TRAIL RIDING IN THE WILDERNESS

SHIRLEY W. ALLEN.

Because of the very inaccessibility that gives charm and mystery to wild places, few Americans in the past 40 years have ever found themselves far from the sound of an automobile horn. Fewer yet, but for the foresight and planning of the American Forestry Association, would have been able to enjoy the thrills that greet the wilderness traveler as he rounds a bend in the trail or stream and sees before him the flowering meadow, the majestic mountain back of it, or the wild animal which looks, turn and disappears into cover.

Not everyone will want such opportunities, they may be one man's meat and another's poison. But it is safe to say that those who crave such adventure would number at least a million in our country.

Horseback trips (and to a less extent, canoeing) have been available at reasonable cost almost every year since 1933 to the members of this association of citizens, which serves as a rallying place for friends of forestry, whether they be trained foresters or plain public-spirited folk. It is the latter group that forms the bulk of the membership, and many of them had their introduction to the program by signing up as "Trail Riders of the Wilderness." Once exposed, they are incurable conservationists.

The idea of exploring, studying, and enjoying the wilderness country on horseback expeditions came to the American Forestry Association in 1932 from the West. The desire for such adventure had there found its best chance in terms of the small party and horseback travel. The occasion might arise as a "go-along" venture from a cattle or sheep ranch when routine work of the range had to be done. It might start with a hunting season that required saddle and pack animals to get the adventurer into back country, carrying his outfit, and bring him back with his kill. Or a planned and guided visit to wilderness country from ranch, resort, or dude ranch, with less definite objectives in mind, may have taken a family or a group of friends into one of those priceless and unspoiled parts of America, set aside to maintain their own precious values and usually located in the national forests or national parks.

In all of those early forays, from the days of Jim Bridger and the exploring expeditions in the Yellowstone to the one-night-out trip from today's most expensive resort, certain features are common.

Primitive modes of transportation; penetration of wild and infrequently visited country; camping and cooking with limited equipment and the sorts of foods that can be easily carried or that can be captured daily; sleeping under the stars; gathering in close and friendly companionship at the campfire, with the singing, the tall stories, the banter, and the long moments of dreamy silence; the flood of questions on the trail and in the camp; the grist of minor adventures with horses, storms, yellow-jackets, mountain climbing, and fishing; the amateur but serious nature study; the photographer, in the role of pest or friend; the distinctive dress; the understanding that develops between horse and rider; the color and culture of the local people who go along as guides, cooks, and wranglers all these in the mountain trips make up the daily program, and the record in thousands of diaries, hearts, and photographic collections. Added to these, from the canoe country, may be the many ways of getting wet, the portage, the fast-water incidents, and a good bit more under the heading of "the big fish."

But left to the American Forestry Association was the development of the trail ride as an expedition of 15 to 30 persons from all parts of the country, of all ages, and of widely varying backgrounds, brought together with only their duffel, clothing, personal effects, and anticipations, to ride together with competent guides and helpers, for 10 days to 2 weeks, deep into the wildest parts of the country. No service of supply, no quartermaster's department, and no long-organized travel service with its established connections figured in those bold ventures, which were launched in 1933.

The first trip left from Helena, Mont., for the South Fork Wilderness (now a part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness area) on July 11, 1933, with 22 riders, from 10 different States and the District of Columbia. There were two guides, two cooks, a boss packer, and four wranglers. Fifty-five horses and mules were required. The first day's ride was 18 miles, and the party spent 6 days in the wilderness. They called themselves the "Pioneers." All returned safe and enthusiastic. As their telegram at the end reported, the venture "was a complete success and through country we never dreamed existed."

The log of that trip, kept by the representative of the association, is punctuated with references to frost on the sleeping bags, seas of wild flowers, accounts of meals that make one hungry to read, songs to banjo accompaniment, battles with wary trout, and, over and over, references to the surprise and wonderment as the journey proceeded. The second trip that year went into the Sun River country in the same general region,- it was successful, but a severe August snowstorm turned the party back short of the Great Wall, its objective. It was no soft expedition, however, for only when travel became unsafe did the members turn back. The riders treasure not only the joys of this ride but memories of the touch of hardship and the conquering of obstacles.

Since that year the American Forestry Association has arranged and carried out 75 expeditions, in which more than 1,000 riders explored 19 wilderness areas in 9 States. More than 200 of the riders have repeated the ride; a score or more have been on 5 to 12 of the trips. The average party includes from 20 to 30 riders, and requires from 50 to 70 saddle and pack animals, counting those for the guides, helpers, and cooks. A canoe trip penetrated the roadless area on the Superior National Forest in 1941; it was repeated in 1948.

