Carnal Pleasures of the Cariboo

TRAVEL FEATURE - 1260 words,4 photos

Story and photos by BAILA LAZARUS

100 Mile House, British Columbia
They used to be called "fat farms" -- out-of-the-way resorts where people would go to sweat pounds off, get lectured about nutrition and eat rabbit food that wouldn't feed a rabbit. No more.

Though you can still participate in heart-pumping aerobics classes and learn the difference between good and bad fats, the menus boast more than watercress and the resorts are now referred to "spas." And, in case you're thinking that these destinations are still the havens of the rich and famous (and snooty), spas are one of the fastest growing entertainment industries in North America. The business has surpassed even (gasp!) golf as the option of choice for ... well ... just about everybody. The reason is clear; spas now offer the same activities as yesteryear, where clients can lose pounds, learn how to control weight sensibly and talk to nutritionists, but they now offer a host of other options for people who just want to relax away from the city. And the prices are so affordable, a weekend package can cost as little as a couple of days skiing at Whistler. The spa industry has been responding to changes in a growing market of clients who want a variety of activities that focus not just on physical well-being, but on a healthy state of mind.

Responding to this need, Pat and Juanita Corbett, owners of the Hills Health Ranch at 108 Mile Ranch, have set up a facility that has just about everything.

"We've noticed a new critical trend over the past two years of a desire for personal, private services," said Pat Corbett, who brings a business and marketing background to the enterprise. "We're also seeing a lot more boomers spending money on preventative health needs and a cultural shift where 25-to-35-year-olds are looking for places of relaxation and restoration."

Rather than wait until they are older and might be infirm, Corbett says a lot of younger people "want to reap the fruits of their labor now." Juanita Corbett, who has experience in cosmetology and reflexology, adds that the mind-body connection has also been a huge shift in the past five years. She points to a high percentage of women who come to the spa already taking medications for depression as demonstrative of their need to straighten out their lives emotionally and mentally, as well as physically.

To that end, the spa's activities range from day hikes and walks, horseback riding, exercise classes and line dancing to satisfy the physical nourishment, to seminars on stress management, workshops on lifestyle choices and one-on-one consultations with a general practitioner to respond to broader needs. In between, you can have a ginko life hyperthermal mask, soak in a thalassotherapy seaweed bath, treat your feet to a hydro-spa, use the weight room or relax in the pool, sauna or hot tubs. And in case men are thinking there's nothing for them, wraps, baths, and skin treatment are for both men and women and there's a special cleansing and grooming facial treatment for men only. The Hills is open year-round, offering cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobing, dogsledding, tubing and skating in the winter.

An equine getaway
For those who might be thinking that a week in the Cariboo region of British Columbia is just what the doctor ordered, but you'd rather rough it on horseback than be pampered silly, the Flying U Ranch, about a half-hour south of the HIlls, might be more your type of vacation. Founded in 1849, the Flying U has 40,000 acres of land bordering Green Lake near 70 Mile House. Guests stay in no-amenities cabins, sharing common bath and shower areas, on a working cattle ranch that looks like it was a set right out of <I>Little House on the Prairie<P>. Upon arriving, each person is given a horse suitable to their ability that they will ride and look after for the duration of their stay and then it's off to the trails. No guides needed.

Unless you prefer otherwise, you're on your own for unsupervised rides on any of the 100 miles of trails available. And if the horse you've been given turns out to be a little to sleepy or frisky for your needs, they'll saddle you up with another one. The ranch accommodates everyone from beginner to expert, offering lessons and guides for those who want them. You can head out in the morning for a few hours, come back for lunch, then ride some more or you can take a bag lunch and spend the day on trails. Either way, despite the rustic nature of the facilities, at the end of the day you can rest your saddle-weary body in the saunas they provide on-site. The ranch prides itself in maintaining authenticity in its looks and practices. Owner Paul Crepeau said that's what brings people back year after year. "We're always careful about what we change. We discuss every little thing," he said. "A lot of people like having the same place to come back to; it feels more like their own home." An actor, director and caterer, Crepeau had been coming to the ranch as a guest for almost 20 years when he finally decided to buy it. Besides riding, the ranch offers swimming, fishing, canoeing, hayrides and squaredancing to keep guests busy.

Both these destinations -- the Hills Health Ranch and the Flying U Ranch -- are offered as part of special four-day getaway packages on B.C. Rail's Cariboo Prospector. The Cariboo Spa Spoiler includes return rail travel, with meals, to 100 Mile House from Vancouver and three nights at the Hills. While there, all your meals are taken care of and you can enjoy daily walks and hikes, a full-body massage and exercise classes, and you can add on any of the spa's luxurious treatments. Trip prices start at $760. The Flying U Ranch Getaway includes return travel, with meals, to the Flying U and a three-night stay. The package includes all meals, two full days of riding, swimming, fishing and canoeing, a hayride and squaredancing. Prices start at $750. The trip by rail adds a few hours of travel time, but the stunning views, seen only from the Cariboo line are well worth it. Train travel also means you can get up to stretch your legs anytime you want. Passenger service provides tour guides for the trip who offers commentary, warnings of photo opportunities, tidbits of information (and some bad jokes) on the cities, towns, natural phenomena and history of the areas through which the train passes.

How to get there
The B.C. Rail Cariboo Prospector stops right at a Flying U station flag stop and at 100 Mile House. Visitors can call for a pre-arranged pick up for the Flying U Ranch or the Hills Health Ranch. Call 984-5246 in Vancouver or (800) 663-8238, or log on to www.bcrail.com/bcrpass. The Greyhound bus stops at 70 Mile House and 100 Mile House. Call 487-8747 or (800) 661-8747. If driving, head east on Hwy. 1 out of Vancouver and follow the signs to Cache Creek, then go north on Hwy. 97. About five hours will get you to 70 Mile House and another half-hour or so to 100 Mile House. Going through Whistler, take 99 north to Lillooet, then connect with Hwy. 97. Add about a half hour for this route. For more detailed directions and more information, contact the Hills Guest Ranch at (250) 791-5225, thehills@bcinternet.net or www.spabc.com, or the Flying U Ranch at (250) 456-7717, flying@bcinternet.net or www.flyingu.com.