The Impossible Trench: How a Tiny Town Saved Two Forgotten Horses
The Christmas miracle that united a struggling town in the Robson Valley
The sound of shovels scraping against ice broke the frozen silence on Mount Renshaw. Exhaled breath hung in the air like tiny ghosts as twenty volunteers, their faces raw from windburn, dug through snow so deep it swallowed them to their chests. Fingers stiffened inside soaked gloves. Backs ached. But nobody stopped.
In the distance, two skeletal horses stood motionless, their ribs pressing against frost-covered hides, tails chewed to nubs in desperate hunger. Belle, a young mare, and Sundance, an older gelding, watched the humans with cautious eyes that somehow still held a flicker of hope.
"Pass me that thermos," called Birgit Stutz, her voice nearly lost in the howl of December wind cutting through the British Columbia mountains. It was day five of what locals were calling "the impossible trench"—a kilometer-long path being carved by hand through six feet of snow in temperatures that plummeted to -40°C. All to save two abandoned horses that didn't belong to anyone in this town of 660 people.
Nobody asked why they were doing it. In McBride, BC, that December of 2008, the answer was simply understood: because it needed to be done.
McBride, BC sits about nine hours north of Vancouver in the Robson Valley. By 2008, the town’s population hovered around 660.
The surrounding region is famous for dramatic mountains, dense forests, and harsh winters. It’s a year-round haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Snowmobiling, skiing, and winter adventures are fun, but also quite dangerous if you run into trouble in the remote wilderness. Snowfalls average around 170 centimetres each year, and temperatures can sink to -40°C or colder.
In the fall of 2008, hikers and hunters spotted two horses on nearby Mount Renshaw. But none of the local horse owners were missing any of their horses. In December, as sightings of the two horses spread across town, Monika and Tim Brown took it upon themselves to conduct a search, but were unable to locate the lost horses.
On December 15, Logan Jeck and Leif Gunster discovered the animals by chance while travelling by snowmobile to help some tourists who had gotten stuck on the mountain. At one point during their trek, they felt like something was watching them. It turned out to be two horses, struggling to stay alive in the deep snow.
Those horses were Belle, a three-year-old mare, and Sundance, a gelding estimated to be between 10 and 15 years old. By then, Belle and Sundance were standing in six feet of snow. Their bones showed through their thinning coats, frost clung to their fur, and they had eaten each other’s tails in a desperate search for nutrition.
The snowmobilers were disturbed about what they’d seen but couldn’t do anything to help at that moment due to the frigid temperatures and their lack of supplies. They carried on to help the people who had got stuck and when they returned to town later that night, Logan told his father David about the stranded horses.
David was a horse owner himself and knew there were only two things to do. The following morning, David sent his daughter Toni along with Logan, Leif Gunster, and Matt Elliot to return to the horses. The group brought along a bale of hay and a .44 Magnum rifle and the instructions "If they look like they're in distress, put them down. If they look like they're able to survive, feed them.
Upon assessing the horses, the group agreed that there was still a sparkle of life in the horses’ eyes. They dug a path so that the horses could shelter under some nearby trees, left the hay and returned to town to figure out how to go about getting the horses out. This set in motion an inspiring story of Canadian determination, compassion and teamwork.
In December 2008, McBride was facing economic challenges such as mill closings, job losses, and local families were struggling. Despite that, the people of McBride never lost their sense of community.
When word got out that two abandoned horses were stranded in the snow on Mount Renshaw, locals quickly organized to help. Calls were made to the local BC SPCA, to veterinarians, and to townsfolk with access to snowmobiles and equipment to see who all eagerly offered to lend a hand.
Soon, word reached Birgit Stutz, a horse trainer who lived in the area. She and many others felt compelled to rescue the horses, but weren’t sure how.
Helicopter rescue sounded impossible because the horses were weak and easily spooked. The snow was much too soft and deep for a simple “packed-down” path using snowmobiles. Early on, some asked if they could attach each horse to a sled and pull them out, but that also posed a big risk of tipping or injuring the already-fragile animals.
Instead, a plan took shape: dig a trench by hand, one kilometre long, through six to seven feet of snow, so Belle and Sundance could walk out on their own.
It sounded almost ridiculous. The daily temperatures were around -25 to -40°C, and the rescue site was about 30 kilometres up a logging road, on some tricky side trails. Volunteers would have to travel an hour each way by snowmobile, then spend hours shoveling in brutal wind and numbing cold.
Yet the people of McBride committed to do everything they could to save the horses.