Over the years a rather definite system has been worked out. During the winter the association arranges with local guides and packers the proposed itineraries and equipping of the trail riders for the following summer. Sometimes it has been possible for an association representative or a member of the Forest Service actually to ride the trip beforehand with the guide and to select alternate routes. Early in the year the expeditions are announced in the American Forests, the monthly magazine of the association, a prospectus in pamphlet form is prepared, and letters are sent to former riders and inquirers. Routes, dates and costs, recommended clothing and equipment, and the ways of reaching the meeting places are included.

PREPARATIONS for starting on a trail ride begin with correspondence or an interview, in which the American Forestry Association wants to make sure that the applicant is in good health; has some acquaintance with horses and riding; can really be counted on to stay by a decision to make the trip; understands that while there is no advantage in being uncomfortable the accommodations in general are pretty rugged; really wants to go on the trip; and is ready to pay the moderate cost, which over the years has run from $125 to $188 for 10 days' to 2 weeks' travel. It is also important that the prospective trail rider understands that this cost is from the "jumping off place" and not from his home. Take-off points have included Ely, Minn., Asheville, N. C., Silver City, N. Mex., Kemmerer, Wyo., Glenwood Springs, Colo., Missoula, Mont., Sun Valley, Idaho, Seattle, Wash., Bishop, Calif., and Lone Pine, Calif.

As the parties fill up, an association representative is selected to meet the riders, check their preparations, arrange such things as transportation to the horses or canoes, last-minute purchases such as a poncho here, a western hat there, and most important, fishing tackle and fishing licenses.

How a trail rider dresses, provides himself with small comforts, and takes things which can actually be put on a pack horse or in his own small bag carried on the saddle (duffel weight must not exceed 50 pounds a person) are items that the association tries to make plain in its literature. Always, however, they have to be checked just before the trip by the representative of the association and frequently this is done in the evening after the group has gathered preparatory to the takeoff the next day. Trail riding has its moments of dust, wetness, wear, and even loss of bits of equipment. So it is good to give thought to essentials of clothing, plus cameras, fishing tackle, tree, shrub, and animal identification books, and toilet articles, all of which go to make up the individual's equipment. Dungarees are popular for both men and women. Riding boots are worn but not recommended unless they are of the cowboy type for riding only. Some comfortable shoes for the hours around camp are needed. Bathing suits come in handy. The right kind of hats to cut down the sacrifice to the sun gods needs to be thought about and obtained. The favorite sets of spurs, the rider's own saddle, trick riding breeches, and other unusual items of costume are not recommended.

Then, with full instructions, the party assembles, the evening before taking off, for final questions, meeting local forest officers, learning each others' names, storing baggage, and depositing valuables. Then, also, the leader extracts from each rider a promise not to oversleep or hold up the takeoff early the next morning. Usually there is a long stage ride to the point where the horses or canoes are to be assigned. Upon arrival, each rider is sized up by the head guide and his helpers and matched with a horse that will be his for the duration of the ride. Stirrups are adjusted, try-outs staged if there is time, and a part of the ride accomplished by the end of the first day out. There are no mantelpieces to eat from in the wilderness.

IF ONE TRIED to complete a composite of the trail rider, male or female, he might come out with something like this. The woman would be in her thirties, a teacher or perhaps a stenographer who lives in a city, whose riding experience likely has been confined to the sort of horses you get out of a riding stable, who has a profound love of the out-of-doors, who systematically saves for her vacation, who is naturally friendly, and who is not so heroic that she does not occasionally ask the cook for a basin of warm water on a cool morning or perhaps hope that sometimes she may have toast instead of pancakes. The man would be a businessman, somewhat older than the woman, who is determined to get off the beaten trail, frequently is interested in fishing, is a somewhat better horseman, is given to philosophizing, and is anxious to share with his family the joy which he has experienced.

Invariably a forest officer is on hand as the journey starts, usually with his own saddle horse and pack mule, to accompany the party on the entire trip, or, if he happens to be the local ranger, to ride with the group while in his district, turning them over to the next ranger as the ride proceeds. This will also be true of the national park officers as the expeditions enter their territory. The representative of the association who leads the group may be one of its officers, or a member who may be a forestry teacher, or a well-informed individual who lives near the scene of the ride. He tries to prepare answers for all questions with the help so readily available from forest and national park officers who may accompany the party.