Into the Sort of Wild -by Don Tauer

All adventures start somewhere, ours happened to start in a horse camp, at a state park somewhere in Minnesota.  After a good days riding, a big meal and several cocktails and while gathering around a campfire this plan for a trip came about  The trip was to cross the Bob Marshall Wilderness area in Montana starting in the west crossing the continental divide with three maybe four days of camping and concluding at Benchmark on the eastside.  While it surely sounds simple enough, a lot of planning is needed if we are to make this possible.  The we list changed slightly, but in the end six was the number of adventures to embark that bright sunny morning in July.

The cast or crew was as follows.  Walt Benhardus, it was his cabin we would be leaving from in the west, an experienced rider of countless 50 and 100-mile endurance rides, also several wilderness trip, some more notable than others.  He was our horse and groups leader.  Al and Nancy Salazar, a doctor and nurse team –how could we be so lucky with two wonderful people, new to horses in general and trail riding green, but still a still a medical team. Chuck Hauser, long time friend to all and great trail rider.  He would bring good common sense, GPS (Global Positioning System) knowledge and would serve as our scout.  Cathy Tauer my wife.  Horse trainer, camper extraordinary, saddle and pack expert.  She’s seen almost all there is to see in regards to camping and horses.  Lastly, myself, Don Tauer, farmer, weekend horse camper, a sort of jack at all trades master of none. I enjoy brining up the rear on most rides for you get to see the most action usually from there.

The plan was to meet at Walt’s cabin in the west, unload the horses and pack gear, which were tents, sleeping bags, meals for us, feed for the horses, and whatever survival gear and clothes we thought necessary and could carry.  Then we would convoy the RV/s and horse rigs to Benchmark empty so at the end of our 3 to 4 days we’d return to them waiting for us.  Walt’s wife Linda assisted us by bringing the return vehicle to Benchmark where she’d remain guarding our rigs, while we went back to the cabin and the starting point of our adventure. After a good nights sleep we where to depart early but plans were pushed back several hours that morning when we needed to acquire additional allergy medicines for Al who’s very asthmatic.  Finally the string of riding horses, (6) and pack-horses (2) were heading up the trail.

Walt would be on Thunder a 6-year-old Kentucky Mt. Gelding he’s been training for endurance riding later in the season.  Accompanied by Rose’ his packhorse, a good mare with a slight temperament toward kicking. Following Walt would be Chuck on his trusted mare Princessa, a beautiful bay Paso Fino with countless trail experience.  Next was Al on Roberto, a strong ex-endurance horse of Walt’s that sensed Al’s inexperience and took care of Al on the trip.  Nancy would be riding Fantasia, a retired national show horse of Walt’s that like Roberto rose to the occasion and took supreme car of Nancy the whole way.  Cathy’s choice for the trip was Lucy, a very strong-hearted 3-year-old Peruvian mare with much determination.  Her and my packhorse would be Charlie also a 3-year-old Peruvian, a gelding with the physical size to carry our load quietly and steady.  I would be on my 12 year old Peruvian mare Joya, a flashy black that always ready to take me for a ride if you know what I mean. 

Snow crossings in July

  

The continental divide
With gear packed and GPS fired up we were finally heading up the trail and on our way.  I say up because the first 5-6 miles was a climb up with switchbacks mostly being gradual. The long gradual climb helped settle the horses’ into what lay ahead  This climb was handled nicely by all with a few minor equipment adjustments needed at the top of the first ridge.   At the top we soon were crossing thru small snow banks still melting and this was the second week in July.  The extreme snow from the past winter had our guide Walt alter our original route due to high water reports on several rivers we needed to cross.  This change in our route would take us on less challenging trails which to inexperienced wilderness rider seemed like a good place to start. 

After several hours in the saddle we made our first meal stop for both riders and horses.  While the horses munched on cubes of different types for us it was the beginning or our MRE dining experience.  MRE stands for Meals Ready To Eat. And while they varied from chicken and salsa to roast beef after several days of them on the trail the thought of a steak or cheeseburger and fries seemed heavenly.

Back on the trial again we came to our fist V in the road and found our group chasing the wrong one.  We spent several hours sawing our way through down trees and brush popping before making it back to a crossing onto a main trail.  Chuck however sprained his knee and I found out how out of shape I was during this mistake.  Our late start and knowing this we knew we needed to make time and that we did with dust flying at near full gait we made our first scheduled stop at Parker’s Lake. Darkness was just settling in as we made camp, set up picket lines and tents hurriedly, got the horses fed, we dined once again on MRE and quietly settled into our sleeping bags for the night.

