I do some work for an outfitter south of Yellowstone, Two Ocean Pass Outfitters. Some of the same country that Cocadori was in that he posted photos of.

The outfitter usually takes a group of boy scouts in every year to help with cutting firewood and clearing trails. This year we took the troop that our local church sponsors. It is wilderness so no chain saws. Cross cuts and axes.

The boys also got to cook the meals. It was a good thing one of the leaders grew up in a restaurant and knows how to camp. He got to teach the boys all kinds of old cooking tips from way back. For instance how to use a can opener. And that is not a joke.

We went in July and I took my 8 yr old in on his second trip and my draft cross colt on her first trip. We also had 7 scouts, only 1 of them really knew how to ride, most didn't even know how to camp. We also had several of their leaders, who knew how to camp, but don't know horses.

It was a pretty good trip, my son loved it, he knows most of the boys that went and had a good time harassing them. Especially about their cowboy skills. My colt did great. We packed her in light, then I rode her out of camp a couple days while we where there.

One day we went down to Bridger Lake and fished, visited with Cocadori's friends and caught a few fish.

I also rode a haflinger some friends gave me a couple years ago for the first time. We'd just been packing him.

Leading 8 mules in with 7 scouts and 4 leaders behind me. Thank goodness my friend who knows horses was along as well with us to help the boys. The rest of camp and packs came in a ways behind us.



Ready to head back to camp.


Leading a pack mule with the saw and axes.


Dinner time, pretty serious business with teenage boys that have been working all day.


Headed to Bridger Lake on my draft colt


This is Charlie the haflinger. He was supposed to be a kids horse, but got a little of the spoiled kids horse syndrome. He lines right out with some discussion.

This is Bridger Lake, just south of the park and right next to Cocadori's friend's forest service cabin.

thanks for the pics and what you do for the scouts.

Thanks for the pics Ralphie. Handsome little buckaroo hand ya got there too.

Neat trip for both you and the scouts.

Great stuff.

That's great. Thanks for sharing.

That's awesome!! great pictures too

Another terrific post with great pictures.

Thanks for posting!

What a wonderful trip for the Scouts, leaders, and all. Great looking camp, too.

L.W.

Enjoyed reading your post and the pictures.

Well Done! Love to see the kids in the back country...

I'm sure Val and Cindy were doing well!

Thanks. Nice post!

I just looked at your pics again and noticed the 'balance rock' in the first pic!

BTDT. Made me chuckle!

Not tellin' how many rocks are packed ... daily...

Imagine the next geologist's trying to figure out how so many unrelated rocks ended up where they are... ha!

Nice work, Ralphie. Those kids (and their leaders) couldn't buy an education like that. And in great country.

Super! Looks like a great trip.

Thanks for getting that 1/2 draft to pack me in on my sheep hunt in a few years!

She'll be ready for your sheep hunt.

She'll know how to hunt elk this year too.

Sweet! When I was in high school, my sister, dad, and I took a short vacation to the Smokey Mtns in TN. We decided to do a trail ride one day and found a place with an open spot. Soon as my dad, who was a quite heavy fellow, walked up the head man yelled, "We got one for ol' Duke!". Duke had very long hair at the bottom of his legs... IIRC he was 1/2 percheron. Dad said it was like trying to straddle a car hood!

Good luck on the elk hunt(s)! One of these years I'll have to throw my name in the sheep tag hat. WY took my 9 elk points away this year, so I'll still be visiting your great state.