Our Roots
Who We Are
Mission
To provide, in a wilderness setting, a program of education and fellowship where faith and trust in Jesus Christ is integrated into daily living.
Vision
Sharing Jesus through Community and Creation.
Statement of Faith
Wilderness Ranch is a Christian camp built on the timeless truth that, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The camp stands on the grace centered Gospel of Jesus Christ revealed in the Bible. We confess the Ten Commandments, the Apostles Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, with their explanations as given in Luther’s Small Catechism. God’s gift of salvation and our response to that gift are well summed up Ephesians 2: 8-10.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
*Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, Concordia Publishing House, 2017.
Brief History
Wilderness Ranch is a Christian camp located in Southern Alberta. It was founded in 1967 by Pastor Dick Hansen, and have been running at full speed since. At the beginning, there was only one site, Porcupine Hills, where every camper would hike into camp. In 2003, Wilderness Ranch began running programs at Mountain Valley Ranch owned by Martha and Elmer Rawling in the Willow Valley.
Today, Wilderness Ranch runs over 16 weeks of programs, at two sites, where kids get to experience God and creation on horseback. Praise God for His unfailing love, and for using Wilderness Ranch as a way to share the Gospel!
Wilderness. Physical wilderness and spiritual wilderness, both you and me. It is the wilderness of living by the Gospel in a world that says otherwise. The same wilderness that Jesus journeyed through while in this world.
The Cross. It represents Christ going through the wilderness to blaze a trail for us. In that cross, Christ defeated death, and is our Perfecter & Pioneer along the way.
Ranch. Refuge. Retreat. Rest. The cross takes us out of the wilderness, to a place we can call home. The Ranch is a refuge in the wilderness, where retreat and rest takes place, with the Good News being the remedy in the wilderness.
Behind the Logo
The Wilderness Ranch Song
Written by Doug Rawling
Sometimes when just living life can get you down,
You need to hold on to some solid ground.
Come away to a land of stillness, let the peace take hold.
God is speaking in the silence. It's music to your soul.
CHORUS
And a song breaks from your heart,
And you know that you're a part
Of a world that God created, and He said that it was good.
And you'd like to share the feeling if you could.
Rocky mountain, blue horizon, the wind is talking to the trees.
The smell of horses and saddle leather, wild flowers in the breeze.
A place where people come together, sharing joy and sharing pain.
Learning to trust one another, so that hearts can sing again.
CHORUS
There's a difference between taking, and learning to receive.
God can give your life some meaning, if you only will believe.
He can help us be the people we were meant to be.
Yes, it's true that though we're sinners, the grace of God runs free.
CHORUS
Wilderness Ranch Staff Directory
Below is a compilation of Staff Photos through the years. If you have any photos to add, or information to update the photos here, please email Kelsey at marketing@wildernessranchalberta.com