Horseplay in the Eastern Sierra - Mammoth Lakes

Sunset, June, 1996 by David Lansing

Mammoth Lakes is the place to saddle up for everything from fishing trips to cattle drives to rides into the wilderness

Before the horseless carriage and the iron horse, before tubular steeds and motorized hogs, there was Equus caballus (the horse), truly man's best friend. Judging from the number of city slickers taking horsepacking trips these days, horses are as esteemed as ever. Don a wide-brimmed hat, climb into that squeaky saddle, and say the magic word - giddyap - and you're off on a fishing expedition, a wilderness camping trip, a ride to see wild mustangs, or a cattle drive.

The Eastern Sierra high country around Mammoth Lakes is the perfect place to horse around. About 15 outfitters offer trips ranging from a half-day to a week. In most cases, riding experience isn't necessary, and children as young as 6 are welcome.

Most trips fall into one of four basic categories.

A dunnage trip is typically the least expensive. You assemble your own group, determine a destination, and provide all your own camping equipment and supplies, including food and cooking gear. The outfitter provides horses and mules to pack your gear. The packer accompanies your group; cost runs from $100 to $130 per packer per day, plus $50 to $70 a day for each horse or mule.

A spot trip is a similar excursion, except the outfitter takes you and your equipment to a selected camp-site, usually by a lake or stream, drops you off, and returns for you whenever you've arranged. Costs are about the same as for dunnage trips.

On all-inclusive trips, outfitters provide all food and camping equipment (except sleeping bags and personal items) and stay with the party throughout the trip. Since the outfitters do the cooking, and set up and break camp, you can focus on relaxing. Trips run about $150 to $200 per person per day.

Group rides have predetermined dates, run three to six days, and usually focus on special interests such as fly-fishing, deer hunting, photography, and rides into the Sierra. Some outfitters offer parent-and-child group rides, where the pace is more leisurely and the stops more frequent than on normal rides. Group trips average $100 to $150 per person per day, including food.

MAMMOTH LAKES WRANGLERS

The following companies offer pack trips out of the Mammoth Lakes area. Area code is 619 unless specified.

Frontier Pack Train. Yosemite and the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Expeditions may focus on golden trout fly-fishing, wild mustangs, or horse drives. In the June Lake Loop across from Silver Lake; 648-7701.

Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit. John Muir Wilderness, Yosemite, mustang-observation rides, spring and fall horse drives, three-day trips to Bodie. Located by Lake Mary in the Mammoth Lakes Basin; 934-2434.

McGee Creek Pack Station. Wilderness trips, Yosemite, fly- and spin-fishing, wagon trains, packing school. West of Crowley Lake between Tom's Place and Mammoth Lakes; (800) 854-7407.

Red's Meadow/Agnew Meadows Pack Train. John Muir and Ansel Adams wilderness areas, photography trips, fly-fishing, horse drives, parent-and-child trips. Reds Meadow is adjacent to Devils Postpile National Monument. Agnew Meadows is about 5 miles north of Devils Postpile. Both are off Minaret Road west of Mammoth Lakes; 934-2345.

Rock Creek Pack Station. Wilderness rides, Yosemite, horse drives, mustang day trips, and packing and horsemanship schools. By Rock Creek Lake west of Tom's Place; 935-4493.