# Pack Trip



## Tgoschwartz (Sep 29, 2017)

Hello All. I am new to horse forum and my first post is to ask for help.
6 of us want to take a private 5 day pack trail ride in the Glacier area. Our riding experience ranges from graduating beginner to advanced.
A few of us want to bring our own horses, but would rely on the "guides" to provide a few more along with pack animals, gear, and food.
Does anyone out there have contacts, or know anyone who provides such a service.
Thank you for your help.
Paul


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## lhorgus (May 12, 2014)

I would try Swan Mountain Outfitters: https://www.swanmountainglacier.com/

I'm not sure if they lease horses or not, but they could certainly point you in the right direction.


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## lhorgus (May 12, 2014)

I'd like to add that just south of Glacier NP is the Bob Marshall Wilderness. It's just as beautiful, a lot larger and not as busy as Glacier. There also aren't as many "rules" since it's not a national park. Might be worth looking in to. The Chinese Wall is quite a sight to see.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

I'd recommend "the Bob" too. Unless your horses are very experienced with highlining, hobbles, shale slides, rough trails, and crossing deep, running water, I'd suggest leaving your horses home and using the ones the outfitter provides.

Call "Outfitters Supply" tack shop in Columbia Falls and ask for recommendations for outfitters who do multi-day trips into the Bob, the North Fork, or Glacier/West Glacier. They're pretty on top of what's going on in the area and who is good and who isn't. 

http://www.outfitterssupply.com/contactus.asp


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'd suggest you take me along. you don't have to pay, just feed me.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

tinyliny said:


> I'd suggest you take me along. you don't have to pay, just feed me.


This. I loved riding and living in NW Montana. You need a sure-footed, brave, agile horse but the scenery is fabulous and trails abound. 

There are swinging bridges on at least one entrance into the Bob, and if you're on a narrow trail and a pack string is coming down, you need to go back down and let them pass (which is easier said than done on a trail 10" wide; this is where a small horse that can pivot on a tiny ledge comes in handy!) so definitely make sure you're well-mounted on good, calm, proven ranch and mountain trail horses with good sense.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Yes, I also recommend using the outfitter horses, unless your horses are experienced trail horses
Often, on pack trips, not even feed is packed in for the horses, thus you horses would need to know how to picket, something you need to teach at home, using a garden hose over that rope.
We used to head picket, but found leg picket works better. 
On pack trips, out horses were picketed out to graze, morning and evening, then tied up solid over night.
I guess, depends on what the resources are for that outfitter. Some have spike camps, where horse feed is hauled in by wagon, but places we ride, there are no food, amenities, except those that you bring with you. We try to pack in some grain, but other then that, the horses live off the land.


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## Tgoschwartz (Sep 29, 2017)

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions, comments and help. Unfortunately for Tinyliny I already have the "feed me" slot. Maybe next time. 
I will post back what happens.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I don't think a lot of Outfitters will let you mix/mingle your private horses with their horses. All it takes is one infected horse to bring their whole business to a standstill for the season. I can't blame them for wanting to control what their horses are exposed to.

I've even seen the wranglers near Bryce spraying a remote lunch spot hitchen rail with a spray bottle filled with clorox to disinfect it before tieing their horses to a rail that private horses had or might have used.

Add to that the herd dynamics of mixing strange horses into an established pecking order. Outfitters don't want their horses getting hurt because two horses started kicking each other.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

^^^^ Agree.
Also, all it takes is one questionably trained horse to make a disaster.
However this works out, have a great trip.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I worked as a mountain guide in Colorado. We had good, sound and well trained mountain horses. We hated it when people insisted on taking their untrained "pasture puffs". Almost every time I ended up, on foot, looking for them after freaking out while highlined at night.

I used my three day event show horses, but they knew what to do on the trail. Unless your horses know how to be hobbled, picketed and highlined, leave them home and use the outfitter's horses.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

There's also a big difference between a horse that does well on relatively flat trails for an overnight trip here or there tied to the trailer, vs. one that will do well on a multi-day trip in rough country. Especially for your first trip to the area, if you're doing an overnight pack trip, use the outfitter's horses. If you find that you think your horses will do ok, then the next trip bring your own. Just bear in mind that most outfitters will not mix their stock with private stock, so you'll either need to use their horses or do everything on your own. There's also something to be said for not having to be the one responsible for worrying the horses wandered down the backtrail overnight, etc. 

If you want to bring your own horses, there are a lot of places to day-ride around Kalispell and Columbia Falls where you can experience NW Montana without the hassle of packing in and out every.single.thing.


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## Hondo (Sep 29, 2014)

Subscribing.....


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Allison, your photos are spectacular!
I go horse camping but it's a far cry from riding into the wilderness. Were I ever to be fortunate enough to make a trip like that I want to be sitting on a horse that knows the ropes!!!!!!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Dustbunny said:


> Allison, your photos are spectacular!
> I go horse camping but it's a far cry from riding into the wilderness. Were I ever to be fortunate enough to make a trip like that I want to be sitting on a horse that knows the ropes!!!!!!


Sadly, I had to remove them. I use photobucket and they are timing photos out in an effort to force you to pay for better service. Grrrr....

Anyone know of a better photo sharing site? PM me, so we don't hijack this thread.


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