Farmers, mechanics, off-duty paramedics, and anyone who could spare time pitched in. They carried in hay, blankets, chainsaws, and water. They melted snow for the horses to drink. There wasn’t any cell service in that remote spot, so they used a local snowmobile shop, Spindrift Power Sports, as their information hub, passing updates about conditions and how many volunteers were needed each day.
Volunteers quickly discovered that typical shoveling methods wouldn’t cut it.
The snow was so high that they had to tackle it in layers. One team would dig off the top two feet, moving ahead as they went. Next, the second team would remove the middle layer. Finally, a third set of shovelers cleared all the way to the ground.
People used chainsaws to remove downed trees or branches that blocked the path. Each day, the teams worked in shifts of about four hours. It was exhausting. Some folks developed frostbite, and tools broke in the extreme cold. But they kept going, day after day.
On December 19, two BC SPCA officers and a vet from Kamloops arrived to assess whether the horses should be put down. According to their body condition score—which rates an animal’s health on a scale from 1 to 9—Belle and Sundance were sitting at about a 2. That was critical. But the vet agreed there was still enough hope to keep rescue efforts going.
Birgit Stutz later explained that the cold was both an enemy and a strange ally. Even though it was brutal on the volunteers, it kept the snowpack stable. A sudden thaw could have made the trench cave in, trapping the horses again.
Digging the trench ended up taking eight straight days to complete.
People started each morning around 10 a.m. At night, they returned to McBride cold, tired, and sometimes with frostbitten hands or feet, yet still determined to come back the next day. The community was already close-knit, but the rescue seemed to bring people together in new ways of cooperation and team spirit. As a community, McBride refused to accept failure as an option. And so they kept digging.
By December 23, 2008, the trench was finally done. The kilometre-long path was just wide enough for a horse to fit through comfortably.
After 8 days of gruelling work, volunteers watched anxiously as Belle and Sundance, guided by lead ropes and gentle encouragement, made their first steps into this narrow path.
Skeletal as they were, both horses still managed to walk with surprising energy, as if they knew this was their ticket out of the cold.
It took hours for the horses to reach the end of the trench. Then came the 27-kilometre trek down a logging road, where the snow was a bit shallower, but still difficult to traverse, especially for the horses who were so weak and depleted after months on the mountain.
Snowmobiles escorted them, lighting the way. And by the time they arrived at the parking area, it was nearly 10 p.m. Both horses were then loaded into a trailer and driven to a foster farm operated by the BC SPCA. There, veterinarians could fully assess their health and begin the long process of bringing them back to normal weight.
Birgit Stutz, who had taken on a lead role as one of the rescue’s main organizers, later recalled that moment as “the best Christmas gift ever.” She and other volunteers realized that, amid all their personal holiday preparations they had set aside, they’d done something far more meaningful. It was a holiday season they would never forget.
Media outlets, from local papers to national TV news, spread the word about Belle and Sundance’s rescue. Even the China Daily newspaper ran a piece about it.
Journalists were astonished that a group of volunteers in a small community would spend more than a week in subzero temperatures, labouring to save two animals that didn’t belong to them. Especially given the harsh conditions and remote location, the rescuers had to work in.
Although the town of McBride was struggling economically, the community still rallied together. This story resonated across Canada as a reminder that compassion can bring people together during tough times. Sometimes, having a shared purpose, and trying to do something good reminds us that we’re better together, and together, we can do hard things.
During the rescue operation, it became known that Belle and Sundance didn’t end up in this dire situation by choice. Upon hearing about rescue efforts, their owner Frank MacKay, an Edmonton lawyer, explained that in September he had tried to lead three horses through the area but got stuck in muskeg (a swampy, bog-like terrain).
He managed to free himself, but Belle and Sundance wouldn’t budge. Assuming the horses would free themselves and follow him down the mountain, he headed for home. Belle and Sundance never made it down though.
Over the following weeks, MacKay made a few attempts to bring them oats or Gatorade, but he never asked authorities or the SPCA for help. When asked why he didn’t approach locals from McBride to assist him to recover the horses, he stated that he doubted anyone would be willing to help a stranger.
As you can imagine, this infuriated people from the community. It demonstrated McKay’s ignorance of small town generosity and how real horse owners and animal lovers would do anything within their power to help animals in need. When McKay turned up in McBride to reclaim his horses, he quickly found out that he wouldn’t be getting them back.
What he did (or failed to do) was disgusting. In retrospect, he’s lucky he was allowed to leave with his head.
Belle and Sundance’s road to recovery was longer than their trek down the mountain. Over time they each gained about 500 pounds.
