Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Grand Canyon Ride

That's cool Vince. I have heard that there is a pretty long wait list to do that now.

That trip is hell on folks that don't ride. I backpack in and those poor people coming out are in misery, I always try to give them encouragement that they are close to out up at the top. Their faces tell a tale of pain.

Kent

Great stuff! Drop in from the south side?

Get to spend much time @ the river? What was the trip time?

Nice pics..........

did ya feel like a 'tourist ?'

Looking online at the rides the weight limit is quite restrictive Phantom Ranch 200 lbs fully clothed. Canyon Vistas 225 fully clothed. I go about 170 dressed warm and the wife is about a buck and a quarter at most dressed warmly. Talking about our options and will up our saddle time weekly if we go. Just retired so my saddle time will increase anyway.

I can only imagine how nerve wracking that ride would be for folks not used to it. Those are really good pics and thanks for sharing.

I went to college with a guy that was a wrangler/guide out there in the early-mid 90s. He had some neat pics to share. Said they 'broke-in' new mules by hauling in supplies at night to the Havasupai.

50 years ago when I was at Ft Leonard Wood, one Sunday afternoon 3 of us decided to go for a ride. We went to the post riding academy and checked out 3 plugs. All we could do was sit in the saddles and do nothing but let them follow their own path. I figured out real quick that if I tried to take it anywhere else, I'd have a rodeo. It wasn't worth getting bucked.

About 15 years ago we were at Wallowa Lake Or. and the group that we were with decided that the kids needed to go on a horse ride. So we went up to the stables and signed up for a two hour horse ride. They brought the horses out and started mounting the kids on the horses. I walked up the horse that they had for me and the first thing I did was to start letting the stirrups out so I was not in a jockey position for two hours. One of the wranglers came up and wanted to know what I was doing. He told me that I could not do that, and he would do it for me. After I explained to him I was more that capable he kind of stood there butt hurt but left me along. Once I saddled up and we started up the road to get to the trail I soon learned that I was just along for the ride because no matter what I did to that horse he was not going to take any of my commands. We started up the trail and were the horses walked the trail was worn down to the point that I would have to hold my legs out like wings or tuck them back because the trench was so deep that my stirrups would drag the ground. Most miserable two hours I ever spent on a horse. Tried several times to rein him out of that trench, but he would not take any rein or boot commands.

Dude horses are about the most stubborn critters.

Most never make it off the trail and will fight you if you try.

I hunt mainly in two different units here in Colorado, 200 miles apart.

Each place, for quite a few years, and I ride a mule into where I hunt and then walk a short distance from there. I usually leave camp at 4 AM so I can get to my hunt area before light.Always riding in the dark. I can mount up and point my mule to what trail I need to take and he will take me to the exact tree I always tie up to,without touching the reins. That is maybe 4-6 miles. I have been in a few snow storms where I could not see much and he has taken me back to camp,stopping in front of the tent.Yet if we are going some place new,he will go wherever you point .

Whether mules are in harness, pack saddles or under saddle, if you stop at the same place every time to rest, the mules will begin to stop there all the time and you need to have discussion with them not to. Same with stopping for lunch or quitting for the day.Their internal clock and memory is astounding

Not done it, but a buddy and his wife (experienced horsemen) said it was one of the most terrifying things they'd ever done. Instructions were to look at the wall if one felt insecure.

When we were ready to mount up they asked if anyone had experience .My wife jumped up and said he has 50+ years..They put me on a mule that needed a " bit" more seasoning. Everyone else got dead heads.He only had the people thing a few times, but packed. He wasn't impressed with the hikers and hugged the outside of the trail that had the 500 foot drops whenever we passed one and we passed a bunch. He didn't like a mule too close to his butt and crow hopped trying to kick back when one did get too close Try that on a 3 ft wide trail. They told us all mules were trained to direct rein,no neck reining at all.They forgot to tell that to my mule.He didn't do either. It was nerve pucker time for me a few times,but what an adventure for sure

Standing on the rim the day before, I was a bit queasy looking down and was some what anxious about that. At my age I get nervous at the 2nd step of a step ladder. After the first 50 yards on the trail looking at the trail over the mule's ears, I was good. In a mile,I was looking over the edge and marveling at the engineering feat of carving that trail without modern day machinery.

It is not a trail for the faint of heart.

Saddlesore,

lot of great country down there, appreciate the pictures. Having no riding experience, I have elected to hike that trail. Pretty stove up from the hike when finished, but nothing like I would be if I rode. I like Phantom Ranch, nice shade trees, food is good, and cabins are historic!

Sycamore

Any imagine the temps down in the canyon with the heat wave there now.