OT- Frontier Cattle Co. BC, Canada

[BigSky56]

Just finished a book called "Grass Beyond the Mountains" by Richmond P. Hobson jr.
about 2 Wyoming cowboys that travel to central BC in 1932 and start a ranch that ends up being a 4 million acre cattle ranch north of the Itcha Mtn range dealing with grizzlies, wolves and shooting moose with savage 99 in 250 savage. The author is one of the cowboys and wrote 2 other books about the ranch. Book is available at Borders or amazon. danny

[Hobie]

I've added it to my "wish" list...

[Mike D.]

I have also read that excellent book and probably have it someplace around here.

[rangerider7]

I will be looking for it. Sounds great!

[brno602]

I have read it it's a very good read, makes you kinda feel like you are there.I also really like all the Andy Russel books about Southern Alberta and guiding in B.C too.
The country has not changed that much and both places once you get back in them are wonderful.

[winchester1886]

Danny you are right about Grass Beyond the Mountains it is a good book, I actually rate it as one of the best books I have ever read, you can't imagine that a old second hand book about two cowboys riding around central British Columbia in the nineteen thirties could change your life but that book changed mine.
My brother gave me a nearly original copy he bought at a book sale I guess nearly twenty years ago, after I had read the book over and over and over and my wife had done the same. I became obsessed with the story and in particular with Pan Phillips, he was a great cowboy but mostly what so impressed me with Pan was his ability with horses his love of horses and the way he treated his horses and he always put them first, how a man treats his animals tells you a lot about the man, I was so impressed with him that at the time I got a new chestnut horse and I named him Pan, that's about seventeen years ago and I still have him today.
Not long after that I saw an advertisement in Western Horseman magazine for a horse ride out of Vanderhoof in BC called the Rich Hobson memorial horse ride, so I wrote to the address and became friendly with the lady that was organising the ride, she introduced me to the other two books by Rich and sent both of them to me, Nothing To Good for a Cowboy and Rancher Takes a Wife and then a fourth book called The Legend of Pan Phillips by Jack and Darlene Brown, these are all good books if you are interested in this kind of thing, also Pan's daughter Diana has recently released a book about growing up on the Home Ranch as the ranch was always called, her book is titled Beyond the Chilcotin and is also a good book, another couple of books about cowboying in the area that I would recommend are Dude Lavington's books THE NINE LIVES OF A COWBOY and BORN TO BE HUNG, all of these books are still available.
The Frontier Cattle Co ceased to operate in the early nineteen forties, Rich went North and started his Rimrock Ranch near Vanderhoof, Pan and his wife Betty and their children stayed and ranched at the Home Ranch until nineteen seventy, when he gave ranching away and started his fishing camp on the lakes North of the ranch.
Pan drove his cattle every year the nearly two hundred miles to Quesnel, and then in later years to Nazko where they were then trucked by Dude Lavington's brother Art in his big KENWORTH truck into Quesnel.
In nineteen seventy the CBC in Canada did a television program called This Land of Ours which ran for about half an hour and featured Pan and his family on the last cattle drive that they did.
A couple of years ago Pan was inducted into the British Columbia Cowboy Historical Society Hall of Fame, and a year later Rich was also inducted.
Rich was born I am not sure where in the US in 1907 and died to early in 1966, Rich's father and grand father were both high up in the US Navy, and I think Rich's mum may have broken a few bottles of champagne over some new navy ships in her day.
Pan was born in Illinois in 1910 and died in 1983.
The Home Ranch is not operating as a Ranch at present, but the original homestead and barn and some other buildings built in nineteen thirty five are all still there.
But the best part of this story is yet to come, a few years ago I made contact with Pan's son Rob and his wonderful wife Linda, and they have become the some of our most dearest and cherished friends, in my sixty two years on GOD'S little green earth I have never met nicer or more sincere people, we are in touch every week sometimes every day by email or phone, and I hope that before I head over the Great Divide my wife and me will get to head up to BC and stay with Rob and Linda for a while.
In my collection of cowboy gear one of the most cherished items is a cow bell and collar which was used on the last cattle drive that Pan did, kindly given to me by Rob and Linda.

[BigSky56]

1886 Thanks for the info I was wondering what happened to everyone and the ranch Iam waiting to get the other 2 books by Hobson, one of these days I want to ride that country. It was interesting that Hobson talked about those wolves weighting about 225 lbs them bees some big ole dogs. danny

[.45colt]

Sounds like a great read. thanks for the post.

[winchester1886]

Danny if you ever decide you want to go up to that neck of the woods, let me know I could arrange somewhere for you to stay, and you would be able to go out to the Home Ranch for a visit. Les

[winchester1886]

Danny one more thing if you are going to get Rich's other two books, spend the extra dollars and get Diana's book Beyond the Chilcotin it's a good book and has about 40 pictures in it.Les

[BigSky56]

Les you got a PM. danny

[winchester1886]

Danny I have sent you a pm but not sure if I got it right let me know if you get it. Les.

[Simplyrugged]

HUH, I was beginning to think that I was the only one that new about that story.
Those guys were MEN!.
"Grass Beyond the Mountains"
I read most of the follow up story as well.
Tough as nails they had to be.
Rob

[BigSky56]

Rob those guys were tough reading about them pushing cows in 60-70 below O to save the cows and themselves puts bark on you. danny