Belle developed permanent white patches on her coat due to frostbite, and Sundance took longer to fully trust people again, but both recovered well enough to be adopted into new homes. Belle ended up near Prince George, and Sundance was placed on a ranch near Kamloops.
In 2009, Frank MacKay pleaded guilty to animal cruelty. He received a modest fine, had to repay several thousand dollars to the BC SPCA for the horses’ care, and was banned from owning animals in British Columbia for two years.
Some people felt the punishment was too light, but it was still a significant case that drew attention to the need for stronger animal welfare laws.
Birgit Stutz went on to co-author a book about the rescue, The Rescue of Belle and Sundance: A Miracle on Mount Renshaw. It’s an excellent read if you’d like more details about this story.
In 2012, CTV produced a film called The Horses of McBride, inspired by the events on Mount Renshaw. While the film took creative liberties with the story, it still captured the determination and spirit shown by the real-life rescuers. It’s not a Hollywood blockbuster, but it’s touching enough to get you in the feels and warm your heart.
Sadly, in May 2015, almost seven full years after being rescued, 21-year-old Sundance passed away. His final years were peaceful and he brought endless joy to his new owners. They appreciated his leadership and loyalty shown to Belle when the two horses were abandoned back in 2008. By all accounts he lived a happy life after he recovered from the ordeal.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find out if Belle is still alive or not. However, like her brave friend Sundance, she lived a happy life with owners who loved her as was last reported in 2015.
For folks in McBride, the daring rescue proved that you don’t have to be part of a big city or a wealthy organization to do something extraordinary. Volunteers say they look back on those days of shoveling and still feel pride in what they accomplished.
Belle and Sundance’s story also influenced how future rescues might be handled. It showed that everyday citizens, working alongside officers from the SPCA, can solve problems that appear too big to tackle. As one local said, “We can get it done, no matter how daunting it looks.”
That’s the spirit I want to share with you today. You might never find yourself waist-deep in snow, digging a path for two desperate horses. But the lesson is clear: when we see something that needs fixing—big or small—and we come together with our neighbours and community, we stand a good chance of making it right.
And if a group of determined folks in a town of 660 can move mountains of snow to save two animals in need, think about what you and your community can do when you face challenges together.
What Do You Think About Belle and Sundance’s Story?
Do you remember how this story captivated people across the country back in 2008? Have you read Birgit Stutz’s incredible book detailing the rescue operation? Are you an animal lover too, and if so, are you into horses, dogs, cats, or some other type of furry friend?
Take a sec. to type a comment below and share your thoughts. As always, I look forward to reading them all!
Thank you for reading this story and making space for Canadian history. It’s a pleasure to share stories like this with you.
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Sources used to research this story:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/10-year-mcbride-horse-rescue-1.4958619
https://fallingstarranch.ca/renshaw-horses/
https://horse-canada.com/horses-and-history/saving-belle-and-sundance/
https://www.horsejournals.com/popular/rescue-welfare/belle-and-sundance-back-health
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2008/dec/28/dozens-help-rescue-abandoned-horses/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Horses_of_McBride
https://snoriderswest.com/article/mcbride/sledders_pony_up_to_help
https://ahomeforeveryhorse.com/rescue-success-stories/rescue-belle-sundance-16002/
https://standardbredcanada.ca/news/12-29-08/horses-rescued-in-a-christmas-miracle.html
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12642256-the-rescue-of-belle-and-sundance
https://www.tv-eh.com/2012/12/16/the-horses-of-mcbride-retells-real-life-rescue/
https://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443404518/the-rescue-of-belle-and-sundance/
https://www.snowandmud.com/threads/horse-rescue-up-the-renshaw.10308/page-38
https://www.snowandmud.com/threads/horse-rescue-up-the-renshaw.10308/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/snowbound-horses-rescued-from-b-c-mountainside-1.354577
https://www.therockymountaingoat.com/2012/12/mcbride-hits-canadas-screens/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9335836
https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63921333/
https://notabreed.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/poignant-quote/
https://cinapse.co/2025/01/sundance-2025-omaha-a-bleak-and-empathetic-american-masterpiece/
https://fallingstarranch.ca/renshaw-horses/
https://standardbredcanada.ca/news/2-24-09/mckay-charged-with-animal-cruelty.html
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I hate to be that guy, but is that a typo in the second photo caption, saying Dec 24, 2018 rather than 2008? Or was it a 10th anniversary thing?
Thank you Craig. I had forgotten that story. I remember seeing the stories and rooting the rescuers on!
Your writing about the bravery and compassion of folks in dire circumstances themselves, doing something extraordinary, for no gain to themselves, and for a couple of abandoned horses made me cry!
A very well written story!