Wild Mustangs Legacy

Introduction
California USA
The hills north of Boundary Peak look far too barren to support any animals larger than a chipmunk. Yet, ride deep into this high desert along the Nevada/California border, and you'll find cool springs, a few emerald meadows--and the wildest mustang herd in North America

Track wild horses and relive the old west in the seldom visited Pizona area of the lnyo National Forest. From a central meadow camp, riders will track the mustangs in their natural pinyon forest habitat. Observe and photograph present day herds and wildflowers. Enjoy spectacular sunsets of the Sierra and White Mountains while the cook prepares dinner over an open fire. Later, around the campfire, our experienced tracker guides will, share their knowledge of the wild horses and other wildlife. Learn about the social behavior of the horses and their current struggle.
This is a trip for those who would like to experience the life of a cowboy out on the range. An active, riding trip for people of all ages and riding levels. The group will operate from base camp and will ride out each day to the open range by high mountains. Don't miss four days of hospitality, home cooking and the thrill of Western life.

The scenery is spectacular and if you haven't experienced camping in this part of California, you will be pleasantly surprised. The vistas of the Sierra from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney to the west and of Boundary Peak and the White.

Accomodation


Accommodation
This is a pack trip so most nights are spent camping.

Description
Depending on the program you chose, you will sleep at different locations.

During the Pizona Springs ride, we will be camping at a stationary 'tent city' and doing day trips out from this location. We have a wide variety of tents available (single, double, or family), so please let us know what type you prefer. There is a solar shower and privy with toilet seat and tent at the campsite. There is no generator on our trips -- no electrical source is available.
We do not provide ground mats or sleeping bags, so you must bring your own! 

During the Benton Springs ride, guests can spend the 2 first nights in a room at the Old House Bed & Breakfast or camp in a tent at Benton. The last two nights we’ll all camp in tents at our wilderness style camp in Pizona.
At the Old House B&B, rooms are available for singles, couples or families. Each room is equipped with running water, toilet and a TV. Those wanting to camp will have tents near the Old House.



Meals
All meals are included.
For the Pizona Springs trip, meals are included from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on the last day.
For the Benton Springs trip, meals are included from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day.

Food is typically sourced from local establishments. We strive to provide a deluxe dining experience and tailor our menus to reflect the tastes of our guests. We prepare breakfast and dinner.

A hot breakfast is prepared fresh each morning. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads are available at lunch and dinner each day.
Lunch is a build-your-own affair, typically completed before breakfast is served. Sandwich makings, fruits, and snacks are available for you to create your own take-along meal.
Each dinner has a different entrée (beef, chicken, pork, etc). 

Alcohol is not included in this trip, but guests are free to bring their own.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to vegetarians with prior notice.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding


Pace
Riding experience is considered when fitting you for a mount. There are plenty of horses and mules to choose from to fit your expertise. All trips go at a walk. Our crew will help you get comfortable before we leave the pack station. We ride as few as 2 hours or as many as 6 hours in a day.

Horses
Approximately 130 horses and mules are the backbone of the operation. Pack mules carry the provisions for trail riders, hikers, and those wishing to have their gear packed to a wilderness campsite. Mules typically carry 150-240 pounds of equipment, food and dunnage and work from June through September. During the off season, livestock graze fields in the Owens Valley.
Horses and mules come to the pack station as four to five year old green broke. After a couple of years of training they spend up to another twenty to twenty-five years working in the Sierra.

Tack
You are encouraged to bring your own saddle if you have one. However, if your tack doesn't fit our stock, or we deem is unsafe, you will not be able to use it.

Guides
Each year young men and women bring youth and enthusiasm to a crew of senior packers and cooks. Most of the crew come from ranch backgrounds and once they start packing with us, they have a hard time ever leaving. Every member of the crew carries on the traditions of the talented men and women who started the business in the 1940s. New employees learn the trails, traditions, and develop skills to serve another generation of guests. Only the most able, hard working and those with exceptional people skills succeed as staff. We typically have two guides for each 10 riders.  Sometimes we break trips up into smaller groups.

Itinerary



Sample Itinerary: Benton Hot Springs - subject to changes

Day 1: Arrival
We start with dinner at 6:30 PM. Camp will be being set-up that afternoon and there will be plenty of time to walk around, check out the horses and relax. If people can’t get there for dinner, they can arrive late or come out to camp the following morning.
Meals included: Dinner
Camping at Benton Hot Springs

Day 2: First Ride
Breakfast at 7AM and we meet the horses and explain safety rules. We’ll take a sack lunch and ride out for the day to explore the hills around Old Benton.
Afternoon is for soaking in the hot springs and getting ready for a fun filled evening with music and stories of the gold rush era.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Benton Hot Springs

Day 3: Ride to Pizona Camp
Breakfast at 6:30 AM and dunnage needs to be ready for the crew by 7:15 AM. We will be on the trail by 8:30AM and head north over the Benton Range on the power line road until we cut off to our camp in Lower Pizona (riding about 15 to 17 miles). We take a pack mule for water a lunch buffet and camera equipment. Camp is set up with showers available.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Pizona Camp

