Wildcat Ridge Retreat

* All photos are taken on the vacation house property at various seasons in the year.

Location
Situated in the Wildcat Hills on a 20 acre property, this licensed vacation home offers stunning views of Ghost Lake and the eastern slopes of the Rockies! Enjoy easy highway access, with only a 12 minute drive to Cochrane, AB, and all city amenities. Due to the quiet nature of the property, there have been many sightings of wildlife. Some of these include deer, elk, moose, bear, coyotes, foxes, cougars, eagles, and others. It has been quite common to discover deer grazing around the house, and they often bed down in the surrounding trees. Absolutely NO hunting allowed! The acreage provides a very private and relaxing environment and is a great location to enjoy both Calgary and the mountains. For security there is a front door camera that is disabled upon check-in, which occurs when a guest opens the door with their unique code.

Vacation House
The house is a new custom built, 3 bedroom modern style bungalow with vaulted ceilings and exposed wooden beams. The west side of the home is approximately 80% windows. This allows the sun to stream in and ensures that an amazing view is always just a glance away. Tastefully decorated and furnished, the home is very relaxing! The kitchen is equipped with matching stainless steel appliances including a dishwasher. There are two complete place settings with all the necessary equipment to throw together a gourmet meal at your convenience. A natural gas BBQ is steps away on the deck and gives opportunity to those who would prefer to grill. Water for the house comes from a deep well. It is treated and filtered with leading edge equipment to always be clean and safe. There is also a Reverse Osmosis with UV filter connected to the fridge and small sink faucet for ultra purification.

The master bedroom suite is located by itself on one side of the house which creates a very cozy and private atmosphere. The vaulted space has an entire wall of windows from floor to ceiling that make the room bright and provide amazing starlight views. There is also a fan for comfort, and a slider door that opens onto the deck and back yard. Drapes are in place on all ground level windows and can be pulled for privacy. A queen bed and two additional dressers complete the makeup of the room. The ensuite bathroom includes a double wide shower and a small walk-in closet provides room to relax and unpack for your stay. The second and third bedrooms are located off the living area, opposite the master. The second also contains a queen bed with dresser, night table and closet. A vaulted ceiling, an extra upper window, and a fan make this room feel open and relaxed. The third bedroom contains a day bed which can be pulled out to form a king size when required. When the bed is not needed this room is frequently used as a playroom. Toys for younger guests include a play kitchen, and little people set.

Downstairs in the basement you will find a beautiful Clearlight infrared sauna with chromotherapy lighting. The sauna is trimmed in cedar and seats three adults. It can produce both near and far infrared spectrums and is very easy to use. The health benefits of these types of saunas are well documented and they are very relaxing. Saunas do have hot surfaces, therefore children must be accompanied by an adult. A washer and dryer are also located downstairs for your use. Although the basement is planned for future development you will find it a clean, safe place to further enjoy your stay.

Outside of the house you can relax on the deck and lawn while enjoying the amazing views. There is a bin containing outdoor activity items with such things as frisbees, balls, and lawn games for you to use. A covered sandbox awaits with toys for children and a picnic table sits nearby on the lawn. If you would like to enjoy a campfire during your stay, fire tables and chairs are nearby as well as pokers for those who’d like to roast hotdogs or marshmallows. Enough wood is included for a few fires, just be sure to check the county’s web site before building it to make sure there are no fire bans at the time. This information can be found at https://www.rockyview.ca/fire-bans and should always be checked before starting a fire as bans can occur with changing conditions.

Local Activities/Attractions
The Ghost Lake boat launch is only a 4 minute drive from the rental house. There is a lot of outside parking on the property to accommodate those who are bringing a boat to the lake. The activities permitted at Ghost Lake include; sailing, power boating, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, wind surfing, geocaching, and fishing. In the winter you can also find ice boat sailing, and ice fishing. Ghost Lake also has a day use recreation area with fire pits.

Another close attraction is the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary which is only 5 minutes away. They are highly rated and offer Interactive tours that must be reserved. You can also drop in, but the minimum requirement for children to visit is 6 years old. Just north of the rental you can find horseback riding adventures. The company Saddle Peak Trail Rides offers lots of options for size of group and length of rides.

If you are looking for an indoor activity the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Center is a good option. It is in Cochrane which is a 10 minute drive from the rental house. They offer swimming, fitness equipment, climbing, ice skating, curling, and an indoor turf and track. The historical downtown area of Cochrane also has great novelty and antiquing shops. A must stop is MacKay's Ice Cream which is famous for its unique menu of flavours.

Another activity on the outskirts of Cochrane is the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. It has a lot of pathways for hiking, biking, and geocaching. There are also picnic areas to enjoy, and the park offers some great viewpoints as it follows along the Bow river. The Canadian Pacific Railway mainline runs through the park as well.

Just north of the Park and 15 minutes from the rental house is The Links of GlenEagles golf course. It also shares some amazing views of the Bow river and mountains. They are among the top 10 Public golf courses in Alberta, have 18 holes, and you can book tee times online. In the area there are 9 Public golf courses within 20 miles from Cochrane center.

If you enjoy skiing or snowboarding there are some nice hills to the south and west of the property. The closest is Canada Olympic Park in Calgary at 35 minutes away. The next closest is Nakiska in Kananaskis at 39 minutes from the rental house. In Canada’s first National Park there are three world-class ski resorts; Banff Sunshine (1hr 9min), Mt. Norquay (1hr 3min), and Lake Louise (1hr 33min). You can purchase a SkiBig3 lift ticket which is valid at all three resorts for your chosen days.

The city of Calgary is to the east of the rental house. It is 45 minutes to the Calgary Stampede and a bit less to downtown. The Stampede is scheduled from July 5- 14 for 2024 and is open from 11:00am – midnight every day. Other popular attractions in Calgary include Heritage Park (47 min), Calgary Zoo (45 min), and Glenbow museum (43 min). Another amusement park a bit closer is Calaway Park, which is 27 minutes away. It is outdoors and operates May weekend to mid October. All driving times listed are measured with google maps from the property location for accuracy.