Outdoor enthusiasts in the Columbia Valley are encouraged to book early for customized trips through the backcountry next summer.

A Bar Z – Backcountry Mountain Adventures owner and guide Brent DuBois will be offering trail rides, pack horse trips and horse-assisted hiking to tour the alpine between mid-May and September. He has been working as a guide in the family-owned business for his entire life.

When Ted Zinken converted the Timber Ridge boy’s camp into a tourism venture, a working relationship began with the DuBois family.

“That is just how our brand originated,” explained DuBois. “Dix Anderson was an outfitter with my grandfather and they owned the Elk Horn Ranch. Then Dix and Ted became partners at the boys’ camp to form A/Z Outfitters. Then my dad and Dix partnered in the Dutch Creek Valley (and) my dad and I in Dutch Creek. Now, it’s just me in Dutch Creek and Toby. A/Z is still my name.”

The tours offered through A Bar Z vary in length, ranging from hour-long rides in Fairmont to full-day rides in the alpine of the Purcells. Other adventures involve trips spanning between three and 10 days in total.

DuBois recommends horse-assisted hiking for some, as it helps when the animals can carry some of the camping equipment to a location. During the trips, it is common to see elk, goats, moose and bear.

A Bar Z – Backcountry Mountain Adventures keeps 40 horses on site, 20 guides and it also rents out 15 cabins during the summer. For more information, visit http://abarz.ca/about-a-bar-z/.