Day 4: Mustangs
Breakfast at 7:00 AM and the first group heads out to explore Upper Pizona, McNamara Lake, McBride Springs and the rolling mountainsides of Pizona to see the Mustangs. Those seeking a more leisurely ride, leave later and head out for a shorter loop that includes visiting the petroglyphs. We try and break up groups to meet various guests’ desires for length of ride.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Pizona Camp

Day 5: Last Day
Breakfast at 7:30 AM and we head back to River Springs via the Adobe Lake trail. We’ll cut tracks and look for bands of horses that are working between Adobe and River Springs. We arrive at River Springs by 2PM and will transport guests to Benton to pickup cars by 3PM.
Meals included: Breakfast

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Sample Itinerary: Memorial Day Special - subject to changes

Track wild horses and relive the Old West in the seldom-visited Pizona area of the lnyo National Forest. From a central meadow camp, riders will track the mustangs in their natural pinyon forest habitat. Observe and photograph herds of horses and wildflowers. Enjoy spectacular sunsets over the Sierra and White Mountains while the cook prepares dinner over an open fire. Later, around the campfire, our experienced tracker guides will share their knowledge of the wild horses and other wildlife. Learn about the social behavior of the horses and their current struggle.

We recommend that you spend the night before the ride in Lee Vining, Bishop or Benton Hot Springs.

Day 1: Arrival
We will meet at River Springs at 8:00am. You will be greeted by your guides, paired with your horse and ride into the Pizona Springs camp. Seminars include map orientation and history of the wild horse.
Meals included: Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Pizona Springs

Day 2 & 3: Pizona
Full day in the field, riding out to track and observe horses on open range and watering sites. Periodic stops for viewing, informal discussion and rest. Seminars include social structure and behavior of wild horses, seasonal range ecology and current issues affecting maintenance of free-roaming wild horses.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Pizona Springs

Day 4: Departure
Take a ride to the western range with lunch before returning to vans at River Springs Roadhead. Seminars today include obtaining, training and using wild horses. The last meal served will be lunch. Expect to arrive at your cars by 4:00pm.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

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Sample Itinerary: Photography Special (max 15 guests) - subject to changes

Day 1: Arrival, photography session on foot
Our adventure begins at 3pm when we meet at River Springs camp (NOT Rock Creek Pack Station), approximately 54 miles north of Bishop, CA. After introductions and an overview of our workshop schedule, Buren and one of Rock Creek’s naturalist guides will help you prepare for our first shooting session by going over wildlife photography techniques, some basic equine behavior/herd dynamics and how to best approach the mustangs. Then we’ll break for an early dinner before heading out for a sunset shooting session on foot. River Springs is where we will see the largest number of horses, often as many as 70 or more. It’s common to see stallions battling and foals of the year nursing or playing, but mostly we’ll see mustangs doing what all horses mostly do, which is eat. The keys to photographic success in this situation are patience, preparation and awareness. You will have the opportunity to learn and practice all of these during this workshop.
Meals included: Dinner
Camping at River Springs

Day 2: First ride, photography session on horseback
We begin pre-sunrise with hot coffee or tea. Once the caffeine kicks in, we’ll head out for our second shooting session. The wide valley floor, between two snow-capped mountain ranges, is ideally situated for both morning and evening light, but completely different photographically in each situation. It’s difficult when the adrenaline is pumping but maintaining awareness of light and backgrounds in addition to behavior when shooting this morning will pay off in stronger images. After our morning photo session, we'll enjoy a hearty breakfast and then we saddle up and head out for the ~3-hour ride to our second camp at Pizona Springs. On the way, we’ll ride past the herd we just photographed and have lunch on the trail at a spot overlooking the River Springs herd. After our arrival at Pizona, you’ll have the afternoon free to relax and explore. Look for blooming wildflowers or check out the old stone stagecoach tollhouse nearby. Or take a nap. After dinner, Buren will cover some finer points of wildlife photography. Then relax around the campfire until you hear your sleeping bag calling.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Pizona Camp

Day 3: Ride to high desert country, track wild mustang herds
We ride into the high country today in search of smaller bands of mustangs and grand landscapes. We’ll saddle up after breakfast and head out for an all-day ride. Somewhere down the trail, we’ll cross the state line into Nevada. Rock Creek’s guides are experts at tracking and finding mustangs, but there are no guarantees. If we are very fortunate, we’ll find mustangs at the very top of our ride where we our view covers a huge expanse of the Sierra Nevada and immense Boundary Peak. The scenery here is simply breathtaking. Even if the mustangs don’t cooperate (which happens often), this is an amazing spot for macro photography and landscapes, especially black and whites. Your horse can also model for you for the price of an apple core or a few carrots. End the day with generous servings of cowboy cuisine followed by an informal discussion on image management and processing using Adobe Lightroom.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Camping at Pizona Camp

Day 4: Ride to River Springs, photography session on horseback. Departure.
Our final day begins with an optional sunrise landscape session in the valley just beyond our camp. If you’ve seen enough sunrises, just get up in time for another hearty breakfast. Then we pack, break camp and ride back to River Springs.
One last shooting session with the River Springs herd, lunch and then we say our goodbyes.
End of Service.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch


Note: This tour is operating under permit with the USDA Forest Service through Special Use Permit on the Inyo National Forest.

Rates and Dates for Wild Mustangs Legacy

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: River Springs
Airport: Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH)
Transfer: --

Climate:
                                                Bishop area