Ansel Adams Wilderness Trail Project / Campy / The Packers

Ansel Adams Wilderness Trail Project: The Packers

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Our volunteer packers Dick, Dennis, Paul, Charles, and Kaye are from the Antelope Valley Unit and Bill and Jack are from the Eastern Sierra Unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California. All have packed for volunteer trail crews before. They have the extra expenses of maintaining their saddle stock and pack horses and mules. A few trail workers left on Friday after working a half day, and there were scenes of handshaking and hugging before they left. The major spike camp shut-down came on Saturday morning.

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Img 97 Paul is heading out... Img 98 followed by Dennis. This was while on a trail ride - they stopped by spike to see if they could help pack out something, and I had a couple boxes (un-burnable trash) for which they could utilize some slings. Img 05 The whole group - 15 trailworkers and one cook. This photo was taken on Friday before some of the people split. Img 06, Img 07 People ready to head out.
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Img 08 Dick and Dennis showed up right away on Friday with animals for taking out everything I could let go of before the Saturday departure. Img 09, Img 10 Dennis with Black. Img 11 Gus with Dick's saddle horse. Img 12 Dick and Dennis working with loads. Dick doesn't tie his horses to trees but sort of just drops them there and they wander only just a little, but not far. He probably trained them initially by tying them always to the ground on a concrete block or something.
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Img 13 Securing a cooler in a sling. Note that Dick's horse moved up a little closer to investigate. Img 14 Watching the activities. The Californians or Alaskans or Texans - I don't know who, they've been everywhere! Img 15 Dari and Ron, brothers. Img 16 Time to leave. Img 17 Dennis is ready with his loads.
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Img 18 Making a loop around camp. Img 19 I asked Dennis to pose in the sun - well, it moved! Img 24 David and Judy. Img 26 Frank ready to leave. Img 27 Campy waiting for the packers to take the final five easy loads.
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Img 18 While walking out on the River Trail we admired this well-made dry creek crossing. This has got to be Keith's Inyo NF trail crew's earlier handiwork!