Deer all around us in camp.  Don

A morning breakfast of hot coffee and MRE's

Don, Al, Nancy, Walt and Cathy
Day two of this trek found everyone up early and more relaxed with having survived day one.  We enjoyed a nice fire and breakfast by Parkers Lake while the horses had there cubes and grain as deer wondered through our camp. We then packed up and were headed down the trail toward our next overnight stop, which would be near Whitetail Creek.  Our lunch break at Crow Creek was scenic with a bright sun warming us all up.  As we mounted up to leave however Chuck’s horse stepped off a small embankment sending Chuck flying to the ground.   Luckily Chuck was unhurt, except for the already sprained knee, so we helped gather up his gear and down the trail we went.  During the afternoon ride we cross the continental divide with breathtaking views in all directions and descend to Whitetail Creek site of over night camp 2, with good access to water for us and our horses and nice trees for shade and picketing we were happy to be stopping early to allow needed rest for the horses and ourselves.    The creek also gave me a chance to try a little fly-fishing and after several hours of this I gave up and ate my MRE. This fire felt especially inviting and after a cocktail and one of Walt’s fine cigars off to bed we men all went.  That is except for Al who chose to spend a little extra quite time along the creek as the sun set.  Then his story the next morning is of being surprised by a hiking couple, male and female appearing on the far bank of the creek where they proceeded to strip naked and cross the icy water, swearing and to redress on the near side to meet Al.  They asked him next if they could camp close by and they were there in the morning.   The second morning as we emerged for our tents we found our washed cloths that we hung to dry all frozen in the branches of the bushes where we hung them.  The fire again was most inviting and along with Al’s hiker story we were soon ready to hit the trail.  All was going very well the horses were in good shape and eating well, MRE’s were still being look upon as a good meal alternative simple and tasty and the trail scenic and interesting but not overly challenging. 

The men warming themselves, smoke cigars and share stories.

Don, Walt, Al and Chuck

Woke to find that our laundry from the previous night had frozen on the bushes where we had placed them to try.

Don

We were now on the #206 the scenic continental Divide trail a much traveled trail which left us sure we would make it to t Bench mark or our bodies easily discovered.  We proceed through out the day leisurely enjoying the warm weather,  beautiful mountains and streams and knowing only one more night would be spent on the ever-hardening ground. I need to clarify that only Cathy and I being purists slept directly on the ground, the others all packed pads and while still being sore couldn’t be as sore as were  This day’s ride was much like the past two except the valley we were in was burned off about 8-10 years ago in a large forest fire.  What a fire does is it kills the tree by burning the bark, then the following year wild flowers emerge up through the charred ground as the burnt bark of the dead trees falls off,   then soon after the dead tree blows down making a twisted impassable mess filled with the most incredible display of wild flowers imaginable. But the park service keeps the service trails cleared, like #206.  Our planned day was to go as far as Green Fork, a ranger supply station and spend the night there, but when we arrived we were hurried off and down the trail by a young park woman whom we decided later must have had a secret rendezvous almost spoiled by us showing up as we saw two horses and two sets of tack hidden off in the brush..  We continued on to Elbow Creek pass junction for our final night’s camp.  It wasn’t just to big and finding picket line trees was a bit hard but it served its purpose and we settled in and had a great evening around the fire. 

A climb across one of many passes

Wild flowers explode after a fire destroys the trees

One of many forest service bridge crossings over marshes and springs.

Cathy ponied as well as took video. Don brought up the rear.
As we woke the final day we knew the adventure was drawing to an end, our last feed rations were fed to the horses, last MRE eaten and dirty cloths stuffed into our bags.    We pack up our gear and put out the fire and headed toward our final destination Benchmark. It was a beautiful morning ride along straight creek with its lush green trees and mountain peaks to our left as we rode.  As we rounded the last curve heading on the path to camp our rigs came into site.  What a wonderful feeling knowing that we all made it back safely and that we had soft beds and warm showers waiting for us.  That evening Linda had made a feast for us weary travelers and as we sat around the campfire enjoying a cocktail we talked about our small adventure now complete and how or what we were going to do next year when we all hoped we’d be able to return to the Bob.  Hummm and it all started around a campfire.

Don and Cathy crossing one of hundreds of small streams

Linda's welcome back meal

Chuck, Nancy, Walt, Al and Linda

One of thousands of majestic views from the Bob Marshall Scapegoat wilderness area.