| Clark cautioned us to work slowly
and carefully around the mules, and not to crowd them. Mules, he said,
are "one-man
animals" that don't take kindly to group meetings. But as we loaded
50-pound panniers and tighted up cinches for the 11th time, the
outfitter's well-trained stock stayed calm and composed. Many outfitters will saddle all the horses, pack all the mules, prepare every meal in heavy black skillets, and build a huge campfire at night. Their guests just ride along and enjoy the scenery. But Clark believes that chores are an important part of the horsepacking experience. On his pack trips, riders groom and saddle their own horses, set up tents, and take a turn at the cookstove. "If my riders don't leave here feeling more self-reliant, then I'm dissatisfied. I encourage them to participate," Clark explains. "And if they learn how to do this for themselves and don't need me any more, then so much the better." Clark advocates minimal impact horsepacking. His goal on any pack trip is to leave behind no evidence: no litter, no fire rings, no over-grazed meadows. Such habits are to his own advantage as well as that of the land. Many areas abused in the past are now off limits to horsepackers. by MichaelHofferber@outriderbooks.com Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. |
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