces from cut up old shirts. How creative!

Flora and Fauna Sightings

Wild flowers are out in storm. On a hike up to Agnes Gorge we seemed to see a new beautiful and unique flower every two minutes and we kept stopping for pictures making our hike a bit longer than planned. In the last week I’ve personally seen osprey, several bald eagles, what we think was a baby river otter, numerous deer, a black bear and a cougar! Pictures of these have been more difficult than the sightings so you’ll have to come and see for yourself.

We’re Hiring…

Stehekin Valley Ranch

Are you itching to work somewhere new and fresh this summer? Then why not try out a truly unique experience working at Stehekin Valley Ranch!

We are currently hiring for the 2011 summer season. Employment starts in early June, and goes through September.  If you love the outdoors, and want to work in a friendly atmosphere as part of our team, check out the “Jobs” section of our website, and fill out an application today!!

Use the following links to find more information about working at Stehekin Valley Ranch:
Working at Stehekin Valley Ranch
Available Positions
Fill out an Application

Merry Christmas!

You may think that we have fallen off the face of the Earth here at the Ranch – it has been a while since any of us has sat down to write a line here. However, all is well in our corner of the world, as we settle in for a cozy snow-covered winter here in the valley.

After saying farewell to the last of our guests in October (as well as our great seasonal staff!), the Ranch was closed down for the season, and all work revolved around getting ready for snow. There is now about 4 feet of the white stuff covering the grounds, with plenty more expected.

The Spring will be busy with projects to prepare for the new 2011 season, but for now, we are content to enjoy the slower pace of the winter season. We hope this Christmas finds you well, and that you are able to share the joy of the season with those you love. We look forward to seeing you all again in the new year!

Take care until then!

Fall is in the Air

It is a beautiful Fall day here in Stehekin! After several days of drizzling rain, the sun came out yesterday, and is shining a bright light on some grand views around here!

The Dogwoods and Maples are starting to turn into their flaming colors of red, orange and yellow. I went up the road this afternoon and took a few pictures of the colors I saw. I even spotted some red right here at the Ranch!

Vine Maple along the road just before Carwash Falls

Maple tree near the Old Wagon Road trailhead

Dogwood with Stehekin Valley Ranch in the background

Fire Update 8/4/10

I have been told that there is still much concern down lake about the fire here in Stehekin. Word is that the news stations are acting like the entire valley is on fire. Not true!

The Rainbow Bridge fire is not currently a threat to the Stehekin Valley. It has moved uphill, and away from the valley floor. All businesses in the valley are still open. Rainbow Falls Tours have resumed. Activities are going on as normal.

The Ranch has remained in the clear throughout. We haven’t had much smoke (99.9% of the time we have been completely smoke-free.) I have included a couple pictures I took from our pasture this morning, as I have had multiple requests asking for pictures. I have to admit, I have not been very inspired to take pictures, as there hasn’t been much of interest to photograph. We have just had normal looking summer days (With occasional rain/thunderstorms).

It rained another half inch last night, which is always good news for firefighters. We continue to feel blessed, and thank everyone for all their prayers during this incident.

For up to date information about the progress on containing this fire, you can go to the Incident Information Page.

Taken at 11am this morning, this is the view downvalley at the Ranch.

This is the view looking upvalley from the pasture this morning at 11am.

Fire Update – 8/1/10

We had over an inch of rain last night, and it was a very welcome blessing! While the fire is not out, the rain has suppressed it quite a bit, making it much easier for firefighters to get in and surround it.

The valley floor and structures are no longer in immediate threat. The Ranch has continued to stay completely clear of the fire.

There is still some cloud cover in the area, and temperatures are in the mid 70′s.

River rafting, horseback riding and kayak tours are still available, and most trails in the area are still open. The Bakery is still open as well!