Trailblazers: Meet the Heroes of the Forest Pack String

Follow our horses and mules, Rory, Duke and Carla from the Shoshone Specialty Pack String as they complete work in wilderness areas throughout the Shoshone National Forest. U.S. Forest Service pack strings consist of horses and mules, lead packer and assistant packer and accomplish vital projects throughout the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. They are critical for compliance with the Wilderness Act.

“On all these national forests that have wilderness areas, you can get some work done bringing material in on your back,” said Crosby Davidson, Natural Resource Specialist – Trails, “but there’s some management that would be very difficult for us to do unless we used helicopters or other things that are prohibited by the Wilderness Act. That is why a pack string is generally the best bet.”

(USDA Forest Service video by Travis Weger)