Would you like to visit the Back Country too?

For those of you who are interested in making some trips into the back country this year but are hesitant due to having to pack all of your gear on your back we are pleased to offer packing services.  While we primarily focus our personal trips to the Yolla-Bolly/Middle Eel and Trinity Alps wildernesses  we are open to other areas including the Marble Mountain and Russian wildernesses. We do not provide riding horses but will pack your gear in to a pre-arranged location and meet again at a specific time to pack it out. This allows you to enjoy your hike and sight-seeing without worring about heavy packs, or for hunters to hunt on the way in and out. If you wish we can also set up camp and prepare your first nights meal so it is ready after your hike in. If you are interested in a licensed guide we can refer you to an excellent one for anything from just sight seeing, to bear or deer hunting, to fishing. Here are some pictures from some pack trips from last year! 



A small waterfall on Canyon Creek, there are lots of beautiful falls on this creek, it is about 7 miles to the lakes, nice trails but a pretty good climb. This is in the Trinity Alps, the trail-head is about 12 miles north of Junction City (Approx 10 miles west of Weaverville on Hwy 299).  This is a very popular and heavily traveled trail, you will not be alone here, but there is still lots of room up at the lakes and some very nice camp spots.  The views are worth it, I highly recommend this trip!


Just another pretty shot of Canyon Creek 


About half a mile below the Canyon Creek lakes, all of the white is granite, not snow, even on the far ridges.  You can also see part of one of the larger falls near the center of the picture.


Another shot below the lakes, this is probably the steepest part of the trail. 


This is HorseShoe Lake, also in the Trinity Alps, but access to this lake is from the Eastern side of the Alps off of Hwy 3 out of Weaverville.  The trail to the meadows (where the best camps are) below the lake is nice and wide and is a long but easy climb.  After the meadows the last climb to the lake is very very steep, but only about 1/2 mile of it. Again, very worth the trip.


A view back down the valley from HorseShoe Lake, the trail here goes through the meadow in the picture, so you can sort of see how much of a climb it is to the lake. The huge meadow that we camp in is back up the valley just around the ridge that comes down from the right. 


Another shot of HorseShoe Lake, the rock in the middle of the pic is the center of the horseshoe, the lake continues around behind it.

Sorry!

Well, I have no horse pictures to share from this weekend. We ended up spending a nice quiet holiday around the house just relaxing, other than doing some minor fence repair.  Even took a break from the horses! Serina is still just cooking, still no major changes to report. The waiting game is just no fun!!

Summer is here!!

We didn't work with the horses as much as planned, we had to run to Redding on Friday, then there was a trap shoot on Sunday so we had to go practice and play with some other fun guns on Saturday, but we did get Zeta out to pull a few trees out of the woods to the road, we will be thinning the woods over the next few weeks so should be working her a bit. She pulled some heavy loads through brush and did really well.

Starting a medium load, 2 smaller poles. 


Almost to the road...


Pulling a heavy pole off the pile 


Working on an almost perfect parking job! 

So that's all the horse pics for this weekend, Serina is still cooking the baby and getting big, the baby is driving her nuts though, I think it is starting to work on rolling into position. She can stand in some pretty goofy positions trying to get that thing off her insides! Hopefully baby pics soon! But I think we still have about 2 weeks, she seems to just be starting to loosen up, pretty much in line with the pics from last time.

Busy weekend!

It seems like we ran non-stop this weekend! Friday we went to redding and picked up Bailey, Jarrett's new mare, (pics further down). Saturday we drove Hannah, worked with Holly, built more fence, repaired fence (Apparently Bailey already really likes Zeta and doesn't like being away from her!), and Sunday we went and rode up at Mad River & started Bailey under saddle. 



Ground driving Hannah for the first time, she did really well after we figured each other out, she is very steady and very little spook, she tried lots of potentially scary things with little hesitation, usually only a pause to look at it. I am very happy with her!   


Over the scary bridge like a pro! 


Bailey, a 5yr old Paint/Quarter; she is a very friendly mare with lots of potential. Apparently she has only been sat on before. We turned her out in the big pasture and she ran off and on for hours enjoying herself.  


Bailey's first ride, we took it easy, did a few laps in the round pen... She crow hopped right at first but settled in and did fine after that.  


Break time 


And I have to throw in another piece of Jarrett's Leather! This is a custom bridle he just finished, the mare is a Percheron (it is still getting keepers to hold the straps down).


Another shot, click on the picture to see the larger image for details.

Next weekend should be another busy one, we actually have most of the weekend free for once so are planning to do lots of work with Hannah & Holly, do some logging with Zeta, and hopefully get some riding in too. Serina is just biding her time and finishing baking the baby, it is quite active and kicks her a lot. No major progression towards delivery signs yet so we still have a few weeks I think.

Uneventful weekend...

We spent most of the weekend building fence and butchering a 400lb boar hog, so didn't get to play with the girls at all, other than getting Hannah and Holly moved up to the valley. Mayah is going to stay on the coast and grow up for now, though she will get some light work in the evenings to keep her going... Next weekend we are picking up a new horse near Redding on Friday and then hopefully we will get to work the girls some once we finish building the last little bit of fence... So should have some good pics!! Serina will also be moving to the valley on Thursday to foal up there, there is a nice big barn and less coyotes & predators around. She is getting bigger every day, but still no imminent signs! 

Ok, 2 quick pics!

The babies checking each other out, They are both almost 2!! Just a little size difference there...


Sun killed horse... Aparently Hannah feels quite comfortable in her new pasture! Holly joined in a bit later but didn't have the camera then...

Ok, that's it for this week!

New expectations in about a month!!!

Serina is finally starting to show signs of her impending foaling!! I figure based on her pregnancy with Bassira 2 years ago (when she carried for 366 days!) that she should foal about the end of this month or first few days of June!  She is right inline with pics from that  pregnancy too, her belly looks identical, if just a touch smaller this time. She was showing no sign 
at all berfore except some fluid from her udders, then I returned this week from a business trip and all of a sudden she is showing strong!


Serina at 334 days in 2006, pregnant with Bassira


Serina at 334 days this year!


Still hiding it from the side view!


There's Jr poking out!!

And for those who don't know, Serina is bred to Black. The pics of his previous foals show that he tends to pass on his coloration (Sometimes not quite so dark, but still dark) so we are hopefully looking for a dark bay, with some chrome! He has had sabino foals before, so based on Bassira's almost sabino pattern (I'm pretty sure that came from Serina since her Sire's lines showed no evidence of Sabino), fingers are crossed for a true sabino foal! But regardless the main hopes are for a healthy foal!!! 

Not much else new, was out of town in Las Vegas over the weekend (had some excellent food, & didn't do a bit of gambling!) so didn't get to play with
the new girls, but we should be transporting Holly and Hannah to the Valley this weekend so we can get started with them! Look for those pics next week, and more of Serina as she progresses!