“People have no idea how much work packing a full string is,” says Eyer. He is a ‘contract packer’ and operates for several organizations, moving everything from building supplies and hay to boats and people. Needless to say, Eyer loads his S&W with 44 Magnum bear rounds and never leaves home without it.Ĭhris primarily operates in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, which is essentially on the doorstep of his home ranch. The challenge is I have at least nine mules with me, and if they get hit with the spray it will make a bad problem a whole lot worse.” Many naturalists, or conservationists, believe that bear spray is preferable. “Bear spray has a higher success rate against any bear attack. “There have been a few encounters where I have drawn my gun at the ready but never had to fire.’ “We encounter many bears on the trail, anywhere from a few feet away to spotting them half a mile,” says Eyer. The risk of injury to his crew is low on any typical day, but they are not the only animals he is concerned about. Chris is then faced with the difficult task to put down one of his beloved mules. If a mule gets injured and cannot make it home, the Smith & Wesson makes its appearance. They have a hybrid vitality (half horse and half donkey) that makes them heartier and less prone to health problems.” Even still, this doesn’t mean all his stock travels without injury. “They have wider set eyes that increase their field of vision making them more sure-footed. Flatter backs help them carry loads in a more stable manner than horses,” say Eyer. Nine mules in a row are called a ‘full string.’ Chris runs a crew of about nine mules and rides a horse to lead. Whitney on the Inyo National Forest.The trails are dangerous, and the journey long, for Chris and his crew. You have to have a love for working with mules in the mountains.” Mule packer Lee Roeser leads a pack up Mt. “I want the equipment to be more in harmony with the mules. “What makes me tick is always looking to make packing better for the animals and myself,” said Roeser. Roeser employed the strategy of using a ranger in front and back to look for the public to keep everyone safe. Despite all the challenges, Roeser and his team didn’t have a single injury or accident. There were safety hazards along the trail and the project was going to take several months requiring more than 300 mule loads. Whitney in the Inyo National Forest for a trail reconstruction project. Two years ago, Roeser faced an exceptional challenge: to haul heavy boxes, shovels and other equipment up a trail on the 12,500-foot Mt. We consider Lee to be the best of the best and it shows in his work.” “His highest priority is always the safety of the animal and the packer. “He grew up in an environment where there was a very high standard of packing for 50 years,” said Michael Morse, wilderness supervisor for the Mammoth District of the Inyo National Forest, co-director of the Pack Stock Center of Excellence, and a fellow packer. Mule packer Lee Roeser leads a pack to Shadow Lake on the Inyo National Forest. A 12-year Forest Service employee, Roeser embodies the most important qualities of a pack stocker: care for the animals, customer service and knowledge-making adjustments on the job. Pack-supported rangers and resource crews are also a common sight in wilderness areas, which do not allow mechanized transport of supplies and equipment. Currently, there are 11 packers and four packer trainees who service the Pacific Southwest Region. Forest Service has a long tradition of using pack stock to bring supplies to remote locations to support fire and trail crews. “I do it for that and my love of the mountains and opportunity to continue to learn.” Forest Service on Inyo National Forest, home of one of the Pack Stock Centers of Excellence. “You must be passionate for the well-being of the animals,” said Roeser, a packer for the U.S. By age 13, he began working as a packer and at 16, he was hauling explosives, gear and tools for the public, the Forest Service and other government agencies, and mining and movie production companies. At age 6, he was already helping with the family business. At a very early age, he learned the craft from his parents who ran a mule pack station in Mammoth Lakes, California. Mule packer Lee Roeser leads a pack through Guyute Pass in Sequoia National Park.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |