If it’s got gears, it’s not allowed in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. But a humble creature helps clear the trails
As I listened to their joyful clunking and stared at the line of long fuzzy ears ahead of me, I couldn’t help but think that mules are also quite endearing.
Frank moved to Montana from New Hampshire 45 years ago because he wanted to see the west. While rugged and more capable than most of us – he wears leather chaps made from an elk he killed himself – there’s an undeniable hippy vibe to him. He often laments how disconnected we are from the natural world. Without a connection to something bigger than us, he believes, we will end up losing ourselves.
She and Frank make a strong team: he’s firm but attentive, and never patronizing. He lets her take risks so she can learn, trusting her to lead the entire mule string.First, you need land. This might have been easier decades ago, but decent acreage is now out of reach for most young people. A single working mule costs thousands of dollars. A decent saddle goes for $1,500. A farrier needs to re-shoe the animal every eight to 10 weeks, which will set you back around $120 each time.
A mule’s head alone weighs more than 200lb. If you’re unlucky enough to stand in its way, you can kiss your front teeth goodbye. One second is all it takes for a mule to knock someone flat; a single kick to your leg can break bones. We eventually manage to complete our mission: to pack material and food for a group of five trail volunteers.
Still, Smoke worries packing will soon become a lost art – and for this reason, cannot seem to stop teaching. He helps host a wilderness and packingPhotograph: Aaron Agosto
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