In Colorado's West Elk Wilderness: Horsepacking for greenhorns - Brief Article

As we ride to the horse camp, the toothy peaks of the volcanic Castles dominate the skyline. Along the trail, outfitter Tony Maldarella stops to point out the dark marks where lonely shepherds carved their names on aspen trees seven or more decades ago. Our horses take the chance to snatch a few bites of grass, protesting mildly when we nudge them back into ambling down the trail into Colorado's West Elk Wilderness.

The gait is deceptively casual. Those lean, strong quarter horse legs eat up the miles. As we ride deeper into the sloping passes and high meadows the shepherds once traveled, we learn what they knew: While the best way to explore the backcountry may be on foot, you can see a lot more of it if those feet belong to a horse. One day on horseback carries you to a camp that would easily take three long days of hiking to reach.

Covering ground on horseback feels decadent if you usually shoulder your own pack, and at about $200 to $300 per person per day for a guided horse trip, it's definitely pricier than a backpack trek. But a horsepacking trip is still a camping trip.

When pack animals carry your gear, though, camping doesn't have to be uncomfortable. On our trip with Sawbuck Outfitters, the canvas tents are clean and roomy; cots and camp chairs are cushy luxuries no backpacker could afford to carry. While the food is unpretentious--steak, corn on the cob, beans, cowboy coffee--it's fresh and of top-drawer quality, and nobody goes away hungry. There was no chichi Perrier on our trip: We dipped clear, cool water right from nearby springs.

Another advantage is that our Colorado guides know this wilderness area as well as they know their own living rooms. More important, they share their knowledge of horses, camping, and the wilderness you ride through, pointing out the crushed grass where a deer rested and the owl that at first glance looks like a stumpy branch. By the end of the trip, you'll recognize the gouges clawed by a black bear climbing a tree, and know where to look for the timeworn autographs of lonely shepherds.

MORE HORSEPACK TRIPS

With plenty of outfitters to choose from, sorting the best from the rest can be a challenge. State requirements for licensing outfitters vary widely. You can get help online at www.adventuresports.com.

Interview outfitters about their philosophy. Look for those who run low-impact pack trips. Do they limit group size? Ask for specifics about "leave no trace" camping: For example, do they put hobbles and bells on the horses or do they tether them together at one site, damaging plants and land? Both your comfort and that of the horses may depend on the number of pack animals; there should be one or more per rider. How old are the company's horses? Most reputable outfitters use horses with several years of pack experience. The following outfitters run low-impact trips.

* California. Rock Creek Pack Station, Box 248, Bishop, CA 93515; (760) 872-8331 or www.rockcreekpackstation.com.

* Colorado. Sawbuck Outfitters, Box 25, Parlin, CO 81239; (888) 349-2459 or www.coloradohunts.com.

* Idaho. Wapiti Meadow Ranch, H.C. 72, Cascade, ID 83611; (208) 633-3217 or www.wapitimeadowranch.com.

* Montana. Wilderness Outfitters, 3800 Rattlesnake Dr., Missoula, MT 59802: (406) 728-0550 or www.montanawildermesstrips.com.

* Oregon. Outback Ranch Outfitters, Box 269, Joseph, OR 97846; (541) 886-2029 or www.catsback.com/outbackranch.

* Wyoming. Rimrock Ranch, 2728 Northfork Rte., Cody, WY 82414; (307) 587-3970 or www.rimrockranch.com.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group